[Hagusofnwn]

I attempted to mix a little R&R at the beach with some practice in water collection. Well, I died of thirst the first time and collected a mere teaspoon on my second attempt and died maybe a few hours later.

Attempt #1:

2'x2' hole in the sand, small coffee can in the bottom and clear plastic on top all sealed with sand around the top. The day was very sunny and while I did get condensation, it never collected in the can.

Attempt #2:

The sand pit was about one foot shallower this time and I placed the the tip of the plastic just above the opening of the can. This time I collected a mere teaspoon of water on a very sunny day after 3 hours.

Any ideas on where I might have missed the boat? Is there any reason that the beach should not have produced good results?

Thanks

[TnLonghunter]

Were you trying to distill the water from the wet sand or did you have some vegetation in the hole also? Bottom line, from everything I have seen from a lot of accounts, the effort to get water this way usually doesn't pay off, not enough yield for effort. Never tried it myself, so maybe someone else here knows a secret, If there is one, I would love to hear it.

[Hagusofnwn]

I both cases, I dug down to the damp portion of the sand. I did not included vegetation for this experiment. My initial assumption was that the water content in the damp sand should produce more than I was able to collect.

On a positive note, I may have just discovered one way NOT to make a Solar Still.

[Celticwarrior]

Originally Posted by Hagusofnwn

I both cases, I dug down to the damp portion of the sand. I did not included vegetation for this experiment. My initial assumption was that the water content in the damp sand should produce more than I was able to collect.

On a positive note, I may have just discovered one way NOT to make a Solar Still.

Is that like Edison quipping that he didn't fail to make a light bulb 1000 times, he simply discovered 1000 ways that a light bulb WON'T work? LOL

[cowgirlup]

You might have been able to add to the moisture by pouring some ocean water into the hole and then it should have distilled.

But not sure since sand doesn't seem to hold moisture like soil.

Did you have a good tight seal on the plastic?

[B52gundog]

My guess is either you had a leak (or a poor seal) somewhere around the plastic or the bottom of the still didn't get hot enough to evaporate the moisture in the hole.

As for trying out the concept of a solar still. This is good! Even though it seems a waste of effort from a survival standpoint, it may be worth doing depending on one's circumstances. It could serve to help you psychologically. To keep you busy in an effort to better your situation. It can be a goal to keep you from sulking so you won't consider giving up hope. Even if you get a meager mouthful of water it is progress and could be enough to prolong your survival one more day for that lucky chance you get saved. Smartly working, the effort might be worth your sanity to keep your spirits up.

This reminds me of Aron Ralston (Book: Between a Rock and a Hard Place). He's the guy who got his right hand caught between a boulder and canyon wall and had to cut it off to save himself. Anyway, he ended up drinking his own urine. It was old dark-yellow dehydrated urine (he was rationing it) and it's believed this did more damage to his body than good, but the psychological boost he felt is what prevailed. The urine did a number on his mouth, lips, and tongue. Yet, he found the gumption to cut himself free and get up and out of the canyon. He found a puddle of water shortly thereafter so it's unknown what the affects the urine would have done to his body had he not found the water.

So, practicing and understanding the solar still may not necessarily be a waste of time.

[Craig]

Sand is supposedly one of the most difficult environments in which to create a solar still. I've only made a still in fairly hard dirt, which was tough enough, but sand does not shape in the same way dirt does. In other words, it may be very difficult to have a steep edge in the sand, which may result in a poor seal and little if any water produced. Give it a try in some dirt and compare the results - and let us know!

[kevin]

never tried one, but make sure you put a rock on the plastic over the can to help w/ drips.

[crazydave]

my thoughts are that a solar still is traditionally in dry ground wwhere you add water bearing vegetation or use manky water.

I grew up on the coast and know that digging in the sand the water level goes up and down according to the tide and that water action is probably what sucked the heat away from your still. it might also have been too deep so neber warmed up properly.

you could try digging a regular pit in the dry sand and lining it before filling with water/vegetation then putting a lid onto it. or not lining but filling with vegetation as the dry sand should act as an insulator.

not sure about the others but I dont go deeper than a foot.

[TacticalIntelligence]

From my experience, you also want to make sure that the incline of the plastic sheeting is at least 45 degrees from the top of the pit down to the center of the sheet (where the rock or other object that is holding it down is). This will ensure a proper run down of the condensation into the container.