A solar shower is a bag filled with water that is heated by the sun, allowing for an easy and convenient outdoor shower. It can be used while camping or in rural areas, and can also be installed before construction is completed. The simplest type is a small bag with a tap and hose, while more dynamic varieties can cost between $40 and $50. A permanent design involves a solar collector that heats water from a storage container connected to a cold water line.
A solar shower is basically a bag filled with water heated by the sun so that a person can take an easy and convenient outdoor shower. The solar-powered shower is a favorite with campers, as it allows you to shower while backpacking or in very rural areas. They are also popular with those building a home, as they can be installed before construction is completed, allowing builders to wash off the day’s grime without having to go home.
The simplest type of solar shower consists of a small bag, usually around 5 gallons (19 liters), usually made of something like a black or dark gray coated flexible PVC. An opening hatch at the top can be put over a tap to fill the bag, and a flexible plastic tube exits at the bottom, allowing the user to direct the water where they want. Typically such a shower will also have some sort of tap at the end of the hose, allowing you to easily stop the flow of water.
The solar shower is filled with water, then hung from a tree, or the side of a building, in the scorching sun. You are allowed to sit for some time to warm up, generally on a relatively hot day, with temperatures of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius), a shower warms the water up to a good shower temperature of about 110 degrees Fahrenheit ( 43 degrees Celsius) three hours or less. Once heated, the user can simply stand under it and use the plastic tube to direct the flow of hot water onto their body.
This simplest solar shower, the bag-and-hose variety, can be found for around $15 US Dollars (USD), making it an inexpensive addition to a backpacking kit. Some more dynamic varieties of the shower can cost between $40 USD and $50 USD, depending on the materials used and add-ons. For example, there are types of solar showers meant for rafting campers, which act as a solar shower when full of water, but are also built to act as a drybag when empty, so food and valuables can be protected on the river.
A solar shower can also refer to a more ornate, permanent design, which is simply a shower that has a permanent tank heated by the sun. This involves placing a large solar collector with piping that can take water from a large water storage container connected to a cold water line. Cold water is run through pipes to be heated, then mixed with additional cold water as desired to achieve the suitable temperature for a shower. In this context, a solar shower basically works like a regular shower, except instead of using a propane or electric heater, the water is heated by the sun. Often this type of shower is built outside so that the heater can be right next to the sun, but they can also be built inside like a traditional shower.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
