Helton Hot Water and Shower System - POS

[freshlikesushi]

a product review is different than a review encompassing a retailer as well as part of the review, especially with unrealistic expectations that you have

my purpose is because you are contradicting yourself. And you are hilarious because you keep doing it. So its entertaining to a point

for the record. I have never even used or talked to, or actually looked at the C/O site. so I don't really have a bone in the game

 

[JeepN95YJ]

I think there is a level of expectation for quality when buying from CO. I would be disappointed if the system I purchased fails after so few uses. I can see his point on that. I think it is also fair to point out that sometimes our expectations are not always met.

I can't really tell exactly what the OP thinks would be an acceptable solution, however. Maybe I missed it. I know I wouldn't want to get another junk pump. I would be looking for an upgraded unit. Sounds like that is his plan.

I'd say this is a good review that helps guys like me make a decision. It doesn't really change my opinion on CO. I still have a positive outlook on them and their contributions to the community. It does make me happy that I chose the hassle to source items individually instead of purchasing a kit.

 

[Robert Bills]

Thinly veiled threat from bossman429 to Cruiser Outfitters when he didn't get a free replacement pump more than a year after his warranty expired:

. . . "Now before i go on expo portal, pirate, disco web, d90 and every other forum you guys cater to and do a review maybe you could reconsider..."

Followed by:

. . . I thought I would do a little review on the Helton Hot water / shower system i purchased 2 yrs ago from Cruiseroutfitters. In short, the system is crap and a total waste of money. . . Now this is not a dig at cruiser outfitters, but i sure as hell wouldn't sell a product like this myself. . . .​

Sounds like it might be time to call the Wambulance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIikqPmbgvI



My experiences with Helton onboard showers have been nothing but positive and date back to the last century.

 

[Regcabguy]

I modified a 2 gal RL garden sprayer. Longer hose courtesy of vacuum line from O'Reilly's and shortened the wand. Top it off with boiling water from the coffee pot and pump it up. Dial in the atomization. Baja proven and going on 20 yrs now.

 

[fiddypal]

Thank for the post, couldnt care less about the mudslinging regarding the vendor you got it from and your situation, but good to know that you can source better parts for cheaper on your own. Looks like the only thing you would really want from the kit is the heat exchanger tube you plug the hoses into, thats really the only thing doing all the work, everything else can be sourced elsewhere (pumps, fittings, hoses, etc).

 

[nmatcek]

Appreciate the info on the system. Good to know.


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[IdaSHO]

I modified a 2 gal RL garden sprayer. Longer hose courtesy of vacuum line from O'Reilly's and shortened the wand. Top it off with boiling water from the coffee pot and pump it up. Dial in the atomization. Baja proven and going on 20 yrs now.

+1

KISS

 

[rayra]

Ignore the detractors bossman, you're doing the right thing. The vendor is selling garbage and at a stiff price. A 1yr warranty isn't an out from marketing junk.
seriously ****** good is a 'submerisble' pump that has to be dried? it's ludicrous.
The vendor needs to revise or withdraw their product.
And it's long past 'making it right' with you.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Ignore the detractors bossman, you're doing the right thing. The vendor is selling garbage and at a stiff price. A 1yr warranty isn't an out from marketing junk.
seriously ****** good is a 'submerisble' pump that has to be dried? it's ludicrous.
The vendor needs to revise or withdraw their product.
And it's long past 'making it right' with you.

Welcome to the thread 6 months later

It's a manufacture warranty from a manufacture we haven't used in coming up on two years now. We sell parts from a hundred+ different manufactures and we absolutely do our best to sort out the good from the bad but Helton had been using this manufacture for a dozen plus years, who was I to doubt their experience when few (overall) of those pumps did have issues. As Helton sales increased we did see more than what we considered an acceptable amount of failures and found a new pump manufacture, the OP was offered one of those at cost and perhaps even free shipping? but decided to go a different route. We've has great luck with the current pumps and will continue to refine and improve all of our parts offerings as we see opportunities.

 

[doubleroses]

Someone here needs to learn about tact. Personal attacks on an extremely reputable company are uncalled for.

Kurt is a stand up guy and from what I've seen, extremely professional. I currently live in Colorado and have family living throughout Utah. In January of this year my father went back to Utah to visit my grandmother. On his trip home I asked him to stop by Cruiser Outiftters and pick up a knuckle rebuild kit and a pair of Marlin inner axel seals for my FZJ80. My father knew nothing about Kurt and his team until I informed him about his various accomplishments (Expedition 7, Expedition Utah, CruiserFest, and his work with Expedition Overland) which have inspired my love for Land Cruisers and Overlanding. He personally took the time to show my father around and even signed some of his company stickers for my father to give me. For a guy like Kurt I'm sure the gesture felt small but for someone like me it meant a lot.

Kurt, keep doing what you do best. Thank you for your great business and professional example.

-Joe

 

[doubleroses]

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[umpqua]

This horse is long past dead but I'm always late to the party anyway.

I'm thinking about a shower and doing some research. Some folks apparently have had some good success with Helton and I've lurked around Mud and this site for a while and have read good comments about Kurt. Having read this though it gives me pause for thought on buying the Helton product.

Please indulge me but this thread reminds me of a little story:

I bought a Patagonia rain jacket a full 18 years ago. I literally wore the jacket out. I sent it to Patagonia warranty repair. Their "policy" is that they will replace their product, repair it, recycle it and send you a gift card. This was an expensive jacket when I bought it....paid something like 350 bucks. I put a note in with the jacket and said if they couldn't repair to just send it back and I'd make it work.....or a gift card that would get me on my way to buying another rain jacket. Well......they sent me a gift card for $450 BUCKS on an 18 year old jacket!! I've told that story many, many times far and wide. I have become a personal ambassador.

Having written this, the OP wasn't asking for half the shop....he was asking for a pump. I assume that C/O advertises? Is there an ad budget? Why get into a pissing match over a hundred bucks? Suck it up and take funds from advertising and replace the pump. It seems like it would have been worth it. C/O would have had a company ambassador; "hey, those guys make things right!" and I would have probably bought a system. This industry is way too small to sacrifice integrity whether perceived or real.

My two cents.

 

[toyotech]

People are paying that much for shower kits? I can put one together that is much nicer and sell for the same amount. My profit end would be less but the product would be much nicer. I just did my own OBS and love it


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[cruiseroutfit]

This horse is long past dead but I'm always late to the party anyway.

I'm thinking about a shower and doing some research. Some folks apparently have had some good success with Helton and I've lurked around Mud and this site for a while and have read good comments about Kurt. Having read this though it gives me pause for thought on buying the Helton product.

Please indulge me but this thread reminds me of a little story:

I bought a Patagonia rain jacket a full 18 years ago. I literally wore the jacket out. I sent it to Patagonia warranty repair. Their "policy" is that they will replace their product, repair it, recycle it and send you a gift card. This was an expensive jacket when I bought it....paid something like 350 bucks. I put a note in with the jacket and said if they couldn't repair to just send it back and I'd make it work.....or a gift card that would get me on my way to buying another rain jacket. Well......they sent me a gift card for $450 BUCKS on an 18 year old jacket!! I've told that story many, many times far and wide. I have become a personal ambassador.

Having written this, the OP wasn't asking for half the shop....he was asking for a pump. I assume that C/O advertises? Is there an ad budget? Why get into a pissing match over a hundred bucks? Suck it up and take funds from advertising and replace the pump. It seems like it would have been worth it. C/O would have had a company ambassador; "hey, those guys make things right!" and I would have probably bought a system. This industry is way too small to sacrifice integrity whether perceived or real.

My two cents.

Late to the party eh?

Where do we draw the line? It's a manufacture warranty, long past expired and a product we didn't even stock anymore. While it might seem like "a hundred bucks" to you, it would be thousands of dollars a month if we became the clearinghouse for out-of-warranty broken part replacements that manufactures won't and/or warranties that have expired. We work hard to only sell high quality parts and equipment but anything can/will when subjected to various scenarios, from Trasharoos and the elements to Maxtrax and wheel spin. We simply have to draw the line at a reasonable spot and hope for the best. We offered the customer an updated pump at a discount and free shipping and we couldn't work something out. Had the conversation not been riddled with threats perhaps we could have? We take each of these scenarios in a case by case basis and fortunately have far better results 99% of the time. In fact you won't likely find another thread on any forum with the same scenario.

 

[Borrego60]

I have had a Helton heat exchanger for a few years now and it has never had a problem with it. I did not buy the whole system just the heater. I used my own pump and never looked back. I use a solar pump for a pumping the water to a shower head and works great.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Quite-12V-D...296601?hash=item3f6c807159:g:lVQAAOSwpLNX913G Same pump I have, not a high PSI pump but it does very well for a shower pump and gets the job done. Purchased this and kept the shower head and used my own hose.http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOT-SALE-Electric-Camping-Fishing-Van-Travel-Car-Pet-Clean-Shower-Kit-SA