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johnr9q Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2009 Posts: 4 Location: Sacramento
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Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:44 pm Post subject: Hot Water Heater for Vanagon Camper |
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I installed a 3 gallon Suburban (brand name) RV water heater in my Eurovan. (This is the type of water heater used in most RV's) I piped hot water to the sink and also piped hot water to an exterior shower which I installed in the side of the vehicle. The water heater unit is installed in the closet on the driver side rear of the van so you do lose some space on the floor of the closet. I would like to know if there is any interest in making available either just the plans to do this or if people would be interested in a full kit with all the parts necessary with instructions? I suspect it would cost somewhere around $800 for all the parts and you install or have it installed. |
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motelvw Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005 Posts: 465
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:38 am Post subject: |
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The units sell for $380. What more is there to your system that would run another $400? Got any pics of the install? Sounds like a slick setup. |
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johnr9q Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2009 Posts: 4 Location: Sacramento
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:03 am Post subject: |
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motelvw wrote: |
The units sell for $380. What more is there to your system that would run another $400? Got any pics of the install? Sounds like a slick setup. |
motelvw: You're correct. That estimate was just a swag. I put a lot of thought into the install but not much thot into the $800 I mentioned. I installed it a year or so ago but never thot others would be interested in it but just thot I'd run the idea past others in this forum. Would there be a better place to make the inquiry? I'm really not in it to make a bunch of money. (you're probably thinking - I've heard that before - and I don't blame you) I really don't recall what I paid for the various components but probably $350 for the heater, $50 for the shower unit on the side of the van, $30 for the sink faucet, and maybe $30 for misc plus my time for getting it all together and cutting the piping and inclosure for the unit in the closet maybe another $50 and maybe $50 profit. plus shipping maybe $20 so that's close to $600. Again, just a swag off the top of my head. Based on the response here, so far, probably not worth my time. I'll post a picture soon. I'm a retired engineer and not into any business just adicted to rock climbing. I did build the camper which you can view in the following and designed things similar to campers for the military for many years. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22084 |
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motelvw Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005 Posts: 465
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:45 am Post subject: |
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That's some very nice work on the truck camper. Quite the engineering job. |
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johnr9q Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2009 Posts: 4 Location: Sacramento
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Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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based on response, doesn't look like my hot water heat system will go anywhere. |
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tencentlife Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2006 Posts: 10067 Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:22 am Post subject: |
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I know a thing or two about building kits. The focus is on the cost of the big components, but the little nickle and dime stuff often doubles the cost, and then there's the time factor saved by buying a well-thought-out kit vs. having all the headaches yourself. That's what makes for a good kit; everything is there, all design decisions have been made, as many parts as possible are preassembled, so that the job is quick and satisfying and it works. If you do a good job of it and make it easy to install and work out all the details for the buyer, including thorough instructions, you might find that $800 isn't enough to pay yourself at all fairly for the work.
There just aren't that many Eurovans compared to the number of Vanagons, if comments on this forum are any kind of survey. Come up with that DHW kit for Vanagon Westys and you might see some response! _________________ Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/
Please don't PM here, I will not reply.
Experience is kryptonite to doctrine. |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:29 am Post subject: |
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I like the hot water idea.
Bill Langan has a system he built that puts the shower hose out the back of the rear cabinet, so he has to open his rear hatch to shower.. and he has a shower head he can clip to the rear hatch..
He posted photos of his system plans here
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/photos/album/...mp;dir=asc
and I am attaching his photos to this post.
My suggestion is to share your plans with us for free, and then I do think you might be able to sell a kit to some of us who do not enjoy looking for parts all over town.
Thanks!
Jonathan
ps, a good way to gauge interest in a product, is to advertise it here in the classifieds, and post a link to the ad |
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johnr9q Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2009 Posts: 4 Location: Sacramento
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Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:17 am Post subject: |
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Johnathon and tencentlife: Good suggestions. I saw the water heater that Johnathon posted. If they operate the heater in the closet, it is very dangerous. The unit is intended to be used outdoors only. I will post some pictures of my unit soon. |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:11 am Post subject: |
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> If they operate the heater in the closet, it is very dangerous.
thanks for the warning, Im guessing youre referring to the heat trapped in the closet.. If bill has the back hatch open to shower, and opens the closet the heater is in to vent the heat, would that be safer?
If you design a safer system, that would be a valuable selling point.
And it would be really Deluxe, if there was a kit that permitted showering inside a Westy with the top up. Something along the lines of the portashower Sportsmobile sells
http://sportsmobile.com/1_baths_sr.html |
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ranchero Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2006 Posts: 359 Location: Salida, CO
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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Jonathan - I know this is an old thread, but your reference to it lead me here. I have that exact heater and was planning on doing the same install. As an example of the heat is puts out, there is a swinging carry handle on the unit that if it were shown in the picture you posted, would be approximately at the top of the closet. I had my heater hanging from that handle off of a bicycle handlebar on the rack of my van. The heat from the shower completely melted the plastic on the shifter on the bike. It puts out a lot of heat. I will not be mounting it in my closet.
Steve _________________ '90 Westy Syncro EJ25 (money pit #1)
'96 FZJ80 (cheap by comparison^^)
'13 Golf R. Daily driver. |
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914 mike Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2005 Posts: 431
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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.............or, you could heat up a kettle of water on the stove, pour it into the big water storage tank lid in the flat cupboard that feeds your sink, attach a simple spray nozzle extension to your factory sink faucet, and pull it out the window on the side of your van. Total cost would be less that $20 and time to install the spray nozzle woould be @ 20 minutes, YMMV.
But if you really want a super engineered set up to show all your friends and like spending lots of money, dont use this set up.....
Mike |
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buildyourown Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2009 Posts: 1668 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2010 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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914 mike wrote: |
.............
But if you really want a super engineered set up to show all your friends and like spending lots of money, dont use this set up.....
Mike |
For some of us, that's the half the hobby |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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wolfej1 Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2005 Posts: 679 Location: North Royalton, Ohio
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Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:30 am Post subject: |
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here is another thread.....
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=322242&highlight=
combine your idea with an interior frame option for indoor showering. You can see in the thread what I did with the pvc pipe. However that concept could be made really professional as opposed to my setup. There is real value to be had by being able to shower inside your van. Comes in handy most often when you are on the road travelling or at a campground that is heavily populated witn no shower facilities or disgusting ones that you prefer not to use.
regardless, a nice kit that is idiotproof could be a good seller. _________________ 1982 Westy
2004 KDX200
2008 Kawasaki KLR 650
1979 Yamaha DT 175
1995 Toyota 4Runner |
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Love My Westy Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007 Posts: 1834
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Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:14 am Post subject: |
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Dave Vickers had a nice shower set up at Syncro Solstice. It consisted to a 5 gal. jug under his rear seat with a hose that went into it from his rear heater that acted as a heat exchanger and an electric pump. I don't think it cost him all that much, but he had removed his rear heater core. It was rather interesting. |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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beagling Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2007 Posts: 30 Location: Santa Cruz
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Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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Johnr9
I have a 2001 Eurovan camper and would be interested in seeing pictures of your modification. I am interested in turning the rear sprayer into a warm/hot shower. _________________ 1989 Westy WBX 2.1 automatic |
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dhaavers Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010 Posts: 7717 Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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^^^ I don't think his pics are coming - Unfortunately his profile shows he hasn't been on the site since the week he posted this thread in 2009...
Happy Trails! _________________ 86 White Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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beagling Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2007 Posts: 30 Location: Santa Cruz
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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Ah okay . Good catch. Resurrected thread from 3 years ago. _________________ 1989 Westy WBX 2.1 automatic |
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beach_creature Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2014 Posts: 532
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Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2019 4:28 pm Post subject: Re: Hot Water Heater for Vanagan Camper |
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I finally got around to setting up a heated Westy water tank. This has been on my to do list for many years.
I used a heat exchanger under the rear seat. Using 3/8 food grade silicone hose, I ran the hot water line behind the rear bench, along the outside of drivers side bench, through the electrical opening, alongside the water tank and finally into the top of the water tank. I used a bulkhead fitting on top of the tank.
The feed water comes from the 3/8 vinyl hose going to the Westy sink. I have the earlier tank and sink pump. The water hose exits the bottom of the tank, runs along the drivers-side wall at the back of the cabinet and to the sink pump below the sink.
I spliced into the sink feed hose under the cabinet through the small cabinet door at the floor beside the bench seat.
I then ran that vynil hose back towards the water tank, out the electrical outlet opening, back long the bench seat and in behind to under the bench.
I also used the food grade silicone in between the pump and the heat exhanger.
Food grade silicone can tolerate cery high temps. Vynil cannot.
The pump is a 12V solar hot water circulation pump from amazon. I’m impressed with the flow of this thing! It is not self priming.
I didn’t have enough heater hose to plumb the rear heater lines into the heat exchanger. I imagine it won’t take long to circulate the Westy water tank through the heat exchanger to get Hot water.
Pretty stoked!
_________________ 84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD |
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