Q: Given the color, I assume it's meant to be left out in the sun the way other camp showers are. How long do I need to leave it out before it warms up?
A: The long answer? It depends. It depends on what temperature the water starts at when you put it in, how much water you put in, the temperature outside, whether it is exposed to direct sunlight, and what you want the final temperature to be. But to give you a data point in space, when we were out at Trail Days in Damascus, VA, we filled Helio halfway up with water from the spigot (~55F) and let it sit in direct sunlight where the outside temperature was about 85-90F. It took the water inside the tank about 3 hours to warm up to what felt about 90F.
Q: How strong is the hanging strap? Am I messing with disaster if I hang a full Helio by this strap?
A: The strap is a carrying strap, not a hanging strap. It is meant to be used to carry Helio a short distance, and should NOT be used to hang Helio—unless the tank is empty and is just being dried. Hanging the weighted tank by the strap puts undue stress on the welds. Over time, both the material and welds can be compromised by the constant loading. Plus, the beauty of Helio is that you don't have to hang it. The bottom of the tank is structurally rigid, so it can stand on its own, which means you won't have to search for the perfect tree at the perfect height to wash up.
Q: It looks like you open the valve at the top of the foot pump before use. What's the valve at the bottom of the foot pump for?
A: The valve on the underside of the foot pump is just for drainage purposes when you are finished using the pressure shower. Be sure to keep it closed when pressurizing the tank.
Q: What's the best way to store Helio?
You should only pressurize the tank when you're using it. Keeping the tank out and pressurized over long periods of time puts the fabrics and welds under constant tension. Over long periods of time, this can affect the durability and longevity of the product. So when you're done showering/rinsing dishes/etc, take the time to properly depressurize the tank. The easiest way to do this is to spray water out of the nozzle until the stream dies out. Then open the valve on top of the tank to let the air out.
If you have any other questions, let us know!
A: The long answer? It depends. It depends on what temperature the water starts at when you put it in, how much water you put in, the temperature outside, whether it is exposed to direct sunlight, and what you want the final temperature to be. But to give you a data point in space, when we were out at Trail Days in Damascus, VA, we filled Helio halfway up with water from the spigot (~55F) and let it sit in direct sunlight where the outside temperature was about 85-90F. It took the water inside the tank about 3 hours to warm up to what felt about 90F.
Q: How strong is the hanging strap? Am I messing with disaster if I hang a full Helio by this strap?
A: The strap is a carrying strap, not a hanging strap. It is meant to be used to carry Helio a short distance, and should NOT be used to hang Helio—unless the tank is empty and is just being dried. Hanging the weighted tank by the strap puts undue stress on the welds. Over time, both the material and welds can be compromised by the constant loading. Plus, the beauty of Helio is that you don't have to hang it. The bottom of the tank is structurally rigid, so it can stand on its own, which means you won't have to search for the perfect tree at the perfect height to wash up.
Q: It looks like you open the valve at the top of the foot pump before use. What's the valve at the bottom of the foot pump for?
A: The valve on the underside of the foot pump is just for drainage purposes when you are finished using the pressure shower. Be sure to keep it closed when pressurizing the tank.
Q: What's the best way to store Helio?
You should only pressurize the tank when you're using it. Keeping the tank out and pressurized over long periods of time puts the fabrics and welds under constant tension. Over long periods of time, this can affect the durability and longevity of the product. So when you're done showering/rinsing dishes/etc, take the time to properly depressurize the tank. The easiest way to do this is to spray water out of the nozzle until the stream dies out. Then open the valve on top of the tank to let the air out.
If you have any other questions, let us know!
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3 comments:
What's the best way to pack it into its sack? I've coiled the hose into the bottom and folded the foot pump over it, then placed it in the bag. Is folding the hose attached to the pump like that going to wear it out fast?
Love your products as always. It works beautifully!!!
We'll make a short video to show you the easiest and best way to pack up Helio. Watch for this coming up on the blog.
Best outdoor shower EVER. Brought it out to burning man this year and after having used various shower bags this one takes the cake! My shower every morning was a joy. Perfect pressure and when left in the sun AHHHH warm and happy!!! Thanks NEMO!
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