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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / L5 water heater with battery pump
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mojo43
Member
# Posted: 6 Apr 2021 09:33
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Hello, it sounds like a lot of people have used the l5 water heater. I was wondering if anyone has tried to use a small battery pump like this one to feed the water heater from rain barrels?

https://www.amazon.ca/Portable-Handheld-Adjustment-Rechargeable-Showering/dp/B078N4BQ MR/ref=sr_1_11?crid=106Z91OU2KCXV&dchild=1&keywords=battery+water+pump+shower&qid=161 7715790&sprefix=battery+water+%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-11

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 6 Apr 2021 09:49 - Edited by: gcrank1
Reply 


Iirc the L5 has a 20psi input requirement, believe it just opens a one way pressure valve. I hope it has a switch incorporated to prevent the burner from firing up if there is no water flow (ie, not enough pressure to open the valve).
You may need to make a simple two-stage pump or a small pressure tank.

jhp
Member
# Posted: 6 Apr 2021 10:36 - Edited by: jhp
Reply 


I have an L5, I got it as part of the package deal where they give you the 2.0gpm 12v pump as well. My water source is two 55 gallon barrels.

I power the pump with a 10amp AC-to-DC converter:

https://www.amazon.com/ALITOVE-Converter-Cigarette-Transformer-Refrigerator/dp/B078RZ Q9WY


I wired the pump with a cigarette power plug.

If you have power anywhere nearby in reach of an outdoor extension cord, IMO this is the way to go as you can still use the cheap and replaceable 12v pumps when they go bad and it provides plenty of water pressure and flow for the L5.

mojo43
Member
# Posted: 6 Apr 2021 11:10
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Thanks, I guess I was just looking for an alternative that didn't require a big battery. I already have the unit I linked to and it pumps out water pretty well. I wonder if it would do 20 psi?

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 6 Apr 2021 12:34
Reply 


Since you have it, hook it up in an easy test configuration and give it a go, dont fire up the heater, just get through-flow; if it has enough beans to open the valve you will be good to go.

mojo43
Member
# Posted: 6 Apr 2021 12:54
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Ah ok good to know thank you!

fitzpatt
Member
# Posted: 6 Apr 2021 14:00 - Edited by: fitzpatt
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I use a SHURflo 12v pump, with a simple lawn mower battery, hooked up to a small 40w solar panel, and it works well.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 6 Apr 2021 16:27
Reply 


I run quite a few 12vdc things with my old 'jump-start pack'; came with 2 cig lighter ports and 2 usb's as well as the jumper cables. All handy stuff for low-med or short term draw at the cabin. I plug it into the car cig port on the way home and it recharges too

mojo43
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2021 16:10 - Edited by: mojo43
Reply 


I tried it out and I can confirm that the small 48000 mah shower battery works with the L5. So happy to hear that it is going to be as easy as dropping this unit unit a rain barrel. Yay!

ketchgould
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2021 16:19
Reply 


can you describe your system a bit more so I might be able to duplicate?

What battery, what pump, how much water are you looking to heat, etc...

Thanks

mojo43
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2021 16:30
Reply 


Sure! Drop this unit 1 into a rain barrel full of water and feed it into unit 2 and you have a portable heating water system that runs off of battery (unit 1) and propane (unit 2).

Unit 1
https://www.amazon.ca/Portable-Handheld-Adjustment-Rechargeable-Showering/dp/B078N4BQ MR/ref=sr_1_11?crid=106Z91OU2KCXV&dchild=1&keywords=battery+water+pump+shower&qid=161 7715790&sprefix=battery+water+%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-11

Unit 2
https://www.eccotemp.com/eccotemp-l5-portable-outdoor-tankless-water-heater/

The

ketchgould
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2021 13:28
Reply 


The L5 looks great. I just talked with them and they said a 1 pound tank will only work the first 30% of the tank being used due to pressure issues.

Does anyone know of a unit that runs on a one pound tank?

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2021 13:41
Reply 


Fwiw, 1# tanks will be horribly inefficient and costly.
You can buy 5, 7.5(?), and 10# refillable cylinders that have the same valve/hook-up as the bigger 20# and lots smaller.
A newly dated one will be good for 12yr to refill (USA) then need to be 'inspected and re-certified', that good for another 5, repeat.... Our one local place will re-cert at no charge when you get the re-fill done there. Ive never seen any place with an exchange cylinder program for those smaller cylinders.

jhp
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2021 14:00
Reply 


The Mr. Heater Shower Boss runs on 1 pound tanks.

https://www.mrheater.com/boss-xb13-battery-operated-shower-system.html

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2021 17:42
Reply 


Dont mess with 1lb tanks on the eco temp style heater. I had a 10lb tank once and 4 people taking daily showers..after 3 days we had to change the tank.

You will need a bigger pump for the ecotemp to turn on. Theres a minimum pressure it needs to turn on.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2021 19:47 - Edited by: gcrank1
Reply 


Min.'s for the L5
20psi
1.5gpm
But dont make this more complicated than it has to be.
A bucket full of warm-comfy hot water and that pump in it, hose it over you and shut off, suds up, switch on and pump to rinse.
I have one hose with a garden sprinkler head on it that does a nice job. A black 5 gal bucket of water left in the sun all day will be decently warm, if you want hotter mix in a jug of HOT from the stove.
We get two decent showers from one bucket full with some left over for dishes.

Bruces
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2021 20:44
Reply 


I ran my L5 from May until November last year on one 20lb tank and it still has some in it .I lived at camp myself all that time ,showers everyday ,laundry ,cleaning my boats etc ,used a plastic 45 gallon drum a week just for hot water .Couldnt be happier .I also have the Shurflo pump .

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 13 Apr 2021 06:03
Reply 


I have done the bucket shower thing heated over the stove. It's fine for 1 or two people if you can plan for it. We did it with 4 people once. Took like 3hrs to heat enough water for 5gal each. I bought a portable on demand heater after that. My time can be better spent than standing in front of a stove watching water get warm.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 13 Apr 2021 10:14
Reply 


Best way to bulk heat water on a flame is with a 'turkey fryer'. Waayy fast

mojo43
Member
# Posted: 13 Apr 2021 17:38
Reply 


Ya we also did the bucket heating thing and it get's old fast. The L5 and this little battery thing makes it pretty simple and we don't need power except to recharge the battery.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2021 06:14
Reply 


Quoting: gcrank1
Best way to bulk heat water on a flame is with a 'turkey fryer'. Waayy fast

The best way to heat water you want hot now is a propane on demand heater.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2021 10:32
Reply 


Well, I did include my 'qualifiers', Brett ; my thinkin being that sometimes folks get fixated on just one type of solution and miss the more simple, old-time ways.
Someday I may hook up my L5, but meanwhile wife and I have found the stuff Ive mentioned to be quick, easy, uncomplicated and dare I say...effective.
Btw, I bought the L5 for use with our RV and that happened once. The most use it got was when I completely remodeled our 1 home bathroom and set the L5 up on the back deck (pretty much like many cabin outdoor showers). With our well water pressure feed via garden hose we had a nice shower. On the cooler mornings we had to fine tune the hose spigot for less gpm to get hot enough water. One thing led to another and the remodel got delayed. We moved into early fall, leaves dropping....and my wife says,"You gotta finish that bathroom up or the neighbor kids are going to be getting breakfast and a show!".

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