The Extreme Solar Still Concept, by

Jim D.
http://survivalblog.com/2012/03/the-extreme-solar-still-concept-by-jim-d.html
The solar still is the most ritten about and yet least used survival techni!ue
there is. " ould li#e to help change that$ ith some actual testing and practical
#noledge$ bac# to something you can really use %or survival.
"% you as# almost anyone that has read a boo# on survival$ or too# a summer
ilderness class$ ho they ould ac!uire ater in a desert environment$ ithout
hesitation they ould say....
&" ould just build a solar still.' There is nothing rong ith that. "t is one ay to
attain at least some ater. The solar still is the stoc# anser$ and not a bad one
either. The desert is a harsh environment short on ater and the ground is the
only real place to %ind it hiding. (esert vegetation is extremely hard to s!uee)e
palatable ater %orm. *ontrary to hat you have heard about cactus$ even the
in%amous +arrel cactus$ do not contain enough re%reshment ithout d,stilling it,s
contents to sustain anyone. -nd i% you have not had the opportunity to try
suc#ing moisture out o% a +arrel cactus. (o not bother$ +leeeech. "n %act$ it ill
ma#e you even thirstier$ and some people even sic#.
There is a problem$ hoever. The next thing that same person ill tell you almost
in the same breath is: &+ut$ they don,t or# very ell$ and you ouldn,t have
enough ater to live on. .ot to mention it astes more seat to build than you
could replace ith it.'
Those are all completely true criticisms.
/olar stills are inherently inade!uate %or changing the moisture %rom the ground$
and vegetation that you might add to it$ into drin#ing ater. There has only been
one design in the history o% its conception. 0ell$ at least since they have been
recorded in boo#s$ as %ar as " can tell. "t,s li#e vieing the same photo$ penned by
the same hand$ #noc#ed out time and again %rom the mid-%i%ties in every boo#.
1very one o% them has it$ cut and paste almost. -s ell as the same$ ay to short
paragraph description only slightly modi%ied to avoid plagiarism.
The picture is a very plain line draing o% a inverted cone shaped hole in the
ground out in the middle o% a %lat and barren land ith nothing else around$ and a
sheet o% plastic stretched over the hole to match the conical hole. - cup centered
at the bottom$ and then they alays say..... 2a small stone or pebble2 in the center
to hold the point o% the plastic to that cup.
"% you have a decent manual$ it ill explain that this old techni!ue is used %or 2i%
nothing else is possible2 situation$ and not arranted to try unless your going to
die anyay.
/olar stills or#. 3ust not very ell. That just bugs me.
/o hy put it in the boo# in the %irst place4 0hy aste that valuable space in the
boo#4
"t ould be just as easy to teach: 5i% your going to %ree)e to death anyay$ try and
%ind a hibernating bear to snuggle ith.5
"t does not ma#e much sense. "% it can be better$ than hy not do it4
0hat i% " told you that there is a better ay. 6ne that or#s. 6ne that is orth it.
6ne that could and ill save your li%e and maybe loved ones ith you.
" #no you need to #no. 7i#e me you are a survivor. 8ou ill learn and ill do
hat it ta#es to continue to live. That,s hy your reading this no. 9noledge is
poer$ and more..... its li%e.
/o lets get started. :irst$ a short history o% the solar still. The %irst recorded sun
poered still ideas ere made by the -rabs a millennium ago. They developed
some o% the modern things that e ta#e %or granted today$ such as mathematics$
and celestial navigation etc. The %irst practical designs are credited to a
:renchman$ Adam Lonicier in the year 1;<1. -nd then$ yet another :renchmen$
Agustin Mouchotin in 1=<1 as the next in line to copy or alter this idea to his
on ends hile he as or#ing on a ay to re%ine the brandy business. "t didn,t
or# out the ay he expected though. The man that %irst too# the concept to its
%ullest modern day design as an -merican named Charles Wilson in 1=>2. 6n a
mining expedition in *hile. ?e developed a system o% ocean %ed canals in large
proportions and as able to puri%y enough ater %or a small city. That very same
solar still or#ed ithout problems %or more than %orty years. .o all o% these
designs here large$ non portable devices to gather moisture to supply their
homes or cities.
6ver all those years$ not one design as %or ilderness survival ith minimal
materials. 8ou ould have to have modern day materials %or this$ li#e thin plastic
sheeting.
"n the @/$ e might have #non and used solar stills since its %ounding$ but it
as %irst used as a Aportable survival plan, in the %irst orld ar. -t least the
original commercial printings date bac# to the end until then. Those plans
became standard operating procedure$ though just as a very last resort$ %rom the
second orld ar on. /olar still 9its$ ith plastic sheets have been standard
issue in -ir %orce birds since 1B<0. -nd the only ay they have changed is in the
rotation o% that #it %or %reshness. The conceptual design has remained exactly the
same %or these past >0 years.
They have been some improvements here and there to 5/olar stills.5 "n %act
others came up ith the concept o% a small portable blo up C%or a boat or plane
traveling over ater anyayD solar stills that can be used hile adri%t in the ater.
-nd are no standard military on every boat/plane that ould carry more than
three people. These are based on the exact con%iguration o% the in ground
models and really have but one extra bene%it..... the unlimited supply o% ater.
The other improvements have all been made to the Anon,portable home units no
being built ith ne space age materials. They have changed the materials such
as the covering glass and used re%lecting mirrors..... and added E/- ; F here or
there$ varied the depth o% the ater or the insulation under it$ as ell as colors
and gained a %e more F points$ and so on. The one thing that made a huge
di%%erence hoever$ as i% you can hold the inside o% the still in vacuum. This ill
improve the or#ings up to 100F. " #no o% no ay to achieve that ith a hole in
the desert %loor and poc#et materials un%ortunately.
These changes also have nothing to do ith a Ailderness survival solar still,. .ot
unless you can carry an entire hardare store in your poc#et. "n that case it
ould be easier to just carry the extra ater. The ilderness solar still design has
not changed at all. "t,s 2still2 just a hole in the ground$ ith little science other than
trying to heat ater involved. @ntil no.
Gy ilderness solar still described here has over H00F output increases. /o$
ho does one improve on a hundred year old hole in the ground.
7i#e most people " have heard and read about /olar stills %or my hole li%e. "
have implanted the illustration to memory$ cataloged and %iled. +ut hen as the
last time you ever built one4
8ou do go out and build at least one o% these every year right4 Testing the
various sub-straights$ soil conditions and atmospheric anomalies that ill give
better results$ right4
0ait$ you don,t4 Ge neither. " never have$ until a little more than 1; years ago.
6h$ " played around a bit ith them hen " as a #id$ but never seriously.
0hy ould "4 "% it,s been ritten in the boo#s %or >0 years o% coarse " can trust it.
Iight4 0ell just li#e anything else " ant to 2#no2 hat " can and cannot count
on.
" need to #no ho much li!uid can one get out o% say a %our %oot diameter
model in the -ri)ona desert in mid summer$ ith the materials " carry.
This as not ansered in any boo#. "n %act not too much is ever mentioned in
any survival boo#s about solar stills except the simplistic version on ho they are
made$ and that they do not or# very ell. The plain and simple %act is$ i% it as a
%irearm ould you trust that it %ires accurately because a boo# publisher that
printed o%% millions o% copies said that it did$ and once purchased there ould be
no need to test %ire it4 0ell " guess a lot o% sheep.... " mean people have done
that a %e times.
1verything that one ill rely on in survival should be run through its paces to %ind
its ea#nesses and its brea#ing points and %aults. :ind out i% you can depend on
it. 6r i% it is orth the eight in your pac#. 6r you can pac# it and ait to %ind out
later hen there are no other options.
" #no several people right no that have all the %ix2ins %or a dandy o% a solar still
in their +.6.+.s. -t best they have only imagined ever ma#ing one. -gain relying
on those boo#s ith the same short descriptions and same simple picture. They
trust that in a dire time o% need it ill or# just %ine. "t does on TJ. " bet that hal%
o% them ill not even #no ho to dig the hole in hard soil ithout a shovel in
there bag.
" %ear that is the ay ith a lot o% gear though. 7i#e carrying condoms in a small
survival #it. /omeone spread that around long ago and it stuc#. ",m sure it came
out o% Jiet .am. 7atex as just starting it,s hey day and they ere being handed
out li#e gum. /orry about the pun. Today roo#ies are still adding them to their #its
and some do not even have a clue hy.
.ot that long ago " had someone on a preppers board post the list o% contents o%
his 2#it2 and " gave a %e suggestions ith a list o% my on. ?e thought it as
great that " added a %e plastic Kiploc bags " could use one to carry ater in i% "
Ahad, to$ as ell as %i%ty other uses %or them. ?e said he should have something
li#e that as ell. +ut he had listed to condoms Cno spermicide or lubes in
brac#ets$ li#e this.D " as#ed hat he used those %or...... chance encounters4 ?e
did not have a clue. ?e had no idea hy they ere ta#ing up space in his #it. .ot
to mention that they do not ma#e very practical ater carriers. There are better
ways.
" am the sort o% man that has to go test things. To %ind those better ays. "n %act
every year %or three to %our days " go out somehere ith Aonly, my small survival
#it$ and some hope%ully unused emergency only sa%ety gear. " see hat the #it is
made o%..... or really.... ho " made it. -dded to that are the numerous
bac#pac#ing trips$ hunting/%ishing excursions and the li#e. -ll are great times to
test out gear. "% it can be improved$ it gets revised. "t ill never be per%ect but
there is never a per%ect emergency situation either. They just happen and the #it
is there to help %ill in some o% the gaps. The main revisions are in the #noledge
and thought base and can change ith the area your in$ and adapt hat you
have or %ind ithout having to carry any extra gear.
" even revised a common motto: Lractice hat you thin# you #no$ and #no
hat you have practiced.
The solar still is no di%%erent. " ant to #no hat to expect. 1ven i% " lived in say$
Ginnesota or somehere here ater is not such a commodity$ " ould still ant
to #no i% and ho they or#. 8ou never #no hen you might end up in a
completely di%%erent environment than hat you,re accustom to.
7i#e most others$ " too# the solar still %or granted %or too many years. @ntil one
day someone as#ed me ho they or#ed and hy. " started !uoting the text
boo#s. Mave the same ansers in the beginning o% this article. /omehere in the
middle " caught mysel% and started rethin#ing the idea o% actually testing them out
and seeing ith my on eyes ho they ent so rong and hat they can do in
real li%e situation. To see i% " could improve them and so$ " ould not have to give
those same horrible ansers.
" happen to reside north o% Lhoenix -ri)ona these days. The per%ect -rea o%
6perations to test such a thing. "t,s great here in the o%% summer time but hell the
rest o% the year. There is not much ater in the cool months and nothing in the
hot. 6n the hole$ it,s dry. 6ne has to plan their outings around ater. 1ither
hi#e to it or carry enough o% it. There is never enough.
-t a minimum$ once a ee# the local nes has a story o% at least one adult going
missing on a mountain hi#ing trail that is right in the city. -nd orse at least to
or more times a year there are persons missing in the /uperstition Gountains
east o% the major cityscape. They are usually %ound in one to to days$ than#s to
ell trained /earch and Iescue people$ though it sometimes ta#es a lot more
time.
Gost o% these people are not %rom here$ or the desert area. They never have very
much$ i% any ater ith them. -nd they all started out as a simple three hour hi#e
to the top o% some pea# that you can see %rom almost any place in ton. - little
bit o% not paying attention and oops$ they,re in another canyon that loo#s li#e the
last seven they ere in. 7i#e most lost people they thin#$ 2i% " just can get up
around the next bend " ill see here " messed up2. They are almost alays
rong. These people should have the proper #noledge and carry the simple
tools to provide %or themselves just in case. "n these situations " ould suggest at
least a %ull *amelba# and a charged cell phone.
:or those that venture out %urther$ a lot more ill be needed to survive this deadly
place till you are %ound$ or you %ind your on ay out.
- better ay.
8ou ill not %ind this in -.8 o% the survival boo#s or in any print that " have not
laid don. " came up ith this on my on accord and have tried to in%orm people
about this and other things that " have come up ith to increase their chances o%
survival. " appreciate the opportunity Gr. Iales has given me here to reach an
audience$ o% intelligent and li#e-minded preppers. " hope others ill glean
something %rom this and ta#e it yet another step %urther.
8ou #no hat they say..... i% you can save just one li%e...... ell it,s very true.
-ccidents happen all the time$ and " could not even imagine something li#e
atching my #ids thirst %or ater that " could not provide %or them.
/o.... hat heavy$ %ancy ne gear do " have to add to my #it this time$ your
as#ing4.othing. 6ne more time. .ot a thingN "% you carry a hun# o% plastic and a
cup no %or a solar still/ 1. shelter$ that ill continue to be the only thing you
need. Thin# o% it as$ i% the %irst car tires here s!uare they ould not or# very
ell$ and ith just a small alteration in shape and no extra material e could get
them spinning don the highay.
1verything that " ill try to detail out to you no " have ta#en to the %ield and
tested personally. " started ith baselines$ building exact replicas o% the solar
stills in the survival boo#s. " tested these in various places at various times during
the year to get a good average base to dra %rom.
-lso testing things my ay$ in the same places and times o% the year. These test
that " have carried out here completed in the deserts around Lhoenix$ -ri)ona
right around 1<002 elevation. " also have several other test sights in .orthern
*ali%ornia that " use in various times o% the year.
.o un%ortunately you are still going to have to dig a hole. "t ill be similar to the
one that you should already be used to seeing in the boo#s. This should be a
hole at least %ive %eet across. /ix %eet ould be even better. " have made plenty o%
them that ere only in the %our-%oot diameter range and they or#ed ell. The
bigger$ in this case$ the better$ materials permitting. The smaller ones that " have
constructed had limitations o% landscape rather than just being la)y. The plastic "
normally carry is about <x= %eet and can be use %or a !uic# shelter or hat ever is
needed most$ at the time.
The %irst di%%erence you ill notice is$ instead o% having a round hole ith the deep
point ending in the center$ " ant you to dig it in the shape o% a common loo#ing
shell. The shell that you should have in your minds eye is the iconic A/hell oil,
sign design. 0hen laying this shell shape out on the ground in the si)e that you
ould need$ you ill have to ma#e sure that the top rounded side o% the shell
points aay %rom the suns trac#ing through the s#y. "n north -merican that ould
be to the north. To explain %rom a di%%erent angle. 8ou ant the sun to trac# east
to est across the bottom third o% the shell %rom right to le%t. The importance o%
this ill be evident be%ore e are through.
.o the top rounded section$ or north side$ ould %unction much the same as the
conventional still ith sloping sides ith the approximately 2;-H; degree angles$
to as deep as you need the hole. The slopes ould end not in the center but on
the bottom side o% the shell shape about three !uarters o% the ay don %rom the
top$ on the south side. The sides might have to be a bit steeper to end at the
same point$ That,s just %ine. The bottom o% the hole does not have to be a point
either. "% the ground turns excessively hard$ hal% %lat is o#. The only need %or
depth is trying to get don deep enough to %ind damp soil. "% you %ind damp sand
a %oot deep$ you can stop there. 6nly$ ma#e sure that you ill have enough
vertical room to ma#e the plastic or# ith your catch container.
This is tough ithout a simple picture. " have posted lin#s to Lhotobuc#et. They
are not masterpieces$ just a simple computer &(ra' diagram.
Illustrations:
The A/hell, *oncept
The *ross /ection
The bottom o% the shell area ith the s!uared o%% Atail,$ is not sloped very much
unless you have to. -nd you might have to because o% sandy or very loose soil. "%
this is the case$ slope only as needed. "% you have a %e roc#s laying around they
can be used to bolster the sides to #eep the shape o% the hole. "n %act #eep roc#s
in mind hile gathering supplies because later in this article " ill explain ho
adding roc#s to the inside o% you still ill be bene%icial.
6ne other thing to remember is the solar still might have to be used %or a %e
days and in loose soil the common man made erosion ill !uic#ly %ill up or
change the shape o% the solar still. -dding roc#s may also stop this %rom
happening.
To minimi)e all this digging$ use the spoils %rom the hole to raise the sides.
"ncreasing the depth ith hal% the or#.
The bottom o% the hole is not one level. -t the bottom$ the Atail, end o% the shell$ is
a raised shel%. This shel% ill hold the catch pot. " #no this sounds a little
complex but ith the cross section illustration it should be very simple. " ill post
a cross section$ that is very easy to understand$ coming up soon.
There are only three other things that you have to do be%ore you can cover your
still. The %irst is very optional. "% your soil already has some moisture to it and is
somehat dar# in color you may s#ip this step. "% not " ould recommend that
you loo# around %or any vegetation that you can collect and add to the hole. "%
you have any o% that cactus that you thought that you could eat and had to spit
out..... chop it up and add it to the hole. -nything ith leaves$ that,s not
poisonous$ or ill cause you great harm in harvesting ill be %ine. Mrass is very
good and holds a lot o% moisture. "t can all be bro#en up into parts only long
enough to line the bottom and sides o% the hole. Ga#e sure that once the plastic
is pulled over and angled$ the vegetation will not make contact ith the plastic.
"% it does it may siphon o%% those valuable ater droplets be%ore they get a chance
to run to the cup. The added vegetation ma#es to things happen. :irst it ill add
more moisture to the distillation process and second$ it ill help the bottom o% the
hole to be a dar#er color$ i% you have a light soil. (ar# colors dra in more heat.
This is also the time to add any other items o% moisture. "% you are by the sea....
add sea ater. "% you are close to a co trampled mud allo..... add some co
pattie mud to the still. "% you have to urinate %or god sa#e do not aste it in the
bushes$ pee in the still. (o not orry about it being gross or about hat is in the
ater. The loer heat that is generated by the sun instead o% %ire ill only
vapori)e the ater molecules and leave the Aother, things in the bottom o% the
still. 8ou can even use radiator %luid as a source o% moisture to add to your still.
(o not under any circumstances try and drin# radiator %luid ithout processing
them through a distiller.
The second thing that you should add is small roc#s. .ot to small about %ist$ or
palm si)e or better$ and %lat i% possible$ any shape is o# i% not. The ideal roc#s
ould be very dar# river roc#s about H-< inches round and 1-3 inches thic#. +ut
hen pic#ing up roc#s in the desert ma#e sure you do it care%ully. /ome critters
use them %or houses. - bite or sting is the last thing you need in a survival
situation. The roc#s should be placed along the inner sides and bottom o% the
still. They also serve to purposes. The %irst is that they collect heat being a
dar#er color and a denser material ma#e-up. -nd second$ they hold that heat
past the time hen the sun drops belo a level that hits your solar still. This ill
change the name o% your solar still to$ Astored heat radiation still,.
The still or#s on simple properties o% moisture evaporation. This is
accomplished ith heat. The longer you apply heat the more ater you can
ma#e. "n %act$ the time o% day your or#ing still ma#es the most ater$ believe it
or not is after the sun goes don. "% you have done everything correctly$ the heat
should continue radiating out o% the roc#s but the air above the still should be
getting cooler. This ill condense more ater !uic#er than in %ull sun. -t least %or
a hile. "t ill also extend the time past the Asun hours, that you are still ma#ing
ater. 0e are trying to create a large di%%erence in temperature$ one side or the
other above or belo. -s the di%%erence sides react to each other they are
ma#ing you ater.
The third thing to add be%ore sealing your solar still$ is the container to hold the
ater that e hope ill %ill it several times. 3ust ma#e sure that it is stable on the
shel% that as constructed just %or this vessel. "% it %alls over or you #noc# it over
trying to remove it. "t could turn a bad situation orse$ i% not %atal. This container
can be almost anything that holds ater. - pan$ jug$ plastic car part ith dirt
under it to ma#e it stable$ plastic bag ith dirt to hold it in a cup shape$ or a soda
can or bottle ith its topp cut o%%s--basically anything you have that,s clean and
ill hold ater. " pre%er to use larger pan type catch basins. This ma#es it easier
to position the point the ater ill drip o%% above it.
.ot everyone ill be carrying a hun# o% tubing long enough to reach com%ortably
%rom the top to the bottom o% the still and be secured. .ot having to open the still
a%ter it,s closed hoever ill bene%it ith the maintaining o% continued heat
trapped in the solar still. -ny lose o% heat ill ta#e a period o% time to regenerate.
Ieally the only time you ould carry a tube long enough is i% you ere carrying it
just %or solar still construction. There are other reasons to carry tubing in the
desert$ though not that long. 6ne o% them is to gain access to trapped ater in
crac#s and such that you ould not be able to get to any other ay. /o adding a
%e extra %eet might ma#e things easier i% you plan on using a solar still.
0hat is the right length to carry4 Mo try it out yoursel%. This ill depend on many
variables. The depth o% the hole is the main length but other %actors ill come to
bear in the installation. "% your #it no contains six %eet$ that ill be more than
su%%icient.
/o$ e have our hole in the right shape$ hich " ill explain hy in a bit. -nd e
have it lined ith roc#s and/or vegetation. 0e have also tried to add as much
moisture that e could %ind$ as ell as ma#ing sure that the catch container and
the tubing$ i% used$ ill not be accidentally tipped or moved. "t,s time to cover the
solar still.
The plastic used can be any that you have. *lear or blac#$ blue i% that,s hat
you,ve got. " pre%er the clear to opa!ue. 0hy4 0ell my reasons are as such. "
ant the heat$ especially the in%ra red light$ to pass easily through the plastic and
do its heating &inside' o% the hole. -nd " ant the plastic as cool as possible. "% it
as blac# or a dar#er color the plastic itsel% ould be heated and it ould change
the temperature ratios and alter my expectations.
.o i% all you have at the time is blac# plastic$ then use it. "t does or# too. -nd
some people even say that it,s the blac# that or#s better. " ill not. 8ou can
ma#e your on choice. :or these results pac# the clearer shades.
.o the plastic is care%ully stretched out over the hole using the spoil piles
removed %rom the digging to be placed over the plastic all the ay around the
edges. 6n the south or the Atail side o% the still " run the plastic up hal%ay into the
spoils pile. This ill give me a steeper angle on that side. 0hen this is covered
ith the condenser material it ill also help increase the reconverting o% vapors in
concert ith the condenser.
There are to things that you have to ta#e care here. The %irst is$ that you leave
enough slac# in the plastic to have it dip in the middle$ very similar to the original
concept. 8ou should %irst drape the plastic over the entire still and secure it in
several places %irst$ so you can ma#e adjustments as needed be%ore you burry
the hole edge.
The other is that once you start to seal the edges you should ma#e sure to #eep
them as sealed as possible. 8ou do not have to burry them ith tons o% dirt$ but
they should be as held don securely and ithout many bigger roc#s under or
above it. 8ou are trying to ma#e the inside as air tight as you can under such
primitive circumstances. " have seen many solar stills constructed by untrained
persons that have learned %rom these incomplete boo#s$ that have only one roc#
on each corner to hold the plastic don. This is not enough. 6utside air entering
the inside ill not only cool but dry out the air inside o% the still.
.o e are getting to the important parts. The rest as important but similar to a
conventional still. :rom here out it changes dramatically.
-gain$ a little history be%ore e go %urther. - solar still is a simple still. 6ne has to
loo# and thin# o% it just li#e any other type o% still though. "% you have any
schooling and remember chemistry class you ill remember ho to distill ater
on a stove or lab table top. Jery simply$ heat ater over a %lame it turns to vapor
and rises. -t the top o% a tapered %las# it turns drastically$ hich helps it ma#e
contact ith the alls o% the tubing. 6nce out o% the %las# it is directed into a
condenser. The condenser in this case ould be a larger tube around the smaller
tube the steam is %loing through$ and cool ater %loing in beteen. The instant
the steam contacts the sides o% the cooled tubing it turns again into li!uid$ and
%los out o% the end o% the condenser into a catch container. 1ven i% you are
distilling alcohol$ you ould do the same thing. ?eat a li!uid$ turn it to steam and
let it rise. 6nce it is removed %rom the heating vessel$ it changes direction and is
cooled by a condenser o% one design or another. @sually using ater in some
ay. 0ater is very good at pulling the heat out o% things. 1specially clumsy
humans.
/o the #ey terms are ?eat$ turn to vapor and rise$ and most importantly the re-
condense.
"n our solar still e use the hole and the plastic to trap the sun,s rays to create
heat. 0ith this heat e ill turn the moisture in the still to vapor. 0e ill allo it
to rise and into the condenser. The only thing that there is %or a condenser is the
hot sheet o% plastic that is stretched over the hole. (oes not seem to e%%icient.
-nd you #no hat$ it,s not. .ot yet.
-s e #no$ the basic solar still does or#$ but very little. The thing e need is
the same thing that e ould have i% you ere ma#ing his#ey. - large
di%%erentiation in temperature beteen the coo#er and the cooler. The plastic that
is catching all the sun is being heated it sel%. This does not ma#e things better.
Gost o% the reasons this solar still is di%%erent %rom all the rest is that " add a real
condenser. This ma#es the ater condense and collect into the cup instead o%
recirculating around and around$ cooling the inside o% the still or orse stic#ing to
anything that,s in the still li#e the stic#s or roc#s that ere added or even the
parched upper alls o% the still hich are hungry %or moisture.
Iule 6ne: The !uic#er you can ma#e the heat$ vapor$ condense process or#$
the more ater you ill get bac#. Iule to the cooler you can ma#e the
condenser the more ater you get bac#. "t all comes don to that.
/o this speed is contingent on the condenser design and temperature.
There is a list o% ays you can accomplish this and it all comes don to hat you
have on hand. @se hat you have and #eep the above principles in mind. 8ou
can loo# at this next diagram to understand hat " ill try to explain to you next.
7isted as AThe cross section.,
To ma#e a condenser that ill cool the moisture in your solar still " recommend a
to-stage process. The %irst is to change that simple pebble e are told to toss in
the center o% our plastic to a much more capable %orm. -gain using hat you
have. "% dirt is hat you have than so be it$ use dirt. .ot a simple hand%ul$ but a
pan %ull. The pebble ill still be needed though. "t ill be used to hold the point
here the ater ill be dripping %rom underneath. Ga#e sure that it is directly
over your o%% center catch container. -%ter that you ill continue to add soil over
the pebble until a large enough patch$ covers an area about the si)e o% a plate or
larger. This only has to be as thic# as needed to build up to that si)ed area$ but a
little more is o# and ill #eep the condenser cooler longer. 3ust ma#e sure that
the plastic sheeting your using ill ta#e the eight and not tear or stretch to %ar
out o% proportion. Iemember$ later in the day the no heated plastic might have
changed its properties$ so chec# on it no and then %or stretching.
The cooler this top soil is$ and the cooler the soil can remain$ ill ma#e a huge
di%%erence in your solar still. "% you happen to have moist soil$ you are golden.
?old some out %rom the digging o% your still i% you have to or i% not try and %ind a
ay to moisten the soil. This time get a %riend to pee on it i% you have to.
6ther ays that " have tested ere using things that " had in my pac#. - small
bac#pac# %rying pan$ once. -luminum$ and ith no sharp edges to puncture the
plastic. " as able to place it in just a ay to have almost the hole bottom o% the
pan in contact ith the plastic and still have it point its side to the catch container.
The aluminum or#ed %airly ell actually hen " %illed it ith soil %or eight and
cooling. -luminum does not hold a lot o% heat but trans%ers it !uic#ly$ and so
ma#es a good material to use.
" do not recommend roc#s or steel. These things trap and hold ambient heat and
ould or# in reverse o% the ay needed. 8ou are trying to create a place under
the plastic that is cooler than the rest o% the plastic in an area about a %oot plus in
diameter and even built up the south side to here the plastic is held don.
Ie%erring to the pictures " have provided should help to clari%y any o% my miss
communications$ " hope.
The next part is just as important as the last one and rounds out your solar still to
a lean mean ater ma#ing machine. "t is also one o% the reasons that you had to
dig the hole in the shell shape and orientate it to the sun the ay " have
explained. "t hal% o% the real #ey to the entire still: /hade.
0ait$ that,s supposed to be a bad ord in solar still construction$ right4 -ll$ the
boo#s say stay aay %rom all shade. 1very detail ill not even have a tree let
alone a small bush in them that one might ta#e to mean shade. /o hy shade4
/hading one side o% the solar still ill do more %or ma#ing ater than everything
you have done so %ar. "n essence you ill be ma#ing your condenser cooler and
ma#ing a larger di%%erence in the temp beteen the to sides. +y shading the
south one third o% the plastic Cremember the shell shapeD you ill be creating a
much cooler area that the nely made ater vapor ill travel to and !uic#ly
adhere to the cooler section o% plastic you have made under the condenser. This
ill run don to the point and pour o%% in streams into the catch container. Ga#e
sure a%ter the %irst hour a%ter you have constructed your still that you monitor the
catch. "% the vessel is small or you are ma#ing a lot o% ater it ill over %lo$ and
aste your valuable victuals.
The %irst part o% ma#ing this shade is ith the spoils pile that you should have
%rom digging the hole. 8ou had to use some to hold don the plastic but there
should be a lot le%t over. 0hen in the planning stages and are lining the hole up
ith the sun trac#ing line$ ma#e a note to put the spoils on the southern rim o% the
hole. "t ill save you having to move it tice as ell. This pile might just be
enough in the inter time. The sun trac#s lo in the southern s#y creating long
shados. "n the summer it ill just be a good thic# base to help insulate that side
o% the hole. 8ou ill have to add to the top and maybe even the sides o% it as
needed. -nd ill have to adjust it through out the day %rom time to time as the
sun trac#s through the s#y.
8ou ant the shade line to %all right across the bottom one third o% the shell
shape at all times. 6r close enough. "t should %all right at the end o% your shel%
inside the still and the tip o% the soil you have added as the condenser to the top.
0hat should " use %or the shade4
7oo# around. "t could be anything. 7ea%y branches o% a tree$ clothing items that
you can spare Cnot needed %or body protection$ you ill loose more ater then
you can replace ith direct sun contact to more than 20F o% your bodyD an extra
tarp not needed to #eep you out o% the sun$ maybe even something li#e a %ire
re%lector design built up ith small logs. 1ven parts o% a plane or car.....
-gain ta#e into consideration that it might have to be adjusted through out the
day to maximi)e the placement o% shade.
0hile ",m at it " ant to go over a %e other things. -ny solar still ill have to be
moved %rom time to time. There is only so much moisture in the small area in the
ground under your still location$ and in the vegetable matter you might have
placed inside. 0hen the amounts drop o%% a lot. /tart planning the next one.
-nother thing is$ you do not have to only ma#e one. :or several reasons.... you
might have a group o% survivors that ould re!uire a lot more ater$ or just plain
redundancy. 8our solar still is a delicate structure and can be destroyed by an
improbable accident that could ta#e aay a needed chance at surviving.
-lso$ the hole does not have to be a Ashell, shape$ it can be anything that you
ant it to be. "t is just an easy ay " came up ith to teach the three dimensional
aspects %or the construction ith an easy to remember shape that just or#s.
"ncluding the shel% and o%%set plastic not #non in any other still.
6h$ and very important$ try and #eep the &pebble replacement' condenser$ damp
and shaded as much as possible. The evaporation o% the moisture %rom this area
ill super cool the plastic underneath$ and condense more vapor !uic#er. 0hich
means a lot more ater %or you. +ut that evaporation ill dry out this soil and
allo it to arm up. (ecreasing the production.
That,s it.
/o you ant to #no hat all this amounts to. " #no hat they have done %or
me and %or those that " have so instructed. " can tell you those %acts$ and o% hat
to expect.
"n comparisons ith a classic built solar still " have at a minimum !uadrupled the
out come. 7et me say that again. :our times the output in the worst case
environments every time. " have been able to pull ater out o% ground that as
so bone dry a conventional still did nothing. .ot a drop.
8ou can do better in areas that have more moisture in the soil$ obviously. +ut
then the (,still ill or# %ar better as ell and up to =-10 times better.
This may still$ not sound li#e a lot to you. Thin# o% it this ay. The reports very but
they say you ill need at least 1.; to 2 !uarts o% ater per person$ per day to
survive hile resting in high heat. "ts really more li#e a gallon a day$ in the real
orld. Mood luc# getting this amount %rom a classic solar still. 8ou might$ i% your
incredibly luc#y$ be able to get hal% !uart i% you le%t it all day ith out a drin#.
-gain i% you ere luc#y. 0ith the 1xtreme still in the same conditions..... to
persons can drin# %rom one still ith to to %our !uarts per sunlit day i% not more.
-nd ill be ma#ing ater long a%ter the sun goes don %or even more to be
totaled.
-ll these %igures are relative due to di%%erent conditions but the H:1 ratio ill
alays stand as a minimum baseline beteen the to. "t,s only a base line as
ell. "n some testing areas " had more than six times the results and higher as an
average baseline.
The last time " as able to rite something up on my ne still design it had more
pictures than ords " thin#. Gaybe some here have read it a %e years ago. "t
started in an area that as poder dry. *louds o% dust arose as " dug a small
%our %oot ide hole ith an 1-tool. " thin# the entire thing as less than to %eet
deep as ell. " only had opa!ue plastic$ and " as trying the test ith almost no
vegetation added %or demonstration purposes$ ith just a %e Ges!uite sprigs
that ere close. " did have lots o% very dar# roc#s o% the rite si)e$ though s!uare
and pointy. The outside temperature as more than 113 degrees. -nd my
Ashade, %or the (,still$ as a very eird pair o% plaid pants that " %ound tenty %eet
%rom here " dug the hole$ and used to poles and some brush stuc# in the spoil
pile to hold the pants out and across the still %or shade.
-ll this as completed a%ter " had already constructed a classic still$ ith prime
materials and a lot more care. C"t as a little earlier and as not so hot yetD
The classic one that as set up %orty %eet aay..... Text boo# as they say. -nd
as %ive and one hal% %eet across.
"t had the bene%it o% Aor#ing, the entire time$ as " constructed the other (,still. -s
ell as the time " le%t both run together.
6nce constructed you ill see ithin seconds a%ter sealing the 1xtreme still$
ater droplets %orming in the shaded area$ clinging to the underside o% the
plastic. - per%ect demarcated line o% re%reshing ater droplets %illing in the shady
side. -lmost clear on the sun$ or hot$ side.
0ithin %i%teen minutes the temperatures inside the 1xtreme still as up over 1>0
degrees. 0ithin three hours$ " as very hot and had my or# calling. " had to
rap it up. 0hen " pulled the to covers$ %or my e%%orts on such a blistering
day..... " received nothing %rom the classic still. Kero. " pulled to and a hal% cups
out o% the dust$ ith the (,still$ in three hoursN
0hich one do you thin# " ill use hen my li%e or those that " care about$
depends on it4