I have joined the club ! And yes I have lost my mine !

[agazza2]

Randy, what is the brand of the heater and was it purchased on Amazon?

 

[agazza2]

Coachgeo, I have a extra bag I bought brand new. I will look at the part number today. If I remember right it was only $40.

 

[Third From Texas]

Installing a heater in the RV box. Will let you all know how it goes.

Tons of folks over on the VanLife groups and over on Expedition Portal use those in their builds. It's what I had planned to use until I switched trucks for the build (my 1079 has a habitat heater already).

 

[coachgeo]

Installing a heater in the RV box. Will let you all know how it goes.
View attachment 782427
Its a Chine's (so who knows if it works ? ) diesel .

There is a fellow on youtube who has done extensive testing and tweaking of these... search it out... very informative.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvwmU_CcmGI&list=PLne7MoW21Rk01DYGGfOqIbYt6H1ZFSFks

another hint.... a fellow somehow (maybe an exhaust cut out valve?) set his up to redirected his exhaust from the unit into a little radiator to use as a coolant heat exchanger to help warm engine coolant while heating cabin with it. OR maybe he just redirected cabin heat with a duct to the exchanger?? but I like the exhaust idea better..... heat two things with one.

 

[1951M1078]

Thanks for the link. Some I knew but it is all great info.

Allan, got it from Ebay. $111 i think.

 

[1951M1078]

[FONT=&quot]Been mostly sitting on my ass. But working on a lot of system's that need to be installed on M/RV.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]At Overland Expo 2019 I found I need to run the Tank-less water heater to long (wasting "Water" ) to get it hot ?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]That will not work with only 42 gal on the truck. Did some testing and found I needed to run about 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 gals to get hot water.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Played with running a pump to keep the tank hot but the pumps don't like 102 deg. water and their is the power loss ?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]What I came up with is a SS tank (3 gal.) with a 300 W 24 volt heater for it. It will run off the battery / solar when needed. May even make some kind of timer control-er for turning it on a off ?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Something like on at 7 am and off at 9, then on at 11:30 and off at 1pm then on at 5pm and off at 7pm ? We will see ??

[/FONT]

 

[coachgeo]

...At Overland Expo 2019 I found I need to run the Tank-less water heater to long (wasting "Water" ) to get it hot ?
That will not work with only 42 gal on the truck. ...

they make a loop valve that keeps running same water thru the inline heater until the heater is up to full temperature. Designed specific for RV's. Here is one type..... the technology has grown some since this video. There are many DIY versions too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBh395UyiaY

 

[Another Ahab]

What I came up with is a SS tank (3 gal.) with a 300 W 24 volt heater for it. It will run off the battery / solar when needed. May even make some kind of timer control-er for turning it on a off

they make a loop valve that keeps running same water thru the inline heater until the heater is up to full temperature. Designed specific for RV's. Here is one type..... the technology has grown some since this video. There are many DIY versions too

Even when you're talented and CAN invent a thing that will solve a problem, it can be sweet to discover it's available (ready-made) right off the shelf.

 

[SausageGuy]

Even some houses have a push button by a sink that you push when you need hot water and it runs a circulation pump for a predetermined time. Then when you open water valve the cold water has been put back in the system and you get the hot water only.

 

[1951M1078]

Thanks,I looked into that way of doing it.
But it will not work with my system. The heater is between the 2 out lets.One would be cold.
Also the RV had a tank heater. The problem their was the length of the run.

Its more the tank-less,I just added a holding tank.

 

[1951M1078]

Rethinking again .

Thanks for making me look deeper.

 

[1951M1078]

The new idea. Will add the 3 gal. tank and then run the bypass lines to a valve then to tank.
Ideas ?

 

[Another Ahab]

The new idea. Will add the 3 gal. tank and then run the bypass lines to a valve then to tank.
Ideas ?View attachment 782797

Great plan! You got an outlet going to the kitchen which suggests potable water. Wonder if you need to consider a way to chlorinate the system form time-to-time.

But I am not a plumber, so it might not even be an issue. Anybody know?

 

[1951M1078]

[FONT=&quot]Even after going with the bypass system I am going to still add the 24V heater. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]This is the work that was needed to convert the SS air tank to a water heater and 3 gal. tank.

[/FONT]

 

[FloridaAKM]

That is very good work on the adding the 1" thread-o-let & good looking weld. If you had brushed the weld while still hot with a SS wire brush, it would have been as shiny as the rest of the tank. It is just cosmetic, so just an observation, not to detract from your work. I work with pipe welders who TIG ss 316L process pipe on a regular basis & that the way their work looks as it is always exposed.

 

[1951M1078]

Lazy .

 

[1951M1078]

Installed and testing for leaks.



Still need to install the return line. That's for tomorrow.

 

[Another Ahab]

That is very good work on the adding the 1" thread-o-let & good looking weld. If you had brushed the weld while still hot with a SS wire brush, it would have been as shiny as the rest of the tank. It is just cosmetic, so just an observation, not to detract from your work. I work with pipe welders who TIG ss 316L process pipe on a regular basis & that the way their work looks as it is always exposed.

No kidding, that is some good looking work.

Was that hole-saw carbide, did it cut through pretty easy?

 

[1951M1078]

Thanks.
Just bi-metal and some cutting oil. I even used a battery drill on the low speed setting.
Think its all about the speed of the cut.

 

[1951M1078]

[FONT=&quot]Today I got to do the first test with the heater on line. Worked great ![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]This 3 gal. of hot water on line works great.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Next will be a test with the 24V heater in the tank.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]But their is a lot of work to do on the Solar system.[/FONT]





Not sure why the flow is better in the system but I will take. What is funny is it is on both sides hot and cold ?
Test power came from my USB outlet with a 5 amp fuse. I didn't test the valve coil for power but no problem.
Will need to reset the water temp. Was a little high for a shower 125+ ? ( line from "Space Balls" TOO HOT ! ) LOL