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Old 10-28-2016, 09:06 AM   #1
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Eccotemp L5 with 16 oz propane bottles...

Ok. I know this sounds nuts. But space is at a premium in a short bus. Plus I didn't really want to mount a large (20lb) tank inside or outside the bus. I've gone solar and intended to use solar water heating as well but I'm rethinking it.

The plan was short 3-1/2 gallon showers anyway because we have limited water storage.

So the question is this... Is there sufficient flow and quantity to use a camping stove bottle to run a the Eccotemp L5 on-demand water heater for a 3 - 4 gallon shower? Anyone done this?

I can get a refill kit to refill the small tanks from a larger tank kept at home. I'm not planning to live in the bus, just take trips in it. I can easily take five or six small tanks with me and refill them on my return.

I can also purchase a 10lb propane bottle (more cylindrical, smaller diameter) but for purposes of discussion it's the small camp stove cylinders that's the topic of question.

Thoughts? Experiences?

Ross

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Old 10-28-2016, 10:31 AM   #2
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5 or 6 of the small tanks take up almost as much room as the 20 lb tank so you might as well just use the big one if space is your only concern.... though I can understand not wanting to keep it in your living space... people do it but it's not the smartest idea.

I'm not sure what the burn rate of one of those L5 heaters is, seems to me it would suck a 1lb cylinder dry pretty quick... the specs say a 20 lb cylinder will give you hot water for up to 18 hours, which would be 0.9 hours on a 1 lb canister, so you might get 4-5 showers out of a tank, depending on how much water you end up using.

They do make adapters that connect a 1lb canister to a standard 20lb tank connector hose (make sure to use the regulator hose that comes with the heater).
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Old 10-28-2016, 01:06 PM   #3
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The 1 lb cans get pretty frosty on the outside just running a 2-burner camp stove in cool weather. I wonder whether the LP would vaporize quickly enough in a 1 lb can to maintain pressure and keep the L5 burner going. I'm also not sure what are the possible consequences of low vapor pressure from drawing on a cylinder too fast -- does the burner just extinguish, or is there a risk of burn-back into the plumbing..?
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Old 10-28-2016, 03:03 PM   #4
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I don't think that the flame would go down into the plumbing, but it is something to consider.... would think it would just go out. But the way he's talking, the water would only be running for a minute or so, so the tank would have an opportunity to play catch-up between initial wetdown and rinse.

I've never drawn from a tank that fast. But I get what you're saying about the cylinders, when I was trucking and would grill on my catwalk during cooler weather my 1 lb cylinders would actually ice up on the outside from the much colder temperature.

I don't know if they make such an animal or not but maybe an adapter that screws into the hose and lets you connect two of the 1 lb cylinders would give enough surface area that it wouldn't be an issue....
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Old 10-28-2016, 04:07 PM   #5
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I just read a bit about propane being used as fuel for pottery kilns by ceramics enthusiasts. Apparently it's a common thing for a propane-fueled kiln to consume lots of propane and freeze up the cylinder. They recommended placing the cylinder in a bucket of water. The water provides heat through the cylinder wall to the liquid propane in the bottom of the cylinder. If the water starts freezing then it can be refilled or replaced. It isn't necessary to use hot or even warm water.

Maybe a strategy like the above could provide enough heat into the cylinder to keep the LP evaporating for the duration of a short shower (assuming that the cylinder couldn't manage on its own; we still don't know whether this is a real problem or not).
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Old 10-28-2016, 05:15 PM   #6
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Thanks for the responses. I get that knowone has tried this. The icing up has merit. So does low vapor pressure. Good stuff all around. Thank you!

It would still be nice to try but for now I have ordered the L5 and a 10 gal propane tank. The tank is only 9" in diameter and I will make a wooden cradle in the shower wall and use a tie-down strap to secure it below the water heater. Clean and neat.

In the future maybe I'll run a second line below the bus to the kitchen side for a propane burner. I plan to use an induction stove (single burner) built in to the kitchen counter running off of batteries and solar. If weather doesn't permit I will, for now, pull out my single burner Coleman stove.

Still would like to try the small propane canisters. Wet down. Soap up. Rinse off. On off. On off. On off. May not get a chance to ice up. 3-4 gallons of hot water from a 1-1/2 gal/min is about 3 minutes water heater run time. That's about 18 showers from a camp stove tank (if you can believe it holds a full pound of propane. But even if I got 9 showers per bottle that sounds pretty awesome! Just sayin!��

Thanks again!

Ross
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Old 10-28-2016, 05:59 PM   #7
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Hey, try it and see, no one is saying you can't..... and by all means report your findings! Maybe if it works out other people who are challenged for space can do the same thing.
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Old 10-28-2016, 06:53 PM   #8
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Check out this video, while I don't recommend his install, he is using a small 1lb can. So, It is possible.
https://youtu.be/OuGomsuHI2A
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Old 10-31-2016, 08:55 PM   #9
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I use the same water heater in my bus but with a conventional propane tank and an exhaust system to the outside. I was shocked at how hot that exhaust was. I expect the guy who's video I just watched will find that his plastic roof vent will distort from the heat load from the water heater. The Eco Temp was not designed for unvented indoor use. With luck the guy will run out of fuel before he burns his rig to the ground. While I'll complement him on a tidy installation, I'll condemn it at the same time as it as a seriously dangerous installation!!!!

As to the frosting up, it will happen and the flow of propane will eventually cause a flame out. You will probably need to test what happens when with proper water flow and volume when the gas is slowly turned off and then suddenly turned back on. I know that the spark ignihter will work only when water flow and pressure are correct but I've not seen any information as to whether flame out shuts down the ignition system--perhaps the Eco Temp folks can answer this question.. Hummm, that's an interesting question. Let us know what you find out. Jack
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Old 10-31-2016, 10:21 PM   #10
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Here is a rogue idea: plumb the shower drain water (still warm) around the propane tank. No risk of it getting too hot, and no chance the bottle will get too cold. The more water you use, the more heat you will be putting into the bottle.
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Old 10-31-2016, 10:31 PM   #11
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I like all the creativity here.

In my case, I don't think the tank has time to freeze up. Remember... 3-4 gallon showers at about 1.5 gallons per minute. That's about 2-1/2 minutes of propane use.

I'll let someone else heat the tank with shower water. Or maybe hold it under their pits.
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Old 12-09-2016, 07:59 PM   #12
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I'll shed a little light on the subject, for those who are unaware of the dynamics of propane...

The reason the propane cools off is due to decompression (adiabatic cooling). It is entirely possible to get the propane cylinder so cold that it will completely stop putting off vapors. This is where the water bath comes in. It is not possible to overheat the propane cylinder unless you're using water that's over 100 degrees, as this is how hot a propane cylinder might get from ambient outdoor temperatures.

The question remains, does the cylinder have enough output to run the L5 (or is it L10?) heater? Easy enough to answer, if it has the output to do it for more than 10-20 seconds then it has the output to do it indefinitely, it just comes down to a heat/cold balance within the liquid propane itself.

A larger tank has a larger "heat bank" to draw from before it goes below it's boiling point than a smaller tank would. You can easily get a 20lb tank too cold to off-gas, done it plenty of times. Same reason that a propane heater on a porch will have poor performance if the tanks are left in the shade in January. You can put a 20lb tank in a tub of warm water to help as well.

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Old 12-09-2016, 09:24 PM   #13
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I'm in a pevish mood and your tiny cylinder flat arse won't work. Go ahead and try to prove me wrong! That idea won't even keep the water temp in a L5 at body temp let alone allow for a navy shower --I mean really. Jack
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Old 12-10-2016, 06:50 AM   #14
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What I've Learned About Propane and Portable Cylinders
i use the l5 and love the thing. i have mine mounted below a bathroom vent that i can turn on if i want to. the tank is in the next room and wont get to cold to freeze up. the other thing i noticed, i keep the door to the bath open when i take showers so i don't use the fan. when i have company and shut the door it will flame out from humidity if i don't run the fan. i was first informed of this from a pissed of lady with soap in her hair.
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