Need some ideas for my onboard hot water setup

[roamingaz]

I currently have a 16 gallon fresh water tank installed, connected to it is a 2 gm surflo pump and a simple sprayer. So far this set up works well because in the summer months it is so hot a cold shower feels good and I dont shower outside in the winter, but I have a Helton heat exchanger I would like to install, most of the setups I have seen use a seperate shower and a outside water source.
I was thinking of installing a RV outside shower compartment with hot and cold faucets, I would assume to plumb this in I would just tee from the pump, 1 line to the cold water side and one line to the heat exchanger with the return to the hot water on the faucet.
I honestly don't need the heat exchanger but since I have it already.......
just looking for some ideas before I decide to sell the Helton.



Here is my current fill and sprayer.

here is the pump I am useing

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I'm very interested to see what you come up with

I have heard of a few Helton owners using them exactly as you plan. I'm almost wondering what the easiest way to plumb it would be? Obviously you have to get heat from the motor back to the shower head, you can either run the fresh water hoses to and from or the coolant hoses to and from, either way can be done safely and cleanly though I'd opt for a traditional mounting of the heat exchanger under the hood and fresh water line from their to your head appuratus.

You could plumb the sureflo after the mixing valve, that way it pulls the mixes water of your choice, would be fairly simple to plumb once you dialed in a location for a 'junction box' of sorts.

Keep up posted!

 

[JackW]

I built the pump and some plumbing into a pelican case and mounted a flat plate type heat exchanger under the hood. I used a conventional utility shower head and have quick disconnect fittings on the hoses. The pump plugs into a power port adjacent to the heat exchanger. We've gotten about 4 showers out of a five gallon container of water.

 

[ntsqd]

Like JackW's system, I think that splitting the pump's output combined with a mixing valve assembly at or near the shower head would work the best.

If cold weather was a real consideration I would suggest a valve that would allow returning the heated water back to the tank. That way you could cycle the water through the heat exchanger more than once.

JackW, Nice HE. I've purchased those for work and they sure do work well. Have you, by chance, quantified what your delta T is?

 

[ddog45]

I think northridge sells a onboard shower. I have a zodi shower that I love.

 

[Desert Dan]

Has anyone thought of wrapping copper tubing around the exhuast system/cat to make some hot water?

I enjoy my Coleman portable hot water machine because it is not attached to the vehicle.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Has anyone thought of wrapping copper tubing around the exhuast system/cat to make some hot water?

Yes, and the results were fairly dismal in the case I rear. The heat exchange rate between the two was less than optimal.

 

[ntsqd]

Works good for cooking belly-bomb burritos!

:sombrero:

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Works good for cooking belly-bomb burritos!

:sombrero:

And cans of soup too

Pickup a copy of "Manifold Destiny" if your interested in a complete 5 course engine cooked meal

 

[ntsqd]

Well now that I've totally hijacked this thread, just finding a copy at a reasonable price was extremely difficult the last time that I looked. I was shocked at what ebay auctions were closing at. For a thin paper-back book!
I'm fortunate in that I was given a copy while they were still being published.
For example:
http://www.amazon.com/Manifold-Dest...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245174103&sr=1-2

Hum, I see that it has a second edition out now. Prices are much more reasonable. I might need a copy so that I can put the 1st Ed. away.
http://www.amazon.com/Manifold-Dest...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245174103&sr=1-1

 

[roamingaz]

Well now that I've totally hijacked this thread, just finding a copy at a reasonable price was extremely difficult the last time that I looked. I was shocked at what ebay auctions were closing at. For a thin paper-back book!
I'm fortunate in that I was given a copy while they were still being published.
For example:
http://www.amazon.com/Manifold-Dest...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245174103&sr=1-2

Hum, I see that it has a second edition out now. Prices are much more reasonable. I might need a copy so that I can put the 1st Ed. away.
http://www.amazon.com/Manifold-Dest...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245174103&sr=1-1

now thats pretty cool:costumed-smiley-007

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I've got one of the earlier editions too , keep meaning to actually cook something out of it.

 

[JackW]

Like JackW's system, I think that splitting the pump's output combined with a mixing valve assembly at or near the shower head would work the best.

JackW, Nice HE. I've purchased those for work and they sure do work well. Have you, by chance, quantified what your delta T is?

I have both hot and cold feeds up to the shower head where I can use the mixing valve to adjust the temperature. I also have a push button off switch on the shower head itself so that I can turn the water on and off without disturbing the settings once you've got it just right.

I haven't measured the delta T but even with a relatively cold engine (4-cyl diesel on a cool morning) the flat plate heat exchanger got the water comfortably warm. The engine temp gauge wasn't even off the peg at that point. If I ran the truck around the campsite a few times I'm sure I would need to bleed in some cold water to keep from scalding.

The surface area of the heat exchanger is huge - its all brazed stainless steel and I got it off ebay for less than $100 = lots cheaper than the Helton units. Its pretty compact and easy to fab up a bracket to mount the exchanger. Of course I went a little overboard with the rest of it but I have around $350 in the whole system. I do have a shower tent for more modest surroundings.

 

[saburai]

Nice set up Jack!

Do you have any links with more info on the flat plate heat exchangers?

 

[JackW]

The flat plate heat exchangers are commonly used in several applications, making beer, heating WVO for use in diesel powered vehicles, and heating water with woodstoves. Lots of info can be found on the web.

TECH INFO

http://www.flatplate.com/pdf/hydronic/FPbrochure9-99.pdf

TYPICAL LISTING ON EBAY - search for plate heat exchanger

http://cgi.ebay.com/10-Plate-Brazed...66:2|39:1|72:1205|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

OR 20 PLATE:

http://cgi.ebay.com/20-Plate-Brazed...66:2|39:1|72:1205|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50