| Author | Message | ||
| ron and patti (Hayleyscomet) (24.108.179.61)
Rating: N/A |
What kind of hot water do you guys have in your conversions, electric, diesel, or propane? If electric, what size did you use? Thanks, Patti | ||
| R.C.Bishop (128.123.221.155)
Rating: N/A |
We have...and are very happy with a marine type electric,with heat exchanger. Hot water at the end of a trip; never needed electric an a road trip,so far. It is also heated via Webasto when needed. great choice for us. As Fast Fred says...do it your way  RCB '64 Crown Supercoach | ||
| Marc Bourget (209.142.38.81) Rating: N/A |
Dear Ron and Patty Hayley. You said: "What kind of hot water do you guys have in your conversions" I think you're actually asking for the style of hot water heater... The most popular RV style uses Propane with some equipped with a electric heating element. The best version has, in addition to the propane and electric element, heating coils that transfer the heat from the engine cooling system into the hot water heater storage tank. If you get into a Webasto, diesel fueled water heater, it too will have a heating arrangement with the water heater's heat exchanger. Some converters use a small style electic house unit but wrap copper pipe around the storage tank as their form of heat exchange "powered" by the engine heat. There are also the Bosch style instant water heaters. Primus is another style IIRC. I've heard reports that these are prone to plugging from precipitation, but I have no personal experience. I'm concerned that the typical engine heat is 20-30 degrees above a normal water heater setting, which presents the possibility of scalding. Consider using a temperature compensating fixture in the bath/shower to avoid this threat to comfort and health. Hope this "survey" helps Onward and Upward, Marc Bourget | ||
| John that newguy (199.232.244.238) Rating: N/A |
Everything I've learned here so far regarding power, is that heat takes a ton of energy to produce (and vice versa). 110 volt electric is fine to produce hot water while at the campground (although very slow recovery time); running the genset to heat hot water with 110 takes more time and energy than practical. Propane is fast and great if you're already planning on a propane backup. Using hot water from the engine piped to heat the water tank is great during the trip or right after you stop. In both commercial RVs we had, we used a standard RV water heater that incorporated 110, propane, and had the heat exchanger built-in. It was a 10 gallon tank in the last RV and supplied more than enough hot water for all needs. The larger the tank, the longer the recovery time. Propane offers the fastest recovery, but using the engine's heat to heat the water in the tank is a big plus. You save a lot of energy keeping already hot water hot. Once hot from using propane or the engine, using 110 to keep it that way, works well. | ||
| Linda 4104 (68.243.240.29) Rating: N/A |
We have a 20 gallon electric water heater (household type). Since we have to run the generator to recharge the house batteries anyway, this works for us. The water stays hot quite a while in the tank. | ||
| Frank Allen (64.12.116.135) Rating: N/A |
we also have a electric 20 gal heater from lowes, it does the job just fine and recovers quickly,we have never run out of hot water. when we are on the road the gen set does it, at the campground the site electric does it.works great for our needs Frank Allen 4106 | ||
| Ron Walker (Prevost82) (209.52.245.237)
Rating: N/A |
we have a hydro-hot system ...and love it. Ron | ||
| BrianMCI96A3 (205.188.116.135) Rating: N/A |
I have several parts gathered to a plan that will have both a propane fired instant hot water heater and a Webasto Diesel fired system... As a side note I have a Stewart Warner diesel fired coolat heater I plan to use for the engine coolant, and I may use one of the large heat exchangers I've gathered to use engine heat for over the road hot water, like John mentioned. Brian | ||
| James Maxwell (Jmaxwell) (66.81.60.253)
Rating: N/A |
I use propane/electric. In the Grumman, 6 gal DSI, 500 watt electric; in the Neoplan, 10 gal DSI and 1400watt electric w/the power pole. This is the one area in a conversion where I think a Webasto and heat exchanger would be the ticket. | ||
| hayleyscomet (24.108.180.196)
Rating: N/A |
The propane/electric sounds like a good idea. We will have propane onboard for the 2 way fridge. Any comments on the brands available? Thanks, Patti | ||
| FAST FRED (4.245.170.150) Rating: N/A |
The choice is actually between RV HW heaters and "euro home style". The Bosch and Paloma (and others) are well thought of , mount inside and can create Cont!! hot water. Shower , dishwasher and washing maching , if you get a bigger unit. Most chose the smallest and revel in endless HW. The RV propane hw heaters are OK , probably cheaper and the ability to have "free" hot water while plugged in works for PP campers. Some need a big hole thru the coach to operate. IF you do much boondocking the marine electric with a water coil works great from a water cooled gen set. And the electric can be used (forced if needed) to provide a load to get the genset operating with some life expectancy, with some semblance of a load. A second advantage of the Marine electric units is they frequently have a safty switch that saves the electric element if operated with out water. Lots to thiMk about! FAST FRED | ||
| billMoldenhauer (12.74.9.204)
Rating: N/A |
We went with aqua hot on the road we sometimes have 6-7 pepole taking showers and the aqua hot never lets us down plus we also heat with it I didn't like the idea of putting a large propane tank in one of the precious storage bays | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay) (208.34.240.48)
Rating: N/A |
Bill said: "We went with aqua hot on the road" __. Yeah, I'm crazy but I've been following this thread very carefully. Can you please give us a website for "aqua hot" and let us know the model number of the unit in your bus, Bill? Thanks, Bruce Henderson, Wallace NC | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces) (65.74.66.104)
Rating: N/A |
There is a device called a tempering valve that is obtainable from plumbing and heating houses that will mix some cold in with the hot if the tank should run too hot. This could be used to prevent scalding from using engine heat to heat the hot water. Also, a person could use a zone valve in the heating line from the engine, controlled by a thermostat on the water heater so that it wouldn't get too hot. For what it's worth. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher | ||
| Marc Bourget (209.142.38.81) Rating: N/A |
For those interested in using a 20 gal residential electric water heater, I recall some converters removing the outside can and insulation and wrapping copper tubing about the tank and running engine coolant through the copper. The insulation and can were re-installed. There was sufficient heat conduction to bring the heater contents to engine temp on most trips. Saved lots of energy expense. No possibility of contaminating the fresh water with coolant. Onward and Upward Marc Bourget | ||
| Jerry (205.188.116.135)
Rating: N/A |
Hydro-Hot for me - diesel fired burner putting to use all the diesel I've on board (installed seperate tank for off road diesel) This time of the year I can walk into a "cold" bus and within 3 mins of turning on the diesel burner I can start taking a shower and it will make it faster than I can use it. Biggest disadvantage $high cost$ | ||
| DaveD (64.235.205.150)
Rating: N/A |
Atwood 10 gallon propane heater with an electric heating element for use when connected to shore power. Dave Dulmage (MC-8) | ||
| madbrit (67.136.90.6) Rating: N/A |
Atwood DSI 10 gallon, with electric option and has the heat exchanger to make use of engine heat. I don't like the Webasto type units as I can hear the whine from a pump or something. Peter. | ||
| TWO DOGS (63.185.73.195) Rating: N/A |
DEPENDS.....on how YOU will use your bus....If you dry camp.propane,If you will mostly be plugged in to elec. go with 20 gallon elec. 'low boy' from lowes or home depo.. | ||
| Marc Bourget (209.142.38.81) Rating: N/A |
Peter, You can cure the whine with a cherry flavored sucker (if it's from a kid) LOL! A technically savy Britt like you ought to have remembered that one! ROFL!! OTOH, flexible connections to the pipes and soft mounting will do much to reduce the conduction of noise from its operation Onward and Upward. | ||
| Jack In KC (65.26.0.37) Rating: N/A |
Bruce - Aqua Hot and Hydro Hot are similar systems. See www.hydro-hot.com/index.html Jack Gregg | ||
| madbrit (67.136.90.6) Rating: N/A |
Very drole Marc........ LOL. Peter. |