Camp shower?

[RJ Howell]

The pricing is getting better all the time! Here's another one I'm looking at: 1.6 GPM tankless water heter

Anyone using a unit like this? Can I use a 1lb bottle?
My feeling is it needs a pump (though not stated) or pressurized water source..

 

[RJ Howell]

Found a better unit and with discount very close in price, only this one states 3lbs minimal to run and has the regulator. 1.0GPM propane water heater

 

[smritte]

When I bought mine there were only two brands, Camplux and another. I have an older version of the one I linked. Its probably going on 10 years old. When you look at them make sure it has a main off switch. Some turn off by removing the batteries. The burner turns on/off by sensing water flow. On mine the two D size batteries power the igniter and have a long life.
I run a 1.5 GPM pump and need to keep the heater on the on the lowest heat setting. The down side is how fast the water cools off in the hose. Your going to rinse, soap, rinse. You control the flow by closing the nozzle. When you start the flow again, the water will be cold for a couple of seconds.
Most of my camping is winter. Using a solar water heater doesn't work for me.

 

[grubworm]

i bought a camplux a few years ago like @smritte linked and liked it. i ran it off a 1 pound tank and it did very well. i recently bought a gasland brand off amazon and mounted it in my camp trailer. it works extremely well and i use it off an 11 pound tank and supply it with water from a small sureflo pump i also bought off amazon. it could work gravity fed, but would need a pretty good head to give it proper flow.

those you referenced off ebay are a great price...maybe too good? i dont know, but it seems pretty cheap. i would be ok using it portable and outside, but i would be a little reluctant to use it mounted inside a camper. not to poop on your find...but i just get worried when there is a really cheap chinese product that is using a flammable/explosive substance. but yeah...that looks like the other units out there and i have great results with mine and i am also looking to use that type heater boondocking in my pickup where i will use a 12v inline pump to feed the heater water from a jerry can.

i paid a lot more for my units, but i can vouch for their quality


you wont need a lot of water flow, so i use a pump similar to this. the less flow the hotter it gets since the water has more time to heat up and i can say that the gasland i bought will get hot enough to peel the hide off of you if you reduce the flow too much...

 

[smritte]

I like that pump you listed. Too bad amazon wont ship it to me. Sometimes I hate the rules here.

 

[RJ Howell]

When I bought mine there were only two brands, Camplux and another. I have an older version of the one I linked. Its probably going on 10 years old. When you look at them make sure it has a main off switch. Some turn off by removing the batteries. The burner turns on/off by sensing water flow. On mine the two D size batteries power the igniter and have a long life.
I run a 1.5 GPM pump and need to keep the heater on the on the lowest heat setting. The down side is how fast the water cools off in the hose. Your going to rinse, soap, rinse. You control the flow by closing the nozzle. When you start the flow again, the water will be cold for a couple of seconds.
Most of my camping is winter. Using a solar water heater doesn't work for me.

Gotta ya on all of this and thank you for an honest opinion. I have on-demand at the house, so I get cold (cooler) coming first. I figure to remove the batteries as we travel (or not in use) and place as we need to use it. I figure this is one of those fill a couple 6g water cans and have a shower kinda thing. Yet that's exactly what I "want". We stay at commercial CG's to use their showers mainly. Give me a stream side where I can load my tanks and enjoy! Ya!

Hmm.. I may just grab this one.

 

[RJ Howell]

When I bought mine there were only two brands, Camplux and another. I have an older version of the one I linked. Its probably going on 10 years old. When you look at them make sure it has a main off switch. Some turn off by removing the batteries. The burner turns on/off by sensing water flow. On mine the two D size batteries power the igniter and have a long life.
I run a 1.5 GPM pump and need to keep the heater on the on the lowest heat setting. The down side is how fast the water cools off in the hose. Your going to rinse, soap, rinse. You control the flow by closing the nozzle. When you start the flow again, the water will be cold for a couple of seconds.
Most of my camping is winter. Using a solar water heater doesn't work for me.

I forgot to ask... How much fuel did you go through? My hope is get a few showers from a 1lb bottle. Maybe two?? What did/do you use for a tank?

 

[smritte]

I have a 10 pound propane tank. Not sure of the usage. On one of my trips, quite a few used my shower and the only issue was water.
Lets see if @grubworm can comment. he used 1 pound cans.

 

[MOAK]

I'll chime in, I have an 11 lb (2.5 gallon) Manchester tank. We took short Navy showers probably 4 times a week for nine weeks. Once a week we allowed ourselves a long luxurious shower. We may have used half of the propane.

 

[RJ Howell]

I'll chime in, I have an 11 lb (2.5 gallon) Manchester tank. We took short Navy showers probably 4 times a week for nine weeks. Once a week we allowed ourselves a long luxurious shower. We may have used half of the propane.

You say 'we', as in you bth took that amount of showers or that's the total combined. Doing some averaging of long shower to Navy, works out to ~50-60 showers on maybe 5lbs.. Be that number being both of you, then nearly 100-120 showers! Either way, more that I thought!

Depending.. May get 10-20 showers (Navy) off the 1lb'er. That's pretty cool! I may have found that reason now to buy a small 5lb-11lb tank.

Thank you for chiming in!

 

[RJ Howell]

not to poop on your find...but i just get worried when there is a really cheap chinese product that is using a flammable/explosive substance.

i paid a lot more for my units, but i can vouch for their quality

No worries, you didn't. Your unit has is under Electrolux who imports parts (and units) from several areas around the world including China. Paying a lot does not mean quality.
Thank you for the a report on 1lb bottle use.

 

[MOAK]

You say 'we', as in you bth took that amount of showers or that's the total combined. Doing some averaging of long shower to Navy, works out to ~50-60 showers on maybe 5lbs.. Be that number being both of you, then nearly 100-120 showers! Either way, more that I thought!

Depending.. May get 10-20 showers (Navy) off the 1lb'er. That's pretty cool! I may have found that reason now to buy a small 5lb-11lb tank.

Thank you for chiming in!

Ah, I should have clarified that- 4 showers each, and my wife shampood her long curly black Irish hair a couple times a week. We also have a dedicated 16 gallon tank for showers. There is also a pair of 10.5 gallon tanks in the trailer and a 5 gallon Jerry can for emergencies. With the sureflow pump and two hoses we can move water into or out of any one of the four tanks, or pump to the heater from any of them. Overkill? Hey, we had to crack open the emergency supply this past trip, as over the past 25 years it has become difficult to find fresh potable water anywhere west of the Mississippi, so we stock up when we can. That amount of H20 will last us, used conservatively, for 2 weeks. Just thought you’d like all my info on our H20 system.

 

[RJ Howell]

Ah, I should have clarified that- 4 showers each, and my wife shampood her long curly black Irish hair a couple times a week. We also have a dedicated 16 gallon tank for showers. There is also a pair of 10.5 gallon tanks in the trailer and a 5 gallon Jerry can for emergencies. With the sureflow pump and two hoses we can move water into or out of any one of the four tanks, or pump to the heater from any of them. Overkill? Hey, we had to crack open the emergency supply this past trip, as over the past 25 years it has become difficult to find fresh potable water anywhere west of the Mississippi, so we stock up when we can. That amount of H20 will last us, used conservatively, for 2 weeks. Just thought you’d like all my info on our H20 system.

I assumed what you confirmed. Just wanted to be sure. Far more than I ever thought! Seems I'll run out of water far earlier than propane. My plan is to dedicate my 2 6g Jerry cans. I guess I'm lucky or water is getting harder to find, yet traveling I always seem to find some. I'll also use stream water to wash-up with... but that's me.

 

[RJ Howell]

I bought the unit. Arrives just about on our return from the short run we're doing. Gives me 2 weeks to mount and play with it a bit before we head out again for a bit longer.

Thank you all! Safe Travels!

 

[RJ Howell]

Our current 'cold water' shower limits us to a gallon (okay 2 for her). Reality is it's a rinse. This is what we're missing as we weekly (4-5days) stay at a place with showers. Typically the place sucks and we can't wait to get out of there. This brings in so much!
Of course the first words from 'her' "only 6 gallons?" Response, "and what's left over from mine..."

I'm looking forward to her testing this with 6g of water and see want she thinks. Or even if she uses that much. I do know on hair washing day, she has better genes than I and her hair is still thick, it will take a bit more.

To do what we already do, with now hot water (warm at least would be wonderful) can seriously extend the back country smile! I'm not talking just hers.. mine also.

 

[Tundracamper]

1 BTU will raise 1 lb of water 1 degree F. So, lets say a 3 gallon shower, which is pretty decent. That’s 24 lbs of water. Starting water temp is 60 F and final temp is 100 F, which is a 40 degree difference. So, 24x40=960 BTU. If the efficiency is say 30%, then the same water requires 3,200 BTU (just guessing at the efficiency).

One pound of propane contains about 21,500 BTUs. Sooo, one poind of propane will provide 21,500/3200 = 6.7 showers. So, each pound of propane may give about 6 showers.

If you can come up with the real efficiency, you can estimate much better.

 

[MOAK]

That’s what I said- a shower every other day, for 2 people or 8 showers week, at 1.5 gallons, for 9 weeks and there’s still propane left over.! LOL- And that 30% efficiency is darn close !

 

[RJ Howell]

Check me on this. I believe I can restrict flow post heater and not effect pressure down stream of the heater. I believe I may increase psi to the heater by doing this. My pump is =/> the heater minimum so good there, yet flow rate is high. Want to decrease flow rate. I have a shower head regulator I already use and figure to try/adjust/set for best shower/water usage.

I just don't see reducing pre-heater. Let the mass/flow get there and stall..

Pre restrict or post restrict becomes the question. I'm at post restrict. Or is there even enough of a difference at this low a pressure?