A SIMPLE RV HYDRONIC HEATING SYSTEM

[mikeschn]

Do you think this system has any potential for a teardrop or TTT?
http://www.solarhaven.org/HPArticle.htm



Maybe in combination with a Zodi???

Mike...

[anonymous2]

Wouldn't see why not,as long as you could get the water up to at least 160 degees. Sizing the heating coil may have to be larger ,if the water could be only heated to 120{assuming that is the max heat for a Zodi} to allow more heat exchange. The inside of a teardrop is nearly the same size as a small car,but today's cars water temperatures at operating are 205-210 degrees,and heater coils are relatively small. Car water systems volume,and heat source are fairly large considering the size of the coil. I doubt the Zodi could heat the volume of water needed to supply the coil heat exchange temperature drop,and recovery. A six gallon water heater from an RV should work well with enough volume & recovery needed. Only question ,where would you put all the components needed,and what about extra weight. Just my 2 centavos

pateardropper

[angib]

Having contributed to discussion before on this subject, see: Wacky idea on a heater!!! pages 5 and 6.

Here is my version of this idea (again) using a small car heater matrix with no fan - but you have to give up a lot of galley space to the water heater:



Bruce (bdosborn) says he's going to try using an old transmission cooler.

Andrew

[bdosborn]

I just bid and won a small pump on ebay:


as well as some very quiet (16 dba) fans:



Now I just need to get started on the trailer itself. I'll probably buy the axle after the end of the year...
Bruce

[Micro469]

How about this 12V heater?

[angib]

How about this 12V heater?

The numbers are against you.

Let's say you want a modest 500W output. On 12 volts that needs a 42 amp current, so a small leisure battery will last you one hour and a big one two hours. Plugging into 110v doesn't help, as what power supply will give 42A?

A typical 12v socket is rated at 10 amps, so that in-car heater is probably at less than 100W - more like a warm draught than hot air!

Andrew
(you suggest it and I'll shoot it down in flames....)

[JunkMan]

There's a heater called a Webasto, that's used in RV's, trucks, busses, and such. It's a diesel fired hydronic system, that can also work with the vehicle's cooling system.

If you do a search for them, you can find many components that you could use to make your own system. I was looking at something like that for a bus conversion I was doing many years ago.

[bdosborn]

Jeff,

I wanted one of those heaters since I have a diesel truck but I think they've gone up a bit in price since you've looked at them. They're about $1400 new. Sure would like to have one though.
Bruce

[Phil & Ningning]

Plugging into 110v doesn't help, as what power supply will give 42A?

Your 500 watt example at 110 volts would draw less than 5 amps....
Easily obtainable.

[len19070]

I don't know about a Teardrop but it would certainly work on any larger trailer with a water heater...Like my Shasta. I'm researching a gravity system using my existing domestic water heater.

Just a simple High and low line, a small strip of baseboard with a shut off valve.

The system will work, now how many BTU's it will put out is the question.

Happy Trails

Len

[JunkMan]

Jeff,

I wanted one of those heaters since I have a diesel truck but I think they've gone up a bit in price since you've looked at them. They're about $1400 new. Sure would like to have one though.
Bruce

Bruce,

Yeah, they are definatly expensive, but very nice if you are boondocking it. I used to know a couple of guys in Cheyenne that had one in their Unimog. They had it set up on a timer so it would come on and pre heat the truck when they were at their hunting camp, and away from electricity.

I've heard that you can find them used once in a while at truck salvage yards, but I never looked too hard for one.

I was more interested in the different heating coils and such they had availible, that you could use with your vehicles hot water system. They make all different types of heat exchangers, from baseboard heaters for RV's, to truck and heavy equipment heaters. I thought that I would set up a hot water heat system in the bus, that used the busses hot water system, and possibly add the Webasto heater at a later date.

[angib]

Your 500 watt example at 110 volts would draw less than 5 amps.... Easily obtainable.

Yeah, but I was thinking about powering the 12v 42A heater through a 110/12v converter/power supply.

Just plugging the 12v heater into a 110v supply would provide generous heating - though for only about 1 millisecond, after which it would be smoke that was mostly produced......

Andrew

[Bill Fernandez]

If you people would just move to Florida you wouldn't need to worry about heat just air.

Bill

[RAYVILLIAN]

RV power convert/chargers that large are available but not cheap. My RV parts cataloge lists a 60 amp at $284 amp at $325. So running a 12 V heater is do able but not practical. Since most camp grounds have 110 and you'd need it run the converter why not just use the 110 ac and a 1500 watt bath room heater.

GAry