JC I have to tell you how REALLY GREAT the insulated ice cheat idea you gave us was on my camping trip!! Our chest is huge so I used two 2 gallon containers, one at each end. I froze all the meat and put it on the bottom, dairy in the middle and everything else on top (yes we eat really well when camping). The meat never thawed in the chest, I had to take it out and let it thaw during the day. The salt ice was still 3/4's frozen after 7 days so I put it out in the sun once we got home and a day later the sun had melted all of it. It was PERFECT that nothing was floating in water and nothing spoiled. You get a big hug for that and Frankie gets a pat on the head because he said it was really his idea :)))
Melody Capehart Medina Thank you for sharing your success Melody. I'm so happy to hear this. On my last trip I had a 2.5 gallon jug filled with salt ice and after 7 days my chicken was still frozen. I just love it.I'm in the process of building an icebox for the NH cabin now.Happy Trails my friend :-)
You are totally correct about an outside shower. They feel great. When I was an infantry soldier in Vietnam we would get back to the rear about once a month. The showers, in base camps, were large dark bladders set high on wooden beams stuck in the ground. If the sun was out you got a warm shower and if it was raining the water was too cold. When we were on patrol in the jungle we used mountain streams. Usually cold but it's all we had. I really enjoy your vids. Thanks.
Vvet 762 Even on a hot day, a hot shower outdoors is incredibly refreshing. Nothing compares to it. Thanks for commenting and thank you for your service.
I forgot to mention that you have such a nice manner on screen that you really should be getting paid for these videos, I bet if you were on TV you're ratings would be phenomenal. I just can't get over you solving all the things that I had worries about with the cabin in one afternoon, as well as giving me some amazing recipes! You're a star mate!
I saw this years ago. This summer I’ve been thinking of making a solar shower for my cabin and so glad I found this again. Really brings it back to the basics. 😊
Here in Spain we use sun to do many things, like whitening the towels, bed sheets, dry orange peels to light the fire...I'm gonna try this as soon as possible. My goal is to spend as little as possible in electricity.
Several years ago working as an independent contractor driver I had a lot of experience delivering uline products. Those 2 1/2 gallon jugs are pretty handy and versatile.
Makes me wish my gmpa (1914) was still around: he'd have LOVED watching your vids. Especially this one! He'd sunk his own water pipe for their cabin with a hand-operated pump. Wood stove. SCREECH owls. Lol He and gma had always heated with wood; I can still picture the stove and silver kettle of water on top to put humidity back in the air. Great vid to wake up to! THANKS
Kathy Doyle The old ways were the best. Most folks have forgotten how to utilize mother nature and it's spend spend spend all the time. Ol Gramps had it going n :-)
You better believe he did! He even taught me how to use his bb gun; I'm right handed, "left eyed". Managed to hit a brown cattail plant. 50/50 whether that ol gun's bb would blast-out, or just roll. LOL Old ways sure are the best! Hi Frankie!
Kathy Doyle "Papa", Mom's dad, worked for the rr that is known as BNSF. He was a proverbial "jack-of-all-trades", & left us with FABULOUS stories! I'm a writer; in July, I intend to start sending his stories to "Good Old Days". The first is about a mobile home. Not the kind with wheels. Thinking POSITIVE, after the story is published, I'll leave a copy of the mag in the current-owners mail. They'll be stunned! Uh oh: "domestic dispute" with two sparrows! SCOLDING. Robins are watching my blueberry bush! Cardinals are chirping: I like the end-note "trill" -- makes me think of dripping water.
In a few weeks I will be moving upstate NY. to my cabin, not off grid by a lake, nothing but farmland around. I'll be living my dream soon!!!!!!! so happy!!!!1
I painted a 5 gallon bucket black, set it in the sun for a few hours and I couldn't believe the difference in the temperature difference. Thanks for sharing your idea.
A camping option is to wrap a tarp around 3 trees, tie with bungees (for modest wife), warm water in one gallon milk jug ( solar-stove-etc) and sprinkle water over your head. One gallon gives a nice shower - Kayuta
I would love to see you make a video on water collection options. Rain water collection systems, harvesting water from streams, hauling water in, drilling wells and so forth. With your knowledge on basic and cheap "no how", It would be appreciated by many to see an in-depth video on how to get water.
our hot water heater went out we used your method for a month until we could buy another hot water heater we loved it work great no problem.love your videos we learn a lot of new things from you to use down on our farm blessings to you and Happy Fathers Day.
Glad to be watching your channel again after some months. I forgot the name.🙄 Great tips for the lifestyle I long for. Keep them coming. Paul from South Africa.
Pretty clever. Most people waste so much water washing themselves. Most of the time, I wash with a spray bottle of vinegar water and dry with a paper towel. I used to have psoriasis pretty bad on my legs, elbows, and scalp, but that left after I stopped using soap and started washing with vinegar water. Probably not for everyone, but works well for me.
Hey JC I finally got a channel, so now I can leave you post. I like that about the shower, you always have an answer for every problem, and if you don't you will keep working until you find one.
*You can use a inflatable tub with a* *airhandpump get the water from r* *creek sit out in the summer sun* *warms up the tub and ahhhhhh nice* *off the grid bathings* *Use a tarp for privacy*
Great Channel! Very enjoyable videos. I'm a city-slicker couch potato school teacher, imagining living a life such as yours JC (living vicariously!). Thanks for sharing your great life and cool ideas.
I love cold showers in the summer time 40 degree water from the well no problem, but a shower wand is a must have for ladies. My hubby gets mad if he doesn't have hot water to shower.
You're so right about the solar shower having to be hoisted up high...suits a reliable tree-branch and a rope, but even lifting it up to hang it off the shower nozzle in the bathroom was impossible for my wonky back... water is heavy!! I think l will try a black bottle as you showed, with a footpump, which l have seen on "living in a van" videos. Thanks for a great video! 🙂👍💧🚿🛁
Funny to be reading this not 2 minutes after getting out of the shower. Same bottle after all these years. Water heated on the woodstove and no complaints ;-))
You are the man:) You see all these clowns that call themselves mountain men etc and I just laugh. And now all the so called reality shows about Alaskan bush people make me laugh as well. But I love to watch and learn from your videos because I know you are the real deal and tell it like it is without pretending to be something your not. I hope all your medical issues are coming along well.
I absolutely have no intention of taking a shower this way. but I certainly appreciate your time and information. I enjoyed learning from you. you just made so much sense when you said that in case of a disaster I would want to take a shower and this is an effective way to do it. . I'm getting a carboy.
I have used those bags a lot and I agree, the jug is a way better system. I also agree that an outdoor shower is awesome. Of course I prefer the summer and a time when there are not too many flies.
A friend of mine uses one of those garden sprayers. He boils a teapot of water and adds that plus tops off the container with cold water. Then he pressurized it and uses that.
What an innovative, uncostly, useful and not much of a hassle method. Truly, once again Boss your ingenuity works!!!! You're one of a kind. Can't help to see what's next.....God bless!!!
Boss, this is one of the missing pieces of the puzzle to my own backwoods cabin. I do love jumping in the river but there is no denying that a shower adds so much to a great cabin. Can't wait to give this approach a whirl - Thanks !!!!!!
Jerry Hegarty Just about every hunting camp and cabin I come across has no "bathing" room. Even our family camp didn't have one and it's 24x24 with rooms upstairs. I just put in a stall shower there, built a vanity, medicine cabinet and now working on an icebox for the place. You won't be sorry for putting a shower in and this bottle works awesome. Have fun with your project.
thebossoftheswamp Going to start on the outdoor variety first then section off a part of the cabin for an indoor bathing room. Going with a composting toilet in NH? Keep up the great stuff here JC, you're a mentor to us all!
thebossoftheswamp Boss, Just built an outdoor shower using a 5 gal. carboy (Uline was out of 2.5 gal version) - what a game changer !! worked like a charm and even got creative with the outdoor shower stall design. I took several showers in it the past couple days and it is just awesome to take an outdoor shower. Plenty of pressure with lots of water to spare - just an amazing addition to the our 'cabin on the hill' - thanks !
Sunday morning coffee is much better when watching a new video from the Boss. It amazes me that all our modern conveniences have actually made our lives more stressful and put us in a financial rut. We will be leaving for our camp in PA next week for four months where I get no cell service or internet. I will look forward to catching up with your vids when we return. Have a good summer. PS The wife missed Frankie !
rl Avery Well said about those "conveniences". They keep us at work paying for them. There's no convenience in it for me. Have a great time at your camp. All the best.
HI Boss!! This is a nice idea. I watched a video of some organic gardeners who invite people to come check out their garden. The visitors stay in tents. The gardeners have buried a garden hose in their compost pile that then goes up the wall of the shower stalls and has a small battery powered water pump. The water is heated by the compost. I've also seen garden hose put on the side of the cabin facing the sun and again the water is heated and brought into the house with a small pump. So many cool idea's. Just common sense and creative thinking. :) Glad to see your well. ATB Louise
Louise Florida Neat idea about the compost. I like that. I bought tubing to make a solar water heater but that's a project for later on. Yep, sooooo many cool ways to utilize mother nature. All the best.
Great video. In the winter, if you put black insulated curtains in your windows (especially the south facing windows) you can heat your home the same way. Just leave a gap at the bottom and top of the curtains. On sunny days, the cool air will come in from the bottom (you can put a fan at the bottom) and as the air warms, it will rise and come out the gap on top. That's how I heat my rv. I have black curtains in the cab as well as all the windows. In the summer, I use aluminum instead to reflect the heat away from the windows.
First time watching your vids. Excellent, neat, simple, common sense ideas. Need to go through your entire site now. Other ideas, that could be considered solar, are to do the Applachian distillery copper coiling condensor unit. Use copper tubing with 2 metallic cut off valves, You make such solar system inside the cabin, with a southern facing window, black paint the coils, and add some painted black aluminum flashing (backing) attached to the coils. Have the 2 coil tubes sit in your water container, like this plastic carboy. The input tubing will be at the bottom of the container. The output tubing will be at the top of the container. The solar heat pushes the warm/hot water upwards, while pulling the cold water up the tube for warming. The downward tubing returns to the water container. This unit can be installed in your atrium, flower arboretum, aviary, southern exposure bay windows, green house, hot house, outdoor shower stall, etc. Then take the bottle for the shower. When you need to remove the carboy, shut off the 2 valves to keep the water inside the tubing, and replace with another carboy of cool/cold water. Then open up the 2 valves again, and reprocess the new carboy water supply. If you really want to have a non-issue with heating, then lifting the weight and height of a carboy container into your shower, then don't. Have a fixed (heated) water container, and have a plastic tubing from water container to shower head, with a boat glas line squeeze bulb. Squeeze for the pressure you need pushing up and over your head, at the rate you want. Otherwise, the more easy way is to have a foot-operated squeeze bulb (pedal), and foot pump while taking the shower. In a non-solar device, use the old stove and wrap the copper tubing around the flue. Same design for a water container. You are always burning wood, use the heat for a needed design. The same copper tubing is also very good for a room heating device, with copper tubing extending all the way to the bottom of the floor, where cold air lays. Wrap multiple copper tubings around flue, and raise the tubing all the way up to the ceiling, and make outward arrays (shooting in all directions) you have your own hot air conditioning system. The same designs can be done for a southern facing window or room with just black plastic tubing. The air will heat up and circulate in the house without any energy or motors. If you have a wood fireplace, then install the copper tubing within the upper fireplace mantle and the flue. Just have the water container with 2 copper tubes (and cut-off valves) for controlling the water within the tubing. A little rocket stove can have the same copper tubing installed inside the brickwork or above it, like the same alchool distillery coilings. You don't have to be big, to have big results. The rocket stove, the southern bay window, the fireplace, the cooking stove, are all heat producing areas. Both water heating and air heating for the house are easily obtained. You might not even want to have a mobile carboy. With multiple carboys or a larger container, imitate a modern water heater with insulation around a large water container. Have your solar or fireplace/kitchen wood stove/rocket stove device heating the tubing that comes and goes to the water container. The continued heating of the water in the tubing maintains the container heat. The container is insulated against heat loss. You could make such hot water container from those carboys, 5 gallon (new) white plastic buckets, even those 50 gallon (plastic or steel) survival water barrels. Have your external plastic tubing with hand or foot squeeze bulb, and you have your instant hot water tap at the kitchen sink or bath room sink, and your shower head. To obtain water pressure, height is critical. But lifting heavy full carboys, and dropping empty carboys is time consuming. Make an elevated water container that remains at that height as the household main water container unit. Then use the water (and water pressure as needed). No need for a shower hand or foot pedal squeeze bulb. You only need to have another lower water container that you fill with cool/cold water, and have plastic tubing between the lower and higher water containers. Use the foot pedal to pump water from the lower to higher water container. Otherwise, there is the more easy conventional hand-crank drump pump. Voila! Simple, simple. Heated water container (at height) for hot and pressurized water flow to kitchen, to bathroom, and to shower. If you did have a large solar southern exposure area, then your same black painted backing around a black painted 50 gallon plastic or steel water barrel, and you have immense hot water. Attach a small insulated solar room addition to the house, for a raised 50 gallon water drum, on a steel or wooden frame. The room is insulated from all outside weather, only accepting solar heat. You have a truly intense heated water operation. A lower 50 gallon drum stores cool/cold water under the upper container. The heated drum will also heat the lower container. You have 50 gallons of hot water, and 50 gallons of warm water, for any off-the-grid need. Use a hand or foot pedal for the warm water supply needs. You can step up this design, just a hair. With the 50 gallon water drums, you have 2 openings. One opening is for the water-heating with the copper tubing. Convert the other opening, and make a pressure seal. Using a hand crank of water pumping (lower barrel to upper barrel), make a water-pressurized hot water barrel system. Here you have height, but also increased water pressure. You can do a hand crank air pressure system for both water barrels. Then the hot water barrel, and the warm water barrel, can have their dual outlet tubing combined to the kitchen sink for the same hot and cold water mixes, at the bathroom sink, and the same for the shower. Have both water drums at height. Hot water drum and backing are painted black. Warm water drum and backing left natural, grey, or white. You do not use that much water everyday, so doing a 1 or 2 day hand cranking agenda on the hot and warm water drums for pressurization, and you have your utility water needs all fulfilled. If you need to have a large, mobile, hot/warm water need in a truck or van ... or an out-and-about event (and no camp fire!), then use the engine header and tailpipe with a wrapped copper tubing, with the same water container design in the truck bed, and you have your hot water for camp or base camp needs. Voila! All excellent ideas. You have got me really thinking about this.
John Lord There are so many ways to achieve the task of heating water but I like things simple. I heat what I want and when I need it, then put the jug away. Just about every task can be made complicated and expensive but I left that lifestyle far behind me.
I am renovating a turn of the century broken down house in a small town, it has a huge electric water heater that doesn't work... solution .. simple and cheap
Congrats on passing 25K subscribers JC. That's a lot of happy viewers! Thanks for going into detail your shower strategy harnessing the power of the sun. So what's on the agenda this summer? Addition, solar panels, water well...I know, wait & see right? Looking forward to it Boss! You and Frankie take care.
HAFFT1ME Thank you buddy. Nice to finally hit the 25000 mark. One milestone behind me now. This summer will be a busy one as I'm going full bore on the NH cabin project. I'll also be putting up a building or two at the NY cabin. Gotta get this stuff done so I can sell off the homestead. Lots on the books and I'll be sharing the projects as they unfold. All the best and God Bless.
JC you continue to amaze me with the simplicity of your solutions to every day needs. Love it man, keep on doing what you do, we all learn from it thanks to your videos.
Wow, that got hotter than I thought it would !!! Another great educational video Boss, Thanks :) Oh, and I like that rocking chair you have on the deck !!!
well my brother i can't wait to get back home to work on my shower at the camp im siting at a work camp 40 km nort of Fort micmury were the town is burning me as Red seal welder have no choice i have 2 kids and a wife but noting like being home so now im enjoying a Bud light and waching you're video keep the good work Thank you again
What a neat set up you've developed for your solar shower. Great info. and not an overwhelming or quite costly project. Thank you kindly, for sharing. God Bless You and Frankie. Gretchen
monin, Boss & Lil-Frankie; Another top notch way ! Thanks 4 sharing all the great ideas, Have a fun filled week ahead, Friends Happy Trails From The Maritimes In Canada ATB Terry God Bless
heres a little tip for getting quick hot water from the sun....spray a fine mist of water up onto the roof shingles on a sunny day and recover the water as it comes down from the eaves troughs into the gutter pipes !! p.s. let a few gallons of water go down pipe first to clean off shingles and debri in the troughs ...then collect what you need
Great video. Brought back some memories of months in the wilds of Afghanistan. All we had was one of those shower bags. It wasn't the greatest set up, but it really was the greatest thing when you could wash under a warm/hot outdoor shower. There is nothing like a hot shower outside in 30 degree evenings :) I sure wish we had one of those jugs.
Two 2&1/2 gallon containers will also heat up much faster than one 5 gallon container because they have more surface area. Also it's much easier to move around a 2&1/2 gallon container of water than it is to move around a 5 gallon container of water.
Thanks for the awesome tip. My natural gas water heater died on me a few months back, but living in a very hot place (phx az), I have been able to get by just taking showers using the "cold" water that comes out warm during our hot summers. The showers were nowhere near as warm as I'd like, but I'm not too fussy, so I managed. Still, I missed a good hot shower and with money being tight, I was stressing out about how I could replace my minimal hot water needs in a cheap and simple manner. This fits the bill perfectly. Thank you!
+cantecleer As long as you open the vent cap and allow air in the top, this jug offers a pretty good shower for something so simple. Thanks for commenting.
I just want to say that I am STILL using this bottle for a shower several years later, now less by necessity and more by choice. I love it! Thanks again for the great tip! It gives a good shower, uses very little water, and takes no power or fuel as long as it's sunny enough outside to warm up the water (heating some water by stove and filling the bottle works too during the rare cold/cloudy day where I live). I like to use the little bit of extra hot water that is left over to shave or even do a small amount of dishes. This is a great solution for everybody, both off grid and on grid. I think for on-grid people like me, it is a great backup for emergencies or if a water heater dies, but it's perfect for a main source of showers too if you want to conserve energy and water!!! About two gallons for a shower (and some extra hot water left over) is AMAZING and it's super simple and cheap!! A+ 10/10 tip from bossoftheswamp!!
I love this video. So simple and letting mom nature provide for you. I'm camping out in the Sierras in an area I know well this summer and I was researching the most simple way to get a shower out of doors. Thank you.
I found your channel by chance.And every day I watch 3 to catch up ,just get a kick out of Frankie .My favorite's our when you take your walks through the forest. I retired 2 yrs ago and went heavy into gardening so I also like your gardening episodes. I found your
I had a friend that lived in mid Alabama and at the time he was in the process of building his own home, I drove down to give him a hand and the only shower system he had at the time was an outside type that was made from 4 sheets of plywood built on top of a wooden pallet, it had a 30 gallon plastic drum and painted black, You would think that with outside temps during the day hovering around 100 degrees all day long, the water should be scalding hot, but that was the coldest shower I had ever taken. We even got special concave mirrors that would pinpoint focus the sunlight onto the drum in an attempt to raise the temp of the water, but to no avail. It was so cold that I thought I had misplaced my "package" due to shrinkage so much from the bitterly cold water of that shower LOL
Nortekj Damn the shrinkage!!!! :-oThe water needs to be confined to heat up unless its a tank inside a glass enclosure. I have a black barrel and the water won't heat up very much. There's just too much volume there. This black jug offers a really nice shower for something so simple.
I used the black shower bag myself for one summer when I first built my cabin. I hung it outside using a forked tree branch I cut to hoist it up and hang the shower bag from a cutoff tree branch that was about 7 feet high. It worked pretty good. I did away with it when I got power to the cabin and was able to use a pump.
Carboy's are those 5 gallon glass "jugs" that water comes in, or were used for making wine or beer. However they were mostly known as a water carrier. ergo why yours is called a carboy. I have a few 5 gal. ones, and I also have a metal holder for it. So that way, I can sit it on a counter and pull the neck of the bottle down to my dishpan for doing dishes. 5 gal. is too heavy for me to have to lift and pour many times a day, so the metal holder does it for me. Your garden is outstanding, and there is nothing better than covering a garden with whatever mother nature gives you. Holding that bird blew me away! That was outstanding. It was so nice to see you again, and I really enjoyed your video. Bless, Sheila PS If you want a "pampered shower" you should take a look at the Zodi battery powered shower. Uses batteries, and BOY OH BOY is it ever nice. Toss one end in a 5 gal bucket, or smaller, of hot water, and the other is a shower head. It's fantastic. I had to use one for my husband when he was bedridden and we were living in our garage/home. Small shower head, but it comes out perfect.
Sheila6325 The Zodi sounds interesting for sure. I been using this 2.5 gallon system for a long time and it suits my needs but I do plan to experiment a bit with something different for my sink. I got my hands on some old campers so there's lots of goodies for me to salvage :-)Nice to hear from you again Sheila. God Bless.
thebossoftheswamp I really like that 2.5 gallon system, and it would do wonders over my sink. Much lighter to use too. I can't wait to see what you get out of those campers! that should be a real hoot! Great to see you again too. Bless, Sheila
Sheila6325 The campers are stocked, gas fridge, stoves, water heater, furnace, wiring, breaker boxes, gas lines, 12v lights, you name it. Got my own little salvage yard going :-)
Have enjoyed watching your videos, been sick with phenomena, between you in Frankie made me smile thanks so much for sharing your journey stay safe God Bless you...
Such a great idea. I live in south Alabama and power outages are a big issue especially during hurricane season. Got to get one of these and I can use it even during most of the year. I'll save lots of money. The water heater is at least the 2nd most energy hog in your home. Thanks for this simple, cheap idea!
houseofjacob I have a 50 gallon water heater at the homestead. Last year I experimented and shut it off completely and just heated water as I needed it and used this bottle for my shower. Prior to this, my house would use about 2 3/4 tanks of propane per year with a cost of around 800 bucks. Now, one tank last around 17 months and I can put the money elsewhere. I can live with that.
Guess its time to retire our sun shower units to the back burner ! Yes, they can be great for camping >> Thanks for the design tips. We will be making an outside shower with the car boy on the wood lot :-) Keep these great ideas coming my friend !!
GREAT IDEA! I hope you don't mind that I will be taking liberty of some mods to your brilliant idea of using these carboy bottles!! I have spinning wildly in my head, an outside hot water shower that can be your best friend all four seasons in our spectacular NH great north woods!!
I was thinking of a shower booth, outside (my wife informs me she will have to have one inside as well) and using the 5 gallon bottles. Then again, I think I'd rather heft the 2.5 gallon bottle up than the 5 gal. I figured I'd build an insulated booth around a shower stall and make a box on tho top lined with reflective windshield reflectors....then set in two 2.5 gal jugs like the crafty ones you invented...making too much work for myself aren't I? Well...it'll keep me busy!
Take a large pump up bug sprayer and cut the wand off and attach a vegetable sprayer you know like the kind that people have on their kitchen sinks then you can pump the tank up by hand and have a pressurized shower....it's cheap it's easy and you don't have to put it over your head the tank can just sit in the corner of the shower
Love the simplicity and very low cost ...anyone can implement this idea! I see a few people commenting here have their own ideas but theirs is either quite cumbersome or just not really thought out ... thanks for keeping it simple & cheap!
Great video , well I ordered my shower containers and they arrived . I will be spray painting them and trying them out, I to want an outdoor shower on my property. I can see it now under the tall pines with the squirrels overhead lol.
jan jenkins As long as the squirrels stay overhead you'll be fine :-)) Sfter you're done soaping and rinsing, turn that jug to full blast. It's a real soaker. Just don't forget to open the breather cap on top.
Pet stores sell thermometers that stick on the outside of aquariums, about the size of a band-aid. Perhaps having one would be beneficial for you. Also, if using the solar bag outdoors....attach it to a pully, or a rope over an overhead branch. Infanite hight adjustments.
Brian Whippie I've done the pully thing with the solar bags and it's still a hassle. I posted this bottle method so folks can have an alternative shower at home during power outages. The stick on thermometer may work but I'd think it would get a false reading when the jug is out in the sun. Maybe, maybe not. Thanks or commenting.
JC I have to tell you how REALLY GREAT the insulated ice cheat idea you gave us was on my camping trip!! Our chest is huge so I used two 2 gallon containers, one at each end. I froze all the meat and put it on the bottom, dairy in the middle and everything else on top (yes we eat really well when camping). The meat never thawed in the chest, I had to take it out and let it thaw during the day. The salt ice was still 3/4's frozen after 7 days so I put it out in the sun once we got home and a day later the sun had melted all of it. It was PERFECT that nothing was floating in water and nothing spoiled. You get a big hug for that and Frankie gets a pat on the head because he said it was really his idea :)))
Melody Capehart Medina Thank you for sharing your success Melody. I'm so happy to hear this. On my last trip I had a 2.5 gallon jug filled with salt ice and after 7 days my chicken was still frozen. I just love it.I'm in the process of building an icebox for the NH cabin now.Happy Trails my friend :-)
You are totally correct about an outside shower. They feel great. When I was an infantry soldier in Vietnam we would get back to the rear about once a month. The showers, in base camps, were large dark bladders set high on wooden beams stuck in the ground. If the sun was out you got a warm shower and if it was raining the water was too cold. When we were on patrol in the jungle we used mountain streams. Usually cold but it's all we had. I really enjoy your vids. Thanks.
Vvet 762 Even on a hot day, a hot shower outdoors is incredibly refreshing. Nothing compares to it. Thanks for commenting and thank you for your service.
I forgot to mention that you have such a nice manner on screen that you really should be getting paid for these videos, I bet if you were on TV you're ratings would be phenomenal. I just can't get over you solving all the things that I had worries about with the cabin in one afternoon, as well as giving me some amazing recipes! You're a star mate!
I find myself thinking how much I love this man after each video!
He is an inspiration to us all!!
Everyone needs to share this channel. The push for 30,000 subs starts today.
Glen Higginbotham Thank you Glen. Thank you very much.
I agree that an outdoor shower is the best. Dont get to do it often, but always look forward for it.
I saw this years ago. This summer I’ve been thinking of making a solar shower for my cabin and so glad I found this again. Really brings it back to the basics. 😊
Very thankful to know how others survive in their off grid cabins
Here in Spain we use sun to do many things, like whitening the towels, bed sheets, dry orange peels to light the fire...I'm gonna try this as soon as possible. My goal is to spend as little as possible in electricity.
***** You will be surmised at how nice of a shower this is for something so cheap and simple.
Dry orange peels light of fire ,, I have to try that never heard of it thank you I'll try
You just need a 3-4 inch magnifying glass to get a fire 🔥 going.
And a wee bit of nail polish remover!
JC, having an inventive mind as you do is real cool
and that makes you a true survivor.
You have taught me a lot and I thank you for that.
Danno Quin I'm glad you said "survivor" and not MacGyver ha ha. Glad you find my ramblings beneficial. All the best.
Man with a good usable plan. Thx
We're still using the same shower system after all these years.
Several years ago working as an independent contractor driver I had a lot of experience delivering uline products. Those 2 1/2 gallon jugs are pretty handy and versatile.
I'm just here to watch the ads...oh and refresh my backwoods logic.
Makes me wish my gmpa (1914) was still around: he'd have LOVED watching your vids. Especially this one! He'd sunk his own water pipe for their cabin with a hand-operated pump. Wood stove. SCREECH owls. Lol
He and gma had always heated with wood; I can still picture the stove and silver kettle of water on top to put humidity back in the air.
Great vid to wake up to! THANKS
Kathy Doyle The old ways were the best. Most folks have forgotten how to utilize mother nature and it's spend spend spend all the time. Ol Gramps had it going n :-)
You better believe he did! He even taught me how to use his bb gun; I'm right handed, "left eyed". Managed to hit a brown cattail plant. 50/50 whether that ol gun's bb would blast-out, or just roll. LOL
Old ways sure are the best!
Hi Frankie!
Kathy Doyle "Papa", Mom's dad, worked for the rr that is known as BNSF. He was a proverbial "jack-of-all-trades", & left us with FABULOUS stories!
I'm a writer; in July, I intend to start sending his stories to "Good Old Days".
The first is about a mobile home. Not the kind with wheels.
Thinking POSITIVE, after the story is published, I'll leave a copy of the mag in the current-owners mail.
They'll be stunned!
Uh oh: "domestic dispute" with two sparrows! SCOLDING.
Robins are watching my blueberry bush! Cardinals are chirping: I like the end-note "trill" -- makes me think of dripping water.
Great ideas. I love how simple it all becomes when you explain it! Thank you.
In a few weeks I will be moving upstate NY. to my cabin, not off grid by a lake, nothing but farmland around. I'll be living my dream soon!!!!!!! so happy!!!!1
Anthony Vitellaro Good for you brother. Life is what you make of it.
I painted a 5 gallon bucket black, set it in the sun for a few hours and I couldn't believe the difference in the temperature difference. Thanks for sharing your idea.
ladyb003 A flat bottle like this 2.5 gallon jug will heat up fast in the sun, especially when placed on a metal surface like the hood of a car.
Yes I agree....thank you
A camping option is to wrap a tarp around 3 trees, tie with bungees (for modest wife), warm water in one gallon milk jug ( solar-stove-etc) and sprinkle water over your head. One gallon gives a nice shower - Kayuta
Another great video keep making them
I would love to see you make a video on water collection options. Rain water collection systems, harvesting water from streams, hauling water in, drilling wells and so forth. With your knowledge on basic and cheap "no how", It would be appreciated by many to see an in-depth video on how to get water.
Thank you for your suggestion :-)
oh yes please!
thebossoftheswamp Yes please! I second this!! Much thanks :)
Yes! One of my biggest concerns as well.
our hot water heater went out we used your method for a month until we could buy another hot water heater we loved it work great no problem.love your videos we learn a lot of new things from you to use down on our farm blessings to you and Happy Fathers Day.
Alice Lewis Glad to hear that Alice. God bless.
Love back wood logic My Hero the Boss
Love the simplicity. Will use this at the cabin we are restoring!
I love the things u show for when no electric brilliant
Glad to be watching your channel again after some months. I forgot the name.🙄 Great tips for the lifestyle I long for. Keep them coming. Paul from South Africa.
Love this way of life.thank you as a therapist clients been asking for a shower .thank you kaz
we used a backpack prayer an hooked up a sink sprayer and boy it's works awesome!
Pretty clever. Most people waste so much water washing themselves. Most of the time, I wash with a spray bottle of vinegar water and dry with a paper towel. I used to have psoriasis pretty bad on my legs, elbows, and scalp, but that left after I stopped using soap and started washing with vinegar water. Probably not for everyone, but works well for me.
This shower works incredibly well for something so simple. Been using this for years.
Simple and so easy to do!
Hey JC I finally got a channel, so now I can leave you post. I like that about the shower, you always have an answer for every problem, and if you don't you will keep working until you find one.
brenda alexander Glad you are enjoying my videos Brenda. Thanks for taking the time to say so.
👍
I did this at the cabin worked very well, however just like you warned I put a whole in the tub and then had to fix it! Life is good at the cabin!
This simple shower is what we use everyday. I never found any reason to complicate it.
*You can use a inflatable tub with a* *airhandpump get the water from r* *creek sit out in the summer sun*
*warms up the tub and ahhhhhh nice* *off the grid bathings*
*Use a tarp for privacy*
You have a way of setting the mind at ease, reassuring us that yes life can be simple, happy and fulfilling. Cheers!!!!!
Joshua Smith Simple and cheap and less time working :-)))
Just found you, can't wait to watch all your videos. Your so inventive and smart.
Great Channel! Very enjoyable videos. I'm a city-slicker couch potato school teacher, imagining living a life such as yours JC (living vicariously!). Thanks for sharing your great life and cool ideas.
+Dave Shaw Glad you're enjoying my vids Dave. Thanks for commenting.
Thanks Boss for sharing. We always have a pot on wood stove in the wintertime. You are an encouragement for those of us working toward a simpler life.
Pots on the stove as I type :-)
I love cold showers in the summer time 40 degree water from the well no problem, but a shower wand is a must have for ladies. My hubby gets mad if he doesn't have hot water to shower.
You're so right about the solar shower having to be hoisted up high...suits a reliable tree-branch and a rope, but even lifting it up to hang it off the shower nozzle in the bathroom was impossible for my wonky back... water is heavy!! I think l will try a black bottle as you showed, with a footpump, which l have seen on "living in a van" videos. Thanks for a great video! 🙂👍💧🚿🛁
Funny to be reading this not 2 minutes after getting out of the shower. Same bottle after all these years. Water heated on the woodstove and no complaints ;-))
@@thebossoftheswamp Thankyou! 😊
You are the man:) You see all these clowns that call themselves mountain men etc and I just laugh. And now all the so called reality shows about Alaskan bush people make me laugh as well. But I love to watch and learn from your videos because I know you are the real deal and tell it like it is without pretending to be something your not. I hope all your medical issues are coming along well.
Thank you for your kind words Mike. All the best.
SIMPLE! Thanks for the video!
I absolutely have no intention of taking a shower this way. but I certainly appreciate your time and information. I enjoyed learning from you. you just made so much sense when you said that in case of a disaster I would want to take a shower and this is an effective way to do it. . I'm getting a carboy.
Sure beats the heck out of a sponge bath :-)
I have used those bags a lot and I agree, the jug is a way better system. I also agree that an outdoor shower is awesome. Of course I prefer the summer and a time when there are not too many flies.
Jonathan Strickland I don't seem to get bothered by flies while showering outdoors.
Keepin it simple and relevant, very nice
A friend of mine uses one of those garden sprayers. He boils a teapot of water and adds that plus tops off the container with cold water. Then he pressurized it and uses that.
sqrqlq Sounds good. Gravity works pretty darn good too :-)
What an innovative, uncostly, useful and not much of a hassle method. Truly, once again Boss your ingenuity works!!!! You're one of a kind. Can't help to see what's next.....God bless!!!
Nida Escape Thank you Nida. Blessings to you as well.
Boss, this is one of the missing pieces of the puzzle to my own backwoods cabin. I do love jumping in the river but there is no denying that a shower adds so much to a great cabin. Can't wait to give this approach a whirl - Thanks !!!!!!
Jerry Hegarty Just about every hunting camp and cabin I come across has no "bathing" room. Even our family camp didn't have one and it's 24x24 with rooms upstairs. I just put in a stall shower there, built a vanity, medicine cabinet and now working on an icebox for the place. You won't be sorry for putting a shower in and this bottle works awesome. Have fun with your project.
thebossoftheswamp Going to start on the outdoor variety first then section off a part of the cabin for an indoor bathing room. Going with a composting toilet in NH? Keep up the great stuff here JC, you're a mentor to us all!
Jerry Hegarty Yep. Just built a composting toilet, rustic vanity, medicine cabinet and just finishing up the icebox. The NH cabin will be styling :-))
thebossoftheswamp Boss, Just built an outdoor shower using a 5 gal. carboy (Uline was out of 2.5 gal version) - what a game changer !! worked like a charm and even got creative with the outdoor shower stall design. I took several showers in it the past couple days and it is just awesome to take an outdoor shower. Plenty of pressure with lots of water to spare - just an amazing addition to the our 'cabin on the hill' - thanks !
I thought we were going to get to see you showering ... LOL I was so looking forward to that. ;)
I bet that gave the Boss a good laugh 😂
awesome, a little ingenuity goes a long way
+sill tadorio Absolutely :-)
Also in the winter time, if you have a south-facing window and a sunny day, good for me.
Sunday morning coffee is much better when watching a new video from the Boss. It amazes me that all our modern conveniences have actually made our lives more stressful and put us in a financial rut. We will be leaving for our camp in PA next week for four months where I get no cell service or internet. I will look forward to catching up with your vids when we return.
Have a good summer.
PS
The wife missed Frankie !
rl Avery Well said about those "conveniences". They keep us at work paying for them. There's no convenience in it for me. Have a great time at your camp. All the best.
You do have New York accent. So wonderful.
That's a NH accent :-)
HI Boss!! This is a nice idea. I watched a video of some organic gardeners who invite people to come check out their garden. The visitors stay in tents. The gardeners have buried a garden hose in their compost pile that then goes up the wall of the shower stalls and has a small battery powered water pump. The water is heated by the compost. I've also seen garden hose put on the side of the cabin facing the sun and again the water is heated and brought into the house with a small pump. So many cool idea's. Just common sense and creative thinking. :) Glad to see your well. ATB Louise
Louise Florida Neat idea about the compost. I like that. I bought tubing to make a solar water heater but that's a project for later on. Yep, sooooo many cool ways to utilize mother nature. All the best.
Great video. In the winter, if you put black insulated curtains in your windows (especially the south facing windows) you can heat your home the same way. Just leave a gap at the bottom and top of the curtains. On sunny days, the cool air will come in from the bottom (you can put a fan at the bottom) and as the air warms, it will rise and come out the gap on top. That's how I heat my rv. I have black curtains in the cab as well as all the windows. In the summer, I use aluminum instead to reflect the heat away from the windows.
First time watching your vids. Excellent, neat, simple, common sense ideas. Need to go through your entire site now.
Other ideas, that could be considered solar, are to do the Applachian distillery copper coiling condensor unit. Use copper tubing with 2 metallic cut off valves, You make such solar system inside the cabin, with a southern facing window, black paint the coils, and add some painted black aluminum flashing (backing) attached to the coils. Have the 2 coil tubes sit in your water container, like this plastic carboy. The input tubing will be at the bottom of the container. The output tubing will be at the top of the container. The solar heat pushes the warm/hot water upwards, while pulling the cold water up the tube for warming. The downward tubing returns to the water container.
This unit can be installed in your atrium, flower arboretum, aviary, southern exposure bay windows, green house, hot house, outdoor shower stall, etc. Then take the bottle for the shower. When you need to remove the carboy, shut off the 2 valves to keep the water inside the tubing, and replace with another carboy of cool/cold water. Then open up the 2 valves again, and reprocess the new carboy water supply.
If you really want to have a non-issue with heating, then lifting the weight and height of a carboy container into your shower, then don't. Have a fixed (heated) water container, and have a plastic tubing from water container to shower head, with a boat glas line squeeze bulb. Squeeze for the pressure you need pushing up and over your head, at the rate you want. Otherwise, the more easy way is to have a foot-operated squeeze bulb (pedal), and foot pump while taking the shower.
In a non-solar device, use the old stove and wrap the copper tubing around the flue. Same design for a water container. You are always burning wood, use the heat for a needed design. The same copper tubing is also very good for a room heating device, with copper tubing extending all the way to the bottom of the floor, where cold air lays. Wrap multiple copper tubings around flue, and raise the tubing all the way up to the ceiling, and make outward arrays (shooting in all directions) you have your own hot air conditioning system.
The same designs can be done for a southern facing window or room with just black plastic tubing. The air will heat up and circulate in the house without any energy or motors.
If you have a wood fireplace, then install the copper tubing within the upper fireplace mantle and the flue. Just have the water container with 2 copper tubes (and cut-off valves) for controlling the water within the tubing.
A little rocket stove can have the same copper tubing installed inside the brickwork or above it, like the same alchool distillery coilings.
You don't have to be big, to have big results. The rocket stove, the southern bay window, the fireplace, the cooking stove, are all heat producing areas.
Both water heating and air heating for the house are easily obtained.
You might not even want to have a mobile carboy. With multiple carboys or a larger container, imitate a modern water heater with insulation around a large water container. Have your solar or fireplace/kitchen wood stove/rocket stove device heating the tubing that comes and goes to the water container. The continued heating of the water in the tubing maintains the container heat. The container is insulated against heat loss. You could make such hot water container from those carboys, 5 gallon (new) white plastic buckets, even those 50 gallon (plastic or steel) survival water barrels. Have your external plastic tubing with hand or foot squeeze bulb, and you have your instant hot water tap at the kitchen sink or bath room sink, and your shower head.
To obtain water pressure, height is critical. But lifting heavy full carboys, and dropping empty carboys is time consuming. Make an elevated water container that remains at that height as the household main water container unit. Then use the water (and water pressure as needed). No need for a shower hand or foot pedal squeeze bulb. You only need to have another lower water container that you fill with cool/cold water, and have plastic tubing between the lower and higher water containers. Use the foot pedal to pump water from the lower to higher water container. Otherwise, there is the more easy conventional hand-crank drump pump. Voila! Simple, simple. Heated water container (at height) for hot and pressurized water flow to kitchen, to bathroom, and to shower.
If you did have a large solar southern exposure area, then your same black painted backing around a black painted 50 gallon plastic or steel water barrel, and you have immense hot water. Attach a small insulated solar room addition to the house, for a raised 50 gallon water drum, on a steel or wooden frame. The room is insulated from all outside weather, only accepting solar heat. You have a truly intense heated water operation. A lower 50 gallon drum stores cool/cold water under the upper container. The heated drum will also heat the lower container. You have 50 gallons of hot water, and 50 gallons of warm water, for any off-the-grid need. Use a hand or foot pedal for the warm water supply needs.
You can step up this design, just a hair. With the 50 gallon water drums, you have 2 openings. One opening is for the water-heating with the copper tubing. Convert the other opening, and make a pressure seal. Using a hand crank of water pumping (lower barrel to upper barrel), make a water-pressurized hot water barrel system. Here you have height, but also increased water pressure. You can do a hand crank air pressure system for both water barrels. Then the hot water barrel, and the warm water barrel, can have their dual outlet tubing combined to the kitchen sink for the same hot and cold water mixes, at the bathroom sink, and the same for the shower. Have both water drums at height. Hot water drum and backing are painted black. Warm water drum and backing left natural, grey, or white.
You do not use that much water everyday, so doing a 1 or 2 day hand cranking agenda on the hot and warm water drums for pressurization, and you have your utility water needs all fulfilled.
If you need to have a large, mobile, hot/warm water need in a truck or van ... or an out-and-about event (and no camp fire!), then use the engine header and tailpipe with a wrapped copper tubing, with the same water container design in the truck bed, and you have your hot water for camp or base camp needs. Voila!
All excellent ideas. You have got me really thinking about this.
John Lord There are so many ways to achieve the task of heating water but I like things simple. I heat what I want and when I need it, then put the jug away. Just about every task can be made complicated and expensive but I left that lifestyle far behind me.
Just a quick note.. I have been using the carboy system for a couple of weeks now.. works fantastically. Thanks
Tanks for your success report. I absolutely love this setup :-))
I am renovating a turn of the century broken down house in a small town, it has a huge electric water heater that doesn't work... solution .. simple and cheap
Gave it a thumbs up. Yes your right solar shower bags are a pain. Definitely getting a few carboys !
Edwards Journey Thank you kindly.
There are adhesive thermometers that we use in winemaking - fermenting in a carbon. It is always attached.
Congrats on passing 25K subscribers JC. That's a lot of happy viewers! Thanks for going into detail your shower strategy harnessing the power of the sun. So what's on the agenda this summer? Addition, solar panels, water well...I know, wait & see right? Looking forward to it Boss! You and Frankie take care.
HAFFT1ME Thank you buddy. Nice to finally hit the 25000 mark. One milestone behind me now. This summer will be a busy one as I'm going full bore on the NH cabin project. I'll also be putting up a building or two at the NY cabin. Gotta get this stuff done so I can sell off the homestead. Lots on the books and I'll be sharing the projects as they unfold. All the best and God Bless.
JC you continue to amaze me with the simplicity of your solutions to every day needs. Love it man, keep on doing what you do, we all learn from it thanks to your videos.
Ed Kirkpatrick Simple and Cheap. You'd be surprised at how nice of a shower this can offer for something so simple.
Brilliantly simple. Thanks.
+Tom Innes It works great too :-)
Wow, that got hotter than I thought it would !!! Another great educational video Boss, Thanks :) Oh, and I like that rocking chair you have on the deck !!!
IronClad292 It gets super hot on the hood of a car like that. I love it.
well my brother i can't wait to get back home to work on my shower at the camp im siting at a work camp 40 km nort of Fort micmury were the town is burning me as Red seal welder have no choice i have 2 kids and a wife but noting like being home so now im enjoying a Bud light and waching you're video keep the good work Thank you again
+Jean-Noel Leger Glad to know you're enjoying my videos Jean. Always happy to hear that.
Always enjoy your videos. Say hi to Frankie.
What a neat set up you've developed for your solar shower. Great info. and not an overwhelming or quite costly project. Thank you kindly, for sharing. God Bless You and Frankie. Gretchen
thundercloud47 This works remarkably well for something so simple. Thanks for commenting and blessings to you as well.
Here I was hoping to see you actually taking a shower! LOL This is a great idea. Thanks for sharing.
Judy Homesteader Maybe next time '-)
monin, Boss & Lil-Frankie; Another top notch way ! Thanks 4 sharing all the great ideas, Have a fun filled week ahead, Friends
Happy Trails From The Maritimes In Canada ATB Terry
God Bless
T.W. Milburn Happy trails to you too buddy. God Bless.
heres a little tip for getting quick hot water from the sun....spray a fine mist of water up onto the roof shingles on a sunny day and recover the water as it comes down from the eaves troughs into the gutter pipes !!
p.s. let a few gallons of water go down pipe first to clean off shingles and debri in the troughs ...then collect what you need
swanyut ...really? sounds like a lot more work, a lot more water and just ...ewe
Simplest is always best dude nothing to go wrong
This was the first video I watched on your channel. I found it again today, and I still love it! Thank you!
Glad you enjoy it!
A bit of hose. And a bug/garden sprayer with warm water works well. Tks Fer pointers.
True but this works awesome on it's own and it's still my daily shower.
I've now watched them all. Thank you for taking the time to film your life and share it with the world.
Tamper Dan Glad you enjoy them. Thanks for commenting.
Great video. Brought back some memories of months in the wilds of Afghanistan. All we had was one of those shower bags. It wasn't the greatest set up, but it really was the greatest thing when you could wash under a warm/hot outdoor shower. There is nothing like a hot shower outside in 30 degree evenings :) I sure wish we had one of those jugs.
Dave M These jugs offer a great shower for something so simple.
Thanks again for a great video.......My marriage proposal still stands! Love the lifestyle!
Moss Walker I must have missed something. I don't remember any marriage proposals... lol :-D
Two 2&1/2 gallon containers will also heat up much faster than one 5 gallon container because they have more surface area. Also it's much easier to move around a 2&1/2 gallon container of water than it is to move around a 5 gallon container of water.
Thanks for the awesome tip. My natural gas water heater died on me a few months back, but living in a very hot place (phx az), I have been able to get by just taking showers using the "cold" water that comes out warm during our hot summers.
The showers were nowhere near as warm as I'd like, but I'm not too fussy, so I managed. Still, I missed a good hot shower and with money being tight, I was stressing out about how I could replace my minimal hot water needs in a cheap and simple manner. This fits the bill perfectly.
Thank you!
+cantecleer As long as you open the vent cap and allow air in the top, this jug offers a pretty good shower for something so simple. Thanks for commenting.
+thebossoftheswamp I'll be sure to do that. thanks for all the wisdom you share. best wishes :)
I just want to say that I am STILL using this bottle for a shower several years later, now less by necessity and more by choice. I love it! Thanks again for the great tip!
It gives a good shower, uses very little water, and takes no power or fuel as long as it's sunny enough outside to warm up the water (heating some water by stove and filling the bottle works too during the rare cold/cloudy day where I live).
I like to use the little bit of extra hot water that is left over to shave or even do a small amount of dishes.
This is a great solution for everybody, both off grid and on grid.
I think for on-grid people like me, it is a great backup for emergencies or if a water heater dies, but it's perfect for a main source of showers too if you want to conserve energy and water!!!
About two gallons for a shower (and some extra hot water left over) is AMAZING and it's super simple and cheap!!
A+ 10/10 tip from bossoftheswamp!!
I love this video. So simple and letting mom nature provide for you. I'm camping out in the Sierras in an area I know well this summer and I was researching the most simple way to get a shower out of doors. Thank you.
I use the jug inside with my shower stall as well. It works awesome.
you are amazing with all the ideas you come up with. You never seem not to amaze me. I Enjoy you sharing your life style with all of us who follow. TY
Great looking rocking chair !
I found your channel by chance.And every day I watch 3 to catch up ,just get a kick out of Frankie .My favorite's our when you take your walks through the forest. I retired 2 yrs ago and went heavy into gardening so I also like your gardening episodes.
I found your
I had a friend that lived in mid Alabama and at the time he was in the process of building his own home, I drove down to give him a hand and the only shower system he had at the time was an outside type that was made from 4 sheets of plywood built on top of a wooden pallet, it had a 30 gallon plastic drum and painted black, You would think that with outside temps during the day hovering around 100 degrees all day long, the water should be scalding hot, but that was the coldest shower I had ever taken. We even got special concave mirrors that would pinpoint focus the sunlight onto the drum in an attempt to raise the temp of the water, but to no avail. It was so cold that I thought I had misplaced my "package" due to shrinkage so much from the bitterly cold water of that shower LOL
Nortekj Damn the shrinkage!!!! :-oThe water needs to be confined to heat up unless its a tank inside a glass enclosure. I have a black barrel and the water won't heat up very much. There's just too much volume there. This black jug offers a really nice shower for something so simple.
I used the black shower bag myself for one summer when I first built my cabin. I hung it outside using a forked tree branch I cut to hoist it up and hang the shower bag from a cutoff tree branch that was about 7 feet high. It worked pretty good. I did away with it when I got power to the cabin and was able to use a pump.
Carboy's are those 5 gallon glass "jugs" that water comes in, or were used for making wine or beer. However they were mostly known as a water carrier. ergo why yours is called a carboy. I have a few 5 gal. ones, and I also have a metal holder for it. So that way, I can sit it on a counter and pull the neck of the bottle down to my dishpan for doing dishes. 5 gal. is too heavy for me to have to lift and pour many times a day, so the metal holder does it for me.
Your garden is outstanding, and there is nothing better than covering a garden with whatever mother nature gives you. Holding that bird blew me away! That was outstanding. It was so nice to see you again, and I really enjoyed your video.
Bless, Sheila
PS If you want a "pampered shower" you should take a look at the Zodi battery powered shower. Uses batteries, and BOY OH BOY is it ever nice. Toss one end in a 5 gal bucket, or smaller, of hot water, and the other is a shower head. It's fantastic. I had to use one for my husband when he was bedridden and we were living in our garage/home. Small shower head, but it comes out perfect.
Sheila6325 The Zodi sounds interesting for sure. I been using this 2.5 gallon system for a long time and it suits my needs but I do plan to experiment a bit with something different for my sink. I got my hands on some old campers so there's lots of goodies for me to salvage :-)Nice to hear from you again Sheila. God Bless.
thebossoftheswamp I really like that 2.5 gallon system, and it would do wonders over my sink. Much lighter to use too. I can't wait to see what you get out of those campers! that should be a real hoot! Great to see you again too. Bless, Sheila
Sheila6325 The campers are stocked, gas fridge, stoves, water heater, furnace, wiring, breaker boxes, gas lines, 12v lights, you name it. Got my own little salvage yard going :-)
That's awesome! I'm going to use it! Thank you so much!
Have enjoyed watching your videos, been sick with phenomena, between you in Frankie made me smile thanks so much for sharing your journey stay safe God Bless you...
Been very sick here too over the last 10 days. On the mend now and hope you are also. Cheers :-)
Thanks for posting this. The power at my mom's place goes out at the drop of a hat. Something like this would be great for her.
Well done! Excellent system to keep handy for those times when you have no power. Thanks again for that backwoods logic! Keep them coming.
Such a great idea. I live in south Alabama and power outages are a big issue especially during hurricane season. Got to get one of these and I can use it even during most of the year. I'll save lots of money. The water heater is at least the 2nd most energy hog in your home. Thanks for this simple, cheap idea!
houseofjacob I have a 50 gallon water heater at the homestead. Last year I experimented and shut it off completely and just heated water as I needed it and used this bottle for my shower. Prior to this, my house would use about 2 3/4 tanks of propane per year with a cost of around 800 bucks. Now, one tank last around 17 months and I can put the money elsewhere. I can live with that.
Guess its time to retire our sun shower units to the back burner !
Yes, they can be great for camping >>
Thanks for the design tips.
We will be making an outside shower with the car boy on the wood lot :-)
Keep these great ideas coming my friend !!
diane hall No idea why they call them a "carboy"... Frankie is a carboy. :c)~
These jugs make a great shower. Sooo much better than the sun bags :-)
GREAT IDEA! I hope you don't mind that I will be taking liberty of some mods to your brilliant idea of using these carboy bottles!! I have spinning wildly in my head, an outside hot water shower that can be your best friend all four seasons in our spectacular NH great north woods!!
+Keith Rayeski You can modify it all you want but gotta say, it works great just the way it is. Both indoors and out :-)
I was thinking of a shower booth, outside (my wife informs me she will have to have one inside as well) and using the 5 gallon bottles. Then again, I think I'd rather heft the 2.5 gallon bottle up than the 5 gal. I figured I'd build an insulated booth around a shower stall and make a box on tho top lined with reflective windshield reflectors....then set in two 2.5 gal jugs like the crafty ones you invented...making too much work for myself aren't I? Well...it'll keep me busy!
Take a large pump up bug sprayer and cut the wand off and attach a vegetable sprayer you know like the kind that people have on their kitchen sinks then you can pump the tank up by hand and have a pressurized shower....it's cheap it's easy and you don't have to put it over your head the tank can just sit in the corner of the shower
Love the simplicity and very low cost ...anyone can implement this idea! I see a few people commenting here have their own ideas but theirs is either quite cumbersome or just not really thought out ... thanks for keeping it simple & cheap!
silver chick Cheap and Simple :-))
Great shower!
Great video , well I ordered my shower containers and they arrived . I will be spray painting them and trying them out, I to want an outdoor shower on my property. I can see it now under the tall pines with the squirrels overhead lol.
jan jenkins As long as the squirrels stay overhead you'll be fine :-)) Sfter you're done soaping and rinsing, turn that jug to full blast. It's a real soaker. Just don't forget to open the breather cap on top.
Love it. Surprised to see a video without Frankie.
Paul Ganzell He's rehearsing his lines for the nest one :c)~
Great video as usual. I've used 5 gallon food grade buckets painted black to heat up water. It is a great solution for off grid living. Thanks
watched it again , love it , thanks again boss.
PhattDawg Trapping Thank you for all your views and comments buddy. All the best.
Awesome... love the simplicity and functionality.... another winner.
Just took a bottle shower a few minutes ago, Love this thing.
Great Logic Boss, Got to admit you are right about taking a shower outdoors it sure is invigorating!!
Have a great week Boss!!
BeaverRick Nothing quite like an outdoor shower. Love it.
Really great idea on the black paint, I have a blue one that I use but it only gets to about 100. I always learn something, thanks Boss
backyardmeat The black bottle on the hood of a car never fails. It works remarkably well for something so simple.
Pet stores sell thermometers that stick on the outside of aquariums, about the size of a band-aid. Perhaps having one would be beneficial for you.
Also, if using the solar bag outdoors....attach it to a pully, or a rope over an overhead branch. Infanite hight adjustments.
Brian Whippie I've done the pully thing with the solar bags and it's still a hassle. I posted this bottle method so folks can have an alternative shower at home during power outages. The stick on thermometer may work but I'd think it would get a false reading when the jug is out in the sun. Maybe, maybe not. Thanks or commenting.
Another great idea. Thanks for sharing Boss. Cheers.
MrPaulinmi Cheers to you as well :-)
thanks for the response.