This creatively limited title has been created so that other internet DIY (Do It Youself) builders can find this project online and build their own solar shower. I had a hard time locating info, images and/or plans and wanted to fight the tide of all the links to commercial solar showers online.

So if I say Solar Shower a lot in this post.. or DIY.. You'll realize it's so the metacrawlers pick it up and it will maybe appear in google.

So the DIY Solar Shower project up at the Prajna Refuge started out as a terraced design (Images 1,2,3) that I slapped together just to see if it would work. The gravity feed worked out ok, but as soon as the sun went down the cold air around the hoses cooled it off quirte quickly. And on a west exposure the water temperature was only warm on totally sunny days. (Note this shower is at 9400')

So after some observation and assessment we (the team was now forming around the project) decided it was best to put the whole unit in a box. We collected some lumber leftovers, some plywood, some extra reflective bubble insulation, and Marty was able to find some shower doors at Habitat for Humanities Restore for 2$ each, to use as glazing.

(Image 4) We used a router to create groovin' wood caps to hold the glass in place so we can open and close the unit for the time being until we figure out humidity etc. We also drilled some holes on one side to act as vents for excess heat or humidity. This whole unit is built using 400' of half inch irrigation hose so it's soft and I was a little worried it'd actually melt. From everything I've read, 400' of half inch hose holds about 10 gallons of water in the heating coil. this is all fed by a 55 gallon holding barrel on the roof. 1 gallon of water equals something like 8 pounds of pressure, so with a roughly 12ft drop there is ample pressure at the shower head.

We moved the whole box unit with legs, to keep it level so the water doesn't have any resistance, to the south facing roof top. (Image 5) The solar shower unit was now pretty much complete (Image 6). We waited a few hours and honest to god the water came out scalding hot.. hot enough to make tea.. toooo hot to shower in. At this point after some testing people need to wait for about two hours of clouds after sun before showering.. or have showers 2 hours after sundown.. which works out well. The unit holds hot-warm water for roughly 3 hours at this elevation with it's cold nights.

We then went to work building a platform for the shower beside the cabin. (Images 7,8) Using fir and lagbolts we notched and framed the structure that will soon support the lattia enclosed shower stall complete with shelves and towel hangers. The platform overlooks the Prajna Garden and surrounding landscape. Hot showers in the great outdoors... nothing better on earth!

This is where I had to leave the DIY Solar Shower project in good hands and head back on the road to continue filming.. but I look forward to updates and photos as the project is completed. There may eventually be a cold water inlet installed, otherwise it'll just be a matter of charting the water temperatures and sunshine to coordinate showers.. which isn't such a bad thing since it puts us in touch with with cycles of the sun :-)

Big thanks to the Prajna team (Image 9, left to right: Me, Marty, Iowa Bill, Maria and dogs Moses, Shannon & Dominga). Not this image is Don who helped by sharing his tools and providing his insights).

I already miss you guys! Happy bathing!

peace,d