16' Series Portable lpg hot water heaters

[Ted&Na]

We have a single axle 2009 Jayco expanda with no ensuite. We are looking to do more free camping and one of the things we "need" is a hot shower. Has anyone bought, used, installed had issues with the portable LPG hot water heaters, have you used them as much as you thought you would and how did you supply water pressure to them when in remote places?

Cheers in advance!

 

[rags]

We also have a 2009 van which had no water heater and so acquired the Smartek water heater. We only used it for showers when camping with no facilities. We would rely on a 20 lt water jerry can on the drawbar for water and could get up to 4 showers using water sparingly. We often had a spare 2nd jerry available. I would hang it off the front right side pop top lock down latch.
The biggest issue was the need to store the unit when travelling, the need to set up when at camp and also the fact that the heater needs 2 d size batteries for ignition and they are always flat when you went to uses it. I say that with the thought that you still need 12 volt to run the pump so why not for the ignition.
The heaters work well for the cost price.

In order to be more organised and equipped I have since install a water heater and external shower to avoid the need to set up the shower. Although the concept works, the heater I got (Camac instantaneous) is problematic And can waste a lot of water getting to temperature. As it is drawing from the main tanks it is easy to waste water without monitoring the use. When we were drawing out of the water jerry through the Smartek heater you knew what you had to use.

So to sum up, the Smartek was better than no heated water at all and excluding the issue of storage and set up may in fact be a better option than the plumbed unit ( although we now also have hot water.at the sink).

 

[poor but proud]

cold showers is something i know a lot about,in our camping days we used a coleman cube portable hot water system, they work fine as they have an internal 12 volt battery(rechargable 12v or 240v) to run the pump and ignite the gas,they work fine, more so if you run the water through a couple of time to get the temp you want,just drop the shower head into the storage bucket until the temp you want is achieved. it actually uses less water than the caravan shower as you are not wasting the water in the van lines, the down side is the 1kg gas bottles are expensive over $10 retail,you can (probably not actually legal) refill them from a doner lpg cylinder or use a a larger cylinder if you purchase the correct connection hose (if memory serves me correct coleman fittings). the other downside is their size and having to find a space in van or tug, just for the odd trip, solar shower bags work ok ,if the weather is overcast you can add warm water from you kettle to achieve the desired temp, now you will have to look a portable ensuite tent so you dont scare the wildlife,

 

[DRW]

I saw a complete portable lpg shower system at RTM today $189 didn’t have a good look but it might no okay?

 

[Ted&Na]

Sounds like the definitely a few trade offs to consider! I like the simple idea of heating the kettle for the solar bag! Lol nice and simple!

 

[Drover]

In tent days it was the heat the billy and shower bag from a branch, then moved on to a solar shower bag, hot water from a jerry can laid out in sun or boiled on billy, heat exchanger fitted to Landrover s manifold worked fantastic to heat water and pumped from jerry can to shower rose, the portable gas HWS systems that run off a normal LPG gas bottle seem to work well from ones I have seen, once you have power and water plumbing sorted out they are just plug an play. One I saw had water plumbed from van with shower tent set up, HWS mounted on rear bar in a box with gas from a bayonet fitting.

 

[jazzeddie1234]

I've used all sorts and discarded for various reasons...
The portable LPG variety work really well but are a bit bulky, and clunky to set up, especially for short stays
The 12v pump/shower in a hot bucket of water is easy to set up, works really well, but you have to heat the water...

So I'm back to the old faithful solar water bag that sits on a box in the ute cab. It gets hot quickly in the afternoon sun and heat from the cabin. Hangs nicely over the edge of the extended awning (height adjustable!) and into the pop-up shower tent. Good for 2 showers.

 

[Crusty181]

I have the older style Coleman HWS. Self-contained with its own 1lb gas bottle Gas,and rechargeable battery etc all in one neat unit just add water. 4ltrs per minute flow rate, 140ltrs total from a single bottle and single battery charge. Ive had it for 15years, love it, and still use it even with a 21ft caravan with bathroom. When I go camping (swag etc) I take it on every trip

 

[mfexpanda]

I have the older style Coleman HWS. Self-contained with its own 1lb gas bottle Gas,and rechargeable battery etc all in one neat unit just add water. 4ltrs per minute flow rate, 140ltrs total from a single bottle and single battery charge. Ive had it for 15years, love it, and still use it even with a 21ft caravan with bathroom. When I go camping (swag etc) I take it on every trip

I have one of those as well @Crusty181

 

[WHHEMI]

I have the older style Coleman HWS. Self-contained with its own 1lb gas bottle Gas,and rechargeable battery etc all in one neat unit just add water. 4ltrs per minute flow rate, 140ltrs total from a single bottle and single battery charge. Ive had it for 15years, love it, and still use it even with a 21ft caravan with bathroom. When I go camping (swag etc) I take it on every trip

We had 3 of these and they where the biggest heaps of crap I have ever owned, we ended up demanding our money back.

 

[Crusty181]

We had 3 of these and they where the biggest heaps of crap I have ever owned, we ended up demanding our money back.

Your either unlucky, or I'm very bloody lucky. Never misfired and its been on active duty consistently all it's life ... its last day out was last week.