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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Need equipment layout recommendation for outdoor hot shower
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rugercpl
Member
# Posted: 31 Jul 2012 03:06
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Battery - type, size
Solar panel - size, output
Charge controller - size, power
Inverter?
LP on-demand heater
Inline pump

No more than one shower per day, full sun about four or five hours er day.

rayyy
Member
# Posted: 31 Jul 2012 06:19
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Look at the solar side seperately from the water side.The solar panels and charge controller's job is to trickle charge your deep cycle 12 volt battery(s).That sides is done.From those batteries you can power up many different 12 volt things.Including your 12 volt RV water pump.Other things could be lights,radio,phone charger,fan any small 12 volt gaget's you have.Now the hot water side.First you need a tank of water.This could be a 5 gallon bucket,55 gallon barrel or any other vescel of water.From that your pump,(hooked to your battery) will supply your on demand hot water heater.Now the heater is gonna need a supply of propane gas.Those tanks come in 20,30 and 100 pound tanks.To be honest with you,a 20 pounder will probably last you all season just hooked to your hot water heater.The spark igniter takes a couple of D-batterys.You don't need an inverter for this set up.An inverter makes 120 volts of a/c power for regular house hold gagets and such.Takes a lot of battery power to run this though.

razmichael
Member
# Posted: 31 Jul 2012 07:00
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Rugercpl, I have a couple of questions - Are you really only after one shower a day? Do you have or need a more enhanced system to power other things? I have a completed "test' system much as rayyy describes (eccotemp L5, solar panel, etc) but the hot water is only one part of the complete power system. This is currently used with our pop up trailer but the system will be moved to the soon to be build cabin. I also have a Zodi heater and this is what we have used fora number of years for showers (and initially for all our hot water). Zodi
The Zodi is not really an on-demand system in the way many would describe on-demand. You need to turn on the included pump then ignite the propane. We generally recycle the water until it gets to the desired temperature, turn off the propane and then shower when ready. For a shelter we just use a Brookstreet privacy tent/shelter (has two "rooms")

My point is that they are cheaper and simpler options if you truly only want one shower per day. If you want a more elaborate system this is also fairly easy to do. I think this has been discussed a few times - for example Thread .

VTweekender
Member
# Posted: 31 Jul 2012 07:12 - Edited by: VTweekender
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Just to add to the discussion, it would only be seasonal as its not going to be usable in the winter without heat if your in a winter climate. The solar system won't heat it.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 31 Jul 2012 10:44
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Quoting: rugercpl
Battery - type, size
Solar panel - size, output
Charge controller - size, power
Inverter?
LP on-demand heater
Inline pump


This is not the right way to approach what's needed, IMO. The water portion of the shower is associated with the plumbing. Any electrical needs are associated with the electrical system. Your propane fuel is associated with the propane system. At least to me it seems nonsense to be looking at sizing a shower and all the parts you listed, without looking at the entire project. Unless you mean for this shower to be a portable unit.

Will you have an indoor shower as well or only outdoors?
If there is an indoor one as well then simply add a RV type outdoot station to the cabin plumbing.

creeky
Member
# Posted: 4 Aug 2012 17:20
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assuming a low budget
Battery - deep cycle 105 amp hours
Solar panel - 15-30 watts at 12 v
Charge controller - 7 amp,
Inverter- no. go 12v all the way.
LP on-demand heater - eccotemp or marey or girard or ...
Inline pump = flotec or shurflo

at least that's my plan. started the build on my "pole shed" loo and shower today.

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