Helton Hot Water heat Exchanger install.

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Jeremy,

Can you be specific on the quick connects?
What concerns me on the input side is that my pump is self primer. That means it needs to suck water and create vacuum. I am concerned that the quick connect on the input side will allow air in and reduce the suction. Are the quick connects you got air tight?

Here is the page to quick connect choices?
http://www.houseofhose.com/catalog.php?cat=142&&name=QUICK-DISCONNECTS&&master=N
 
Rhy,

I used the super knowledgeable guys at House of hose in SLC to help me. The fittings I used are pressure washer fittings. They are water tight. They are open when unplugged though. Allowing for water expansion and contraction in the winter. My suggestion is to give them a call and have them put together a package of the males and females, they will also make hoses to length with the thread on fittings if needed.

Hope that helps.

Jeremy
 
Ok, so the next issue in my head is the amount of water. I carry 5GAL NATO water can for water needs, and 2GAL drinking water in another container.
If you out there in the middle of nowhere, you can't use 5GAL to take a shower. Plus, I don't like to carry around long hoses.

While I do like the endless supply of hot water, I don't like the unknown quantity of water use. So my next idea is to to find a water cooler of the appropriate size, drill a whole in the cover and installed a pickup hose that goes into the jag, and a screw type connector on the outside.

To take a shower, I'll fill up with a known quantity of water (size to be determine) circulate the water for desired temperature, close the lid.
Now you have hot water with known quantity, you can move it around to anywhere you want to take a shower and the water will not get cold quickly, and if it tips over the water should not spill.

I have a 1/2 GAL and 2GAL jags. My next move is to take my motorcycle battery and my setup to the shower and try sizing the minimum water I need to take a shower. Of course I will be reporting back. Downside is that I have to carry a jag around that may or may not use for anything else. I tried to stuff my setup into a 2 gal jag but it did not fit. I have taller 2/gal that might work. Did not try that.

So at the end it may be more space efficient to use a water jag that can house the pump and hoses, even if it is bigger than the amount of water I need.

From your guys experience, what is a good amount being out in the field?

Rami
 
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I was just thinking that a water bladder sitting inside a flexible cooler (I already have that) may give me the same solution without the need to carry around a fixed size water jag. Although that may collapse on the pickup hose when applying suction.
 
Rami,

I carry a 26 gallon water bladder for all my water needs. My setup is potable water. I have heard some people say they only use .9 gals of water for a shower, but I have usually gotten in around 1.5 gals. Granted, when I'm taking a shower in the backcountry, I have had a known surplus of water or a good replenishment source. Check out the solar showers, they are sold in 4 gal+/- sizes and have estimates on water needs. Plus, they already have outlets plumbed in...
 
Jeremy
You have the 2.2 GPM pump. I specifically went with the 1.1 gpm pump for that reason, to conserve water.

If other used 0.9 GAL for shower, I should be able to do it in 0.5 gal. I have short hair. :-)
 
Short hair helps, that's at least a half gallon per inch of hair! I have ball valves thru-out the system, so I can slow down the flow of the pump. When I need to pressure wash the truck, open it up and away we go!
 
OK, just finished testing for water size.
I tried 1/2 gal jag and run out of water before I got to the soap. So I can be conclusive that 1/2 gal is not enough.

Ran to the garage and got the 2 gal. filled it up. Was able to rinse, shampooed, and rinse again. Left 1/2 gal water in the water jag.
I used too much soap. I think to conserve water, one has to be stingy with the soap. It took too much water to get rid of the soap.

So 1.5 gal is doable maybe even 1 gal.

One problem with my testing is that I ran the pump on a small motorcycle battery. If my experience with 12V air compressor is applicable, there is a significant difference in performance if the car is running and the voltage is 13.6V. Since the water pressure was measly, it took few passes to rinse before and after the soap. I think that with more pressure I can actually use less water. That may point to the 2.2 GPM pump, but I am not sure. I will have to test for that.
 
Rami,

I agree on the pressure thing. The battery might be a different story, assuming no alternator is running. Check the batt voltage for more info. The amp draw of your pump shouldn't be as high as your compressor, big difference. vehicle running will boost the pressure probably a bit.

I haven't done a volume test in a while. I may have to try that sometime, hard part is driving my truck into my bathroom, I'd have to move the couch and the walls for sure... on second thought the walls could stay.

Jeremy
 
Sorry for the terrible sketch, but here is my future permanent install diagram. This will be going to a valve.

Jeremy
img002.webp
 
Did the voltage test.
Ran the battery, started the car, pump runs much better. Giving that the 12.6 was marginal fine, the 13.6 should be good.

Not sure I get as complicated with the water system. Running the pump from my 5 gal into 1.5 gal jag should be fine. The key will be doing it as many times as needed for multiple people.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
 
True! The only reason mine is so complex, fixed mounting and on demand water, no setup time! Why stop at water on demand, when you can have hot and cold in seconds!!!!
 
Jeremy,
Is the water that comes out of the Red Helton too hot for a shower once you run the water thru the hoses?

Does anyone know the actual temp at the end output when running the 2.2 gpm pump?

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
 
I wanted to test the "boiling water" method. I boiled 1/3 gal (10 minutes on the kitchen stove) and mixed it with 2/3 cold water into the same 2 gal water jag. and as was tested before you need about 1.5 gal for a good shower with 1.1 gpm pump.

The temp was good. This was to confirm that this method would take too much time and hassle for a shower. Especially for more than one person.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
 
There are several variables: water temp coming in, coolant temp, speed of water flowing thru the exchanger. When conserving water, if you stop the water flow you'll receive a hot blast, this water canbe dumped into your water bucket, but you must remember to do this. Otherwise, using the exchanger to preheat the water is pretty safe. Also, in a fixed application, an anti scald device is a great trick, this dumps cold water to balance out the hot thru the valve, you'll feel it get hotter, but you won't receive a scalding blast, pretty sweet.
 
Just returned the 1.1 GPM pump. I decided that it will be too weak.
Jeremy, since you already tried the 2.2, I got the 12V Pro Blaster Washdown Pump, 4.0 GPM to experiment with that. It is quite bigger and I may not keep it.
 
Wow, Sweet. You'll be able to offer auto detailing services in the backcountry with that little monster!
 
This pump worked great. Here is the new "kit"
I have the 3/8" connectors and I suspect the 3/8" somewhat restrict it. It looks like it was designed more for 1/2"

But the flow out of the shower head was great.

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image-2480006766.webp
image-168085699.webp
 

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