palebluewanders
Active member
We based it on AV's solidworks model but remodeled it. The CNC router will be great for sure! If we build our truck here in Spain we can use our friend's, otherwise we may look into buying a kit.
Meertruck 1124AF
- Thread starter palebluewanders
- Start date
We based it on AV's solidworks model but remodeled it. The CNC router will be great for sure! If we build our truck here in Spain we can use our friend's, otherwise we may look into buying a kit.
palebluewanders
Active member
Heard from AV last month that they should be able to get our truck in the workshop and build our box Oct-Dec. In the meantime, we've been planning out our plumbing.
This is the part-time-recirculating shower part of it:
The idea is for all the soap and grime to go away into the grey tank (~10L per shower) like with any normal shower, but then the remaining "luxury" part of the shower (if we want it) that's mostly clean water can be recirculated through some filters, a semi-clean tank, then a heat exchanger to top up the temperature, so we can stand under the hot shower for as long as we want without wasting additional water.
Then this semi-clean water can be re-used once later on for stuff like washing the dog, rinsing muddy boots, soaking dirty dishes, etc. Whatever we don't need to waste extensively filtered super clean water on. The semi-clean water can also be recirculated internally through the heat exchanger if we want to heat up those 20L.
We haven't seen it done quite like this before, but we're planning to order the main components soon to do some testing before finalizing for the truck.
This is the part-time-recirculating shower part of it:
The idea is for all the soap and grime to go away into the grey tank (~10L per shower) like with any normal shower, but then the remaining "luxury" part of the shower (if we want it) that's mostly clean water can be recirculated through some filters, a semi-clean tank, then a heat exchanger to top up the temperature, so we can stand under the hot shower for as long as we want without wasting additional water.
Then this semi-clean water can be re-used once later on for stuff like washing the dog, rinsing muddy boots, soaking dirty dishes, etc. Whatever we don't need to waste extensively filtered super clean water on. The semi-clean water can also be recirculated internally through the heat exchanger if we want to heat up those 20L.
We haven't seen it done quite like this before, but we're planning to order the main components soon to do some testing before finalizing for the truck.
Geo.Lander
Well-known member
That's really really interesting! I wonder what type of maintenance and lifetime you can expect to get from the filters. Obviously well though out design using a heat exchanger etc to keep the circuit isolated. I'm wondering how much thermal transfer can happen during fast circulation etc. Of course depends on the device itself. Keep us posted on the testing.
Personally I'm not using a single water filter hardlined into my truck for maintenance reasons. I know very elaborate water filtration is in vouge just now.. or is it just me?
palebluewanders
Active member
We watched a ton of videos about recirculating showers in RVs and I think cleaning the filters can be every couple of weeks and replacing them every few months? But those are full time recirculating showers meaning they're dealing with soap and shampoo and whatnot which ours won't have to do, so ours should last longer. The pressure gauges on either side will helps us monitor the pressure drop so eventually we'll know what level of pressure drop means we should clean/replace the filters.
With the heat exchanger we haven't chosen a specific size/model yet but I've seen them used in hot water on demand systems so if if they can heat from room temp to shower temp then giving a little boost to already warm shower water should be easy.
Our drinking water filters won't be hardlined either; they'll be mounted on the front of the storage boxes that pull out from the garage hatch and we'll have quick connects for them. But each pump will need a pre-filter so I guess there's no way to get around that?
Fred Skywalker
Member
Plus 1 in watching your recirculating shower plan come to life. Nice to see fresh ideas!
palebluewanders
Active member
Shower and bilge pump: Jabsco 37202-2024 - Self-priming diaphragm pump 24V, 13 lpm
Recirculating pump: Jabsco 31395-4024-3A - Par-Max 3 24V, 11 lpm
Spin-down filter: Cintropur NW 18 3/4"
Hot water filter: 10" PLUS HOT filter from Atlas Filtri
Things we wanted to test with the part-time recirculating shower:
- Okay to have spin-down and hot water filter ~70cm above the bilge pump? YES
- Does the Par-Max 3 cycle too much at low shower pressure without an accumulator? YES
- Can the bilge pump empty the shower tray faster than the recirculating pump returns it? YES
- Can the Par-Max 3 maintain decent water pressure after two vertical ascents of ~2m each? (We have a second one for fresh water that will go from floor to thermostatic mixing valve near the ceiling, back down, across the truck, and then from floor to the kitchen taps.) YES
The bilge pump vibrates a LOT, though we've since put a vibration damping pad under it which has helped some. And we do have an accumulator for the Par-Max 3 which we'll add later, but in the meantime we've just been using the shower/bilge pump to send shower water directly into a grey water bucket to make sure the pre-filter it comes with can handle plenty of shampoo/soap/etc. Which it's been doing fine for a few weeks now.
Unintended bonus: we've saved a lot of water using the grey water bucket to flush the toilet lol.
Recirculating pump: Jabsco 31395-4024-3A - Par-Max 3 24V, 11 lpm
Spin-down filter: Cintropur NW 18 3/4"
Hot water filter: 10" PLUS HOT filter from Atlas Filtri
Things we wanted to test with the part-time recirculating shower:
- Okay to have spin-down and hot water filter ~70cm above the bilge pump? YES
- Does the Par-Max 3 cycle too much at low shower pressure without an accumulator? YES
- Can the bilge pump empty the shower tray faster than the recirculating pump returns it? YES
- Can the Par-Max 3 maintain decent water pressure after two vertical ascents of ~2m each? (We have a second one for fresh water that will go from floor to thermostatic mixing valve near the ceiling, back down, across the truck, and then from floor to the kitchen taps.) YES
The bilge pump vibrates a LOT, though we've since put a vibration damping pad under it which has helped some. And we do have an accumulator for the Par-Max 3 which we'll add later, but in the meantime we've just been using the shower/bilge pump to send shower water directly into a grey water bucket to make sure the pre-filter it comes with can handle plenty of shampoo/soap/etc. Which it's been doing fine for a few weeks now.
Unintended bonus: we've saved a lot of water using the grey water bucket to flush the toilet lol.
palebluewanders
Active member
First pass of electrical diagram. To avoid clutter at this stage, each line represents both positive and negative, and we haven't included fuses, breakers, switches, or any of the BMS and Cerbo GX connections yet.
We see most Victron setup folks these days using Quattros or Multipluses, but neither of those have universal input so I'm surprised they're so popular? We've gone for the Skylla-TG universal input charger instead and added a separate Phoenix inverter.
A couple of things we haven't fully decided yet:
1) Getting 3 smaller MPPTs instead of the one 250/100 solar charger
2) External alternator regulator like the Wakespeed instead of the Orions since the Orions don't have an alternator temperature sensor? Or are these only for dual alternator systems? (We plan to just upgrade the vehicle alternator to 100A.) Ideally we would like the draw on the alternator to be dynamically adjusted to its temperature.
We are pretty new to this so any feedback would be appreciated!
We see most Victron setup folks these days using Quattros or Multipluses, but neither of those have universal input so I'm surprised they're so popular? We've gone for the Skylla-TG universal input charger instead and added a separate Phoenix inverter.
A couple of things we haven't fully decided yet:
1) Getting 3 smaller MPPTs instead of the one 250/100 solar charger
2) External alternator regulator like the Wakespeed instead of the Orions since the Orions don't have an alternator temperature sensor? Or are these only for dual alternator systems? (We plan to just upgrade the vehicle alternator to 100A.) Ideally we would like the draw on the alternator to be dynamically adjusted to its temperature.
We are pretty new to this so any feedback would be appreciated!
nick disjunkt
Adventurer
The plan looks good to me. I had a very similar system in my truck, albeit more modest and with older technology. I also used the Skylla universal input charger and external inverter (Studer), for the same reason as you, but I did make an error of judgement when installing these components. My plan was that it was a good way to run 230v electrical items in areas with 110 or 120v power, as it lets you power the 230v items from the inverter whilst simultaneously putting charge back into the batteries. It worked fine for everything except the air conditioner; I made the mistake of installing the charger and inverter inside the vehicle, and the heat output of both of these items running at high output, almost completely offset the output of the small air conditioner. If you plan to run any large power items in this way, I would suggest putting the charger and inverter in a weatherproof external compartment.
palebluewanders
Active member
Thanks for sharing your experiences, that hadn't occurred to us before. Our biggest AC loads will be the induction stove and microwave/oven which will be next to the electrical compartment, with air flow between them. Theoretically the whole area will be well ventilated (externally in the summer and back into the truck in the winter) so hopefully it'll be alright.
As an aside, we had a look at your blog about Jim and are gutted we weren't around when you were selling it haha. It's beautiful and looks so well built, and at that price we would've jumped on it and already been living the dream instead of spending years and years (and way more money) planning and building a truck. ?
Sitec
Adventurer
Hello. I've been away for a while, but home now for a few months. Good to see another build underway on a Merc. We looked into the recirculating shower (or should I say I), but Wifetec was a flat no on the idea! I'll be interested to see how you go and if there are any negatives with it.
palebluewanders
Active member
I wish we had our truck already and could test it properly with the hot water system! But a year after handing our truck over to AV we're still waiting to hear when they'll start working on it, alas.
palebluewanders
Active member
Workshop jobs are finally underway! Kris from AV has done an amazing job on the cab shortening.
Before:
After (this pic was sent to us from someone on another forum):
Plus some in between shots:
Before:
After (this pic was sent to us from someone on another forum):
Plus some in between shots:
MogsAndDogs
Active member
That looks really good. Makes me start again to think about doing that to mine. I really like the new little window in the side. That will be unique to yours.
palebluewanders
Active member
Will you do it yourself? We have no metal working tools (or experience) so would never have managed.