Shower expansion chamber. Any ideas

[CYCLOPATH]

I have a problem. We mostly camp off grid, and have used a home made solar shower very successfully.
It’s just a black drain pipe attached to the other awning rail..BUT
It gets very hot, and expands and contracts, as it does when we go up and down mountains. This breaks my seals on the joins. I’ve mended it many many many times. Our last we month trip , to Greece and back, we just accepted a drip. The shower still worked.
I’ve tried all sorts of glues, but the best result so far has been a cycle inner tube screwed in the top.
I’m rebuilding it again now and wondered if anyone has any better idea.in the pic you can see the inner tube on top, and my multiple repaires.

 

[WelshGas]

I have a problem. We mostly camp off grid, and have used a home made solar shower very successfully.
It’s just a black drain pipe attached to the other awning rail..BUT
It gets very hot, and expands and contracts, as it does when we go up and down mountains. This breaks my seals on the joins. I’ve mended it many many many times. Our last we month trip , to Greece and back, we just accepted a drip. The shower still worked.
I’ve tried all sorts of glues, but the best result so far has been a cycle inner tube screwed in the top.
I’m rebuilding it again now and wondered if anyone has any better idea.View attachment 139474in the pic you can see the inner tube on top, and my multiple repaires.

I would have thought you would need some sort of pressure relief valve. If the joints are too strong then the drain pipe will give instead.

 

[wildslammer22]

Nice idea! As Welshgas suggests you'll need to install a pressure relief valve, you can pick one up for around £10.

I’ve gone a different way, I have installed a privacy room to the same passenger side awning rail and use a foot pump operated shower bag. I do like that your system heats the water in hot weather so it’s ready to go.

 

[CYCLOPATH]

I would have thought you would need some sort of pressure relief valve. If the joints are too strong then the drain pipe will give instead.

I did that , a tiny slit in a silicon cap, but I found that if I was going down hill, the water came out through the valve

 

[CYCLOPATH]

Nice idea! As Welshgas suggests you'll need to install a pressure relief valve, you can pick one up for around £10.

I’ve gone a different way, I have installed a privacy room to the same passenger side awning rail and use a foot pump operated shower bag. I do like that your system heats the water in hot weather so it’s ready to go.

It’s mostly for storage. Off grid, water is a limiting factor, especially as we like to shower daily. It holds and extra 15 litres. We do decant it into a pump up shower at times. Travelling for months, we can’t carry too much water inside the van

 

[wildslammer22]

It’s mostly for storage. Off grid, water is a limiting factor, especially as we like to shower daily. It holds and extra 15 litres. We do decant it into a pump up shower at times. Travelling for months, we can’t carry too much water inside the van

I have a Lifesaver for extended trips which holds up to 20lites although I usually carry it empty. It has a shower attachment but the pressure is probably less than you get from the VW built in shower/pump. It can be filled from rivers/lakes - more or less any water source and make it safe for drinking so perfectly fine for showers. Not as easy to store as your set up though, I store mine on the roof which is fine when it’s empty, wouldn’t work full!

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

You need to line the tube with a rubber liner or balloon or plastic bag so the tube is protecting but not holding the water.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

If you knew someone with a pvc welder they could make a bespoke liner that would expand and contract inside the tube