Would like to do a hot water shower system on my 01 Tacoma but I honestly have no ideas what all I need. I would like to have it pull water from a small tank that would be mounted in the back of my bed. But again don't have a clue what all I would need to get hot water to it. Thanx in advance for all the info
What all do I need for a hot water shower system?
- Thread starter poedunkk
- Start date
Clutch
<---Pass
Depends how complex you want it. I like things simple. So I have a container with a 1/4 turn ball valve plumbed into the side of it, with a short piece of garden hose, and a shower attachment at the end of the hose, that also has a ball valve . Toss the container on a camp stove, after it gets to the temp I like...toss it on the roof of the truck with one of the floor matts under it. Water is gravity fed. No pumps or heating elements to deal with, no batteries to go dead.
No camp stove? can toss it on a camp fire too. I carry a grate with me, so it isn't directly on the coals.
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Agree, simple is best. I car camp in the back of my Tacoma for back country skiing and mountain biking and have one of the Zodi propane hot water heaters. I hate it. One speck of dust on the top of the propane tank and the gas valve gets clogged. Plus the thing is always trying to fall over and is just a pain to manage. I find myself now just falling back to my Nemo Helio pressure shower. For summer, just leave it in the sun and you are good. For winter, fill it halfway and add boil up a pot or two of hot water and you are good to go. Easy to manage and takes less time to heat the water than to setup the Zodi. Plus no batteries and pumps to manage.
Other people make a solar pressure shower out of weed sprayer and black paint from the hardware store.
Other people make a solar pressure shower out of weed sprayer and black paint from the hardware store.
Clutch
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I did a Zodi knock off with a stainless weed sprayer...it did work well, however having to pump it up I didn't care for. Like the gravity fed much better.
rruff
Explorer
I've always just used a sun shower, outside.
If you want something fancier that will work in all weather, a metal bug sprayer can be heated with a stove until the water gets hot enough. You pump them manually to pressurize the tank. I've also seen a guy heat water in a pot and then pour it into a battery operated bug sprayer.
If you want to get fancier yet, they make units expressly for portable hot showers. The heater and 12v pump will run you ~$160 or so: https://www.amazon.com/Eccotemp-L5-Portable-Tankless-Outdoor/dp/B000TXOJQ4
Clutch
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The container I use is an ammo can painted black with high temp wood stove paint, which can be heated by solar as well. I find with solar, it is either too hot...then I forget about it waiting for it to cool down...then miss the chance of a hot shower, because usually the sun has set already. That is when I started using a stove to heat it to exactly how hot I want it. Also use the shower for doing dishes.
www.hotcampshowers.com. I used an R&M vehicle mounted shower on a road trip to AK from MD. Works great w a bucket of water or if you find a stream or lake you'll have unlimited hot showers. That and an ARB fridge were the best additions to my rig for that trip. Looks like they don't make them anymore but there are plenty of heat exchanger out there and all you need is a pump and some hose.
patoz
Expedition Leader
I originally built this system for a 1985 Toyota SR-5 PU, and then moved it to a 1996 Four-runner.
See my post (#11) here:
Vehicle Shower Heat Exchanger
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/163625-Hot-shower-using-exhaust-heat-exchanger/page2
See my post (#11) here:
Vehicle Shower Heat Exchanger
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/163625-Hot-shower-using-exhaust-heat-exchanger/page2
Clutch
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After hiking, mountain biking, or riding dirt bikes all day...sure is nice to have a hot shower at the end of the day. Keeps bedding cleaner too. I don't camp, just to camp...out there doing other activities.
Curious to see which direction you go with this. I fully plan on installing some sort of shower system on my truck that I use to go 4x4 camping all the time. And you make an excellent point, you can get pretty dirty while camping and doing other outdoor activities so it's nice to crawl into bed clean and keep your bedding clean as well.
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Clutch
<---Pass
This was before I stripped off the paint and painted black. Who knows what toxins are in that military paint, wanted it off. Not that it matters, probably lead in that Chinese made hose...
I dunno, might have $15 in the whole setup, had all the plumbing parts in a junk box in the garage. If you really wanted to, could knock in a shrader valve, if you wanted to pressurize it.
Decent flow too.
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Wallygator
Adventurer
Heres my plan.
http://www.plasticwatertanks.com/p/rs75r/10-gallon-water-holding-tank-ronco-rvb389
This water tank is the perfect size to mount where the spare was and it also is compact enough to allow the installation of two of the new Fuelpax 3.5 gallon fuel containers in the rear half of the space, in front of the bumper. I'll be using angled Aluminum and metal strapping to mount the water tank and then using the rotopax mounts, installed onto angle iron. Then have an aluminum skid made to protect it all.
The Eccotemp L5 will be going in a Pelican 1520 case, mounted to the lid. Just like this install.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/135655-Trailer-Hot-Water-Shower-Box
That will be mounted to the rear tire Carrier( Metal Tech Pegasus for GX470) where a Jerry Can would go. Next to it I would have a H20 Jerry Can for drinking water(probably not wise to mount shower next to a fuel can)
Propane will be handled by the 1lb slim reusable propane tanks you can get from Uhaul that are 3"x12". I'm going to mount one on each side of the 45* tire supports on the rear tire carrier, behind the spare tire, and use an automatic changeover valve in between each cylinder. I'll have an extra, larger tank that can be brought if there are more people coming but the two 1lb cylinders should last at least a week worth of showers.
http://www.plasticwatertanks.com/p/rs75r/10-gallon-water-holding-tank-ronco-rvb389
This water tank is the perfect size to mount where the spare was and it also is compact enough to allow the installation of two of the new Fuelpax 3.5 gallon fuel containers in the rear half of the space, in front of the bumper. I'll be using angled Aluminum and metal strapping to mount the water tank and then using the rotopax mounts, installed onto angle iron. Then have an aluminum skid made to protect it all.
The Eccotemp L5 will be going in a Pelican 1520 case, mounted to the lid. Just like this install.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/135655-Trailer-Hot-Water-Shower-Box
That will be mounted to the rear tire Carrier( Metal Tech Pegasus for GX470) where a Jerry Can would go. Next to it I would have a H20 Jerry Can for drinking water(probably not wise to mount shower next to a fuel can)
Propane will be handled by the 1lb slim reusable propane tanks you can get from Uhaul that are 3"x12". I'm going to mount one on each side of the 45* tire supports on the rear tire carrier, behind the spare tire, and use an automatic changeover valve in between each cylinder. I'll have an extra, larger tank that can be brought if there are more people coming but the two 1lb cylinders should last at least a week worth of showers.