Hot shower straight from your BOV?

[FL-Jeeper]

We all know that should TSHTF, good hygiene is key to survival. But what if you're out on an extended camping trip... or you're stuck at your primary AO & a severe weather event causes an extended power outage... or any number of other reasons you may have, if you're gettin grubby, it's nice to have more options than a baby wipe & a bar of soap.

Front & center is an RV water pump, rated at 1.6 gallon per minute @ 30psi. Just to the right, a copper heat exchanger plumbed into the return heater hose. This is for temperature regulation via the cab heater. If the water is too hot, turn on the cab heat. If you want a cold shower or are using the system to transfer water from container to container, simply run the pump with the engine off.

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p175/rock_scott/OBSInstall009.jpg

Here a mockup shot in the driveway. The green hose in the blue water can is the source while the black hose is the working end. I have a sink sprayer on a hose barb that fits the black hose & when not in use the green hose is coiled up & stuffed next to the battery tray. Again, when not in use, the black hose tucks nicely next to the air box & it all fits under the hood.

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p175/rock_scott/OBSInstall008.jpg

Add a longer hose, a tarp for a curtain... maybe a pallet to stand on & you have OBS (On Board Shower) :)

[Evolver]

Fantastic!!! I could have used this method numerous times when we did allot of car camping with our four kids. I lifted a old tent trailer so it had more ground clearance and I ran the same tires and rims on it as our 4X4 SUV had. I drug that thing into some hard to get to and amazing places for camping for weeks at a time and the wife, kids and I could have used this hot water method for sure!!!

[Sniper-T]

I can see the value for this for you guys down there. and it's an awesome idea Jeeper! but make sure you have only water in there.

Up here we run -60 antifreeze. kinda slimy for washing

[Echo2]

That's cheating.....:)

[FL-Jeeper]

but make sure you have only water in there.

Up here we run -60 antifreeze. kinda slimy for washing

Not sure I follow? The heat exchanger keeps the water being pumped & vehicle coolant isolated. The water coming out of the pump is as clean as your water can (or other source).

This exchanger was bought assembled however anyone could make one with several feet of 1/2" copper tube coiled through a short length of 2" copper pipe. Solder a couple of hose fittings & hose barbs for fitment into the vehicle and attachment of hoses. Easy peasy.

The one thing I do need is some type of particulate filter on the feed end. I don't imagine running silty or sandy water through that pump would be very good for it.

[FL-Jeeper]

That's cheating.....:)

Hmm, I always heard if ya ain't cheatin, ya ain't trying hard enough. ;)

[izzyscout21]

Love it. Freakin genius.........

[Sniper-T]

So, I'm not quite following then... The coolant is run through the small coiled pipe to heat the water being run through the big one?

I'm not quite sure where the heat exchanger is getting the heat

[FL-Jeeper]

So, I'm not quite following then... The coolant is run through the small coiled pipe to heat the water being run through the big one?

I'm not quite sure where the heat exchanger is getting the heat

The heat exchanger is comprised of the following components:

Main body: 12" to13" of 2" diameter copper pipe, two copper end caps, two threaded male hose ends & 2 1/2" hose barbs. End caps are drilled to accommodate the fittings & the whole shebang is solder sealed. Take a look at the first picture & you can see the plumbing on one end. The other end is identical with the threaded hose fittings on top & the hose barbs pointing down (which assists in attachment of the heater hoses).

Internals: Fitted & soldered inside the main body is a loose coil of 1/2" copper tubing which the ends of terminate with the hose barbs sticking out of the end caps. The interior of the main body, outside the copper tubing, is passable only through the male hose fittings located on either end of the main body.

Premise of operation: A section of heater hose is cut out & the heat exchanger is fitted into place attaching the cut ends of the heater hose to the hose barbs on the end caps. Attach the inlet end of your RV pump to a water source (jerry can, bucket, stream) and the output to one of the threaded hose ends of the main body and attach your showerhead on the other end. At this point in the installation you've just replaced about a foot of rubber heater hose with this copper creation and the vehicles water pump will now push hot coolant through the 1/2" copper tubing constantly, 24/7, leak-free. Hopefully...

Anyhow, the RV pump pushes fresh water from your jerry can through the interior of the main body of the heat exchanger (hence the name), again hopefully leak-free, coming out our sprayer at a very comfortable temperature. Oh & still pure water.

[Sniper-T]

Gotcha! Pretty slick!

Now how about a gravity system? As long as pressure wasn't required at the outlet (showerhead), This could provide a system to provide warm/hot water by melting snow, which could be packed into an upper reservoir, left to melt and flow through the exchanger, and fill a bottle placed below the bumper?

Assuming one had room under the hood, a larger, or trough shaped exchanger, with the coil runing along the bottom and a closable lid could also be used. Pop the lid, plop in a bunch of snow/ice, let it thaw/simmer in there, and open a draincock to fill a container. Probably need a PRV, depending on how tight the lid seals.

Interesting... very interesting!!

[FL-Jeeper]

Gotcha! Pretty slick!

Now how about a gravity system? As long as pressure wasn't required at the outlet (showerhead), This could provide a system to provide warm/hot water by melting snow, which could be packed into an upper reservoir, left to melt and flow through the exchanger, and fill a bottle placed below the bumper?

Assuming one had room under the hood, a larger, or trough shaped exchanger, with the coil runing along the bottom and a closable lid could also be used. Pop the lid, plop in a bunch of snow/ice, let it thaw/simmer in there, and open a draincock to fill a container. Probably need a PRV, depending on how tight the lid seals.

Interesting... very interesting!!

Yes, there are a number of helpful functions/tasks this setup could accomplish. With the current deep cycle battery & an added solar charger, this could be used to harvest drinking water prior to purification. It could also be used to transfer water from a large container, trailer or blivet to fill smaller water cans as well. Proper sanitation of potable water is a concern of course but otherwise, I find it pretty useful.

[Sniper-T]

I don't know if you noticed or figured it out yet, but I am not from your world! I come from a land of snow and ice far, far, really freakin' far to the North of ya!

I'm thinking of a way to melt/heat water from snow and/or ice. A state that I live in for about 5 months of the year.

It'll certainly bear further investigation, but I REALLY like the premise. A hose with a valve in the cab, would be great for reclimation. But I think I'd have to tie into the heater in the cab as well, otherwise one would have to keep going outside to refill the reservoir. As opposed to opening a window or door, and scooping some in.

For the most part, 99% of the places around here, the water is perfectly potable directly from the stream or lake. As is melted snow. It is just a matter of finding an energy efficient manner to melt it and/or heat it.

[FL-Jeeper]

Yeah I gathered you were up there in great white north. ;)

You can make it be what you need. Take the idea & run with it man. Using the heat from the vehicles motor is the key. You can plumb up any type of device to melt your water. Take a few feet of copper tube & coil it up so it'll fit in your bucket & let er rip!

[bacpacker]

Excellent thought Jeeper. I am gonna have to come up with some similance of your set up. I have thought at times about getting a small 12v pump, hi capacity to use in a trailer to fill buckets, tubs, or whatever for transporting water. I just haven't gave much thought to heating it.

Sniper, maybe give some thought to wrapping copper pipe around a muffler or a section of exhaust. As cold as you get the extra heat would probably help you. Maybe try and find a good conductive epoxy, JB Weld, or something that would aid in heat transfer over a larger area and make it continous.

[ak474u]

Ya know, there is another possible thing that you could use the motor for, assuming you had the gas in a survival situation.... What about making a water purification still? Maybe a gallon metal teapot style canister, copper coil, and voila! Purified water! I think... I was thinking about making a small copper still for campfire water purification use just to see if it would work.

[Sniper-T]

What an awesome thread!!!

[FL-Jeeper]

Ya know, there is another possible thing that you could use the motor for, assuming you had the gas in a survival situation.... What about making a water purification still? Maybe a gallon metal teapot style canister, copper coil, and voila! Purified water! I think... I was thinking about making a small copper still for campfire water purification use just to see if it would work.

Well, to expand on that idea~ the 12v pump only draws 3amps... it could be run off a battery bank & a trickle charger.

[medic421]

I purchased one of the heat exchangers years ago and use it all the time when i go camping where there are not real shower facilities. I love it and anyone that didn't want to take a cold shower also loves it. LOL

Purchased it after being at a large outdoor mucis fest and had nothing but cold water to shower with. Following year I had this and did not have to take that cold shower again. Plus I sold hot showers to people to help pay for it. LOL