Make hot water in your van, while you drive! 

can you share on how you did that

Howdy, Do you maybe have a video of the setup, or parts list and a diagram? Many thanks in advance for your time and assistance, it's much appreciated. C.I.M.

Hi Filip, can you share how you did it? A partslist would help as well.

Thank you!

I haven’t installed a low point drain since van #01. Run the tank dry and blow the lines.

Please do!

My 98 Xplorer heats the water heater from the motor. I also added a 110v heat rod to heat off the generator, shore power or solar.

@@yvairguy Interesting!

I have a Promaster coming in for the first of the year.

I wish you the best with your build! 👍

Noted. Thank you!

Be aware of the weight you will have up there. Not to alter the center of gravity too much

You're very welcome!

Thanks for the tips!

Paul, do you have a pump on the your Isotherm to circulate the coolant from the engine or not?

@@mattadams7261 you don’t need pump, the engine water pump is always on when running. It circulates thur engine block and thur heater coil and isotherm if allowed. It works perfectly.I am now installing electric ball valves.

Correct

In terms of physics, you are correct. However, the fact that the water is being sent to the faucet at upwards of 150 to 170°F. I wouldn’t mind losing a little more heat at that point as well!

I like that, have a e-valve solenoid switch on the dash for summer days when you dont need hot water or really just dont want a hot van

who wants a hot shower anyway when it is 30°C outside anyway. I like your idea a lot.

Tankless requires power every time. this system requires zero power.

Once installed, the only thing left to do is smile 😊

@@HumbleRoad haha. Until your guest forgets that your outdoor shower can be 170 degrees 😬 I’d love to hear more about the pros and cons for someone like me who isn’t full time

I don't trust spring clamps. But that's just me.

He deliberately did not type a chassis anti-freeze back to my system for a most important reason. If anything were to happen to those lines, the vehicle is in operable with my set up. If anything happens to the lines only the water heater is in operable. And I did want to step back on the efficiency of the system. A pro master runs normally at 215° with the heat exchangers in place. I am still making 170° water which is rather hi it’s Spaulding so anything I can do to step it down I’ll do.

I deliberately did not pipe the chassis anti-freeze back to my system for a most important reason. If anything were to happen to those lines, the vehicle is in operable, with my set up, If anything happens to the lines only the water heater is in operable. And I did want to step back on the efficiency of the system. A pro master runs normally at 215° with the heat exchangers in place. I am still making 170° water which is rather hot

If the heat exchanger is still in your engine bay, how you have it, but you're pumping your water through it to heat it directly, then if anything happens to the lines under the chassis you will only lose the water and not a load of glycol. Correct me if I'm wrong and thanks for taking the time to make the video.

* your knowledge

The hoses are not so easily routed to and through that fire wall without blocking or compromising another system under the hood. Best route is straight down and over the steering axle.

Thank you Brett, for supporting my channel. .

Except then you have to leave the tank “on” all the time, making hot water through the inverter .

I’m pretty sure it opens and closes the connection without power. A gas water heater has no power to the thermostat. It just opens and closes a circuit. It’s worth looking into.

Correct, no space in the engine bay.

Yes, PLEASE, a parts list especially the billet intercooler. TIA

@@gme5802 I would love a list of items with links to stores. I am going crazy trying to find these parts and the right sizes for my van. Pleeeease?

Morning!

As I explained in the video, the reservoir must be positioned at the highest point in the system. Otherwise, it will overflow!

On second thought, you did say that the tank needs to be higher than the rest of the system. Duh.

Resevoir needs to gravity feed the pump to work properly so low resevoir isnt ideal. Look at the location of your resevoirs in your car.

I know a few builders using the very same exchanger in their builds without issue. I have three vans out in the wild using this heat exchanger without issues. One van is full time, running every single day!

I believe that this plate heat exchanger is fully brazed meaning there are no seals on the plate pack, it seems very robust to me.

Yes

I will vent the reservoir outside the van, but if you keep the coolant level one inch and a half down from the top of the tank, it will not boil over. In a Promaster, there is not room under the hood for the reservoir. Sprinters? yes, I put the tank on the aux battery tray, if it is not occupied.

The water pump (when on) is pushing cold water into the water heater, where it is heated and sent out to the hot manifold for dispersion throughout the van.

Rixen

Yes this could work but I don’t think you would get too much energy out of it.

Ball valves are fine, except the engine coolant is at risk making the journey to the water heater and back

@@HumbleRoad I would have loved to build my van with you as I am sure it would have turned into another masterpiece. I would Love to connect and share some ideas I have applied into my built that haven’t seen done yet.

@@HumbleRoad also why do you prefer this system to the isoterm itself with all built in already?

I mentioned in the video that this water heater also has a 120VAC heater coil immersed in the tank. Turn on the inverter and turn on the heater. 750W so it takes a little bit of time to heat up, but that's another way to make hot water with this set-up.

While I agree it is a fine, rugged piece of equipment, but the Isotemp is not made for exterior mounting. It is from the marine world, where its intended use is in the bilge or engine room.

@@HumbleRoad Right, just figured out they're using a different brand, the "SureCal 20 liter / 5.28 gal Horizontal Single Coil Calorifier". Having read through the product description, this one seems better for interior use, too.

ha! I just watched that video too before finding this one. I think they're also running the actual radiator water through their system as well, so when those exposed hoses and fittings under the van break, and they will, the van is going to lose all coolant and overheat.

New Jersey Italian genius.

email: georgemauro@humbleroad.tv

You missed a very important part of the story, John. The water heater also has a 120V 750W heating element inside. I used your exact words when I said if you're boondocking for two week, simply turn on the inverter and make hot water. The Vagabonds have this system and with over one year of use, have never turned on the electric portion. Their driving habits provide plenty of hot water every day.

Using the engine heat that needs dissapating anyway you don't impact fuel economy as much as running an electric heater of an engine alternator.

@Chris yes I do. And every bit of power you draw from them adds load to the engine, worsening the MPG.

@@FlexDRG I agree but it adds a huge expense and the opportunity for more things to break when you already have the alternator. To each his own but I believe it's money poorly spent.

Most of the energy (60%-80%) in the petrol you burn goes as waste heat - So it should use less fuel to heat your water like this than to use your alternator.

I installed an Espar Hydronic system in my first van build. Did not like the idea of firing up a diesel furnace all Summer long every time I needed hot water. Since you will be mostly in colder climates, that will not be an issue.

The heat exchangers in the water heaters are double walled. The particular brand I use has a near perfect track record. Also the color of the glycol would alert you to the problem almost immediately.

@@HumbleRoad Thanks, the double walled exchange tubes is reassuring.

I don't know of anybody that drinks from their hot water supply source. We have a separate cold supply and a water filtration system, for just the small drinking water tap !

@@MultiOutdoorman Some people may use the hot water because they have run out of the main supply and just take advantage of what's left, or use hot water to get a head start on further heating water for cooking. Regardless of the frequency of the risk, it's more about the severity of the potential outcome and the need for robust design and end user awareness.

The reservoir should be the highest component in the system

No, I installed in line heat sinks on the return line to the water tank and that lowers the temp

@@HumbleRoad Thanks for the quick reply. I wasn't sure if those cooled it down enough since the Promaster's coolant gets so hot, but it looks like with your heat exchanger and the in-line heat sinks it does which is great to hear. I really like your closed loop system as you have completely isolated systems. Great work, love seeing how well you've thought this through.

i thought the tank was stainless steel ?

@@MultiOutdoorman The cylindrical water heater is stainless, but the rectangular reservoir tank I believe is TIG welded aluminum.

please explain further. thank you.

@@HumbleRoad there is no harm in running engine cooling water through the isotherm. That’s done on boats. They just have a heat exchanger to cool the coolant with sea water. The coolant with antifreeze just cycles through engine, hot water tank and the heat exchanger that gets cooled by the sea water. They use an impeller pump to cycle the sea water through that. It’s basically the same functionality as in a car just with sea water not air. It is a good thing to separate the engine loop from the van/house loop in case you ever have to work on one system only. On the van side, just tee off a line from the highest point of your antifreeze plumbing to the expansion tank. The tee should open to the top to the line that goes to the tank. Your circulation pump should be in the colder return line. Once you fill your system it will just fill with water and the air will go out. Let the pump run and you will see how the air comes out of the system. The expansion tank must be the highest point in your system. I hope that explains it.

Yes! But I am about to install the new AquaHot D

One pump

Engine on/pump on. Engine off/pump off.

Yes, but you would need to install three way valves to isolate the floor in warmer weather.