off grid water heater question

[landdweller]

does anyone have one of these Coleman Hot Water on Demand Portable Hot Water Heater? Are they worth the $250 they cost? DO they work good? Or do you know one that would work better?

[wy_white_wolf]

I've looked at them but never thought they were worth the price. WE use a solar shower bags in the summer when we are at the ranch for hot water and heat it on the stiove in the winter. We have 2.5 gallon versions of this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Reliance-Solar-S...item3366231a1a

They are easier to handle and just the right amount for an afternoon shower. One bag also works for hot water for dishes in the evening.

Heating on the wood stove helps offset the dry air.


WWW

[fancy1]

We have one we bought three years ago. We dry camp in the desert once a year and it was used hard the last two years. It worked very well and we were happy with it. Until this year...
The main knob broke off and it's out of warranty. DH is now taking it apart to see if he can salvage it, remember we really do like the way it performed.

Yes, it was a lot of money but it was nice to have the hot water on demand. We camp in the high desert, so days are hot and nights cool off quite a bit. It was nice to have a hot shower before bed. But, if we can't get it back up and running we've decided that we'll go with the black bag/solar heated water instead.

[houndlover]

A cheaper alternative is to find an older travel trailer or RV that is being parted out, and plumb yourself a simple 12V and propane system. We use an old RV water heater (the kind without electronic controls), a gravity feed water tank, and a BBQ propane tank in our shop for hot water. The addition of a 12V solar or car battery and you can use a small RV water pump. The entire set up cost about $50 with parts from an old travel trailer. We also used several other parts, the fridge and stove for our outdoor canning kitchen, and then sold the salvage parts (siding, frame, etc), turning that $300 basket case trailer off craigslist into a $200 profit.

[City Bound]

That little water heater is cool. Land, do you want this for living off-grid? That is a good idea. Have you considered a solar hot water heater....they heat the water for free.

[wannabfree]

i second the solar/free option

[hotzcatz]

We have a Bosch Aquastar and it works well. Since DH likes to fill his huge tub and soak, it's really good never running out of hot water at least, as long as there's gas and water to the water heater.

[HeelSpur]

How about rigging up an uninsulated tank in your attic for summer use of hot water. With a little work and maybe some reinforcing, what a great way for to save $$$.

[michiganfarmer]

Originally Posted by wy_white_wolf

I've looked at them but never thought they were worth the price. WE use a solar shower bags in the summer when we are at the ranch for hot water and heat it on the stiove in the winter. We have 2.5 gallon versions of this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Reliance-Solar-S...item3366231a1a

They are easier to handle and just the right amount for an afternoon shower. One bag also works for hot water for dishes in the evening.

Heating on the wood stove helps offset the dry air.


WWW

I'd be al over that if I could get mywife on board

[michiganfarmer]

Originally Posted by houndlover

A cheaper alternative is to find an older travel trailer or RV that is being parted out, and plumb yourself a simple 12V and propane system. We use an old RV water heater (the kind without electronic controls), a gravity feed water tank, and a BBQ propane tank in our shop for hot water. The addition of a 12V solar or car battery and you can use a small RV water pump. The entire set up cost about $50 with parts from an old travel trailer. We also used several other parts, the fridge and stove for our outdoor canning kitchen, and then sold the salvage parts (siding, frame, etc), turning that $300 basket case trailer off craigslist into a $200 profit.

thats a neat idea. IM gonna look into that

[michiganfarmer]

abuot 10 years ago my dad took the tank out of an electric water heater, put in a box he built that had a wood frame, and glass walls and top to make his own solar water heater. We got the idea from how hot it gets iside of a car in the summer. His ddint work very well. I think maybe the box wasnt big enough