How do you wash dishes in camp?

[coop74]

Thinking of RV water heaters. This idea came up a few days back. I was wondering if for a well insulated TD if using heat from the water heater could be viable for heating the TD. A small pump and heat exchanger with fan could be used for heating the cabin air. Use a radiator core like used for water cooling a CPU. They are available in 1, 2, and 3 fan sizes. Take water from the water heater's output, pipe it to the radiator core. From the core, pump it through a check valve, and back to the water heater's input pipe. The water heater would then act as a boiler. A mechanical thermostat could be used to control the power to the fan and pump.

you likely would be more successful with less effort if you piped the water through copper in a grid under your floor with no insulation on the copper piping and create your own in house radiant floor heat. Make sure to return the water to the bottom of the water heater and draw water off the top of the holding system...

I would think it could be done cheaply and easily...

my two cents anyway.

[Hillmann]

I came across one of these years ago but didn't know what it was called until I searched for them online recently. They look like a handy thing to have in the camper, If they weren't so expensive I would get one. But until I find one second hand for much cheaper I will continue using the tea kettle for hot water in camp.

http://www.google.com/search?q=kelly+ke ... 80&bih=847

[bdosborn]

Hydronic Heat using an RV heater:



Hydronic Heat Linky

Bought the pump to do it but never did. The espar diesel heater just works too well to bother with it.

Bruce

[Bogo]

Thinking of RV water heaters. This idea came up a few days back. I was wondering if for a well insulated TD if using heat from the water heater could be viable for heating the TD. A small pump and heat exchanger with fan could be used for heating the cabin air. Use a radiator core like used for water cooling a CPU. They are available in 1, 2, and 3 fan sizes. Take water from the water heater's output, pipe it to the radiator core. From the core, pump it through a check valve, and back to the water heater's input pipe. The water heater would then act as a boiler. A mechanical thermostat could be used to control the power to the fan and pump.

you likely would be more successful with less effort if you piped the water through copper in a grid under your floor with no insulation on the copper piping and create your own in house radiant floor heat. Make sure to return the water to the bottom of the water heater and draw water off the top of the holding system...

I would think it could be done cheaply and easily...

my two cents anyway.

I'd thought of doing it via in the floor tubing, but the mattress sits on the floor. Nothing like 4" to 9" of foam insulation between you and the heater. I suppose one could use an air mattress. The one time they wouldn't keep you cooler.

I'd use 3/8" PEX-AL-PEX tubing, Aluminum heat spreaders. It would add about 5/8" total to the floor height.

[halfdome, Danny]

Our Coleman Hot Water On Demand Model # 2300A700 worked just fine for two or 3 seasons.
This year I charged up the battery and it wouldn't pump so I bought a new battery and it still didn't pump water.
When we left for our trip the pumps were out of stock from the Coleman website.
I noticed Coleman now stocks them but we decided our Revere Ware tea kettle has no parts to fail, takes up less room in the tow vehicle, (packed in the galley) and works just fine for washing dishes and heating beverage water. It even has a whistle to let you know when the water is boiling.
Seems the Coleman hot water on demand unit requires CLR flushing almost every time it's used to keep the pump from failing.

I'm disappointed in this, made in China, Coleman appliance.
Danny

[sagebrush]

We have 2 dogs

[PKCSPT]

Dirty dishes is why I prefer sandwiches and not cooking. The fewer dishes I use the faster I can get out looking at trails. The few I do use I just wipe with a wet paper towel and set aside til I get home to properly wash them.

[tony.latham]

I cook in aluminum dutch ovens (that have their legs cut off*). I eat off of paper plates. Thus, when it's done, I have silverware and a dutch or two to clean. The dutch goes on the stove (no legs!) with a bit of hot soapy water (it's aluminum, remember?) and when it's done, rinse and bring an inch of water to a boil with the utensils in it.

Not much involved, doesn't take much water and things are clean.

Tony

* I use a D.O. lid stand to support the dutch over the coals

[nevadatear]

I don't understand about the "watch and monitor" issue. It only takes a couple of minutes to heat water up to boiling in a tea kettle. Add boiling water to more cool water and you have plenty to wash dishes. Use a water bottle with a squeeze top to rinse with cool water and you are done.

[bc toys]

I use a coleman insta hot it is getting up there in yrs but still works great for now

[Mary C]

Three ways to deal with grease: first, I take a metal coffee can to put oils in to cool, once cool I can put into an plastic water bottle to toss in garbage. Second, bacon grease will solidify so a paper towel to wipe it out, straight to the garbage, in both cases I put a little soap, bleach and water in the pans and bring to boil on the stove, after using to wash your silver wear and plates I rinse with water from a teapot and dry and put away. If you are using cast iron, I wipe down the inside with a little oil on a paper towel after I wash them I have done this for many years, I have no problems with my cast iron, I "cook" my pans about every 6 months to 9 months to keep the oiled finish on them. Third, Most of the time when I cook bacon in the morning I just cover the pan and put it in the galley, in the evening I will put my onions and mushrooms in the pan and cook even if I am having hamburgers, spaghetti, steak, hot dogs, and many other dishes. I have a stick free pan that I cook my eggs in, I just wipe out with a soapy paper towel and rinse. I use a tablespoon of bleach in the wash water and use it to wipe down my stove and eating and food prep area. I hate being sick and this is one way of avoiding the camp runs also I have a well at home and I routinely use a tablespoon of bleach in my wash water. Most people use way too much soap, it only takes a very little bit and after washing just a little rinse.

Mary C.

[nevadatear]

A tuarlly, we are at high altitude almost all of our camping. The Sierra.

[Kharn]

I have a Coleman camp sink and use the coffee percolator to boil water when needed, but most MD state parks have added commercial-style dishwashing sinks with hot water and garbage disposals to the bathhouses so I'll use their sink whenever I can.