Standard solar shower
Solar showers can provide a satisfying warm water bath for a minimum amount of resources. A solar shower consists of a large, watertight black plastic bag, a hose with nozzle and a place to hang the bag in direct sunlight above the bather's head. The average backyard engineer can make a solar shower in about an hour. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Choose a size for the container or bag that will serve as the solar water heater. Usually 10 gallons is enough for a good shower. Use a black plastic bag or a solar water heating box panel. If it can hold water and be painted black, it will do. Sunlight is absorbed into the dark material, heating the water inside. The larger the container, the longer it will take to reach a warm temperature.
2. Cut or drill an opening into the bottom of the container for connecting the valve and hose, just a little smaller than the valve's inner lip. Place a valve in the hose by pressing the valve body into the bag with a liberal amount of silicone adhesive on both sides of the valve's lip. Twist a little to spread the silicone and remove air gaps. Allow this silicone to dry completely.
3. Attach a suitable shower head or nozzle to the valve with a length of hose or pipe. Use pipe adhesive or plumber's weld to secure an adapter to the pipe on the valve side, and another pipe adapter to secure it to the shower head. These screw-type adapters will fit snugly around the pipe, and a small amount of adhesive can make them water-tight. The valve and shower head fittings are generally screw-type and require these adapters.
4. Couple two or more solar shower bags together to give more pressure--or longer showers--by linking their hoses or pipes together. Link them before they reach the shower head with T-shaped valves or by installing a quick-release fitting for switching bags during the shower. Both of these can be secured permanently with pipe glue by applying a small amount onto the outside of the pipe, and then pressing it into the pipe or adapter and twisting the pipe. Allow to dry completely. Put a smaller hole at the very top of each solar shower heater to allow expansion gas to escape.
5. Hang or mount the shower higher than the person. The more water there is, the higher the pressure, but the more it will weigh. Make sure that the stand or overhang can withstand several dozen gallons of water weight.
Tags: solar shower, shower head, black plastic, pipe adapter, small amount, solar water, valve hose