Caravan Hot Water systems

briche · Guru

Caravan Hot Water systems

Bent Axle Bob · Senior Member

I'm not sure if they still do, but I'm sure Rinnai used to make an external mounted on demand water heater for vans. A few years ago, though

briche · Guru

Thanks Bob, I'll do a follow up on that. Brian

justcruisin01 · Guru

Go to the search window & enter>>>>>>hot water on tap<<<<<<<<

briche · Guru

Thanks guys, will do Brian

Cupie · Guru

I am about to replace my suburban SW6PA (the basic model) after 12 yrs of use. Problem with the Sit gas control et al. I think.

(all of the Surburbans hold 22.6L ... 22.6kg)

It has been great.

At $640 retail for the SW6PA as opposed to $899 for the SW6DEA I won't bother upgrading.

-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 5th of November 2011 09:02:29 PM

goinsoon · Guru

I like the SW6DEA because it has the option of electric element, why pay for gas when you dont have to in a caravan park

Cupie · Guru

Agree ..

We would break even on SW6DEA after a minimum of 10 months continual 240V use v gas.

So I should try to convince SWMBO that $899 is a better option than $640. (that's retail not Trade prices).

goinsoon · Guru

Cupie wrote:
Agree ..

We would break even on SW6DEA after a minimum of 10 months continual 240V use v gas.
So I should try to convince SWMBO that $899 is a better option than $640. (that's retail not Trade prices).

we live full time in our van, so that is what makes the gas/electric better for us and worth the extra cost

Wombat 280 · Guru

On one of the trailer camper forums I did seen some time back an externally mounted on demand gas HW unit , the bloke had set it up with a small 12 volt pump to deliver water at mains pressure so he could free camp. He also included a number of drawings and tech data that was real helpful

All I did was type in to search Portable Gas Hot Water and went through the various outdoor forums as they came up the system was so simple . I did print it out but can't find it right now

Wombat 280 · Guru

Found the link mentioned above Hope it adds to the solution to your situation

http://www.campertrailers.org/water_heater.htm

PeterD · Guru

You will see some instant gas heaters in some older vans. These exhausted their combustion products to the outside air but they draw their combustion air from within the cabin. All combustion heaters must now draw their combustion air from outside.

There is currently no instant gas hot water system approved for use within a van. Some of the larger motorhomes have domestic instant heaters which are mounted outside the living space (generally in compartments vented to the outside air and sealed from the cabin interior.)

-- Edited by PeterD on Tuesday 8th of November 2011 02:37:30 PM

justcruisin01 · Guru

PeterD wrote:
You will see some instant gas heaters in some older vans. These exhausted their combustion products to the outside air but they draw their combustion air from within the cabin. All combustion heaters must now draw their combustion air from outside.

There is currently no instant gas hot water system approved for use within a van. Some of the larger motorhomes have domestic instant heaters which are mounted outside the living space (generally in compartments vented to the outside air and sealed from the cabin interior.)

-- Edited by PeterD on Tuesday 8th of November 2011 02:37:30 PM

Mine is mounted outside so none of the above problems exist.

Ironman162 · Member

I like the system that connects to the car's engine and uses the engine heat to produce continious hot water as long as water is available and the engine is running. They are quite cheap, very effective and totally under rated.

A similar system is used on boats for example and it involves installing a heat transfer mechansm in the cars radiator hose using a stanley knife and a screw driver. Its that simple and does not impede the cars temperature at all.

Hope it helps :)

sheeds · Veteran Member

Ironman: Like that idea. Howdoyago with the water temperature? Not up with all the technicalities. Friend has "Truma" brand(sourced through Dometic) installed with "double-flue" on the outside wall. 10 litre capacity which is really too small.Gas & electric operation.

ChiChi1 · Guru

I have a heat exchange system in my MH. Great when free camping. Can also use in CPs when on 240Vs

-- Edited by ChiChi1 on Monday 14th of November 2011 01:26:22 PM

briche · Guru

Thank you one and all for your advice. I now have heaps of comments to go thru and have just about got it sorted..

Thank once again

briche

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

Hi,
If I may pop in and ask a question too please on this topic.
I have a suburban in my new van and I am wondering if there is any way I can turn it off? Not sure I need hot water on tap but it came with the van of course. I don't think I need to use gas heating water I am rarely using. I don't have a booklet on it so not sure how it works.
Tess

briche · Guru

He Tess, Not knowing your van I'm not really sure but I this info should sort it for you. If you go to where the heater is located there should be a gas tap that will turn the gas supply off to the heater. You will still draw water through it if you open the hot water tap but it will remain cold. By doing things this way you can always get hot water if you need it simply by turning the gas tap back on. Hope that helps Brian

Nicholstones · Guru

Tess, You certainly don't want to be constantly using your gas for heating hot water. Are you sure there isn't a switch inside the van somewhere? Our gas/electric system has a switch above the stove top which turns on/off the gas supply, and an electric switch next to the unit (which is under one of the seats) for turning it to electric operation.

We usually have it switched to electric all the time, but if away from an electricity supply or in areas where the water supply is dodgy and might impact the element we turn off the electricity and just turn the gas switch on about 30 minutes before we need hot water. If the gas switch is accidentally left on afterwards you can hear the 'click click click' of the automatic ignition then 'whoosh' as the gas lights up, happening at odd hours of the night as the water cools. Definitely not something we want to happen wasting our gas bottle.

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

Thanks I'll check out in the cupboard area. Only a switch in Front of the sink to turn on 12 v pump. It is an avan Rhys not sure if that means anything to you. There is a switch been fitted at the end of one of the beds n goes under the seat area but doesn't seem to do much. Agent didn't know what it was for. After market I think. I feel like ringing the people on the original rego papers n asking them. Like I said hot water is not a necessity to me, can boil a kettle if need be.
Tess

campingnut · Member

There are so many great ideas that could be used to make hot water for caravans and Rvs but I think the powers that be want us to rely on carvan park power or gas. When I was tenting all we used was 5 litre solar hot water black plastic bags. A great shower at 3pm or thereabouts everyday. you have to ask yourself why these sort of products arent out there that could be fitted to a caravan or motorhome roof (eg a black bladder 12 litres in a slim line box with a glass lid)
1. Solar hot water systems for rvs -easy to make one -coil up some black poly pipe.
2. 12 volt elements that you put into a container to heat using excess solar electricity
3. More heat exchanger models that work off the engine.
4. Heaters that collect heat from the exhaust system -wouldn't be too hard to wrap some copper pipe around the exhaust pipe.
5. Simple chip heaters or rocket stove heaters -use copper pipes up the flue
6. Why not smaller instant heaters like the bosch house ones that only light up when you turn the tap on -bettter than carrying 22 litres of water around in a heavy tank.
7. Copper coils in a camp fire with small 12 volt pump to circulate the water into a tank.

www.youtube.com/watch

PeterD · Guru

Endless Hot Water - Heat only the water you use. The GSWH1 tankless water heater uses 90% less LPG than other current models. No tank means less cost Lightweight - Will possibly fit in the hole your conventional HWS came out of.

briche · Guru

Thanks camping nut. Great thoughts and ideas and will be looking into these as we get ready for our two year trip to WA Next year. So many opinions to consider but the more I can get towards sola, heat exchanger method the more I like it.

Enjoy the journey

Brian.

briche · Guru

Thanks Peter D, for your comments and advice. It's been a bit of an on going project. We are planning to head for WA next year for a couple of years and not sure after that so it's becoming a major topic to sort out.

thanks again

enjoy your journey

Brian

-- Edited by briche on Friday 9th of October 2015 02:17:33 PM

gfsutton · Newbie

I purchased an Aqueous (first cousin to the Duoetto, 240v only) water heater for our caravan on 31 March 2014 from Aus J Imports. It was used on 3 trips for a total of about 10 weeks in the first year. On the next trip away (July 2015) the heater was leaking. The ad gave a 12 month warranty but the instruction manual gave a 3 year warranty on the tank. I contacted the supplier and was advised to strip the insulation and get it welded. I did so and after 8 welds it was still leaking so gave it up. The tank was supposed to be 304 SS. I contacted the supplier and they agreed to replace it providing I paid return postage and a $50 handling fee. Total cost $114.75 but I got a replacement heater. This unit was used for three weeks. Next trip away in February 2016 and a check as soon as water was turned on showed the ominous leaks from inside the insulation. I phoned the supplier and he said to put the info in an email. I did so and am still awaiting a reply. The heaters cannot easily be drained between uses as the inlet has a direct coupled non-return valve and the outlet extends to the top of the tank. It has to be removed from the caravan while full. There is no sacrificial anode protection.

I now have a Suburban cylinder installed.