Heated WaterPORT??

I'm just here for the innovation.

My camper has an outdoor faucet for showering, though at least it's heated. Still, in case you don't know, this little guy gets me through those dirty weekends where I can't bare my ass to the world at large:

$33 The Body Wipe by Hustle Clean - ShowerPill Collection - No Shower Wipes for Adults for Post-Workout or Camping Bathing - 30 Individually Wrapped Wipes

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DQW5HCS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_glJBUKpBEA6ap

 

Agreed to an extent. I'm not a thermodynamics expert, but...Sixteen gallons of 145-150 degree water is quite a heat sink. Possibly too much heat in there early on causing it to be too warm (entirely dependent on variable outside temps, can crack a window a little if you want), and possibly not enough heat left before dawn. I was thinking of insulation the tank with this to aid in the primary purpose of undertaking this project: to heat water for a hot shower.

Bertech - AFRB38-3x3GR Anti Fatigue Floor Mat (Made in USA), 3 Feet Wide x 3 Feet Long x 3/8"es Thick, Ribbed Pattern Top, Gray, RoHS and REACH Compliant

https://www.amazon.com/Bertech-Fati...NGXFSGPQ3WKDGQG81&refRID=49BNGXFSGPQ3WKDGQG81
I've got one of these, 4' x 6' in front of my workbench and the foam is perfect for insulation. (And I didn't pay this much for it. I paid $27 from some restaurant supply place on the net.) It will aid heat retention, speed heat build in the tank, and help slow its radiation. That might make it viable as a heater for the whole night.

Everything is pie in the sky until somebody finishes one of these, but sixteen gallons of scalding hot water in there with you is not a bad thing.

 

I like the idea. My concern with simply shutting off flow is that the water in the copper tube continues to heat, possibly to live steam temp. Maybe divert flow through a finned heat sink or add something like the relief valve/overflow container we have on our coolant systems to prevent volume loss. With any luck though the volume in the storage vessel is enough that temp gain and loss stabilize just below 140. I'd think anywhere between 100-130 would be acceptable. Ratio of water volume to number of copper coil wraps can be adjusted too.
The problem with pulling heat from the coolant system is if it causes the engine to operate at below optimum temp. If the thermostat still opens occasionally (or scan gage monitor confirms it) then you’re just using waste heat and it should be ok.

 

I know some folks use a steel bucket over the fire. Doesnt fix ur problem but just a thought

 

I like the idea of tubing around the exhaust, but you present some novel issues that need to be addressed. Makes it interesting! I was thinking in terms of how do you compensate for the expansion of the inside diameter of the coils as they heat? At ambient temperature they are tight around the exhaust pipe, but as they heat the inside diameter grows. How then to keep it tight and not rattling around underneath there, causing all kinds of racket?

As for the question of the engine operating below optimum temp: install a thermostat that is 10-30 degrees higher rating. Would also aid in higher heating-side water and better water-to-water heat exchanger performance. Easier to overcome than the water in the copper tubing continuing to heat problem.

 

Interesting indeed! That is the fun of it! The expansion is an issue that I have been researching. I have not landed on a solution just yet...and may not??? Grew up in a family with a long line of inventors/doityourselfers ...favorite statement spoken around our table was: Son “necessity is the mother of invention” This is precisely why I decided to build, not buy my pressurized water system. That and the fact that two tanks only cost me a total of $100 to build. So I will tinker with it until I find a solution. In the meantime I have a Coleman H2Oasis hot water system that works just fine and doesn’t take up too much room.

 

As for tank options: Water Tanks (classacustoms.com) I bought this one, and may still use it as the cool water tank, mounted underneath the bed: Under Mount Style Water Tank 15 Gallon-UM-1500 (classacustoms.com) (I caught a sale and only paid $28.99.)

FREE SHIPPING TOO!

Notice on that page that they will modify the tank any way that you want with ports where you specify, fitting type and anything else you might desire. Pretty nice to have this weight down low, under the bed.

Make hot water, store it in the tank, and immediately get busy taking your shower. No issues regarding retention of heat if you shower soon after heating the water. And I don't need the water to be hot any other time, except when I want a shower. The only other time I need hot water when at camp is to cook or wash. I don't need this system to do that: I can use the camp stove to heat enough for those purposes. This hot water system is primarily for a luxurious, LONG hot shower while out in the woods. This old man doesn't do uncomfortable anymore, not when comfort is easily available with a little ingenuity. Fish out in the boat all day, LONG hot soothing shower on the boat ramp, get in the hammock and sleep MUCH better, because HOT SHOWER!

 

I picked up a couple of heating elements of am****. One is a 1000W 110v that heats 4 gallons to bathing temp in 10-15 minutes and the other is a 150W 12v element(other wattages are available). The 150w has a threaded top end that could accommodate a conduit lock ring(I drilled a hole in a 3” abs cap and “cast” the threads with repeated applications of abs cement). I also picked up a very small 12v pump for circulating the water either past the element or through a passive solar heating coil when juice is more precious.

 

A cheap $60 sous vide machine (immersion circulator) works really well to bring the water temp to a desired level and keep it there. There is no need to modulate the heat, you also don't need to bring the water to a full boil at all.
they also have a small agitator to make heating more efficient.

 

Sous vide is indeed interesting. Except for the heating element I own and have researched every system in this thread. Here is how I am rocking the production of hot water now: Hot Shower made easy. UNENDING hot showers! | Tacoma World
My objective is to be able to take as long of hot shower as I want. Out in the middle of nowhere.

 

https://www.loves.com/en/news/loves-blog/2020/february/your-loves-shower-questions-answered

 

Right there with you

 

Hey! Can you give us some pics of how you mounted this under the bed?? I have wanted to do this but havent found the right tank for the job. I do have an 18gal mounted in the bed up at the cab and have a rv pressure pump and use an instant hot water heater for my hot showers (Jolca, would not recommend). Works great when the hot water heater works, but would love to move the tank under the bed.

 

Stevo, man, that setup is ROCKIN! Me like. Can you please post a bunch of close-up pictures so I can rob you blind of your intellectual property? Asking for a friend...
And links to your bits and pieces would greatly aid my hijack efforts too. THE HEATER AND BOX'S bits and pieces, not your bits and pieces you sick puppy. One question: even with the heat divertor plate mounted on top of the water heater, will the box above the water heater get too hot?

Heath, I haven't mounted it yet. My wife got cancer and I spent all of my time since then taking care of her. I am pretty sure I won't be mounting it. At first anyway. I'm going to see if the sprayer tank in the front of the truck bed is a viable option. If it works, fine. If I find I need that space, then I will mount the tank underneath and somehow mount (removable) and use the sprayer tank's integral pump and pressure control features, but utilizing the under-bed tank. I've got miles and miles of other stuff I need to do first. New at 10...

Here is the shelf above the sprayer tank. It's main purpose it to hold the window air conditioner that blows into the cab when it is too hot to camp in the hammock or in a tent. Affords more storage space above the sprayer tank as well:

 

Here's my setup. Was mounted on my swingout. Sadly, had to remove the swingout for my camper, so nowhere to mount it anymore Not exactly small.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/oregon-washington-craigslist-ads.244890/page-1804#post-27812037

For sale if anyone local is interested.

 

Thanks anyway for the tank info. Very sad to hear why you are not mounting it. Best wishes and prayers for strength and a positive outcome.

 

Thank you Heath for your kind words. It's just me now, and she is doing great in Heaven. None of this shit matters anymore when you lose your wife. Without her you live life in monochrome. Log out and go spend the afternoon with your wife.