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Outdoor Shower How to install an outdoor shower From "Ed the Plumber" episode DETP-403

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Before you continue, check to make sure the pipe is running slightly up hill in the direction of the shower; this will help ensure that water isn't left in the pipe when you winterize the lines.

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12. Continue mounting the pipe to the wall, making sure it always runs up hill.

13. With the water line prepped and in place, it's time for to install the shower unit. Keep in mind, at this point, that this is a cold water shower. You may want the option of having warm or tepid water going to the shower. If that's the case, you can build a solar water heater (figure J). Using two tees, you can set up a simple mixer to blend cold water with heated water.

14. Starting with a 25' roll of black sprinkler pipe, secure the roll together with a zip tie. When installing the unit, position it to collect the most solar heat possible.

15. To let the cold water mix with the heated water, run another line that bypasses the water heater. This line will not be exposed to any sun and will remain cold. At the end where the water comes in, install a solderless tee, secured with a worm clamp, to direct water into both pipes (figure K).

Figure J

Figure K

16. Hook the two ends together using another solderless tee; connect the unit into the water line using a barbed compression fitting; secure it down with a worm clamp. When you connect the water heater, the hot and cold water will mix in the tee and send warm water to the shower.

17. Connect the shower unit to the prepped water line (figure L). Remember, the shower unit will be all copper; compression fittings apply to these connections as well.

18. The shower will have three main components. First, there will be a sillcock, approximately a foot off the ground. The next component will be the spring-loaded valve (figure M), which will mount approximately 3' above the sillcock. It has a pull chain that activates the shower. The last component will be the showerhead. Assemble everything on the ground first, then attach it to the wall as one unit.

19. Use Teflon tape when making the connections into the brass tee that holds the sillcock. Screw compression fittings to threaded fittings on both sides of the tee and secure with a wrench (figure N). Use Teflon tape on the sillcock before screwing it into place on the tee.

Figure L

Figure M

Figure N

20. Next, insert the cut lengths of copper pipe into either end of the tee and tighten down the fitting. Make sure all connections are secure before moving to the spring valve. Follow the same procedure, using threaded compression fittings to install the valve (make sure not to scratch the chrome when tightening down). When the valve is assembled, slide the copper pipe from the sillcock unit into the compression fitting on the valve. You know when the valve is in the proper position because it pulls down toward the sillcock.

21. Finally, install the last piece of copper into the top side of the valve and tighten down the compression fitting.

	Figure O
	Figure P

22. Compression fittings come in many sizes, shapes and adaptors, letting you design a custom shower to fit your needs. Compression adaptors let you angle the direction of the water. For a 90-degree angle, we'll use a 1/2" adaptor threaded to a compression fitting. It screws into the showerhead, and when it's in place, you'll actually be able to put it into places with a short piece of pipe attached to the 90 and it'll shoot straight down and give you a good shower.

23. Apply several layers of Teflon tape on the threaded end of the compression fitting that goes into the showerhead; screw the fitting into the showerhead, using pliers to make sure it's tightly in place.

24. Next, slide the short piece of copper pipe into the compression end of the fitting; use a pair of wrenches to make sure the nut is tightly in place (figure O).

25. Install the compression 90 onto the other side of the copper pipe. The final step is to slide the copper pipe from the shower valve assembly into the compression fitting on the showerhead unit and tighten down the fittings. Mount the entire unit to the wall with the same procedure as before, using anchors and pipe clamps (figure P).

26. Finally, connect the water line to the bottom of the shower unit and turn on the water.

Finished sillcock

Finished pull chain

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