Almost endless hot water

[SternWake]

Paint only half the bottle black and aim clear side at sun for fastest heat up. Reflectix in c shape concentrates solar radiation.

I almost always have some 90 degree or hotter water. I think of it as additional energy storage.

When i use 12v heating pad. Heating shower bag via sunlight saves significant battery power.

The black south facing dashboard is awesome. But in cooler weather the dashboard can suck heat from the bag. I have a dash rug which slows the transfer of heat to and from bag.

In cooler weather if the bag is up against the cold glass. No bueno.

One can go bonkers maximizing harvesting the sun's heat for water.

But so nice to have, especially when no propane or electricity is required.

 

[BradKW]

People, people.... I was joking about the 50 gallons!  Who carries over 400 pounds of water???

And while you can buy a water heater, or buy a pool heater mat and a pump, or install solar power, or turn your entire van into a luxurious spa, for some of us, cheap and simple rules.

Well, actually I just placed an order for my 50 gal fresh tank... http://www.plastic-mart.com/product/11118/trionic-50-gallon-holding-tank-wh-2050-2

I only did it because Speedhighway46 has one... he told me that as long as I'm driving 70mph and with the earth's rotation, it will only weigh 260 lbs...

 

[TrainChaser]

*snicker*

 

[highdesertranger]

at last years RTR I came with 90 gallons. probably do the same this year. highdesertranger

 

[kayell]

It looks like many rear cargo racks will carry 500 lbs. That would haul even more than 50 gallons. My grandfather and family went FL to CA in summer of 1941 (last long trip for a while) with a 50 gallon water tank on the back of the family car.

 

[jimindenver]

Being used to SternWake writing up highly technical things, I began reading his post carefully. Fully visualizing the peeling and sanding and painting with a certain type of enamel...and then from the word pecker through the next paragraph I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

Thanks, I needed that.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[highdesertranger]

hey you want endless hot water. find a hot spring. highdesertranger

 

[rvpopeye]

Wouldn't 4-5 hundred# on the back end make the steering kinda squirrely?

 

[TrainChaser]

rvpopeye: Well, yeah, kinda: http://www.craigchamberlainonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Squirrel-driving.jpg

 

[rvpopeye]

Squirrel !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BigT]

I have been thinking about a black ABS pipe solar water heater mounted to the roof rack beside the solar panels...just haven't gotten roundtuit yet.

That's what I use, and I'm designing another system from 4 lengths of 3" PVC with manifolds at the ends to hold another 5 gallons.  
Just a few psi in the tank is all it takes to keep the water flowing at a steady and useable rate. 
This system holds just over 5 gallons.  

 

[kayell]

Wouldn't 4-5 hundred# on the back end make the steering kinda squirrely?

I've wondered about that. Presumably if you wanted 50 gallons you could split the weight and put some in smaller containers behind the front seats.  

I don't know if my grandfather ran with his tank full all the time; he may have wanted the insurance of lots of water when crossing the deserts. He was an engineer, so I'm sure he worked out the weight distribution somehow. 

There was a large cooler/refrigerator behind the front seats that crossed the hump - ice on one side, food on the other, some kind of fan to distribute the cold air from side to side. Tube from the ice side so they could drink the cold melt water while driving. The top of the cooler was even with the back seat and also served to support the mattress my mother and uncle slept on. Granddad and Grandmom slept in a homemade rooftop tent.

 

[LadyJo]

That's what I use, and I'm designing another system from 4 lengths of 3" PVC with manifolds at the ends to hold another 5 gallons.  
Just a few psi in the tank is all it takes to keep the water flowing at a steady and useable rate. 
This system holds just over 5 gallons.  

I would love to understand more about that system. Getting the water into the pipes, building the pressure for a shower, hot to turn on and off the shower head. Could a hose be hooked up so you could shower away from the side of the van?

 

[BradKW]

If I linked it right, BigT's build thread shows some details: https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-My-2010-Ford-Transit-Connect-conversion?pid=152471#pid152471

 

[BigT]

I would love to understand more about that system. Getting the water into the pipes, building the pressure for a shower, hot to turn on and off the shower head. Could a hose be hooked up so you could shower away from the side of the van?

It's fairly simple.  Just some pipe, a few fittings and some way of mounting it to your rig.  My build-thread should cover it, but feel free to ask any questions and I'll be happy to answer as best I can.  

Just be sure to ask your questions in my thread and not this one.  We don't want to drag this one too far off topic. 

Here's a link to the full thread -------- >  https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-My-2010-Ford-Transit-Connect-conversion