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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Indoor propane water heater
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razmichael
Member
# Posted: 26 Mar 2024 07:20
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Quoting: paulz
Hmm, mounted, plumbed? Wouldn’t do that would we. What do they expect us to do, run it in a wheelbarrow?

Maybe add straps and carry it around like a backpack - keep the propane tank in the wheelbarrel. That should fit the definition of a portable water heater

FishHog
Member
# Posted: 26 Mar 2024 07:45
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they are just covering their a$$'s as we all know some idiot will do something stupid and blame them for it and be looking for a big payout.

When I get warnings on my coffee cup that the contents may be hot, I've lost faith in most humans ability to accept any responsibility for themselves.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 26 Mar 2024 10:02
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When I re-did our one bathroom in the house one summer I mounted (yes, mounted, lol) the L5 on the back upper deck. The L5 was dandy! Never got to making even a simple shower curtain 'enclosure' as have lots of bushes back there.
Then I got injured, which delayed the project.....
When I got back to it in early fall it was going well, but slow, the mornings were getting cool and the leaves started to fall. One cool morning my wife came in from her morning pre-work shower and said," you gotta get this bathroom done or the neighbors are going to be getting breakfast and a show".
Nuff said....

paulz
Member
# Posted: 26 Mar 2024 10:58
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I put an indoor shower in the cabin bathroom, fiberglass two wall thing. I’m sure that won’t run without the pump, however the pump switch is right there in the bathroom. Only used it a few times, just shower outside (only visible to any wildlife). Can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone out there to shower, forgot to turn the pump on, had to go back in through the cabin, turn the pump on, and head back outside, all in the buff. A good reason why that ‘no pump’ option would be nice for outdoor showering.

I may tear that indoor shower out, never cold enough here for a mid day outdoor shower. Last thing for me to test is the sink hot water sans pump. Again pump switch is right there but it would be nice to get warm hand and face washing water without pump blasting it out or constant cycling.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2024 08:56
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Found a more detailed Ecotemp document stating BOTH of those screws need adjusting to lower operating water pressure from 40psi. Stormy today, will report back.

http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/ECOtemp-Pressure-Adjustment-Guide.pdf

paulz
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2024 14:34
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Storm hasn’t hit yet, we’re all waiting anxiously (well me at least) so I went out and turned the other screw in. Some help, was able to raise the shower head to the L5 height but still quit at head height. Tried it again with the shower head undone, just the little plastic hose. That worked at head height! So I just need to find a water head that won’t restrict, maybe a kitchen sink head.

Even better news, I tried the bathroom sink, it flows hot water now with pump off. Even though the pump switch is right there, hot water for hand cleaning will be nice without constant pump cycling.

Still water tank is over half full, we'll see how it does when lower. Thanks again for the help Razmichael, never would have lnown.
IMG_2391.jpeg
IMG_2391.jpeg


FishHog
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2024 15:33
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lots of shower heads have a restrictor in them. Usually a plastic ball with a small hole in them to reduce flow for water saving ideas. Drilling the hole larger can open it up if needed. I've done it on some that were just too low of a flow for a nice shower and it made a big difference.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2024 17:15
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Yep, just took it out. Pretty good spray for no pump. I’m at the ragged edge of those screw settings, but it’s working. Tank is on that hill up left.
IMG_2392.jpeg
IMG_2392.jpeg


gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2024 19:31
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Im puzzled how by turning them 'in' can make them just shy of coming out???

paulz
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2024 19:46 - Edited by: paulz
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Is that something I wrote or is it in the documentation? I have only turned them in. The first one I did yesterday, after about a turn it began to drip past the screw. Why screwing it in makes it drip I don’t know, but it did it again today, so I screwed it back out a touch until it stopped dripping. Still about a turn in from where I started.

The other screw I did today went about bit less than a turn in then stopped, like it bottomed. I just backed it off touch.

That’s where it’s at, again both are in about a turn. Still working, tested both sink and shower again.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2024 20:41 - Edited by: gcrank1
Reply 


Guess I was thinking that the leaking was because the screw(s) were almost 'out' of engagement.
So, they are just like carb mix adj screws. Id turn into bottomed counting the turn and back out to your functional point. Ime its always good to have a reference point.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2024 21:12
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Yeah, weird that it would leak going in. Unless it’s about ready to run out of thread going in. It doesn’t bottom like the other one.

I really have no idea what those screws do. Hopefully won’t have to find out the hard way.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 28 Mar 2024 07:43
Reply 


Maybe they are like a 2 stage LP regulator, 1st stage does the initial regulation and the second is the fine tune?.....or maybe a safety redundant backup?

paulz
Member
# Posted: 28 Mar 2024 10:56
Reply 


Beats me. I looked around online, could find no other info. Looks like two related things go on: the igniters that spark the gas and the gas flow itself, both only happen with water flow and they seem to happen independently. Sometimes igniters go but no gas flow to be lit.

There’s a diaphragm in that valve, a micro switch that I guess powers the igniters, a solenoid for the gas powered by something.. both of those adjuster screws have a hole in the center of the slot, looks like maybe a shaft sticks up through inside..
IMG_2409.jpeg
IMG_2409.jpeg


paulz
Member
# Posted: 29 Mar 2024 09:44
Reply 


Quiet around here so I’ll blab on.. Yesterday I did a load of laundry, and put the shower head in the machine along with the normal fill. Hot water, no pump. Good news is when full it started like normal, so it’s not measuring or timing the fill spigot, uses some other means. Not a big deal, but I can do a load of hot if the pump dies for some reaso.

One other thing to mention: I have the gas knob on the L5 turned down fairly low, has been that way. Any higher and the shower water is too hot, plus now with it turning on with gravity only feed, the water going through is in less danger of overheating the unit. Even pumping through it, at halfway or more on the gas knob and the water coming out is boiling hot.

FishHog
Member
# Posted: 29 Mar 2024 13:47
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I have an L10 so not familiar with the L5, but I have both a gas knob and water flow knob. My water flow knob is always on as low flow as possible and I just use the gas knob to adjust temp. Even with very cold water coming in, my gas knob is never turned up more than 1/4 way. Unless I cranked up the water flow, I can make way to hot of water.

paulz
Member
# Posted: 29 Mar 2024 13:58
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The L5 has the same knobs and as shown in my page 1 pic, both are near low for me also.

Danielims
Member
# Posted: 9 Apr 2024 05:06 - Edited by: Danielims
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I also looking into tankless propane water heater camping with a battery ignition system. Rinnai and Bougerv have options that are suitable for indoor use. Regarding water pressure, gravity-fed systems can work with these heaters, but it's crucial to ensure proper installation and sizing for optimal performance. You may need to install a pressure regulator to maintain consistent flow.

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