Hot water shower quick connects, what are you guys using?

[sethro80]

Hello everyone.

I am installing a hot water shower on my 96 fj80 and was curious to see what you guys have used for quick disconnects. The heat exchanger will stay mounted to the 80 and am going to run the in and out water lines to the front ARB. Do you guys have any pics or suggestions?
Thanks
Sethro

 

[adventureduo]

Here's our setup. Yoshi thinks its the best mod i've ever done to the rig

We run the Helton Heat Exchanger from Kurt at Cruiseroufitters. Been running 2 years without one problem whatsoever. I use the stock 12 volt cigarette pump that came with it and KISS *(Keep it Simple Stupid) with a 5 gal NATO can from AJIK Overland Exchange.

The hot side of the heater (after the valve) so i can adjust the heat from the in cab climate control (no you dont have to run the fan).

The disconnects are Ace Hardware garden hose brass versions. I've been told you can get hydraulic versions that are even better, but much more costly. These have held up fine, and until they give up the ghost they'll stay on.

In use.. at 17 degree weather.. just remember to pull the pump out afterwards

We use a shower mat made by ExpeditionOps, that rolls up and stuffs into our Trasharoo.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I use pressure water disconnects from any standard industrial supply/hose outfit... I have them male/female on each end so that I can't mix up the hot and cold side of the heat exchanger. The Helton kits now come with a bumper mount bracket and barbed fittings, as the pressure in the fresh water side is so low, quick disconnects are in most case overkill as they hose doesn't pop off of the barbed connection. Cover it with a standard vacuum cap when not in use and you have a simple clean mounting option.

 

[sethro80]

cool, thanks guys, this is what I ended up with

 

[alia176]

I use a pair of simple garden hose connectors. I know, I know, it's low tech stuff but they'll never break! Given my frequency of use, I kept it simple. Going on four years w/o issues.

Water connections and 12v power supply on the passenger frame rail


Blue heat exchanger on top of the passenger frame rail.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Mind if I borrow some of your Helton pics guys?

 

[sethro80]

Mind if I borrow some of your Helton pics guys?

nope have at it, if you need better ones just let me know

Sethro

 

[r3run33]

wow thanks for the inspiration; I really got to get this mod done.

 

[adventureduo]

Mind if I borrow some of your Helton pics guys?

Go for it man.

 

[alia176]

Kurt, go for it.

 

[TangoBlue]

Source for those QD's? They appear to be stainless steel.

 

[Driver-Navigator]

I use stainless QDs for homebrewing... Most homebrew shops and suppliers offer them.

 

[toymaster]

I have a question for those who use their showers with a 1/4" QD. The hose that is used is usually 3/8", do the 1/4" QD affect the flow in a noticable way? Hopefully, I'm about to get the shower setup Kurt provides....wondering. 3/8" QDs are of course larger and not as common but it seems they would not affect the flow.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I have a question for those who use their showers with a 1/4" QD. The hose that is used is usually 3/8", do the 1/4" QD affect the flow in a noticable way? Hopefully, I'm about to get the shower setup Kurt provides....wondering. 3/8" QDs are of course larger and not as common but it seems they would not affect the flow.

I've not noticed any flow issues in my personal setup or the many we've done with QD's. Maybe with extremely long lead lengths the head loss combined with QD restrictions but nothing I see as a compelling issue.

 

[caslim]

Bringing up an older post...is there any reason why you couldn't use air QD's?

Also, do you guys use this for drinking water at all?