Michael,
Your hot water system sounds great!
Can you give me an estimate of how much water is initially wasted waiting
for the water to cool down to a temp that you can stand? I like to camp long
term in the desert and wasted water is a big consideration of me. By the
way, the phone number for R & M is apparently unchanged. I am currently in
the Windsor area and looked up in the phone book.
Thanks
Bill
90 Westy Syncro
Lake Tahoe
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Avrea <Vanadiesel@AOL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Saturday, January 09, 1999 12:09 AM
Subject: Re: Hot water system thoughts

>Hi Nathaniel,
>        I bought a system from R & M Specialty Products that taps into a
heater line
>and heats the water as it passes thru an exchanger. The kit included the
>exchanger, a good quality pump, lots of lines and fittings etc.. I use it
for
>a shower and sometimes dishes. I suppose you could run it back to the tank
or
>a tank for a more efficient delivery of the hot water. One of the draw
backs
>is that you do loose some water waiting for the temp to stabilize as the
water
>that first goes thru the exchanger is really hot but quickly levels off to
a
>perfect temp. I'm running mine off the stock Westy water tank and have not
>disturbed the hookups to the sink but have simply tapped another line into
the
>tank running to the supplied pump then snaked the line going off the pump
thru
>the cabinet, into the compartment under the rear seat and thru a hole I cut
in
>the floor to come out right where the heater line is. I mounter the
exchanger
>there and ran the line off it so it comes to an on/off hose fitting right
>under where the sliding door shuts. When I want to use it I hook up my
shower
>hose to that fitting, open the valve and turn on the pump (I've installed a
>switch in the face of the rear seat cabinet next to the sliding door). I
wait
>a few seconds for the temp to settle and Heaven....a hot shower! And you
can
>go thru the whole tank without the temp dropping.
>        I got it several years ago and I think it was about $200 dollars. R
& M's
>number at that time was 707 838 3869 and they were in Windsor, California
P.O.
>Box 1683.
>Hope this helps.
>Michael Avrea
>82 Diesel Westy
>Ventura, California USA
>
>
>In a message dated 1/8/99 11:04:54 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
>nmerrill@PARAMETRIX.COM writes:
>
><< Hello all,
> I have been contemplating this for a while and thought I would elicit
>comments from the majority...
> I would like to have hot (if not at least warm) water in the westy for
these
>cold seasons.  I am aware of the Zodi systems which look nice and
functional
>but they don't meet the "I built it" project requirements.  Although they
may
>have a place in the system after all.   My idea is was stolen from my
mothers
>Rialta (and many others I am sure).  Use the engine to heat the water.  I
>originally thought of one of those extra "grey" water or other tanks
mounted
>between the beams as a separate hot water tank.    The idea is to tap into
one
>of the long engine-to-radiator coolant pipes underneath the van.   Add in a
>short side trip to a copper ( or other material for possible corrosion
>complications) coil which is mounted inside the tank, and then back to the
>coolant pipe.  Throw in some valves on the extension so it could be shut
off
>and there it is.   I think I may go with the original westy tank after all.
I
>usually don't drink from the tank (drinking water usually carried separate)
so
>it would be fine if this water was always warm.  And in the winter warm
water
>would be ok anyway.  This would also be a great way to store some heat
after
>shut down to keep the interior warmer longer,  14 gallons of water holds a
lot
>of energy!  Coolant temp is over the boiling point of water so the
potential
>for really hot water after a longish trip is good I think.
> Any potential problems with the system?  Water pump strain? material
>incompatibilities? Etc,etc, Any body already done this? >>
>