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Hello, good morning to all.
I need your help. We have a cabin that we've been working on for a few years. We have reached the stage of an outdoor shower. I am currently adding a "tower" 55 gallon drum for water source. Looking to add a heat-source to the water. I have electric available.
I've looked at submersible heaters for fish tanks, but none of them go to a high enough temp range. Any suggestions for heating the water in the drum before it hits my wife's freezing skin? I've looked at those "instant heaters" but don't like the reviews and was looking for an alternative.
Advice from someone whose already got a setup came to mind...
Thanks in advance.
PS: Not against solar (or other power) options, but electric is fine. Also, it's in North Florida, I don't think freezing will be an issue, zone 8-9.
If the tank is exposed to sunlight, just paint it matte black. Passive solar will heat the water until it will burn you, so a temp gauge would be a good idea.
In Florida, the water in the tank would never be icy cold, it will never get colder than the ambient air temperature.
If the tank is exposed to sunlight, just paint it matte black. Passive solar will heat the water until it will burn you, so a temp gauge would be a good idea.
In Florida, the water in the tank would never be icy cold, it will never get colder than the ambient air temperature.
Second that.
If you could raise the tank to ensure the gravity fed shower: make sure the continuous cold water feed is at the bottom of the tank and the shower discharge on the top as hot water rises.
You may not even need to do that in Fl - as the water could mix in a tank by itself.
It could get really hot though - I would get an additional cold water supply and some type of mixing valve to not burn the skin?.
Your incoming water should be pretty warm, so not too much temperature rise is needed:it could get unbearably hot just by the air temp +sun radiation transfer to your water.
Some ideas - and some are bad, but if you could get copper interior for your tank, pipes - it would prevent the bacteria, etc growth and the need to clean and flash the tank, piping, etc. often https://i-can-not-believe-i-let-you-...oadshower.html
Don’t get sick. If you have to use a hose- make sure it is rated for drinking water, don’t use the garden hose - a lot of nasty chemicals and your skin is the largest organ to adsorb them
Hmm. I didn't think it (sun) would be able to heat that mass of water to a point of over 100F. Well, that's good to know. TY MTSilvertip. That will save me money and time.
It is a black, thick industrial plastic drum. It is/will be raised, gravity-fed.
Love the idea of copper L00k4ward. Thanks for that great idea. It will be rainwater, already have that part set up with water-tanks and water coming off of roof. But the tower itself won't be built until the next couple of weeks, so I can fiddle with that and copper. You've got me thinking now about copper and water preservation in those tanks.
We won't be drinking it. Just clothes, a garden hose and the shower of course. I am going to fill the dogs' water bowl with it though.
My wife has kept saltwater fish for many years and knows all about filtration systems. I'll have to mention the copper to her.
She said this winter she does plan on putting some type of filtration in the tower-drum, what it will be I have no idea.
*You really think it can get hot enough to require cold water addition? If that is true, I hope that the larger, 160 gallon to 200 gallon/3 tanks can mix with it to stop that from happening.
I didn't realize cold water would be what I needed.
The pump to tower is in last tank, so water will be coming up to tower from a 200 gallon tank that is about 36" diameter-that's a guess, but close. Will that tank have enough mass to stay cool? If so, I'll be good.
Thank you gentlemen/ladies. Your help is appreciated.
Last edited by TerraDown; 07-16-2023 at 08:23 AM..
Hmm. I didn't think it (sun) would be able to heat that mass of water to a point of over 100F. Well, that's good to know. TY MTSilvertip. That will save me money and time.
It is a black, thick industrial plastic drum. It is/will be raised, gravity-fed.
Love the idea of copper L00k4ward. Thanks for that great idea. It will be rainwater, already have that part set up with water-tanks and water coming off of roof. But the tower itself won't be built until the next couple of weeks, so I can fiddle with that and copper. You've got me thinking now about copper and water preservation in those tanks.
We won't be drinking it. Just clothes, a garden hose and the shower of course. I am going to fill the dogs' water bowl with it though.
My wife has kept saltwater fish for many years and knows all about filtration systems. I'll have to mention the copper to her.
She said this winter she does plan on putting some type of filtration in the tower-drum, what it will be I have no idea.
*You really think it can get hot enough to require cold water addition? If that is true, I hope that the larger, 160 gallon to 200 gallon/3 tanks can mix with it to stop that from happening.
I didn't realize cold water would be what I needed.
The pump to tower is in last tank, so water will be coming up to tower from a 200 gallon tank that is about 36" diameter-that's a guess, but close. Will that tank have enough mass to stay cool? If so, I'll be good.
Thank you gentlemen/ladies. Your help is appreciated.
A few more ideas
Some people retrofit the working but discarded water heaters: the one with the stainless interior would be better.
You could re-work them, paint the outside black, remove the insulation or keep it ? Helps from getting water too warm?
You could do them in-line if you need more gallons
If you go with the large plastic tanks : I would still go with the ones for drinking water: NSF 61 certified plastic for food and drinking water; the industrial plastic could have some harmful chemicals, including even lead…
They sell food grade tanks and barrels
Then you could just put some copper pipe - like the type they sell for ice makers into the barrel and hope for the best that it would keep your water cleaner.
Or if you have silver- use that instead of copper- would work too?
You can’t add copper to other metals - they will start falling apart due to chem reactions, but should be ok in plastic tanks
Get a drinking water hose - they are not expensive- usually white with the blue line or blue colored, Walmart sells them in RV aisle
Last edited by L00k4ward; 07-16-2023 at 04:10 PM..
I have seen serpentine black plastic tubing under a large pane of glass leading to a hose bib that emitted very hot water.
If you added a simple low volume pump, a couple of simple temp actuated valves and an insulated tank your efficiency would increase substantially.
Hello, good morning to all.
I need your help. We have a cabin that we've been working on for a few years. We have reached the stage of an outdoor shower. I am currently adding a "tower" 55 gallon drum for water source. Looking to add a heat-source to the water. I have electric available.
I've looked at submersible heaters for fish tanks, but none of them go to a high enough temp range. Any suggestions for heating the water in the drum before it hits my wife's freezing skin? I've looked at those "instant heaters" but don't like the reviews and was looking for an alternative.
Advice from someone whose already got a setup came to mind...
Thanks in advance.
PS: Not against solar (or other power) options, but electric is fine. Also, it's in North Florida, I don't think freezing will be an issue, zone 8-9.
These are very popular around here. They use propane and have the shower built into it. You have to use it outside:
I have seen serpentine black plastic tubing under a large pane of glass leading to a hose bib that emitted very hot water.
If you added a simple low volume pump, a couple of simple temp actuated valves and an insulated tank your efficiency would increase substantially.
Or if the water storage tank is up high and the solar collector panel is low - the thermosiphon action would push hot water up into the tank without a pump?
Simpler
I have seen serpentine black plastic tubing under a large pane of glass leading to a hose bib that emitted very hot water.
If you added a simple low volume pump, a couple of simple temp actuated valves and an insulated tank your efficiency would increase substantially.
I have seen that system used in Kentucky.
Quote:
Originally Posted by L00k4ward
Or if the water storage tank is up high and the solar collector panel is low - the thermosiphon action would push hot water up into the tank without a pump?
Simpler
Yes, a thermosiphon would work (almost no one knows about that trick, in this age of electric pumps) but would probably be unnecessary if the tank has full exposure to the sun.
The only problem I can see with this set up is: how long is the longest stretch of cloudy days. That may not be a problem, but I don't know FL weather very well.
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