laurajean
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58 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by laurajean on Sept 21, 2020 9:08:33 GMT -8
Good afternoon from Chilly New England, 39 Degrees this morning. Nice Crisp air. This got me to thinking after 9 hours of hard work on my recent 58 Shasta purchase. What are your thoughts on hot water heaters? Seems an appropriate installation since I have a lot of my front end, and sides wide open redoing the floors. I am looking for pros/cons and if you've done it any help would be greatly appreciated. I see their are both gas and elec models. I plan on upgrading my electrical, from my original glass fuses to a 12v, 110 and hook up for solar. But, that's way ahead. Also going to add a real fridge, if you have any suggestions. Thanks
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Sept 21, 2020 9:21:30 GMT -8
We got a tankless heater 11 years ago when we restored Hamlet (ham style Compact).. it’s gas, but uses a battery to light the pilot when it senses water coming through the line. We live in the PNW and camp in weather into the low 20s. The water is plenty hot and always hot. We don’t use it in the kitchen as it’s quick and easy to use water from a teakettle. Also, we use less water when we use the teakettle. We use it for showering, which is a wonderful extravagance after either being cold, or working up a sweat all day! The only problems we have ever had were the two times we didn’t drain it when we left and the outside temp got down into the teens. Popped a line,but my hubby fixed it.
Space can also be an issue in small trailers. We mounted ours on the wall behind the porta potty in our closet to wet room conversion. I guess under the sink would be a good place. The models have gotten smaller over the years, so you could have several choices.
Best wishes with your ongoing build!
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laurajean
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58 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by laurajean on Sept 21, 2020 9:48:13 GMT -8
Thank you for the reply. I unfortunatly don't have a bathroom, so looking into the Joolca hot shower set up that I could set up outside my Shasta, set up a enclosed tent and good to go. Could also use for emergency bathroom visit. But, you maybe correct and maybe the hot water heater in the camper for hot water to the sink is really not worth it, if your just adding water from your tea kettle. Ummm. Have to ponder on this. Thank you for your perspective.
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laurajean
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58 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by laurajean on Oct 2, 2020 7:58:12 GMT -8
Hamlet, what brand of tankless heater did you get. They seem pretty pricy for my use, only going to be kitchen sink
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Oct 3, 2020 7:51:11 GMT -8
Hamlet, what brand of tankless heater did you get. They seem pretty pricy for my use, only going to be kitchen sink If you’re only going to use it for the kitchen sink, you may be better off just heating water in a teakettle on the stove. We use ours only for showering. It’s an EcoSmart and 11 years ago ran around $150. There are gas (like ours, uses a battery to light the pilot) or electric. If your email where it’s chilly, make sure you get one that works with colder water and weather. |
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John Palmer
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Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
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Post by John Palmer on Oct 3, 2020 8:42:59 GMT -8
Propane heated, Tankless, "D" size battery for ignition, and we have instant HOT WATER in five seconds. It uses propane only when heating the water, since it's tankless. It came from Amazon, just pick out one that will adapt to your available space. It was less than $150. Has worked great for the past two years.
I have used tankless 110v electric heaters in the past, and was never satisfied. They slow the water flow to gain the increase in water temperature. Not good for washing dishes.
John
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DayDreamer
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1955 Aljoa & 1960 Oasis
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Post by DayDreamer on Oct 10, 2021 14:13:24 GMT -8
Propane heated, Tankless, "D" size battery for ignition, and we have instant HOT WATER in five seconds. It uses propane only when heating the water, since it's tankless. It came from Amazon, just pick out one that will adapt to your available space. It was less than $150. Has worked great for the past two years. I have used tankless 110v electric heaters in the past, and was never satisfied. They slow the water flow to gain the increase in water temperature. Not good for washing dishes. John Just purchased my ‘55 Aljoa 16 and the PO had removed the water heater, which was on the street side, before new skins were installed. He was then using an electric tankless heater he added under the kitchen sink. When I bought it there was no water heater since it had quit working and he had removed it. if I wanted to add a gas heater it has to be vented, correct? So I would most likely need to add a door and install it on the side of the trailer since my kitchen sink is at the front of the trailer. I think the water tank was also removed since there is a small 5 gallon container under the sink that feeds to the kitchen faucet. He had decided not to use his shower so he disconnected it. I would eventually like to reconnect the shower so I’m wondering if I would be better off buying an inexpensive electric water heater for now and when I get ready to do the restoration purchase the more expensive gas water heater and if I need to install a new water tank I could do that at the same time. I started looking online for electric tankless heaters and between finding good reviews, amps needed, etc I’m not sure what to buy. I’ve read quite a few threads but can’t find a recommendation for an electric heater so any recommendations would be helpful. Thx much! |
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Post by vikx on Oct 10, 2021 21:14:43 GMT -8
Electric water heaters are not recommended in a vintage trailer unless it has been upgraded to 30 amps. The original wiring is too thin a guage to support more than 15 amps and that is if the ONLY thing running is the water heater...
You can also buy a portable camp shower heater that would work in your shower. The usually come with the head and water lines and get water thru a garden hose. It would be temporary; this type of heater is usually hung on a tree. Maybe run the line in thru the window or?
I would go with gas on demand, much more efficient and cheaper than an RV water heater. (start around $400) It sounds like the PO may have had water leaks and disconnected what was inconvinient to get to. If your trailer has old copper water lines, most certainly they leak.
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DayDreamer
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1955 Aljoa & 1960 Oasis
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Post by DayDreamer on Oct 11, 2021 9:44:28 GMT -8
The electrical has been upgraded to 30amp. So until I can restore the shower and lines to a gas heater, which will probably be a year or so down the road, I will just need water for the sink. So any recommendations for a small electrical tankless I can plug in under sink? Thx
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Post by vikx on Oct 11, 2021 14:31:42 GMT -8
I've never needed one. Check with used building suppliers; Habitat, the Restore, they sometimes have them.
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turbodaddy
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17' 1965 Fan "Sunseeker"
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Post by turbodaddy on Oct 12, 2021 18:05:55 GMT -8
This conversation makes me want to remind folks that a tiny vintage camper (travel trailer) was never really intended to have all of the comforts of home. We're talking "camping" here.
Mine is a 14' box. If it is cold outside and we cook pasta, everything condenses inside. Windows fog up, and bedding near windows gets wet. We try to remove that moisture with a roof vent fan and by opening some windows a bit. The amount of moisture you will introduce with a hot shower will be way, way more that just cooking produces. I can do a respectable job of "bathing" with less than a gallon of water heated on the stove. Maybe not a "fresh" as if I'd had an actual shower, but clean enough to feel better and not offend other people. It helps that I am almost completely bald. We only revert to this method of bathing when boondocking. Most campgrounds have pretty decent showering facilities, and after 3 or 4 days boondocking, we seek out someplace with showers, laundry and dump station. Then off we go happily back to the boonies. It is all about being realistic regarding what kind of camping you plan on doing. I prefer keeping it as simple as possible.
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