[GROOVY2]

Come up with idea to heat water using exhaust engine heat-

Heat goes to cold --->

Make C shaped copper plate to attach to exhaust pipe -
(Hose clamps)

To this plate spot weld heavy gauge copper Multi strand wire-
attach wires Many areas spread around C plate-

Larger gage = more heat transfer --

remove small amount of electrical insulation from wilt but
leave most -
then Add thermal Pipe insulation to wire-

run wire to water container and place in water-

Should warm or even make hot water -

to stop reverse heat lose / control temp remove wire from water

 

[orton]

Easier to heat water electrically. Electrical does not leak and temperature can be regulated with a thermostat. You have power available from the alternator as soon as engine starts. Several different ways to heat water electrically.

http://sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=191820&postcount=16

 

[stanw909]

I agree with Orton and with electric you don't have to run your engine to get heat but I'd still like to see your system run.

 

[bicyclist]

Elsewhere, I've seen water heating systems using heat exchangers plumbed into the cabin heater lines. It's a good use of waste (not waist) heat and seems effective. No mention on this forum that I've seen, though I haven't been lurking long.

 

[GROOVY2]

this was just a Idea that came to me-

Just a Simple way to warm up water - Air ?

It Will Work -how good depends on your needs and setup -

As a Test -get a 6 inch length of copper wire -

strip insulation from both ends -

heat one end of wire with lighter -

Touch other end of wire -

Bingo its Hot -

Aluminum wire would work Also -
(aluminum will Spot weld just using car battery /Short to plate )


Remove setup when not needed ---summer

Orton you could run wire thru hole you cut in floor for vent --
save some watts - or time

 

[orton]

Using engine water to heat shower water will certainly work. A heat exchanger and a pump can be used. Using electrical power to heat water is just simpler and has less opportunity to fail. Much easier to control the water temperature with a thermostat than with a temperature sensor controlling valves.

If you do not have temperature controls then your shower water temperature will approach the engine water temperature. So hot and cold water mixing is required or a method of shutting off the hot water is needed.

It is not necessary to have a vehicle powered inverter to supply 120 volt power for water heating. There are 12 volt heating elements available that could be used with a thermostat.

Groovy2: No thanks. Would not want a hot wire going through the air vent hole. I also shower in the summer so would not want to remove the wire in the summer. Besides the watts are basically free. I doubt that anyone could calculate the change in fuel economy due to heating shower water electrically.

 

[PCR]

I don't think you'd get much energy transfer from a coiled wire and even less so from one that's simply sitting in a container of water.

On page 34 of the BEMM, tapping into the heating system is shown. Not sure what could actually be done but the passenger models must utilize the connection to provide aft cabin heat.

I like the brainstorm. I was thinking of the engine water heating system as a means to base heat the shower water while driving but probably heading toward something like Orton's all-electric approach.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas/topics/2015/2015_Transit_BEMM_v1-0.pdf