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| Hot water heater temp regulator [message #161755] |
Mon, 27 February 2012 21:42  |
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RF_Burns
Messages: 2276
Registered: June 2008
Location: S. Ontario, Canada
Karma: 3
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I posted this under a hi-jacked thread so I thought I would put it in its own thread.
The engine coolant can produce some dangerous water temperatures coming out of the hot water heater while travelling. Here is a unit that regulates the water temperature to prevent scalds.
http://www.cashacme.com/prod_thermostatics_WHTC_kit.php
I heard they are mandatory here on new construction homes.
Note: I just went looking for the first website that had a clear picture and explanation of the units.
I haven't done this yet, but looks like a good idea! Anyone else used these things?
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
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| Re: Hot water heater temp regulator [message #161777 is a reply to message #161755] |
Tue, 28 February 2012 04:29  |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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--- Also moved from under the hijacked thread. ---
| Dan Winchester wrote on Mon, 27 February 2012 21:58 |
Another consideration for hot water in motor home for those with the hotwater heater located some distance from bath or kitchen is the waste of water waiting for hot water to get to sink or shower. We carry only 24 gallons of water so this is a significant issue for us since the water heater is on opposit side of coach from kitchen. This has caused us to not use the hot water heater, preferring to heat water for dishes on the stove.
There is however a solution for this that I just installed in the boat I am restoring. That is a line from the hot water side of kitchen faucet back to fresh water tank with a normaly closed electrically operated valve in the line and a momentary button to open valve. Now before opening faucet you push the button and hold it untill hot water gets to faucet dumping the cold water from pipes back into fresh water tank. It will take a little practice to figure out how long to hold button or you can get a little fancier and put in a normally closed aquastat in the circuit to sense when hot water arrives and it opens circuit to close valve.
Valve cost from e-bay $32, aquastat about $5, switch $5, some wire and pex pipe and fittings.
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Like this? <http://www.yandina.com/hints.htm#Water>
While I haven't actually done this, I like it. Besides saving water and waste tank space, it could be a way to fill the fresh tank when connected to city water. (Put a timer in the circuit.)
ALSO.... for when you find yourself in colder/freezing weather, you could cycle the hot water for long enough to warm up the fresh water tank, making a nice hot water bottle under your bed. This technique would probably work best when underway with the "stock" engine assist hot water, just before boon-docking for a few hours. (Then continuing on to someplace warm!)
OBTW: The Yandina (the makers of good combiners) site has lots of other good ideas. Mostly targeted to boaters, but many can be applied to our land yachts.
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Hot water heater temp regulator [message #161780 is a reply to message #161777] |
Tue, 28 February 2012 05:19 |
mickeysss
Messages: 1476
Registered: January 2012
Karma: 0
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you could use a water bed. to do this ...hot water - water bed
On Feb 28, 2012, at 2:29 AM, Mike Miller wrote:
>
>
> --- Also moved from under the hijacked thread. ---
> Dan Winchester wrote on Mon, 27 February 2012 21:58
>> Another consideration for hot water in motor home for those with the hotwater heater located some distance from bath or kitchen is the waste of water waiting for hot water to get to sink or shower. We carry only 24 gallons of water so this is a significant issue for us since the water heater is on opposit side of coach from kitchen. This has caused us to not use the hot water heater, preferring to heat water for dishes on the stove.
>>
>> There is however a solution for this that I just installed in the boat I am restoring. That is a line from the hot water side of kitchen faucet back to fresh water tank with a normaly closed electrically operated valve in the line and a momentary button to open valve. Now before opening faucet you push the button and hold it untill hot water gets to faucet dumping the cold water from pipes back into fresh water tank. It will take a little practice to figure out how long to hold button or you can get a little fancier and put in a normally closed aquastat in the circuit to sense when hot water arrives and it opens circuit to close valve.
>>
>> Valve cost from e-bay $32, aquastat about $5, switch $5, some wire and pex pipe and fittings.
>> --
>
>
> Like this? <http://www.yandina.com/hints.htm#Water>
>
> While I haven't actually done this, I like it. Besides saving water and waste tank space, it could be a way to fill the fresh tank when connected to city water. (Put a timer in the circuit.)
>
> ALSO.... for when you find yourself in colder/freezing weather, you could cycle the hot water for long enough to warm up the fresh water tank, making a nice hot water bottle under your bed. This technique would probably work best when underway with the "stock" engine assist hot water, just before boon-docking for a few hours. (Then continuing on to someplace warm!)
>
> OBTW: The Yandina (the makers of good combiners) site has lots of other good ideas. Mostly targeted to boaters, but many can be applied to our land yachts.
> --
> Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
> (#1)'73 26' exPainted D. -- (#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
> http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: Hot water heater temp regulator [message #161819 is a reply to message #161755] |
Tue, 28 February 2012 15:44 |
armandminnie
Messages: 864
Registered: May 2009
Location: Marana, AZ
Karma: 2
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I posted my solution to the hot water in the bath at http://tiny.cc/rp1db
There is some feeling that this won't work or that it will produce (reduced temp) hot water everywhere in the coach but I am saying it does not - it works great. We used the solution for the first time this past weekend at the GMCSJ rally in Ajo, AZ. We washed our hands and brushed our teeth in the bathroom for 3 nights, and washed dishes in the kitchen sink once. The hot water in the bath is very comfortable for showers and hand washing (no cold added) and the hot water in the kitchen was hot as usual. I am sure that some hot water is making its way into the cold now but we didn't notice it while brushing or washing dishes. We are both very happy with this solution.
Armand Minnie
Marana, AZ
'76 Eleganza II TZE166V103202
visit my gmc blog
click here to visit gmcws.org
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| Re: Hot water heater temp regulator [message #161836 is a reply to message #161819] |
Tue, 28 February 2012 21:53 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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| armandminnie wrote on Tue, 28 February 2012 14:44 |
I posted my solution to the hot water in the bath at http://tiny.cc/rp1db
There is some feeling that this won't work or that it will produce (reduced temp) hot water everywhere in the coach but I am saying it does not - it works great. We used the solution for the first time this past weekend at the GMCSJ rally in Ajo, AZ. We washed our hands and brushed our teeth in the bathroom for 3 nights, and washed dishes in the kitchen sink once. The hot water in the bath is very comfortable for showers and hand washing (no cold added) and the hot water in the kitchen was hot as usual. I am sure that some hot water is making its way into the cold now but we didn't notice it while brushing or washing dishes. We are both very happy with this solution.
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Great mod Armand! If it works, why make it any more complicated or expensive than it needs to be. I plan on doing it the same way.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: [GMCnet] Hot water heater temp regulator [message #161917 is a reply to message #161777] |
Wed, 29 February 2012 22:07 |
Douglas Norton
Messages: 191
Registered: April 2008
Karma: 0
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I plan to try Armand's mod. However, in reading of the way to save water by sending wasted non hot water back to the fresh water tank, I realized this has a great application for me if the weather is sub freezing. At seven below zero, my fresh pump froze. If I had recirculated hot water back to the holding tank, radiation form that tank would have kept the air temp high enough near the tank to prevent the lines and pump near the holding tank from freezing. (Just another unneeded mod for 99 percent of owners, I am in the one percent as a winter GMCing enthusiast.) Thanks to both contributors.
Doug Norton
73 Sequoia towing the tiny teal tin toad.
________________________________
Dan Winchester wrote on Mon, 27 February 2012 21:58
> There is however a solution for this that I just installed in the boat I am restoring. That is a line from the hot water side of kitchen faucet back to fresh water tank with a normaly closed electrically operated valve in the line and a momentary button to open valve. Now before opening faucet you push the button and hold it untill hot water gets to faucet dumping the cold water from pipes back into fresh water tank. ALSO.... for when you find yourself in colder/freezing weather, you could cycle the hot water for long enough to warm up the fresh water tank, making a nice hot water bottle under your bed. This technique would probably work best when underway with the "stock" engine assist hot water, just before boon-docking for a few hours. (Then continuing on to someplace warm!)
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| Re: Hot water heater temp regulator [message #161968 is a reply to message #161755] |
Thu, 01 March 2012 13:57 |
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John Heslinga
Messages: 632
Registered: February 2011
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Karma: 4
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I agree that the hot water in a heat exchanger type of water heater can get very close to boiling. This is because the engine coolant can actually get higher than boiling point due to antifreeze and pressure increasing the boiling point of the coolant. High engine temps during high load situations can really heat your galley water. Therefore the problems the posts have stated such as:
- extra pressure in the water system
- plastic pipe expanding and bursting
- safety pressure / temperature valve releasing
- dangerous water temperatures
- scalding when using hot water
- uncomfortable hot water
- other heat related items
Residential hot water systems heat water to a much lower temp for safety and really our GMCs should only heat to this lower temp. In fact if you only used electricity to heat the water it does. If you have gas it does the same.
While many if the mixing strategies are ingenious ways to "hack" or circumvent the problem, there is actually a good solution to limit the temperature in the first place.
Here is a post by JR Wright, that, IMHO provides the best answer.
Netters!
Atwood makes a kit to control the temp of your hot water tank for
those of you that have engine heat with your HW tank. It was featured
in a tech articles in the GMC Motorhome News March 2005, Issue number
43, Page 6 and September 2009, Issue number 60, Page 5. It is called
a "Heat Exchanger Valve Kit" and contains a temp switch, 12 volt NC
solenoid and an NC vacuum operated coolant valve. Cinnabar has them
in stock for about $63 plus shipping. I have not found them elsewhere
as of yet, but you may be able find the kit locally or order it at one
of your RV supplier that handles Atwood service parts. There is no
part# on the package only the number under the bar code which is 6
92931 91975.
Regards,
John and Cathie Heslinga
1974 Canyonlands 260
455, Manny tranny and 1 ton, 3:70 LS,
Red Seal Journeyman, DTE, BEd. MEd.
Edmonton, Alberta
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