Need help with the pro's and cons of hot water setups - Page 2

Tapatio · 10-19-2014, 06:03 PM

+1 flat plate and Espar. Heats up water quickly and you can keep the interior warm with blower fan setup. Cons: SMB will only install diesel variant and they are expensive.

TexGX · 10-19-2014, 09:16 PM

I have the 110 electrical water heater in the van. At first I was upset because the add on Texas SMB site said propane water heater. So far it has not been an issue. I will stop about 20 min from the planned campsite and turn the water heater on using the inverter then drive the remainder of the way. It normally takes about 15 min to heat up. When we get to camp I turn off the heater. It normally stays warm overnight depending on outside temps. The tank seems well insulated. It has been nice, but have only used a handful of times. It is nice that I have the option of heating water in micro or on stove.

TexGX

dhally · 10-20-2014, 01:33 PM

Might want to check into how easy or difficult it will be to winterize and de-winterize the water heater, if you plan to use the van below freezing. Many of the forum members live in warm areas, and could have a different experience than us PNW'rs.

What we did different this time after having various RV's, is we have no tanks or plumbing, except a sink with drain. Most of our camping is boondocking, so we use jugs and heat up water on the stove or in a solar shower. We do have an external grey water tank for civilized camping. We realized that the only times we had enough water to shower was when we had hookups, and then there was usually a shower available anyhow...

E350 · 10-20-2014, 09:45 PM

dhally: What a friggin' great concept! An external gray water tank!!! Who new this could be done? Is there a collapsible / expands as it fills kinda "tank" that we could use for this purpose?

PeteM · 10-20-2014, 11:33 PM

We have the small (2.5 gal) SMB 110v water heater in our camper also, but it doesn't really fit our usage patterns. As TexGx points out it can be run off the inverter while driving to heat up enough water for one shower. Any usage after that rapidly drains the battery bank.

But we generally don't really need a shower after driving. It's coming back to the van in a campground after a full day of hiking or biking when we need a shower. And for that we've found the Zodi Extreme shower to be most effective. Just fill it with 3 gallons of water, place it on the stove for 15-20 minutes, and you've got a nice hot shower totally off the grid.

Our Zodi Extreme SC came with a single burner tripod heater that wasn't very effective, especially at high altitudes. Works better to just heat the Zodi on a propane stove and save the $30 cost and extra weight of the tripod burner.

http://zodi.com/hot-showers/extreme-shower

photographix · 10-21-2014, 01:07 AM

We have a 115V 2.5 gal water heater, too. It works, but to get hot water the engine either has to be running (like TexGX said) or you have to be on shore power. The batteries can't run it for any usable length of time. And if you're on shore power, you are probably at a campground with a shower, anyway.

I've kind of adapted my living in the van to how the water heater needs to function. We get up early, go photographing, come back to the van and drive to our next location. If I need to shower, I'll do the "turn on water heater" trick during the drive and bathe when we get to the next shoot. It forces me to shower in the middle of the day, usually.

For washing dishes, 115V isn't the best when you're out in the sticks.

I'd rather have a propane or diesel water heater.

dhally · 10-21-2014, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E350

dhally: What a friggin' great concept! An external gray water tank!!! Who new this could be done? Is there a collapsible / expands as it fills kinda "tank" that we could use for this purpose?

The drain on our sink is tygon tubing and ends in a garden hose fitting under the rocker panel. There is a plastic hose cap on it for driving. We got a water tank filler:

And a collapsible water jug:

And we are legal!! It doesn't actually expand by itself, I have to fold it up and down when using.

If we get to a really Nazi RV park, we also have a sewer adapter:

prally · 10-21-2014, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteM

We have the small (2.5 gal) SMB 110v water heater in our camper also, but it doesn't really fit our usage patterns. As TexGx points out it can be run off the inverter while driving to heat up enough water for one shower. Any usage after that rapidly drains the battery bank.

But we generally don't really need a shower after a driving. It's coming back to the van in a campground after a full day of hiking or biking when we need a shower. And for that we've found the Zodi Extreme shower to be most effective. Just fill it with 3 gallons of water, place it on the stove for 15-20 minutes, and you've got a nice hot shower totally off the grid.

Our Zodi Extreme SC came with a single burner tripod heater that wasn't very effective, especially at high altitudes. Works better to just heat the Zodi on a propane stove and save the $30 cost and extra weight of the tripod burner.

http://zodi.com/hot-showers/extreme-shower

So far, I am leaning the most towards this one. Love it, good temp control and you cannot really ensure a solar type shower works here in WA

rob_gendreau · 10-21-2014, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prally

and you cannot really ensure a solar type shower works here in WA

I guaranteed my solar shower worked in coastal BC and cloudy places...I just brought a stove to heat the water

It's always hard to answer a question like yours, prally, since everything in a SMB is a trade off. I don't have propane or hot water tanks, but do have internal water storage with pump and a small sink. I cook outside a lot, and since I'd need a stove for that anyway, I passed on an internal built in. Ditto with hot water; I've lived for long periods in places without it and used stoves or fires to heat it so no biggee to not have it. BTW, if you do go without a dedicated hot water setup and use a stove, get what folks use who have woodburning stoves and the like, a nice thick cast iron kettle. Folks have been cleaning themselves with that and a couple of basins since metal was invented.

And I hate indoor showers. Again, YMMV but in a small enclosed space things can get quite soggy after a couple of them. A well vented combo toilet/shower helps, but only goes so far. And it is a big tradeoff in space.

And as you can see, there are several after-built choices. I had a Zodi, but didn't like it (should sell it one of these days), and there are the Eco Temps and what not that can be run off propane cylinders, and even combo tanks heaters from Coleman. If you build something in you're stuck with it.

E350 · 10-21-2014, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob_gendreau

If you build something in you're stuck with it.

prally: I wanted to say the same thing about your Engel remote fridge build concept but I didn't want to rain on your parade because it is your parade and you may already know what you want even before you have experienced it. I think Engel is a good fridge, but I wouldn't do the remote and build it in.

Staying flexible until you use your rig enough to know what will make it more pleasant for your particular style of use might be a good way to go initially.

I went with the Engel and then made a frame for it behind the driver's seat which extends aftward to hold the cassette toilet which doubles as a seat with a cushion on top to disguise it and under the Engel is where my 5 Kw genset control box goes and the former Xantrex XM MPPT60 Solar Charge Controller and former Xantrex Prosine 2550w inverter charger. (But the rig is in pieces now so none of these systems are currently functional.)

Anyway, I have bolted and unbolted that frame at least 10 times: cutting it and rewelding it to add metal to raise it and then to extend it aftward and then to angle the front of the frame to match the incline of the driver's side seat back. It is embarrassing. It looks like Frankenstein (as said before, I am a grinder trying to become a welder...) And it is nearly exactly what I want it to be and to do. I will skin it when I am done, but I won't be done until I learn how to remake it out of aluminum. And I don't have the push-pull gun for my Millermatic 350p and I should probably learn to tig but I don't have that equipment either.

But the point is stay flexible and let the design talk to you from your experience and needs.

For instance, I don't have a stove. I don't like to cook unless I am bbq-ing and I do that outdoors. My wife cooks but not when we travel. We like to be out in whatever burg we are in when we travel. Eh? Or when boondocking there are usually fish and a bbq. So a microwave is clean and easy and generally enough for our "cook" time in the van.

My wife and I have used and like the Zodi on the Grand Canyon and MF Salmon -- i.e., in the sand in the Summer. But we don't want to shower outside in the snow. I mounted my Webasto Dual Top furnace / water heater behind the differential in front of the spare tire because I am afraid to run a furnace inside, but I probably shouldn't be, but being outside I am afraid water might freeze in it when I don't have it on. So, I haven't used the water heater function. I would eventually like to try the dual voltage 12v dc 120v ac small water heater with some solar charging diverted to it. So, I really don't know what my ultimate hot water design will be yet. But I do know that you could try the Zodi or even the electric water heater dealy and not be locked into a permanent install.

So, one way to approach your ultimate design could be to do the big stuff first, the top, 4x4 if you want, and then use your rig and let your design unfold.

If you we were talking skis I would say "demo! demo! demo!"