ABS Pipe Water Storage / Shower Question

Superduty

Adventurer
There are numerous DIY solutions that have been posted and on YouTube. Typically it is a 4" ABS pipe with a fill on top and a spigot of some sort on one end and then a schrader valve to pressurize with air pressure. Then the pipe is mounted to a roof rack.

1. Is there an optimum location for the schrader valve? It would seem that the best place would be higher than the water so water doesn't back feed into your air hose.

2. What is the best way to ensure all the water can be used from the pipe? Am I correct that the water needs to naturally flow (ie gravity) to the spigot in order to make use of all of the water? For example if the pipe is mounted level on the roof rack and the spigot is in the rear, but the truck is parked downhill (front of truck facing downhill) you won't get much water out before it is only air.

If this is accurate, what are some of the solutions to ensure all the water can be used?
 

highwest

Well-known member
I got a little water in my hand pump with the valve on the top of a vertical surface, it didn’t seem like a big deal, but maybe the valve should go on a top horizontal surface?

I’ve seen some of these pipes with a “Y” pieces on the end and the spigot installed on the downward-facing part of the Y.

Use a slow set adhesive when you put it together... and minimal amounts if you intended to drink the water.
 

robert

Expedition Leader
Insert all of the usual disclaimers.

There are lots of way to skin this cat but the one I helped a friend build was schedule 40 which is definitely heavier and stronger than it needs to be but he had the pieces already. A rounded cap on the front (facing forward into the wind), flat on the rear. The schedule 40 is thick enough I just screwed and glued a threaded 3/4" brass coupler into the top (like this, https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...-Brass-Multi-Adapter-Fitting-801709/300095988) for the fill. I bought a metal cap (like this one but the brass style. I didn't see them on the website but plastic would work in a pinch since you're not using high pressure [obviously this is a terrible idea, don't do it], https://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-3-4-in-Threaded-Hose-Caps-2-Pack-27902/100659301). I drilled a hole in that cap and attached a threaded Schrader valve (you can find these at mountain bike places for example). You could also just screw and glue a threaded Schrader into the pipe itself. Screw and glue a hose bib as low as possible into the flat rearward cap. You could actually bevel it out a little if you were really detail oriented since schedule 40 is so thick but meh, why bother. It'll work well enough just using gravity but adding a couple of pounds of pressure with a bike pump makes it work better, especially if you plan to use a garden hose style sprayer.

If I were making one for myself, I'd use a quick disconnect and a kitchen sprayer. I see no need for the larger diameter hose just to clean up, but then I carry a Simple Shower or a one gallon pump sprayer instead of a big shower setup so I'm probably not the best to ask.
 

Superduty

Adventurer
It would be awesome if we could focus on the original questions in the original post. I do appreciate the how to build one from @robert and the suggestion of the waterport from @MiamiC70
 

PaulJensen

Custom Builder
First off, I'd use aluminum pipe since ABS is comparatively thick walled and that reduces the solar gain... You could probably use PVC end caps on the aluminum... I'd epoxy them on... Next best , I'd use PVC, a bit thinner than ABS, with a less insulative core... Paint both the Aluminum and PVC black... The fittings are up to you... Quick connect's would be my choice... Get the ones specifically for water... Have fun...!!!...
 
I built one for my XJ, and I have a Deffender roof rack on it.
Used 4"PVC, flat cap on the back, and used a Y on the front with a "clean-out" cap on it so I could actually clean the tube out once in a while.
The problem with that is sealing both the fill cap on top, and the 4" clean out on the front. I ended up using a little silicone on the threads to seal the air in as it would not make an airtight seal by it's self,

To answer your questions, Yeah I did get a bit of backflow into my airline from the Schrader valve, and it was mounted as high I could on the back 4" cap.
Then to answer the second part is, that no I never could drain the complete tube. I even mounted it to the side of the roof rack at a slight angle too.
The problem is that the ABS pipe is about 1/4" thick, and the cap mounts to the outside diameter of the pipe. You need room to mount some kind of sealing washer on the inside. So your spigot sits higher than the bottom of the pipe.

Also the water got warm inside but never really hot.
That being said it carries a little over 4 gallons, and is really nice while out camping.
We use it for doing dishes, and to freshen up after a long day.
I will probably try to make a better revision as time goes on?
 

PaulJensen

Custom Builder
"Also the water got warm inside but never really hot."

That's the problem with ABS...
Aluminum gets hot...
Do it right or do it the other way...
Want proof, go pick up a piece of ABS on a sunny day, then pick up anything black and aluminum...
Test over...
 

Superduty

Adventurer
@PaulJensen what kind of 4" aluminum pipe or tube would you suggest? Links would be helpful. Obviously one of the goals is to keep it as light as possible and try and keep the cost down. There is the Yakima Road Shower that I believe is aluminum, but most folks don't want to spend to $500 on this.
 

Superduty

Adventurer
That design criterion is already out the window. Water is 8lbs/gallon, which easily eclipses the mass of either container material.

I'm not quite sure of the logic here. Because what you are putting inside the container weighs "a lot" means there should be no concern or desire to keep the container as light as possible?
 

Herbie

Rendezvous Conspirator
I'm not quite sure of the logic here. Because what you are putting inside the container weighs "a lot" means there should be no concern or desire to keep the container as light as possible?

Pretty much, yes. Your available weight savings are distinctly "not worth it":

Even the heavy Sch40 ABS pipe weighs 1.1lbs/lineal foot: https://www.homedepot.com/p/VPC-4-in-x-10-ft-ABS-Cell-Core-Pipe-29-410HD/309282462
Aluminum Tubing like Paul linked is 1.0lbs/lineal foot: https://www.torqued.io/hps-325-od-6061-aluminum-straight-pipe-tubing-16-gauge-x-3-feet-long

An 8' length of 4" tubing will hold ~1200 cubic inches, or 5.2 gallons of water, or 43.3lbs.

An 8' length of ABS pipe would be 8.8 lbs, versus 8.0lbs for the Aluminum.

Therefore, you'd be saving 0.8lbs (less than 1.5% of the total weight of the filled weight of the container) out of a combined weight of 51 or 52 lbs. (At literally 10x the cost.)

Let's assume you can find material that's super-duper space-age, and it weighs HALF of what 16g aluminum tubing weighs. Now you're saving like 4lbs. Still less than 9% of the total mass. Go ahead and commission that custom carbon-composite tubing I guess.
 

Superduty

Adventurer
Pretty much, yes. Your available weight savings are distinctly "not worth it":

Even the heavy Sch40 ABS pipe weighs 1.1lbs/lineal foot: https://www.homedepot.com/p/VPC-4-in-x-10-ft-ABS-Cell-Core-Pipe-29-410HD/309282462
Aluminum Tubing like Paul linked is 1.0lbs/lineal foot: https://www.torqued.io/hps-325-od-6061-aluminum-straight-pipe-tubing-16-gauge-x-3-feet-long

An 8' length of 4" tubing will hold ~1200 cubic inches, or 5.2 gallons of water, or 43.3lbs.

An 8' length of ABS pipe would be 8.8 lbs, versus 8.0lbs for the Aluminum.

Therefore, you'd be saving 0.8lbs (less than 1.5% of the total weight of the filled weight of the container) out of a combined weight of 51 or 52 lbs. (At literally 10x the cost.)

Let's assume you can find material that's super-duper space-age, and it weighs HALF of what 16g aluminum tubing weighs. Now you're saving like 4lbs. Still less than 9% of the total mass. Go ahead and commission that custom carbon-composite tubing I guess.


I see what you mean now. When comparing the two materials there is no practical difference when considering the water weight. That makes sense.
 

robert

Expedition Leader
I should have added, I put the air valve on top to help prevent water getting into it (and it was easy for my friend to stand on his slider and use a bike pump). Also remember that you can't fill the tube all the way with water unless you are going to connect some sort of constant air supply*- as with a pump sprayer you need an air space to add the air so figure that into your calculations.


* If you plan to use say, your on-board air compressor, remember you'll need a regulator to reduce the pressure to only a couple of pounds.
 

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