Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2023 12:16:24 -0600
Reply-To: David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon Hot Shower on Demand
In-Reply-To: <57948958.513373.1675704064742@mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
All soap is biodegradable. It is an alkali salt of fatty acids from animal
or vegetable fats. You may wish for soaps with out perfumes - Ivory brand
serves the purpose. Joy or Dawn can be so had also, though fewer places
carry them sans perfume.
On Mon, Feb 6, 2023, 11:21 AM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Correct. Mud pit is no fun. So, down the road, I empty RubberMaid
> container with grey water on the side of the road. That's it. Also, I
> don't use biodegradable soap and shampoos, just the normal stuff. As far
> as Northern California camping spots....man, that is a tough commodity.
> Year around. Hence, I use the Vanagon Hot Shower On Demand solution, and
> camp nearby at some McDonalds or Starbucks. BTW....the bathrooms in those
> facilities are excellently clean. And the Wi-Fi.....equally marvelous.
> Also, I am an excellent "stealth" camper. I have honed those skills over
> 40 years.
>
> On Monday, February 6, 2023 at 08:46:40 AM PST, Pete Sicilia <
> pete@coffeepot.org> wrote:
>
> To clarify my question a bit... I was both looking at preventing a big mud
> pit and looking for a solution that works at a state campground. I carry
> biodegradable soaps :)
>
> I'd also love to know if folks have preferred "camping al fresco" spots in
> Northern California that are reachable w/o syncro capabilities.
>
> On Mon, Feb 6, 2023, 6:20 AM ddbjorkman@verizon.net <
> ddbjorkman@verizon.net>
> wrote:
>
> > Grey water, with an environmentally friendly soap does no harm. I just
> > pick a somewhat sloped ground, put down a ground cloth so we are not
> > standing in a mudpuddle and let it run off. Many of the places we use it
> > could use a bit more water in the ground.
> >
> > Dave B,
> > the Boston one
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Pete Sicilia <pete@COFFEEPOT.ORG>
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Sent: Sun, Feb 5, 2023 9:29 pm
> > Subject: Re: [VANAGON] Vanagon Hot Shower on Demand
> >
> > What do you all do with the grey water? Do you catch it and do something
> > with it... or just let it drain into the ground/mud?
> >
> > On Sun, Feb 5, 2023 at 5:47 PM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > For me, it was an evolution. It all started with me and my cousin
> doing
> > > Mountain Bike riding in the western Sierras in the early 90's. Sure,
> we
> > > got all sweaty. No fun getting into sleeping bag after all that. I
> > > figured....there has got to be a better way. I thought...all you need
> > is a
> > > metal vessel....fill it with water...heat up on Coleman stove; and, add
> > > some kind of propulsion unit to aggressively force hot water through
> some
> > > plastic tubing and into a shower nozzle. And I exactly did that! It
> > > worked perfectly. Except, I chose a steel 5 gallon gas tank, which of
> > > course rusted like crazy. Also, I chose a 12VDC submersible pump from
> > > Grainger; problem with that....it was intended for intermittent use; it
> > > rusted and froze. I rethunk. So next attempt was an aluminum 20 quart
> > > stock pot from Costco, and a 12VDC Marine Bilge pump, I started with
> 800
> > > GPH unit, but have moved up to 1100 GPH pump. Oh my! All systems are
> go
> > > now! Then I got the crazy idea of using Vanagon to source hot water.
> I
> > > deleted Rear Heater long ago; I used the plumbing and fittings,
> > including a
> > > 20 foot piece of 1/4" copper tubing, wrapped around a paint spray can
> to
> > > form a heat exchanger device inside of Aluminum stock pot. I used a
> > simple
> > > Ball Valve to turn on/off flow to copper tubing; this involved a
> > companion
> > > to run back and turn it off and on. I used a standard BBQ grill
> > > thermometer from Walmart to monitor temperature; I used old wiring from
> > > rear heater to make this happen. Readout on dash. Next, I lost my
> > > companion to run back and turn Ball Valve off and on. So, via Amazon,
> I
> > > got one of those motorized valves, and I found a switch (old Rear
> Window
> > > defogger switch) which fit the 3rd unused position on dashboard; yes,
> > with
> > > a tip of switch, hot engine coolant goes into copper tubing, heating up
> > > water in Stock Pot, all monitored by BBQ Thermometer. Oh...you want to
> > get
> > > even more crazy?!! Using 3D Solidworks, I came up with a delightful
> > design
> > > of a Shower Curtain, like a giant funnel into a RubberMaid plastic bin.
> > I
> > > know at this point, all you guys are collapsing in fatigue! I hear
> ya.
> > > If I were reading this thing, I would have given up by Sentence #2.
> Yes,
> > > it was a 30 year process. It was filled with errors. But now....I
> > > wouldn't leave home without it. Absolutely...there are easier
> solutions
> > to
> > > the Hot Water Shower issue. But mine is the finest.
> > > And of course, I can do it the old school way...pot of water on Coleman
> > > stove...in the middle of nowhere....it's so fun to see your breath in
> the
> > > cold morning air....and you are as clean as a whistle!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
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