No garden activity area is complete without an outdoor solar shower. It can be anything from a simple piece of flexible water pipe to a proper shower enclosure with proper drainage, privacy and decking to keep feet clean whilst drying off.
We will look at a simple diy solar shower located in your garden or 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. Your local authorities might permit drainage into a simple pit or into a vegetable patch. Others might demand a more elaborate system that drains into the main sewer or septic tank. You will be responsible for following whatever rules apply to your locality.
The design of your outdoor solar shower will depend on other criteria as well:
Screening. Do you need to avoid being overlooked? If yes, then you need to find a secluded spot away from upstairs windows for your solar heated shower.
Water Supply. You will experience a small drop in water pressure if your shower is a long way from your mains supply. You could increase this by fitting a water storage tank mounted above the height of the shower head.
Sunshine. The solar collector (hose, cylinder or both) needs good exposure to the sun’s heat. It should only take about 15 minutes to make enough hot water for the next shower, but it will need much longer if there is shade over the solar heating system for a significant part of the day.
Purpose. How do you intend to use the solar heated shower? After a swim, perhaps? To cool off after a sunbathe? These things will have a strong influence on your shower design.
Litter. The shower pan can be a great magnet for every fallen leaf. Try to cover this with a wooden lid or similar device when not in use, and locate the shower as far as possible from your trees.
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 installation of a simple galvanized steel drainage box under the shower to take soiled water away to the soakaway or other drainage system you have provided.
The decking can be extended for 4 or 5 feet at the shower entrance, to allow comfortable drying off without getting feet dirty. Pressure-treated softwood 4×4 posts can be used at each corner of the shower stall, joined by side panels made from pretty much anything you like – plywood, clapboard, cedar shingles are some materials of choice.
It is very easy to make the solar heating part of the shower. It could be as basic as fixing a shower head to 500 feet of flexible pipe coiled in the sun. A better way is to coil the water pipe in an open tray over the shower and facing towards the sun. If you need more hot water you could use an old water tank or hot water cylinder in the solar heating pipe, but this would have to be higher than the shower head to give you enough pressure.
In warmer climates it is advisable to fit a mixer, for allowing hot and cold water to merge before you burn yourself in the shower!
If you would like expert advice we have a strongly recommended guide to help you select and build the right outdoor solar shower for you. The guide includes good quality plans, schematic diagrams and clear instructions to make the whole process easy and fun.