On Board Hot Water Shower System

[TheJosh]

despite having many open projects i decided to start this one before my mojave trip this year and the rest of camping season starts.

i have been wanting to do this mod for awhile but it keep getting the back burner and after the last trip to DV and having to heat the water for our shower up via a pot it got really old after 2 showers so here i go...

i found a tank i belive would be a good fit for this location:

the tank i think will work the best is this valterra ABS food grade tank. it measures 8" x 16" x 24" (or 36") and the capacity is 12 gallons and 15 gallons respectively.

and since these are ABS plastic i can "weld" on the connections anywhere on the tank to fit my needs and add my fill point whereever. the biggest benefit to this tank besides that of course is it is only 8" tall so that will fit easily under my spare tire carrier directly under the charcoal canister. and i will weld up two crossbars to mount the tank to and to protect from underneath.

oh here is the "weld" kit for the tank

so the next part would be is the pump. i think i found a pump

SHURflo 2088-422-444 2.8 Classic Series Potable Water Pump
12 VDC, 2.8 GPM, 45 PSI
Can support up to 3 fixtures
4 Amps Open Flow
Can run dry wtihout damage
2 Year Limited Warranty




from the pump i would want to get a marine style deck fitting like this:

and mount this in my bumper for a quick clean connect.


after that would be the heat source.


this is the reason why this project what on hold for so long, i couldnt figure out a good heat source that wasnt rediculously expensive until now. i did some searching and i found a few westfalls owners recommended this

Eccotemp L5 Portable Tankless water heater

and for only $100 on amazon it seems like a steal. there is 4.75 outta 5 stars on 92 reviews so i think thats trustworthy enought to pull the trigger. here is the specs:

The Eccotemp L5 Portable Tankless Water Heater is the original and best selling portable water heater on the market today! You get instant, endless hot water wherever you are! The Eccotemp L5 portable tankless water heater is perfect for campsites, cabins, or simply around the house. Wash your car, wash your boat, take a hot shower, wash the dogs or the horse. You can add the Eccotemp L5 portable water heater to a pressure washer for an even better cleaning! The ignition is with 2 "D" cell batteries so it makes it great for off grid or other areas where electricity is not readily available.

The ideal operating range for the Eccotemp L5 portable tankless water heater is 20~80 PSI. The system also works great on modified water systems such as a 12 volt pump. Total dimensions are 14.5" tall, 11.5" wide, 4.5" deep and weighs about 12 pounds.

This unit requires a 2" clearance from a wall, 1' side to side from anything flammble, 3' from a window as well from an overhang, and 18" from the ground.

The L5 will offer a 35 to 40 degree rise at 1.3 gallons per minute.

Eccotemp L5 portable water heater benefits:

1 year manufacturer warranty on the unit
37,500 BTU
Portable
20 minute automatic safety shutoff timer
Includes CSA regulator for use with standard 20 lbs grill propane tank
Battery igniter means no electricity needed
On/Off shower head included
Garden hose adapter included


i would make a little hangar on the passenger side swing arm to quickly set up the heater

and i think that would complete the setup besides maybe a little propane tank mount inside the cargo area to keep it still while i hose is hooked up to the top



what do you guys think? any input or suggestions?

 

[911regular]

Looks like solid components..sounds good... Anxious to see how it turns out.

 

[/dev/ram]

Heater, pump, and tank-wise those are the parts I'm looking at for my M416 trailer. I've read that there can be a little pulsing when turning the shower on/off vs. running it continuously (which we'd likely do to conserve water), so some add a small reservoir in between to reduce that effect. You don't want a big tank, as it will cool off too much, just enough to soften the pulse. Amazon lists those frequently when showing the listing for the pump, SHURflo 182-200 being one example.
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I'm also looking at different tank fill options, house-pressure spigot being one, but also running a line to some natural water source. That brings into play some filtering on the end of that line, and also one just ahead of the pump. The latter SHURflo makes, the former haven't settled on yet. Also want a pour-to-fill opening, so a city/gravity water hatch like on a RV.
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Look forward to seeing yours come together - mine is waiting on funding...

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

Have you considered using a heat exchanger? I got the Helton hot water heat exchanger from Kurt at Cruiser outfitters for my Discovery. At 1500 rpm it'll heat water from 40*F to 102 in a single pass. I thought about the tankless propane powered one but I liked the idea of not having to buy propane all the time.
I really like your on board tank idea I might have to keep that in mind for the next round of up upgrades to my Rover.

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

Also I used the Shurflo 3.0 and it's still going strong after 9 months of riding on the shock tower. The problem I had was using waterline that hasn't held up so well but I'm fixing all that and going to 3/8 fuel line hose.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

I have the same unit...perhaps a different name from Camping World. I have pumped water from a Reliance jug and it worked well. I have also looked at the Valterra tanks...the 42" for 24 gals. Just a thought: when I ran some really cold water from the Reliance I ended up re-pumping heated water back into the jug first to ensure a hot shower...and it was really hot! That would be a problem if you hard mount your tank with a small fill port and want to warm your tank water first. Not saying it couldn't be done...I'm looking at the same set-up as you and trying to troubleshoot ahead of time. In any case, I'm looking forward to your progress. :sombrero:

 

[TheJosh]

Have you considered using a heat exchanger? I got the Helton hot water heat exchanger from Kurt at Cruiser outfitters for my Discovery. At 1500 rpm it'll heat water from 40*F to 102 in a single pass. I thought about the tankless propane powered one but I liked the idea of not having to buy propane all the time.
I really like your on board tank idea I might have to keep that in mind for the next round of up upgrades to my Rover.

i am now seriously considering it. what do you think of the helton kit? is it worth the money? i saw a heat exchanger (10plate) on amazon for like $60. is there much of a difference between heat exchangers?

I have the same unit...perhaps a different name from Camping World. I have pumped water from a Reliance jug and it worked well. I have also looked at the Valterra tanks...the 42" for 24 gals. Just a thought: when I ran some really cold water from the Reliance I ended up re-pumping heated water back into the jug first to ensure a hot shower...and it was really hot! That would be a problem if you hard mount your tank with a small fill port and want to warm your tank water first. Not saying it couldn't be done...I'm looking at the same set-up as you and trying to troubleshoot ahead of time. In any case, I'm looking forward to your progress. :sombrero:

okay so my idea now is if i went the heat exchanger route, i could have a pump from the water tank to the heat exchanger to warm up the water, then back into the water tank. then another pump from the tank to the shower head. that way the water can circulate and heat up the all the water in the tank before a shower. or keep the water tank warm while im on the trail during the day

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

I love the Helton heat exchanger, and yes there is a big difference in-between the different types of heat exchangers. The plate ones from reading about other peoples installs give around 25-30 degrees per pass efficiency. On the Cruiser Outfitter website I think it tells you what you could expect from the different ones they have. Also they have different mounting/plumbing options which lets you fit it to your vehicle better. Also when I ordered mine I didn't want the shower kit and Kurt was excellent to work with on that. For a vehicle mounted hot water system I don't think propane is a great choice just because the extra room you lose. Good Luck

 

[TheJosh]

i received my Helton Hot Water System last week

i was able to get up and under the rear of the 4runner this weekend to plan out my course of action. i was thinking about going with a tank from west marine but they end up being very fat and it will drop down to low and i worry about it catching a rock.

for underneath the cargo area i will need to relocated the charcoal canister to make more room. i was thinking about flipping it over and turning it 180 degrees and bringing it forward a foot so it will be tucked up on the body directly overhead of the axle. with that positioning the hoses will still line up with a few modifications to the hoses and mount.

with that relocated, i can free up a large are next to the air tank for my fresh water tank. i plan to do the 15 gallon tank, it will be a snug squeeze but I'm sure it will work and with it being 8 inches tall that will be enough room for 2 cross members to go underneath to support the tank and still be out of view. i will have to cut off those tabs on the frame associated with the spare tire setup to clear more room. ill probably order the tank tonight and start on clearing up those tabs next weekend.

my goal for completion is april. since that is our 5 day mojave road trip and the reason i started on this project. it will be perfect for camping season also!

 

[TheJosh]

i shaved off my old spare tire mounts, i still need to grind them down a bit cause i ran out of time because steak dinner was ready :guitar:

 

[TheJosh]

maybe someone has input on how and where to relocate my charcoal canister, its currently in the location id like to install my water tank so it is nice and tucked up

 

[TheJosh]

Phase 1 - Prepping the Area / Removing Spare Tire Brackets


i removed 4 brackets that were to support the spare tire when it was raised up and i removed material to make a nice smooth finish on the frame which i later painted.


here the cleaned up areas

i receieved my 15 gallon water tank today so i test fitted it in the cargo area. fits perfect just as i measured. the pictures shows how low its hanging but this is just a mock up. i plan to relocate the charcoal canister then i will be able to move the tank up 7 inches so it will be completely tucked up under the bumper and frame rails. the plan to support the tank will be to weld in two crossmembers between the frame rails and to support the pump. i will probably have a hinge on one cross member to swing down in case i need to remove the tank and for easy install and to easily access fittings and the pump. to secure the tank to the crossmembers i will have a bolted strap that wraps around the tank to each crossmember.

 

[TheJosh]

Another thing i forgot to add is once everything is installed and fitted perfectly. i will have a skid plate made to completely cover up the whole area underneath the cargo area (VIA a friend's CNC machine) and ill probably match it to the rest of the skids or maybe just black

it will be a easy bolt up into the new crossmembers for access


It just looks like a tight fit in the pics, it's such a hard angle to show well. But yeah there is quite a bit of room on all sides, I'll also have a good "buffer" above the tank too. I'm thinking of doing some type of "padded" straps that will secure around The tank. Once I relocate The charcoal canister I will be able to better access in what position I will finally put the water tank.


The tanks is extremely stout too, I was skeptical looking at it online. But now having it in hand I'm impressed, it also has baffles internally for strength

 

[sapper]

Nice work. I will be following your progress.

I was always wondering about those tanks for additional fuel, so I am glad you are happy with the construction and well as the baffels. Do you think they would work for fuel storage?

 

[TheJosh]

can anyone recommend what type of hose to use to plumb the water lines?