Garage – Build A Garage

Build an Outdoor Solar Shower

No garden activity area is complete without an outdoor solar shower.  These can be as simple or elaborate as you want, ranging from a long length of flexible black water pipe to an elegant shower cubicle with decking, drainage and privacy screening.  

We will consider a simple solar heated shower design which will fit neatly into the average backyard, maybe beside a spa or pool, both of which could share the solar water heating arrangements with the shower.

Your primary concern must be proper drainage for the solar heated shower.  In some areas you might be able to have a simple soakaway or take the soiled water to the nearest flower bed.  On the other hand you might need a proper mains drainage system.  You will have to observe whatever rules are in force for your neighborhood.  

These are the other main points to consider in your solar heated shower design:

Privacy.  Do you want to be out of sight? If the answer is yes, then the shower will need to be shielded from upstairs and neighbors’windows.

Mains Water.  You could find that your shower water pressure is affected by its distance from the mains supply. Increase shower flow by including an old water tank or cylinder in the solar heating line, ideally mounted above the shower head height to give a good head of pressure.

Sun.  The solar heating system (pipe, tank or both) will need to get adequate exposure to sun for most of the day.  It should only take about 15 minutes to make enough hot water for the next shower, but the time taken can be badly affected by shade or poor positioning from direct sunlight.

Purpose.  Is the solar heated shower to be used after having a dip in the pool or hot tub?  To cool off after a sunbathe?  Your shower design will depend very much on how you want to use it.

Debris.  Leaves can collect in the shower, and it is a chore to remove them every time you want to use it.  A wooden lid is a good idea to cover the shower pan when not being used, and placing the shower well away from trees if possible is also sensible.

A typical outdoor solar shower will be a 3 or 4 foot square cubicle raised on decking about one foot above ground, to allow the placement of a simple galvanized steel collector box under the shower to drain the soiled water away to the sewer or cesspit.

Consider extending the decking a few feet out from the entrance to the shower, to make toweling easier and to keep feet clean while being dried.  The cubicle can be made from 4×4 upright posts at each corner (pressure-treated softwood is adequate), joined by side panels made from pretty much anything you like – plywood, clapboard, cedar shingles are some materials of choice.  

The solar heating system itself is very simple to make. The simplest device is a shower head attached to a long length of water hose coiled up in the sun. A more formal arrangement will still involve coils of water pipe mounted in a tray above the shower and exposed to the sun. You can increase the capacity by including an old water tank or cylinder but, if you do this, you will probably need to mount it higher than the shower head – not always an aesthetically pleasing method unless you can somehow conceal it.

In very hot weather you might need to include a mixer system, for ensuring your shower is not too hot for you!

There is a huge variety of diy outdoor solar shower designs available and, to help you choose the right one for you, we have an excellent guide produced by solar heating experts.  The guide includes good quality plans, schematic diagrams and clear instructions to make the whole process easy and fun.

Related posts:

1. Build A Solar Hot Tub Dreaming of a long soak in a hot tub...
2. Solar Water Heating Panel When people opt to implement a solar water heating system...
3. Want To Build A Solar Hot Tub? Do you dream of a hot tub in the garden,...
4. Active Solar Space Heating An active solar space heating system can be of 2...
5. How To Choose An Efficient Dual Flush Toilet And Steam Shower Toilet flushes is one of the main users of water...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.