PVC Safe for water?

[VicHanson]

I plan on putting mine on the passenger side. As of now I don't have a passenger so it should help balance things. I don't plan on more than 5 gal. capacity, so not more than 50 lbs. Of course it is up high so it might have greater effect there.
edit: I plan on mounting it flat as well, not standing up on a rack.

 

[DesertBoater]

As a followup on my earlier post to answer questions, I never actually calculated exactly how much water I had in there...certainly not a lot and just about right for 1 to two people to rinse off salt water...no soap. It never really got too hot, as I was always using it just after the sun went down. So far as mounting goes, i would have mounted it flat across the bars instead of vertically however then you run into the lack of pressure (didn't have a compressor then.) Also, carrying various kinds of kayaks on top limits the space underneath the bars. Boats curve along their edges and stick down a surprising distance below the bars.
I would guess that it was probably about 20-30 lbs empty...and with a 2-3 minute shower when full maybe 5-6 gallons (really don't know though) it was probably 50-60 lbs when full. Less than the weight of 2 kayaks. The water coming out of the system did have a funny smell the first couple times I used it...especially when it was hot, so I wouldn't (and didn't) drink from it.
The air compressor idea seems sweet, would you have some sort of pressure cut-off? Or just hope that you were using water fast enough to maintain operating pressure w/out blowing an end cap off? :Wow1:
I hope all that makes sense

Cheers,
West

 

[pete.wilson]

Hey

I think there is a lot of great idea's here and would agree that it's not best to drink from but would do good as for a quick shower in the boonies. I keep my potable water in approved containers anyways. I think I will try four lines of 4" pipe laying flat about 5 foot long each, with a nozzle to attach a hose to, paint the whole thing black.

Pete Wilson

 

[VicHanson]

Pete, Using Spence's formula (which is different from what I found on the web but it seems to work correctly), your four 4" tubes of 5' each should give 13 gallons of water. At 8.34 lbs. per gallon that is about 109 lbs.

I think I will start with about half of that, so should be able to get by with just two 4" tubes. Wish I could start working on it now but still have 3 1/2 months till I return to the States. (working on learning patience!)

Keep us posted on how your's works out, please.

Vic

 

[Curmudgeon]

Do they make a plastic pipe rated for potable water? Where would you buy it and what does it cost compared to PVC?

Yes. It's called PVC and CPVC. Available at any building supply.

PVC is sold in black pipe also. It is ABS pipe used for waste lines.

ABS and PVC are two entirely different things. ABS is black and is suitable for potable water, but is generally used for drain and vent pipes.

I wouldn't drink from a PVC pipe if you can avoid it.

Why? CPVC, a more flexible variant of PVC which will withstand higher temperatures, is used for residential plumbing in many places. The only thing that keeps it from being used many other places is pressure from plumber's unions. The same reason PEX is not approved in many places. The plumbers fight it because it makes plumbing too easy, and just about anyone can do it.

-

 

[washington taco]

You could always ad a schrader valve and use a CO2 charge from a bicycle inflation CO2 set up if you dont have a compressor.

 

[DEEZLPWR]

You could always ad a schrader valve and use a CO2 charge from a bicycle inflation CO2 set up if you dont have a compressor.

mmm seltzer water...LOL good idea though!

 

[robert]

While the CO2 inflater would work it's kind of expensive for one or two showers and not very environmentally friendly if you worry about that sort of thing. Properly glued PVC will hold a good bit of pressure, it's only recently that they started labeling it as not for pressure use when they discovered folks were using it for running outlets for their compressors. Ever owned a potato gun? There's lot of folks building high pressure guns using solenoids to fire them. I'm not going to try one, mine always used hair spray, but folks do it. Heck, Super Soakers are pretty thin plastic and I'm sure most of us have had some fun with them before. If you're really worried about it just install a pop-off/pressure relief valve- you can find them in all sorts of preset levels and adjustable.

Honestly though, it's not like you need or even want a high pressure system. A couple of pounds will move the water out of the system; much higher and you're just blowing more water out that much faster. A hand held bicycle pump ought to be able to put enough pressure in it to work just fine. Use a smaller nozzle so you can direct it where you want it and not waste water and you should be good to go.

I've used a Solar Shower for a couple of years now and my brother uses a pump sprayer with the wand cut down, with a little practice it takes surprisingly little water to get clean. The other key is to use a soap that rinses off easily.

 

[Bullseye240]

How is Carbon Dioxide "not very environmentally friendly"??? Carbon Monoxide I can see, but Carbon Dioxide?

 

[spencyg]

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is one of the primary greenhouse gasses concerning environmental scientists....the less you can create, the better everybody is. Do your part...breathe less :sombrero:

Spence

 

[robert]

Same reason those 1# propane cylinders aren't- most get tossed in the trash. Don't worry, I've got a couple of boxes of them for a pellet gun and some that I found in my grandfather's garage when I was cleaning up. he had them with an old "cracker"* that was made to pressurize Coleman stoves for those too lazy to pump them up (I'd never seen one before and wouldn't have known what it was except for the directions with it)


* If you know what that is we might need to party. :friday: Just kidding!

 

[RusM]

http://www.ferguson.com/homeowner.shtml

Call these guys and tell them what you need, you'll be bale to get everything you need at one place and unlike Homede-pot or Lowe's they can help with outside the box projects. Get the water pipe if you are going to drink out of it, the extra $$$ will be well worth the piece of mind. You're also going to need to cover the pipes as none of these are designed to be in the sun.

 

[VicHanson]

We are talking about simple (and cheap) passive solar water heaters for showering, don't know why anyone would want to drink the water. I doubt that it would be hot enough to make coffee or tea.

 

[DEEZLPWR]

wanna know a nice solution to camp shower...


A bucket of water, a washcloth and some easy rinse soap.....

warm the water and BAM.

doesnt take much to warm half gallon of water for bathing daily....

K keep
I it
S simple
S stupid

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is one of the primary greenhouse gasses concerning environmental scientists....the less you can create, the better everybody is. Do your part...breathe less :sombrero:

Spence

Tell that to Al Gore