cheap hot water camping gas system

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

I have this mounted inside the trailer, will try and put some pics up soon. Basically the unit has a water inlet which is running from my 12v pump, water outlet going to the oustide of the trailer and gas inlet. It is all hard mounted so no setting up. The way Ive designed the water connection on the outside is via a air hose connection so it is a quick connect/disconnect. An additional reason for doing this is because my kitchen sink also has a water tap. I can disconnect the shower and connect the kitchen tap and water doesnt spray everywhere like it would with garden hose fittings. The tap in my sink has a garden hose fitting underneath so it is easy to disconnect/connect this. very happy overall works a treat.

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

Doesn't look the tidiest with all of the hoses outside but you get the idea. I just roll them up and throw them in the camper when its time to move.



Heater turns itself on with water pressure and ignites itself with two DD batteries inside.

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

Not sure why they're sideways am doing it on my iPhone

[iantz Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close iantz]

Thanks for showing your setup. How do you think this would go mounted to the outside of the trailer? I have a camper, so it can't go inside the trailer like you have as the bed is above it. Outside the camper is an option though. Does it give off much heat?, not in terms of the water temp but external unit temp? If there's a lot of heat it might not be good for my canvas.

[Nigel M Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Nigel M]

I have this mounted inside the trailer, will try and put some pics up soon. Basically the unit has a water inlet which is running from my 12v pump, water outlet going to the oustide of the trailer and gas inlet. It is all hard mounted so no setting up. The way Ive designed the water connection on the outside is via a air hose connection so it is a quick connect/disconnect. An additional reason for doing this is because my kitchen sink also has a water tap. I can disconnect the shower and connect the kitchen tap and water doesnt spray everywhere like it would with garden hose fittings. The tap in my sink has a garden hose fitting underneath so it is easy to disconnect/connect this. very happy overall works a treat.

This looks like a good setup. I was also looking at the Coleman option but the price is prohibitive.
A few questions:
1. How hot can the water get?
2. Is the pressure generated just from a 12v water pump between water source and the unit? Is it the same pressure on the way out again?
3. How does the water pump turn on/off? ie. If you are not using the unit do you have to manually turn the pump off or can you leave it on?

thanks.

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

Thanks for showing your setup. How do you think this would go mounted to the outside of the trailer? I have a camper, so it can't go inside the trailer like you have as the bed is above it. Outside the camper is an option though. Does it give off much heat?, not in terms of the water temp but external unit temp? If there's a lot of heat it might not be good for my canvas.

Don't know about outside as not sure how the LCD screen and other parts would go getting wet. I've just put garden hose fittings on the bottom and the gas fitting twists on like a BBQ fitting so there's no reason you couldn't have it fully portable and just hang it up when you get to camp? The exterior doesn't get too hot however probably wouldn't want it near your canvas as it does produce heat. The other option would be to mount it in your camper and have an exhaust made from PVC like going out the side of your trailer maybe? Custom make something

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

This looks like a good setup. I was also looking at the Coleman option but the price is prohibitive.
A few questions:
1. How hot can the water get?
2. Is the pressure generated just from a 12v water pump between water source and the unit? Is it the same pressure on the way out again?
3. How does the water pump turn on/off? ie. If you are not using the unit do you have to manually turn the pump off or can you leave it on?

thanks.

G'day Nigel. Yeah the coleman is good in its own right however I didn't need it portable. This one can also have any hose fitting on it so I've got some hose with a garden trigger nozzle on the end so can have the usual settings like mist, jet, shower etc which comes on handy. The water gets super hot! Coldest it goes is about 35 degrees which is perfect and on full setting I had it upto 70 degrees and litterally had steam coming off it. It heats up quick probably only wastes 1L if that before its hot so you can just spray that water into a bucket first and use it for washing up. My 12v pump is a cheapy off eBay it was about $35 for memory and is identical to what bcf sell for well over $100. Its a pressure pump so turns on when the water is turned on and works great. I've also wired in a manual switch so if it leaks or something it won't all pump out.

If you jump on eBay and type caravan water pump 12v you will see them all. Mines 4.3L per min which is sufficient. The next size is about 17L per min and would waste too much water in my opinion. The heater has an 8L tank so pumping anymore than 8L per min wouldn't result in as hot water as my setup.

Also I'm pretty sure the coleman doesn't have auto ignition which is a massive drawback compared to this unit and also it is 3 times the price.

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

The pic says water is. 25 but I took it only 2-3 seconds after turning the tap on to take the photo.

The heaters also got an on off switch underneath so I've plumbed my water to go through the tank all the time and you just flick the switch on to turn the heater on. Its water pressure activated also so as soon as the tap turns on it and the LCD screen turn off then they turn on when the waters turned back on.

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

This is the water pump I bought here

This is how much they are at BCF and look 100% the same!! BCF link

Some things are definitely cheaper on ebay but be careful as some are not. I also bought drinking hose off ebay as it came with the good metal holman fittings which are $10 each at bunnings.

Here is that link

Water tanks were bought from BCF when they had them on sale, ive got two of the 59L poly tanks, they had them for $59. Click here

I just used some aluminium checker plate I had laying around and bent that up to use as brackets basically the same as what they have done here

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

so I dont get too many threads going on this jump on my build page here for more info

[Nigel M Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Nigel M]

so I dont get too many threads going on this jump on my build page here for more info

Thanks mate for all the links and tips. Will check it all out and see what I can come up with.

Very cool. or should I say hot :-)

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

no dramas nigel, more than welcome

[vk2ss55 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vk2ss55]

I'm told that the Elgas that comes from the Port Botany terminal is the same as it comes from the same storage tank .
Cheers
Ross

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

I did not read all posts, so excuse me if you know this, might be on the edge of this topic, but some info for you & safety.

BBQ gas is propane = LPG. This is a mix of natural gas & the gas that's left over from refining crude oil.

Servo gas is a mix of propane & butane = LPG. Butane is the dangerous one, its very volatile - don't use it in your BBQ bottles.

They recommend you don't use servo gas with butane in your propane bottles, because of its volatility more accidents happen & people get burned.
I know some ppl have adapters $ fill their 9kg or actually overfill it in their boot while hanging filler out the back for less than $10.
Well my uncle works for shell about 40 years & advises highly not to do this & that my friends have been lucky so far.

I have warned them, but you know how funny safety is, especially if u can save $10 a year.

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

You'd have to be pretty thick to be filling a gas bottle with gas from a petrol station.....!!

I did not read all posts, so excuse me if you know this, might be on the edge of this topic, but some info for you & safety.

BBQ gas is propane = LPG. This is a mix of natural gas & the gas that's left over from refining crude oil.

Servo gas is a mix of propane & butane = LPG. Butane is the dangerous one, its very volatile - don't use it in your BBQ bottles.

They recommend you don't use servo gas with butane in your propane bottles, because of its volatility more accidents happen & people get burned.
I know some ppl have adapters $ fill their 9kg or actually overfill it in their boot while hanging filler out the back for less than $10.
Well my uncle works for shell about 40 years & advises highly not to do this & that my friends have been lucky so far.

I have warned them, but you know how funny safety is, especially if u can save $10 a year.