In Vehicle Shower Kit (BLUE) Heat Exchanger

With an in Vehicle Hot Shower System, all you need for unlimited hot water is a vehicle with a radiator, and a water source, i.e. stream, lake, bucket, etc., for unlimited hot water showers all year round, rain or shine.

The Heat Exchanger is inserted into the vehicle's heater line. A 12v pump draws water from any source - bucket, on board tank, creek - through a separate line in the Heat Exchanger. The shower water does not mix with radiator water or radiator coolant.

With the vehicle at idle or just above and running at operating temperature, there is a transfer of waste heat from the engine's cooling system to the shower water.

The result is incredible - as much hot water as you want - instantaneously!

Complete installation kit with all components including:

• Blue 'Shower' Heat Exchanger
• 12 Volt Pump and Shower 
• Rose with variable flow control
• Fresh Water and Heater Hoses
• Hose Clamps
• Bumper mounting bracket and Barbs.

Everything you need for a complete installation!

• Heat exchangers are made entirely of copper for maximum thermal efficiency and extreme durability.
• All joints are brazed and pressure tested.
• We punch, press and roll all our own copper components to ensure uniformity.
• All our models are manufactured with one piece heater lines with no internal joins.

Helton makes two basic models of heat exchanger being the blue and red units.

• The units are manufactured with all 4 hose connections at one end.
• Both units are a 76mm diameter canister, 200mm long plus 35mm long hose connections.
• A Bare Shower Exchanger weighs about 1.45 kg and Hot Water Exchanger 1.9kg.

Diameter:  76 mm (3")
Barrel length:  180 mm
Length (including fittings):   200mm (8")
Fitting sizes: Engine 12 mm (1/2")
Freshwater 10mm (3/8")
Test pressures: Engine coolant container 25 psi
Flow up to 4.5 lpm
Fresh water heater line 100 psi
Shower unit output ~ 40°C on average shower flow rate - just right for a shower in the great outdoors!

Q:  What's the difference between the Vehicle Camping Shower and the Hot Water System?

The Vehicle Camping Shower (This Kit) has about 2.8 meters of heating coil and is designed to deliver shower temperature water directly from the unit. The Hot Water System has about 4.2 meters of coil and will deliver much hotter water.

Q: Where can I mount the exchanger?

Mounting the heat exchanger is not vehicle specific - they can be mounted anywhere there is space.  Because the units are internally ducted, they can be mounted vertically or horizontally and any angle in between. The units are usually mounted on the firewall. Some other mounting points are inside wheel arches, on the chassis rails, under battery holders and behind the bullbar. Helton Exchangers are compact size makes them easier to fit inside the modern crowded engine compartments. The mounting brackets come with a 6mm mounting bolts. Do not mount your exchanger directly on the engine. Constant vibration has the potential to cause metal fatigue and void warranty.
 
Q:  Will fitting a heat exchanger affect my cabin heater?

No you cannot detect any difference in the output.  

Q:   Series or parallel fitting?

Most new vehicles have a constant flow cab heater system and series installation is easiest for these vehicles.
That is, the exchanger is plumbed directly into one of the cab heater hoses.

Parallel installation using “T” pieces is appropriate if you vehicle cab heater system incorporates a water tap, usually located against fire wall in engine bay, which is operated by the cab heater controls. In this situation, parallel installation using “T” pieces is best as no coolant water flows through the cab heater hoses with the cab heat turned off. “T” pieces are placed in both cab heater hoses, with the “T’s” then connected to the heat exchanger. Temperature control can be achieved by adjusting the cab heater controls and our kit control valve is not required in this situation.
 
Q:  How do control the temperature?

There are two ways of controlling the temperature output from an exchanger.

Change the fresh water flow rate or the engine coolant flow rate.
Decreasing the fresh flow rate or increasing the engine coolant flow rate will increase the shower water temperature.

Increasing the fresh water flow rate or reducing the engine coolant flow rate will reduce the shower water temperature.
The kit shower rose has a slide to reduce water flow. The hot water kit has an in line valve to vary the engine coolant water flow.

Q: What shower temperature can I expect from my heat exchanger?

As explained in General Information, several factors influence the output of an exchanger.

Blue Shower Units are designed to achieve a shower temperate range of 38 to 42° C for shower purposes at a fresh water flow of 3 litres a minute for the camper needing to be conscious of water conservation in a situation where water is transported. From experience, a fresh water flow rate of about 3 litres a minute is adequate for a bush shower, but less than one would expect from a shower at home.
 
A Red Hot Water Unit is designed for a shower temperature range of 38 to 42° C on turbo charged/intercooled diesel engines at a fresh water flow of 3 litres a minute.
A Red Hot Water unit has achieved 80° C from a hot running petrol engine in testing.

As it is expected the red Hot Water units will produce temperatures too hot for a shower on some vehicles, the Hot Water kits include a valve (tap) to be installed in one of the engine coolant lines. This valve can be partly closed to reduce the output to a comfortable shower temperature. If in doubt, purchase a Hot Water unit.
 
Q: Manufactures Warranty?

Helton Heat Exchangers are hand crafted in Miles, Queensland, Australia from 100% silver soldered copper.
Our exchangers are very well made and expected to last a lifetime.

Exchangers are sold with a  replacement five (5) year warranty, against faulty manufacture.
Components in the kits other than the exchanger carry a 12 month replacement warranty.
Mounting the exchanger directly to the engine will void warranty due to constant vibration having the potential to cause metal fatigue.
 
Q: Specifications and configurations
 
Helton makes two basic models of heat exchanger being the blue and red units.
The units are manufactured with all 4 hose connections at one.
Both units are a 76mm diameter canister, 200mm long plus 35mm long hose connections.
A bare shower exchanger weighs about 1.45 kg and Hot Water exchanger 1.9kg.
 
Q:  What is in a kit?

A Red Hot Water Kit includes:

1 x hot water unit, 2 x mounting brackets, 2 x metres of 16mm Heater hose, 3 x metres of 10mm Fresh water hose, Bracket for bumper with inlet and outlet barbs,
10 x Hose clamps, Temperature regulation valve, 12v pump “Turbo” shower, Zip ties and DIY instruction sheet.
 
A Blue Shower Water Kit (This Kit)  includes:

1 x blue shower unit, 2 x mounting brackets, 2 x metres of 16mm Heater hose, 3 x metres of 10mm Fresh water hose, Bracket for bumper with inlet and outlet barbs,
8 x Hose clamps, 12v pump “Turbo” shower, Zip ties and DIY instruction sheet.

Mount your heat exchanger using the bracket provided.

Your heat exchanger has 4 connections. The coloured collars on the connections identify the relevant hot/cold connections.

2 large ones are for connection to your vehicle coolant system.
2 small ones are for for your fresh/shower water.

Although your Heat Exchanger will work when mounted in any position it is most efficient when mounted upright or on its side with the hot fresh water out and the engine coolant in hoses (both red collars) uppermost. 

Heat Exchangers are designed to be fitted in series or parallel with your vehicle heater system.


 

Mount the bumper bracket on your bumper or other easily accessible location. 
Connect the 2 barbs on the bracket to the inlet and outlet on your heat exchanger.

If mounting your Heat Exchanger high up in the engine bay, it may be necessary to rotate the exchanger so the "engine out" connection is vertical. Start and run the engine for a short time. This will eliminate any air lock that may have formed.

Note: If you have a shower enclosure or wish to wash away from your vehicle, you can gravity feed fresh water from a drum or bucket on the bonnet through the heat exchanger into another container.

First burst of water will be very hot as this was trapped in the heat exchanger, water temp will drop to around 50-60 deg C and thenbe delivered continuously for showers etc.

Do not install the Heat Exchanger or hot water outlets inside the passenger compartment! All components should be under bonnet/ under car or on bumper bar.