Helton Showers
Submitted: Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 10:18
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Member - Glenn(VIC)
Well, I recieved my complete shower kit from Helton on Monday, and I can't wait to get it installed and tested.
I just want to thank Tony and Helen from Helton for their assistance and service. They offered fantastic advice in a prompt manner and I received the goods two business days after ordering.
Thanks again Tony and Helen.Just Do It!
Reply By: Wazza (Vic) - Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 11:12
Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 11:12
Glenn,
Post a followup to this reply when you have tested it. I am interested to know if you think it is hot enough when the engine is idling. I have to set the hand throttle at 1200rpm and heater full hot to get enough engine water going through the heat exchanger to warm the water (not freezing High Country river water, just water out of the plastic drum that sits in the back of the car most of the time)
How do others go with their Twines, etc. Do you get warm enough water with the car idling?
Here are some pics of how it is installed to help you out with mounting ideas. Maybe I am loosing a bit of flow in the 180° bend at the left of the heat exchanger? Maybe my water pump is not up to scratch?
http://www.geocities.com/cruiserpics/pics/shower/
Does you heat exchanger look like
mine, or have they changed since I got
mine (12 months ago)
Sorry for the 100 questions.
Cheers,
Wazza
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AnswerID:
37148
Follow Up By: Penguin - Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 11:32
Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 11:32
Hi Wazza,
I've just installed a Twine in my Cruiser and I find that the engine temp at idle is not really enough to properly heat the shower water. I agree with you about increasing the revs to about 1200-1300 to get a decent amount of heat. If you decrease the shower water flow rate a bit it seems to make quite a difference.
Haven't tried it in really cold climate yet.
FollowupID:
26862
Follow Up By: Gerry - Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 11:35
Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 11:35
Glenn,
I have a
home made heat exchanger, all copper with two parallel coils of copper tubing inside. I did this specifically to reduce friction to as low as possible while maximising the heat exchange surface. It works that
well that I usually have to turn the heater down or bypass some water around the heat exchanger or it just gets too damn hot. However, at idle speed it won't heat up sufficiently (I have a GQ petrol). This indicates that the vehicle's water pump does not have sufficient pressure capacity at low revs to circulate the water through the heater system at idle speed. I too run on the hand throttle at 1000 - 1100 rpm to get it working. In other words, I think it's the vehicle system which limits performance at low revs and necessarily the heat exchange unit.
Cheers
Gerry
FollowupID:
26863
Follow Up By: flappan - Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 11:44
Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 11:44
Wazza, couple of thoughts (I'm not an expert on this, just been investigating hows the best way of fitting a shower to my Patrol).
Yours would be a diesel . . . right. I have been told that the water temps in a diesel are lower then petrols and so the heating isn't quite as efficent (A couple of folks I know circulate the water thru twice).
Also, the longer the pipes and or further away the heat exchanger is from the heater hoses , the more heat you loose. (in your case the 180 probably wouldn't help a lot).
Just a few thoughts , based on the probs I'm having fitting one to a Petrol Patrol.
FollowupID:
26864
Follow Up By: Gazza - Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 11:48
Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 11:48
Guys,
I have the Helton fitted to my Prado and have had to rig up a Tee with a tap to allow me to recycle the water until its hot enough. It takes about 15 mins at idle in the high country to get the water (and the engine) hot enough.
Up on
Cape York it was a little quicker.
Gazza
FollowupID:
26866
Follow Up By: srowlandson - Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 14:17
Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 14:17
I have a KZJ120 Prado Diesel, and the McPauls.
We find a single pass hot enough, although we fitted ours with 2 T's form the in and outlet of the heater, and mounted a Heater Tap on the heat exchanger. I don't like the idea of having in line with the heat, this way we can adjust the temp from the shower itself, and not going in and out of the car to get it right.
If the water we use is COLD High Country River water, a quick pass of 1/2 the water whilst i setup the shower tent is usually enough.
Steve
FollowupID:
26884
Reply By: Gazza - Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 14:43
Thursday, Nov 13, 2003 at 14:43
Steve,
Mine is a diesel also but I have the outlet mounted behind the left Rear mudflap although the hose is insulated.
Does yours heat it in one pass with the engine hot or cold??
What I should have said is that when I start it first thing in the morning with the motor dead cold it takes several passes, I have not tried it with the motor hot.
By the way do you know that there are SS tanks available for the Prado?
Call me on 0419391933 to find out more.
Gazza
AnswerID:
37189