Help on a hot shower

[ofbackcountry]

I need help figuring out the best way to make a good hot shower for my cabin located in Arkansas. We use it mainly on the weekends in the winter thus that is when we would need the hot shower the most. We do not have running water or electricity but we do have a year round creek 100 ft or so down the ridge behind us.  We have a good road down to the creek but I would prefer not to fool with filling and trailering a tank every time we wanted a shower but it is an option.  We see a fair amount of below freezing weather here so freezing pipes is also a problem.  Due to the location we also have the possibility of someone driving off with our goods, so we would prefer not to buy expensive equipment like a ($1000) generator that we would have to leave up there.  ANY help would be much appreciated!!!

[veewee77]

I, too, live in AR and am doing similar things.

Depending on many other factors not included in your post, it is very possible to get a hot shower with very minimal and simple items, and the chance of theft are pretty slim. (Who'd want to take something so simple and stupid.)

I am in Southwest AR.  What part of the state are you in?

Email me offlist if you want. . .

veewee77 at alltel dot net

Doug

[FishbonzWV]

Coleman makes a great water heater called  Hot Water on Demand. We use it at the hunting camp. It has an internal 6v battery to power the pump which is attached to the swing out spigot. It has a 12v walwart for charging but I just used a lawn tractor battery and cut the cord off the walwart and attached it to the battery. It heats the water with 1 lb propane bottles and you get about 10 to 12 showers out of a bottle. Nice and portable.

If you have running water they have a 4psi regulator and also a shower wand as accessories. We did notice as the temperature of the supply water dropped we had to crank the water temp control up.

Two years ago I got tired of the rain barrel water supply and bought a used 1000 gal tank, put a roof washer on the barn and piped water to the camp. Runs off a 12v RV pump.

This past year was the year of the Hot Shower thanks to Coleman Company and the kids for the wonderful Xmas gift. ;-)

Bonz

[DanG]

These folks tap into the cooling system of your vehicle to make showers possible in way outback locales - may not be so efficient if you're not running your vehicle for other purposes though. Certainly would be a way to scavenge otherwise lost engine heat from a tractor, or from that quick trip into town for construction supplies, etc...

"Do you want the luxury of instant and continuous hot water when camping or fishing? Make it a certainty with a Helton heat exchanger fitted to your vehicle. Enjoy hot water for showers, washing dishes and parts or just washing dirty hands after a long day on the trail. A must have for long trips, children, wives and girlfriends!"

http://tinyurl.com/qdxlm

[robotmaker]

I also am living in Arkansas (Fort Smith area) and have built a fairly inexpensive water heater using any liquid waste oil (crankcase, deep fat fryer etc.) which now heats my 1200 sq. ft shop all winter long.  This could be used to heat your cabin and heat hot water with just supplying a 12 volt battery for the blower motor for the burner. I would guess that a battery should last at least 24 hours in some remote location like you say you have.  If you only spend the weekends there, you could pick up a couple used auto batteries and charge them once you got home.  Let me know if I can help with anything.

rj

[Slingshot]

RJ,

Did you use the waste-oil burner plans from Mother Earth News?  

[johnnyo]

i'd like to know more about the way your burner is set up . thanks  johnnyo.