capacity of water boiler for onboard shower

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colinthefox
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Re: capacity of water boiler for onboard shower

Post by colinthefox »

wolfbus.uk wrote:I am wondering that if I got the 10L one once the water is mixed with cold how much mixed water this would provide for one shower?

Here's a calculator http://www.onlineconversion.com/mixing_water.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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ninja.turtle007
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Re: capacity of water boiler for onboard shower

Post by ninja.turtle007 »

wolfbus.uk wrote:
Do you have a bracket to hold the shower? Picture of the set up would be great.

We don't use a bracket to hold the head. We see this a more of a get clean item rather than a luxury shower. To use the smallest amount of water it's best to hold the shower head so you can aim it at the bits you want to get wet, then turn it off and loop the head over the top of the canvas whilst soaping up.
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wolfbus.uk
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Re: capacity of water boiler for onboard shower

Post by wolfbus.uk »

colinthefox wrote:
wolfbus.uk wrote:I am wondering that if I got the 10L one once the water is mixed with cold how much mixed water this would provide for one shower?

Here's a calculator http://www.onlineconversion.com/mixing_water.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

thanks for that, really useful looks like for one person a 10L elgena is fine but for 2 people i'd want the 15 or 20L


ninja.turtle007 wrote:The Kampa Geyser is quite bulky.

I've been thinking about alternatives for a long time. My plan is to mount a 20L Scepter water tank over the rear nearside window. The water will be heated with a 12v 600w stat controlled immersion heater. I have roughly calculated that to heat 20L of 10C water to 35C will take about 60 minutes. This will require about 50A/H, although my battery bank is 288A/H, I would imagine that it's not a good idea to do this. The idea is to have a switch with two 30a relays in parallel in the cab so the heater can be turned on whilst driving and the power be taken from the alternator. But possibly, I would also install either an intelligent relay so the heater can only be activated whilst the engine is running. But maybe with an override switch to top the temp up if we don't shower straightaway.

I'm still thinking this through l, so any comments welcome.

I guess there are so many ways of doing it but if you going to put time and effort in why not have as luxuriant shower as you can have?

have you looked at the Elgena heaters Tom? they only take 200W 12V so draw a lot less current but use the engine coolant. Once heated i'd imagine there very easy to keep to temperature in normal conditions.

For physical reasons a shower is very good for my shoulder injuries and movement, I've had a few ops and get a lot of trouble and stiffness so I want a proper shower when poss. A bracket is a must and a plentiful supply of piping hot water.

Here are the plans i've drawn up, I liked OBG idea of dredging from streams so I will use two tanks and have that as an option. But for normal use i will just shower out of my drinking water and main onboard supply, and have a seperate underslung tank for those times I need extra capacity and resourcefulness. I guess everyones journeys will be very different.

here are my plans anyway I am going to make those recesses for the pump and shower head in bulkhead from the metal cut out from my roof.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/134122268 ... datetaken/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/134122268 ... datetaken/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think all in it's going to cost a grand for 2 tanks, two pumps, filters, elgena boiler and the sundry bits, but if I went to a hotel and it had a drippy shower that got cold quick i'd want my money back ! :D

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kevtherev
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Re: capacity of water boiler for onboard shower

Post by kevtherev »

ninja.turtle007 wrote:The Kampa Geyser is quite bulky.

I've been thinking about alternatives for a long time. My plan is to mount a 20L Scepter water tank over the rear nearside window. The water will be heated with a 12v 600w stat controlled immersion heater. I have roughly calculated that to heat 20L of 10C water to 35C will take about 60 minutes. This will require about 50A/H, although my battery bank is 288A/H, I would imagine that it's not a good idea to do this. The idea is to have a switch with two 30a relays in parallel in the cab so the heater can be turned on whilst driving and the power be taken from the alternator. But possibly, I would also install either an intelligent relay so the heater can only be activated whilst the engine is running. But maybe with an override switch to top the temp up if we don't shower straightaway.

I'm still thinking this through l, so any comments welcome.
Your idea is virtually what I have
I use an 11 amp immersion heater inserted into a 25 L plastic, vented bottle/Jerry can which is insulated the element is coupled to a 220 ah battery bank, which is supplied in turn by a 100 watt panel
I have the can marked in 5 litre increments that are visible through the insulation.
Initially The shower water was mildly pre heated in black containers left in the sun whenever possible.
Like all things I tried to refine this to be a less bulky affair
Pre heated water seems to be the key to quick water heating from the battery on a dull day.
So I am moving down the twin element heater idea.
A smaller power immersion element, similar to a cup heater, comes on until the thermostat reaches a set limit, the solar panel can easily deal with this lower wattage requirement.
This way I think I can keep 20 L of water at a higher ambient temperature in an insulated can for long periods of sunless days.
Getting the shower water up to 35 deg from an ambient 22-23 deg is significantly less taxing on a battery.
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bigbadbob76
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Re: capacity of water boiler for onboard shower

Post by bigbadbob76 »

Oldiebut goodie wrote:I use a Carver Cascade gas water heater which has an 8 litre capacity but this is plumbed in before the filter which supplies a dedicated drinking water tap.

Holy thread resurection.....
I just came accross this thread and as I have a carver cascade sitting in the shed doing nothing when it could give me a shower in (well outside) the van, it got the old grey cells buzzing.

Could you tell me how your carver-cold water-shower is plumbed please OBG?
Do you use one pump for cold water and displacement of hot water?

I'm thinking of having an 18l tubular shower water tank on the roof that I can fill with stream water for shower only, this would fill the carver by gravity feed and also provide the cold water to mix 50/50 with the hot.
I think the pressures should be balanced (if a bit low) so the "head" will force cold water into the bottom of the carver which will displace hot water out of the top to the shower via a T piece (or Y piece?) which will mix hot and cold 50/50 to give about 37*C water temperature when the cascade reaches 65*C.
When the 18l tank runs out the flow will stop and the carver will be left full of cold water.

Your comments on my design would be appreciated, I think I've got it right but may have missed something glaringly obvious. :lol:
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