I'm looking to build a simple outdoor shower but I'm not quite sure where to start. My idea is to create a system using black pipes as a manifold. I'd connect a garden hose at the bottom and a shower head at the top. My question is, would this setup work for getting warm water after it's had some time in the sun? Also, should I arrange the pipes in parallel or use a serpentine layout to keep the water flowing smoothly? Any tips or advice would be super helpful!
2 Answers
Yeah, it’s definitely doable! Just keep in mind that you’ll need quite a bit of piping to get a decent volume of warm water. A lot of folks suggest using a coil of black tubing instead of straight pipes to maximize heat absorption and ensure better water flow. You could look into solar pool heaters for inspiration on design.
I actually built an outdoor shower last summer! We went with a solar shower bag that you can hoist up and it worked great for us! Alternatively, we also use a propane shower for those colder days. The solar bag is efficient and eco-friendly, but the propane setup makes sure you have hot water anytime. Just avoid heating water with propane during the hot months if you can help it!
Thanks for sharing your experience! I like the idea of the solar bag for the summer.
Would a coiled setup work just as well as parallel pipes for keeping the water flowing? I'm curious!