Hot/Warm water without electricity?

[knighth001]

So I'm starting to think about getting hot water for the trailer. Though I do not want to add to the electrical if I can help it. (I need to do some look into the electrical have had some issues with the circuit breaker tripping.) I was thinking about either a simple solar heating system (you know black tubing/pipes to absorb sun's heat into water) or a propane water heating system.

Note that I do have an old Uhaul CT-13 without any electric water pump.

Would love to hear pros/cons and opinions from others who may have done similar.

--Sean

[Steve Hammel]

Definitely something that has been discussed on here before.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ter-24856.html

[Thomas G.]

This summer I just used a black bag type solar shower bag to heat water for showers. It is amazing effective if you lay it in direct sun.

Amazon.com: Coghlan's Camp Shower: Sports & Outdoors

[D Davis]

Tom, I use the same thing, only if you lay the bag on a rock seems to work better. Also have an outdoor shower tent, it's easy to put up and works great. I have experimented with heating up water and pouring it into a lawn and garden sprayer.
But for me, that is too complicated. Just jump in the creek! Refreshing! It's all good!

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by D Davis

Tom, I use the same thing, only if you lay the bag on a rock seems to work better. Also have an outdoor shower tent, it's easy to put up and works great. I have experimented with heating up water and pouring it into a lawn and garden sprayer.
But for me, that is too complicated. Just jump in the creek! Refreshing! It's all good!

Yep, I've used the rock trick and the jump in the lake trick, too.

[Cyndi B.]

You'd better be really desperate for a bath to jump in my creek not to mention a very fast washer.

[Chris Jones]

Originally Posted by knighth001

So I'm starting to think about getting hot water for the trailer. Though I do not want to add to the electrical if I can help it. (I need to do some look into the electrical have had some issues with the circuit breaker tripping.) I was thinking about either a simple solar heating system (you know black tubing/pipes to absorb sun's heat into water) or a propane water heating system.

Note that I do have an old Uhaul CT-13 without any electric water pump.

Would love to hear pros/cons and opinions from others who may have done similar.

--Sean

What do you have on the circuit? If it is on then12 volt side the converter is taking care of it. But every 110 item you add will have an effect on the beaker. What were you running when the beaker tripped?

[Francesca Knowles]

Water boiled on the stove poured into a container of cold water containing a rag and a bar of soap has worked for centuries in most parts of the world to keep folks clean.

That tried-and-true method worked for the U.S. Navy long enough to win WWII, and continues to work for the Campers in my party.

Francesca, dirtycamper, I guess...

[knighth001]

Thx everyone I'll probably stick with boiling water on the stove and try to make sure if the wife and kids are with me that we're somewhere with showers

[Bob Miller]

The usual water heater of choice in small FGRV's was the 3 gallon LP version and it requires a full demand control water pump system. Unfortunately they are no longer made. Without a trailer water pump system you might want to look at the ZODI camp shower system. We use one with a small shower tent and it's a good solution.

[knighth001]

Originally Posted by Chris Jones

What do you have on the circuit? If it is on then12 volt side the converter is taking care of it. But every 110 item you add will have an effect on the beaker. What were you running when the beaker tripped?

Lights, stock heater, fridge. I need get the multimeter out and do some testing. But I'll be doing some electrical upgrades to.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

This summer I just used a black bag type solar shower bag to heat water for showers. It is amazing effective if you lay it in direct sun.

Amazon.com: Coghlan's Camp Shower: Sports & Outdoors

I've also used these for years and years on my boats despite having a full pressure water system and hot water heater. If there's any sun at all you end up with bag of warm water to shower with. No gas or electricity necessary. The only time I used any gas is if it wasn't a really sunny day and I wanted to increase the temperature a bit.

Solar shower, don't leave home without one

Ron

[Carol H]

I have a small propane water heater in my Scamp and when camping at places with showers I often dont bother to turn it on often just boil the water needed for dishes on the stove.

I have used the solar bag shower many times on Kayaking trips - here on the wet coast it often fails to warm up enough if the weather isnt really sunny - but by just adding a little hot water heated on a stove works to warm it right up. I still carry it in the trailer and use it outside for washing off sandy feet from the beach etc - it will heat up pretty fast if you put it in the back window of a car in sunny weather.