In Hot Water

[Captain]

Need some ideas. Have a community bathroom with two showers. The building has a massive water heater that doesn't work and will cost thousands to fix so that's out.

Any ideas how to Jerry rig a simple system to heat water for showers? There are two stalls with shower heads so two sources of cold water and the bathroom has power. Seems like the necessary elements are there to make hot water on demand. Does anyone have any experience with this or have any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

 

[flyingron]

Sure you can get point of use systems but you need either gas or a rather heavy electrical line.

 

[Sac Arrow]

Yeah, get a "point of use water heater" for $150 - $200. You just mount these things in the shower stall. A proper installation has you going through the wall to the hot water line before the valve and some in-wall wiring, a ghetto installation just plumbs directly to the shower head and you run a cord to the nearest outlet.

 

[docmirror]

If you have a gas line, I'd go on craigslist and grab up a tankless system.

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/ppd/4089185092.html

If your existing water heater is elect you are SOL.

 

[Maxmosbey]

In Mexico they put big black plastic barrels on the roof. They stay warm for quite a while after the sun goes down. Kind of luke warm in the morning. Don't know where you live, but I've always thought that was a good idea.

 

[Chip Sylverne]

Is propane available? I have an on-demand propane unit installed for a barn shower that works quite well. Would easily run two showers stalls simultaneously. D-cell powered piezo-electric ignitor so no pilot to keep lit. Off eBay for less than $200.

 

[DaleB]

Stick a small electric water heater in the corner of the shower, maybe? Or one for each shower, even. I've seen little 5-10 gallon electric water heaters in hotels and/or apartments before.

 

[ElPaso Pilot]

I always found these to add a little excitement to the shower experience. Cheap, 240V heating coil right in the shower head, and quite common in South America.

Works best if you keep a short wooden stick handy to flip the switch on while you are in the shower.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

I like the idea of self made solor heated hot water and then put one of those 110v shower head heaters to finish the job of raising the temp to 99-105 d F. Without the solor warming the water a bit, in the winter time you will not get a very warm shower with either the shower head heater or the instant on electric.

I use a 135k btu Propane instant on by Bosch and its good for 2 showers, 2 sinks and what not. I have an extra one brand new in the box I will let go for $200....I think they are about $400 new. I bought two in case I had to put them in a series but one is working for me.

 

[No Joy]

Need some ideas. Have a community bathroom with two showers. The building has a massive water heater that doesn't work and will cost thousands to fix so that's out.

Any ideas how to Jerry rig a simple system to heat water for showers? There are two stalls with shower heads so two sources of cold water and the bathroom has power. Seems like the necessary elements are there to make hot water on demand. Does anyone have any experience with this or have any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Slum lord?

Spend the money to do it right. Sounds like you are considering dodging laws and safety to try to save a few bucks. If you want to electrocute yourself, fine; don’t put the public a risk. Sounds like you are heading toward a fire and electrocution risk.

Why not just replace the old giant water heater with a 40-80 gal heater?


“massive water heater”
You don’t even know how many gallons it is?

 

[douglas393]

I think to answer you need to first define what the problem is. If you have a water heater there already, and it died then replace it. Depending on the size it could be as little as a few hundred dollars. If the problem is that its a community shower, and the cost of the replacement is too high, then a cold shower can be quite invigorating and will keep your water bills down. Otherwise "jury rigged" solar heaters may be the way to go. Using a heating element within the shower head sound like an electrifying idea, but I like to come out of my showers clean, and not crispy!

 

[Captain]

Slum lord?

Spend the money to do it right. Sounds like you are considering dodging laws and safety to try to save a few bucks. If you want to electrocute yourself, fine; don’t put the public a risk. Sounds like you are heading toward a fire and electrocution risk.

Why not just replace the old giant water heater with a 40-80 gal heater?


“massive water heater”
You don’t even know how many gallons it is?

Who the heck do you think you are calling me a slum lord? Dodging laws and safety to save a few bucks?

It's not my building Einstein. I don't want to take cold showers and am looking for ideas to heat the cold water.

 

[ElPaso Pilot]

Using a heating element within the shower head sound like an electrifying idea, but I like to come out of my showers clean, and not crispy!

LOL. Those things are a hoot.

The water needs to be running before they are turned on, or the element burns out. The water temperature is adjusted by varying the cold water flow.

The last one I used was mis-wired, so that the un-grounded water pipe (and faucet) was electrically hot after the switch was thrown.

Our hostess carefully explained the routine: step into the shower, turn on the water, flip the power on with a wooden stick, use the stick to adjust the water temp by whacking the faucet handle without getting electrocuted. Reverse the process to shut it all down.

Oh, and don't back into the faucet by mistake while showering. Don't ask me how I found that out.


That experience gave me an idea on how some 3rd world countries value human life (and personal responsibility.)

 

[WakeNCAgent]

I always found these to add a little excitement to the shower experience. Cheap, 240V heating coil right in the shower head, and quite common in South America.

Works best if you keep a short wooden stick handy to flip the switch on while you are in the shower.

I spent a couple of days in a condo at Salinas Beach in Ecuador two years ago and the only shower had a similar contraption with nearly identical wiring. Needless to say, I smelled pretty ripe when we arrived back at Guayaquil.

 

[ElPaso Pilot]

I spent a couple of days in a condo at Salinas Beach in Ecuador two years ago and the only shower had a similar contraption with nearly identical wiring. Needless to say, I smelled pretty ripe when we arrived back at Guayaquil.

For some reason, similar wiring seems to be 240V wet location standard practice in that hemisphere.

Cap'n, it looks like this should meet your needs and budget just fine.

 

[No Joy]

Who the heck do you think you are calling me a slum lord? Dodging laws and safety to save a few bucks?

It's not my building Einstein. I don't want to take cold showers and am looking for ideas to heat the cold water.

I didn't call you a slum lord. Again you are being uncivilized. Again you are dishonestly and ignorantly taking things out of context to make personal attacks.

You're no Einstein. Your questions have been answered, yet you ignorantly attack those that try to help you.

Unless it is done properly then safety is greedily being compromised.

Sounds like you ought to spend the $ to move to get a real place.

If you're locked into a rental contract, you probably ought to get a lawyer to get out. If you're going to stay, you should consider putting money in escrow, till things are fixed.

You haven't posted your location, so there's no telling what laws and regulations would apply. I would think most renters would be required to provide hot water to their tenets. It's possible that an agency like the health department might be able to be a proxy to get things fixed, but you're likely to face reprisals by the landlord, even though legally they probably aren't supposed to.

Those laws/regulations may not apply. As far as we know you could be living in your parents basement.

Things like below are not safe and are not legal in most civilized places. It's a fire and electrocution hazard. If you want to kill yourself, fine. Please don't harm others or their property.

 

[silver-eagle]

Shower water heaters are very common in England. They heat the cold water going up to the shower head. Just go looking for shower water heaters.

 

[Captain]

Me calling you Einstein hurt your feelings. Real sorry.

I'm not renting the place either, in fact, it's NOYB what I'm doing. Asked a simple question and got some good ideas. Looking into the Bosch tankless heater.

 

[RotorAndWing]

Very common in Asia to have shower hot water heaters as most homes don't have running hot water (or hot water tanks). They are about $50 for a good brand and run on 220V.

Not sure if you can buy them in the US.

 

[ElPaso Pilot]

Very common in Asia to have shower hot water heaters as most homes don't have running hot water (or hot water tanks). They are about $50 for a good brand and run on 220V.

Not sure if you can buy them in the US.

All over Amazon and eBay. 110v too.

 

[RotorAndWing]

All over Amazon and eBay. 110v too.

OK, never had a reason to look but good to know. My home has 3 bathrooms and all 3 showers use a Panasonic unit. Works very well, no complaints.

 

[douglas393]

Me calling you Einstein hurt your feelings. Real sorry.

I'm not renting the place either, in fact, it's NOYB what I'm doing. Asked a simple question and got some good ideas. Looking into the Bosch tankless heater.

Do not buy anything with the Bosch label on it unless you want to be on a first name basis with the repairman. My wife decided about five years ago she wanted a new dishwasher, refrigerator, and stove. After researching she fell in love with Bosch, and we ordered the top of the line of each. The long story short is the repairman after the first year is in my house so often, I probably can take him off as a dependent on my taxes. Thankfully we bought the extended service plan, or I would be broke by now.

 

[RotorAndWing]

Do not buy anything with the Bosch label on it unless you want to be on a first name basis with the repairman. My wife decided about five years ago she wanted a new dishwasher, refrigerator, and stove. After researching she fell in love with Bosch, and we ordered the top of the line of each. The long story short is the repairman after the first year is in my house so often, I probably can take him off as a dependent on my taxes. Thankfully we bought the extended service plan, or I would be broke by now.

Yep, stay away from Bosch.

 

[DanielH]

Do not buy anything with the Bosch label on it unless you want to be on a first name basis with the repairman. My wife decided about five years ago she wanted a new dishwasher, refrigerator, and stove. After researching she fell in love with Bosch, and we ordered the top of the line of each. The long story short is the repairman after the first year is in my house so often, I probably can take him off as a dependent on my taxes. Thankfully we bought the extended service plan, or I would be broke by now.

The same goes for GE appliances in my opinion. Had a family & friends discount when redoing a kitchen and purchased all GE profile and monogram appliances. We also knew the repairman very well. He easily made 4 or 5 visits within the first year.

On the Bosch note I have some friends who had their Bosch dishwasher catch fire...and after it caught fire none of the dirty dish water would drain from it.

 

[Captain]

I like the idea of propane. It's a ton of BTUs and more importantly doesn't mix water and electricity. If a nice safe 110V option was available I might be open to it. Either way inline on demand looks the way to go.

Anybody know a good brand? Bosch seems out.

 

[cessna182b]

Shower water heaters are very common in England. They heat the cold water going up to the shower head. Just go looking for shower water heaters.

Good idea - but do your arithmetic first. A 120 Volt shower head water heater has quite a current draw. For example, do a search on eBay as follows: SHOWER HEAD-INSTANT HOT WATER HEATER-ELECTRIC 120V. One unit I came up with operates at 3500 watts at the low setting and 5500 at high. That translates to a draw of around 29 and 46 Amps respectively. Not many household wiring systems will tolerate that.

What I did in a pinch was to buy an electric water heater element (1200 watts IIRC) at Home Depot, mount it in a metal outlet box on a length of 1 X 2 wood, then put the assembly across a plastic bucket full of water (with the element loop submerged). About ten minutes operation produces agreeably hot water, with which one can take a "splash shower". You could pour the water into a camping shower if you must have a continuous flow. Not fancy but cheap (about $10) and effective. For convenience I added a timer switch I had laying around.

Dave

 

[Captain]

Good idea - but do your arithmetic first. A 120 Volt shower head water heater has quite a current draw. For example, do a search on eBay as follows: SHOWER HEAD-INSTANT HOT WATER HEATER-ELECTRIC 120V. One unit I came up with operates at 3500 watts at the low setting and 5500 at high. That translates to a draw of around 29 and 46 Amps respectively. Not many household wiring systems will tolerate that.

What I did in a pinch was to buy an electric water heater element (1200 watts IIRC) at Home Depot, mount it in a metal outlet box on a length of 1 X 2 wood, then put the assembly across a plastic bucket full of water (with the element loop submerged). About ten minutes operation produces agreeably hot water, with which one can take a "splash shower". You could pour the water into a camping shower if you must have a continuous flow. Not fancy but cheap (about $10) and effective. For convenience I added a timer switch I had laying around.

Dave

Now we're talking!

Could you describe the set up in more detail and maybe provide pictures if avail. Feel free to PM if you prefer. This sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Being avail from Home Depot is a MAJOR plus.

 

[ClimbnSink]

Get a propane torch, bend up some coat hangars so the torch hangs with the tip pointing at the pipe behind the shower head and let er rip. Here is the commercial version. although that seems the same price as installing a proper heater.

 

[douglas393]

Now we're talking!

Could you describe the set up in more detail and maybe provide pictures if avail. Feel free to PM if you prefer. This sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Being avail from Home Depot is a MAJOR plus.

I realize us pilots tend to be cheap, and like to be inventive, but jury rigging a hot water heater for a shower, and using a live electrical wire inside a shower seems to me as asking for a visit from the local law enforcement when someone gets a accidental dose of heart stopping electrons with their shower water. Saving money on electrical and plumbing installations always has worked out for me to be pennywise and pound foolish. If you are going to go through with this please tell me where it is so I can make sure I do not know anyone there that may use it.

 

[No Joy]

I realize us pilots tend to be cheap, and like to be inventive, but jury rigging a hot water heater for a shower, and using a live electrical wire inside a shower seems to me as asking for a visit from the local law enforcement when someone gets a accidental dose of heart stopping electrons with their shower water. Saving money on electrical and plumbing installations always has worked out for me to be pennywise and pound foolish. If you are going to go through with this please tell me where it is so I can make sure I do not know anyone there that may use it.

On one hand I think mental illness needs to be treated.

However it might do a lot for natural selection, to let people electrocute themselves. We can put legacy TVs to good use.

I draw the line of risking the health and safety of others. I think people that are so mentally ill they are liable to hurt or kill other people; should be institutionalized.

 

[Henning]

I realize us pilots tend to be cheap, and like to be inventive, but jury rigging a hot water heater for a shower, and using a live electrical wire inside a shower seems to me as asking for a visit from the local law enforcement when someone gets a accidental dose of heart stopping electrons with their shower water. Saving money on electrical and plumbing installations always has worked out for me to be pennywise and pound foolish. If you are going to go through with this please tell me where it is so I can make sure I do not know anyone there that may use it.

First off, the heads are safe if you wire them properly, they just need a lot of amperage if all you have is 120V. The propane demand heaters are really the best way to go.

 

[Captain]

First off, the heads are safe if you wire them properly, they just need a lot of amperage if all you have is 120V. The propane demand heaters are really the best way to go.

Actually, I think this may be the way I end up going. Found THIS and think it may fit the bill.

Hey No Joy...stick it.

 

[douglas393]

First off, the heads are safe if you wire them properly, they just need a lot of amperage if all you have is 120V. The propane demand heaters are really the best way to go.

That's a big if from some of the pictures posted.

 

[Henning]

Actually, I think this may be the way I end up going. Found THIS and think it may fit the bill.

Hey No Joy...stick it.

Yep, that's the thing you want. With propane though, check to make sure it has stainless steel burner guts or it'll crap out in reasonably short order.

 

[Henning]

That's a big if from some of the pictures posted.

Remember, electricity takes the path of least resistance. Besides, I thought we determined in another thread that being a pilot was linked to a childhood propensity to electricute ourselves...

 

[Captain]

Yep, that's the thing you want. With propane though, check to make sure it has stainless steel burner guts or it'll crap out in reasonably short order.

Meh, I only need it to last a month. To me, avoiding a month of cold showers is worth $114.

 

[douglas393]

Remember, electricity takes the path of least resistance.

If I am taking a shower and my wife throws her plugged turn on hairdryer that is not connected to the GFI outlet, and does not have an internal GFI I suspect she will either go to jail for some homicide related offense or be collecting the life insurance money.

Besides, I thought we determined in another thread that being a pilot was linked to a childhood propensity to electricute ourselves...

I like to think I have grown out of some of my more foolish childhood propensities, though others will probably disagree.

 

[Henning]

Meh, I only need it to last a month. To me, avoiding a month of cold showers is worth $114.

A month it'll last with galvanized guts no worries, a couple years more than likely. Although I doubt it's an issue since it's made to go inside and is pre set for propane (different jet than NG), code will require it to be SS.

 

[Henning]

If I am taking a shower and my wife throws her plugged turn on hairdryer that is not connected to the GFI outlet, and does not have an internal GFI I suspect she will either go to jail for some homicide related offense or be collecting the life insurance money.
I like to think I have grown out of some of my more foolish childhood propensities, though others will probably disagree.

If it does anything at all in the shower, the electricity will go down the drain. Now if you turn around and grab the metal pipe that comes out of the wall, you may get a shock. It's a shower, not a bath tub.

 

[douglas393]

If it does anything at all in the shower, the electricity will go down the drain. Now if you turn around and grab the metal pipe that comes out of the wall, you may get a shock. It's a shower, not a bath tub.

If you say so. I am not too certain and do not want to test your assertion.