Helton On-board Shower for the 100-Series

[SupraTuRD]

I'm in the planning stages of building a shower system for my LC. Does anyone have any experience installing a on-board shower system on a 100-series? I'll most likely go with a heat exchanger from Helton of Australia. Should the coolant line be tapped for parallel or series operation? I'm guessing in series because I don't think the 100 has a coolant control valve for the heater system.

Thanks in advance!

 

[AATLAS1X]

I am all over this thread as I really want to do this, but want the very best quick disconnects and cleanest install possible

Have you found a place to purchase one yet and I hear there is two versions.


Shane

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

I'm in the planning stages of building a shower system for my LC. Does anyone have any experience installing a on-board shower system on a 100-series? I'll most likely go with a heat exchanger from Helton of Australia. Should the coolant line be tapped for parallel or series operation? I'm guessing in series because I don't think the 100 has a coolant control valve for the heater system.

Thanks in advance!

The helton system uses a parallel set up. Or so I assume from the 5/8in T fittings. I found a good source for Marine oil coolers at custom sizes for cheaper than helton. I've mapped out a few of these ideas but there are a lot of questions.

How do you want to do temperature control?
Are you using a water tank?
Do you need in line filtering?
Do you want the pump to be able to suck up water from a body of water or just from a tank/jerry can?

It can be as simple or as complicated as you want.

The marine oil coolers are around $80-100 and the Sureflow pumps are about the same price. I found a few good sources for valves and fittings. I'll share what I know.

 

[SupraTuRD]

I am all over this thread as I really want to do this, but want the very best quick disconnects and cleanest install possible

Have you found a place to purchase one yet and I hear there is two versions.

Shane

I'm all for the cleanest install as well. Appears Helton offers a few different configurations for their heat exchangers. Differences in length (number of coils) as well as inlet/outlet locations. So far I have only found Cruiser Outfitters as a retailer in the US for the Helton H.E.

 

[SupraTuRD]

The helton system uses a parallel set up. Or so I assume from the 5/8in T fittings. I found a good source for Marine oil coolers at custom sizes for cheaper than helton. I've mapped out a few of these ideas but there are a lot of questions.

How do you want to do temperature control?
Are you using a water tank?
Do you need in line filtering?
Do you want the pump to be able to suck up water from a body of water or just from a tank/jerry can?

It can be as simple or as complicated as you want.

The marine oil coolers are around $80-100 and the Sureflow pumps are about the same price. I found a few good sources for valves and fittings. I'll share what I know.

So far it is my understanding that the heat exchangers can be plumbed in either series or parallel depending on whether the vehicle is equipped with a mechanical coolant valve or not.

From what i have gathered, parallel plumbing is used on vehicles with the mechanical coolant valve. T's are required, along with the valve in the closed position (Cold setting) to divert the hot coolant to the HE to efficiently heat the water.

Plumbing the HE in series is used on vehicles that have constant coolant flow to the heater core (no mechanical valve but uses flaps to control the heated air).

Please tell us more about the heat exchangers you have found.

I will most likely use 5-gallon military water container as the source for the water, so I don't need crazy volume. As far as filtering, I was thinking about relying on the optional strainer available on the Aquajet (or similar) pumps. I'm not sure about temp control... would a simple valve to regulate the flow do the trick?

 

[AATLAS1X]

When I was looking hard I found a place in Canada that was the cheapest. I'll try again to locate then.

 

[Jordan345]

I have been planning this as well. It will be a winter project to prep for spring camping. We just found out that my wife is pregnant so along with being excited about that, i also have more motivation (not like i need much to further build the cruiser to make it more comfortable.. tailgate storage, better expo rack, rtt, vestibule, hot shower/water etc etc.. I haven't found a helton supplier here in canada yet, but i'm anxious to hear if one is found. I did check out West Marine here in toronto and found nothing in the store, however, they have only limited supply of stuff in person. the catalog and online is my next stop; i'm sure the boating world has something. I did find washdown kits for washing down your deck, this wouldn't take much adapting to throw in a heat exchanger. I'd also just pull the trigger and buy from cruiser outfitters.. no messing around with mix and matching, just but the fittings/hoses needed and be done with it.

bass pro or cabella's might have something to.. i'll check there as well. if i remember, they also had rtt's for pretty cheap (quality?)..

 

[SupraTuRD]

Congratulations! Keeping the rig comfortable for the Mrs. and the little one is very important. =]

 

[DanInDenver]

Keep an eye on Kurt's thread on the Project Hundy Build Thread. He has used the Helton. He mentioned doing a write up on the install.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series...-build-thread-2000-uzj100-land-cruiser-2.html

 

[ENGINE er]

I have a red helton installed on my cruiser with T fittings to the heater core. At each T I have a valve just in case the helton fails, this will not render the truck useless.

19 gallon water tank on board with the ability to source water from fresh water, a hose or the tank using quick disconnects. RV water pump mounted next to my drawers, i ran the water line from the rear to the front right along the frame rail on the drivers side and have the helton mounted on the passenger side.

I have a proportioning valve and have HOT and COLD outlets at the front of the truck. The HOT outlet is the only one with the proportioning valve.

The only problem i have is that with the proportioning valve completely closed, meaning it does not mix ANY cool water in with the hot, the shower is warm but not HOT. Its not an uncomfortable shower but its also not as hot as i would like. If i have the shower head turned off, and the water sits in the exchanger for about 5 seconds it comes out scalding.

Due to other issues with my truck and starting a business in life i have not taken the time to address this issue but perhaps you guys may have some ideas i have not thought of?

 

[Mxndrnks]

Keep an eye on Kurt's thread on the Project Hundy Build Thread. He has used the Helton. He mentioned doing a write up on the install.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series...-build-thread-2000-uzj100-land-cruiser-2.html

And.... he sells the system too. So, he might know a thing or two.

I also believe Spresso is running the Helton if you have more questions.

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

This site has good prices on the heat exchangers.

http://www.go2marine.com/product/10...edium=productfeed&utm_campaign=googleshopping

You can also use large Wort chillers that already have threaded fittings on them.

My idea for temperature control was to run a Y fitting after the pump, sending cold water and hot water in seperate lines to a mixer valve that can be used to control temperature and pressure.

Also Camco makes in line water filters for RV systems that might work well for filtering in line.

Here is my Amazon list with parts I've sourced for the project: http://amzn.com/w/3P26L8R28Z8L8

 

[jonharis]

Or for the less DIY inclined go with the kit from one of our mud vendors.

http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/helton.html

 

[mpho]

Have one on my 99. Love it. Clean and real user friendly. Bought from kurt. I can take some pics if need be. Kurt did an awesome job on the install.

 

[KlausVanWinkle]

I wanted to set up mine so that it drew from a tank and could recirculate hot water back into the tank while driving, so when you got to camp you had a hot shower without running the engine. Also could we used to help cool off the engine on climbs.

It'd be similar to the backwash piping for pools.

 

[ENGINE er]

I wanted to set up mine so that it drew from a tank and could recirculate hot water back into the tank while driving, so when you got to camp you had a hot shower without running the engine. Also could we used to help cool off the engine on climbs.

It'd be similar to the backwash piping for pools.

BRILLIANT!!

I have 4 ports on my tank and this may be doable with another valve and some hose.

 

[SupraTuRD]

Have one on my 99. Love it. Clean and real user friendly. Bought from kurt. I can take some pics if need be. Kurt did an awesome job on the install.

mpho- Do you have the kit as pictured on kurt's site? With the orange pump/strainer? How long have you had it? Any issues with the pump?

 

[SupraTuRD]

I wanted to set up mine so that it drew from a tank and could recirculate hot water back into the tank while driving, so when you got to camp you had a hot shower without running the engine. Also could we used to help cool off the engine on climbs.

It'd be similar to the backwash piping for pools.

Awesome! BTW thanks for posting info on those heat exchangers. Have you purchased the heat exchanger from them? If so, which one did you go with?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Somebody say Helton?

Cruiser Outfitters is the US distributor for the Helton product line and we generally have a full stock of them here in the US at any given time. We stock both the Hot Shower (Blue) and Hot Water (Red) heat exchangers. Keep in mind these are built to be the most efficient heat transfer (tube in shell) all while maintaining a compact yet sturdy shell that is up to the tasks of bouncing down washboard roads for thousands of miles. Where other heat exchangers may crack or leak, the Helton won't skip a beat. I didn't start using Helton because I sold them, rather I started using one 8-9 years ago and worked to become their US distributor, since we've sold hundreds of units without a single HE failure.

There are infinite ways to mount and plumb the Helton HE's, and with the tight constraints of a loaded 100 you may have to get creative but its entirely workable. I am really pleased with the way it worked out in my 100, I was able to pick up a couple of parts store coolant hoses thus not cutting a single factory hose (I keep it in the back just in case). I run my Hot Water exchanger in-series with the factory heater system, it has no problems getting up to shower temps. If you have any specific questions I would be happy to answer them. My setup, fresh water lines go out to the Helton kit supplied bumper bracket kit, factory engine cover clears this install just fine.

 

[SupraTuRD]

Somebody say Helton?

Cruiser Outfitters is the US distributor for the Helton product line and we generally have a full stock of them here in the US at any given time. We stock both the Hot Shower (Blue) and Hot Water (Red) heat exchangers. Keep in mind these are built to be the most efficient heat transfer (tube in shell) all while maintaining a compact yet sturdy shell that is up to the tasks of bouncing down washboard roads for thousands of miles. Where other heat exchangers may crack or leak, the Helton won't skip a beat. I didn't start using Helton because I sold them, rather I started using one 8-9 years ago and worked to become their US distributor, since we've sold hundreds of units without a single HE failure.

There are infinite ways to mount and plumb the Helton HE's, and with the tight constraints of a loaded 100 you may have to get creative but its entirely workable. I am really pleased with the way it worked out in my 100, I was able to pick up a couple of parts store coolant hoses thus not cutting a single factory hose (I keep it in the back just in case). I run my Hot Water exchanger in-series with the factory heater system, it has no problems getting up to shower temps. If you have any specific questions I would be happy to answer them. My setup, fresh water lines go out to the Helton kit supplied bumper bracket kit, factory engine cover clears this install just fine.

Thanks for chiming in Kurt. That's a very clean installation of the heat exchanger. With your HE plumbed in series, does this setup produce hot water on the first pass at idle? Are you running the orange pump assembly that you sell in the kit or do you have a different setup with a Aquajet or equivalent pump?