Piranha Shower in car system

I have a Glind, and I think it is similar.

2. If the pump is a pressure pump with a built in pressure regulator, then restricting the fow and building pressure will cause the pump to "pulse". Does it do it with with no shower head on?

1. If the water is too hot, then it could be because the water is in the heat exchanger too long. Could be related to the pump pulsing (if relevent from above)

When the Glind was fitted, the fitters put a tap in the heater pipe so that I could regulate the temp with that. I've never needed to as I worked out the the fitters hadn't actually used the shower cept at shows, where it was sucking out of the bucket it was pumping into, and the water just kept getting hotter and hotter.

Hope this helps.

Mark,

The problem with the !00 Series is that there is no heater tap that controls the flow of hot water into the heater in the cabin, so you are getting a full flow of hot water all the time. Vehicles that have the tap, the amount of water flowing to the heat exchange can be controlled and therefor the temp of the shower.
What will have to be done is a "TEE" piece to come off the heater hose and a tap placed in the hose before it goes into the heat exchange. Another "TEE" piece will have to be put into the heater hose so that the water from the heat exchange can flow back through the engine.
At no time should the flow of water be blocked from flowing from the block to the heater inside the vehicle.
The pump is probably too close to the hot engine and from what I have seen there is not a lot of room under the bonnet. The pump might have to be mounted out side the vehicle with the hose connected up by a quick release connection. This way the pump could be mounted on a board and placed on the ground or on the bull bar away from the heat.

Wayne

The other option is to install a bypass in the shower water circuit, with a valve in it so that you can divert some of the water past the heat exchanger instead of through it. This can either be installed and preset under the bonnet, or alternatively, install it at the pump end so you can regulate the temperature from within the shower tent itself. This is where I have put mine and it works really well.
Cheers
Gerry

The best way to regulate heat in a 100 Series is to install a full bore gas rated valve in the coolant line before the coolant runs into the heat exchanger. As the 100 Series does not have a heater control valve like the 80 series, there is always coolant running through the heater line. The best way to regulate this is via the valve when showering, the rest of the time leave the valve wide open as the heater line is an integral part of the cooling system.
By using this method, you are replicating a heater control valve as per earlier models.
As for the pump cycling, there must either be a restriction in the suction line or there is an air leak on the suction side, usually caused by garden hose type fitings.

have you tried fitting it in the return line from the cabin heater, then if you put the heater on in the car it takes some of the heat out before the shower, this may help not sure how efficent the cabin heater is but it sure would be a better way then forgetting to turn the bypass tap back on and cooking the motor
Regards Kev

Check out post 24885

I suggest do what Tim said. buy a 1/2" ball valve from Pirtek, two brass hose tails being 1/2" hose tail and 1/2" bsp thread on the other end, and a couple of hose clamps, cut the heater hose going to or from the HEU and insert into the line. throttle it back for showering and leave it open in normal running operation. If it is hooked up in Parallel (teed off) then you can leave the ball valve in the correct position for you shower all the time, or leave it open or closed. Michael

Hi All,

Thanks for all of the positive replies. I took the car to Pirnaha as i was around the corner from them the other day and they supplied me wiht a valve to go in one of the lines.

As you mentioned if this is turned off then you will have some real heating problems with the engine BUT as the shower gets used only once in a while it is something i am willign to live wiht as redoign all of the plumbing as some have suggested is beyond my capability and means pulling everythgin out.

I tried it last night with the valave and you only have to reduce the flow ever so slightly to g the temp to drop quite substantially.

I also have had the pump rewqired so it can run without the engine running so if for some reaon i simply wanted a cold shower that can happen now.

I havent swapped the fittigns on the inlet side over yet but will look at doing that in the not too distant future.

The place i had it installed were very good about redoing it all and fixed it up no probelms once the solution was relayed to them and didn't have any hesitation puttign it in for me.

Thanks again to all who replied greatly appreciated.

Mark