Date:         Wed, 2 Sep 2009 10:23:01 -0400
Reply-To:     VW Doka <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         VW Doka <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: plugging heater hoses
In-Reply-To:  <22776087.4149.1251897949086.JavaMail.mcneely4@127.0.0.1>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

At least your solar shower doesn't pollute the campground with engine
noise and exhaust while waiting for the water temp to come up enough
to warm your heat transfer shower tank...

Cheers,

Jeff



On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 9:25 AM, Dave Mcneely<mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
> Unless it's quite cold out, I can get an excellent shower from a solar
> bag setting in the sun.  five gallons more than bathes my wife and
> myself.  But yours does sound nice, and you have the pride of knowing
> you engineered it yourself.  Neat.
>
> Dave MC
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 9:30 PM , David Vickery wrote:
>
>> One reason not to remove rear heater hoses is to plumb in a hot water
>> tank under the seat for showers, like I just did.
>>
>> I ran the heater hoses into a boat gas tank and used about 5' of hose
>> inside the 6 gallon tank.  I had to add a shutoff valve to turn off
>> after it warms up enough but sure is a nice camping luxury.
>>
>> I know others have done more sophisticated shower systems but this was
>> a $20 gas tank, an $8 PEX shutoff and some spare heater hose and hose
>> clamps and an early westy pump I had laying around.  The shower head I
>> also had but they only cost about $10 on epay.
>>
>> If I did it again, I would use a 4 gallon tank to keep more of the
>> underseat space.  And 4 gallons seems to be enough.
>>
>> --- On Tue, 9/1/09, Dave Mcneely  wrote:
>>
>>> From: Dave Mcneely Subject: Re: plugging heater hoses
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2009, 12:18 PM
>>> I haven't had a rear heater for
>>> months -- took it out the week I got the van,
>>> actually.  For a while, I had the hoses looped together
>>> under the seat, but they were just in the way and at risk of
>>> being damaged.
>>>
>>> Just this week, I went to the source -- the T-connectors
>>> where the hoses branch from the main heater hoses.
>>> Took out the T-connectors and put in a straight pipe
>>> connector in their place.  No plugs, no loops (both of
>>> which were criticized by others on this list).  Just be
>>> careful in handling the hoses.  The manifold that the
>>> main hoses attach to toward the rear is old, and may be
>>> brittle.  Also, you'll need (as I need but haven't yet)
>>> to plug the holes through the firewall so gunk doesn't come
>>> into the storage compartment under the seat from the roadway
>>> or the engine compartment.
>>>
>>> BTW, so far as plugs and loops, plugging the hoses is no
>>> different from having the heater valve closed, and looping
>>> them is no different from having the heater valve open, so
>>> far as coolant flow is concerned.
>>>
>>> Dave Mc
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, Sep 1, 2009 at 12:25 PM , Matthew Snook wrote:
>>>
>>>> I have decided to remove my blown rear heater as
>>>
>>> others have suggested.  Are
>>>>
>>>> there preferred methods for plugging those two hoses
>>>
>>> that come in under the
>>>>
>>>> seat?  I'm assuming that I should cut them back
>>>
>>> so that they don't enter the
>>>>
>>>> cab at all, but does that create other problems?
>>>
>>> I was going to put
>>>>
>>>> something in the loose end and use the hose clamps to
>>>
>>> close it off - what
>>>>
>>>> have folks used to that end?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Matt
>>>
>