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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Can a shurflo 2088 pull water through a propane hot water heater?
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rugercpl
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:37am
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I'm wondering if the shurflo 2088 can pull water from a rain barrel, through an on-demand hot water heater, to a shower head. The height from the bottom of the water barrel to the shower head is about 11' but the pump will be halfway between that distance. I'm not sure of the self-priming power of the pump and if it can pull water from a rain barrel, through the propane heater, and to the shower head.

There's some details I'm leaving out, such as mixing the hot water with cold in the shower with a separate pump, inline filters, etc but I just wanted to get some feedback on the chances of success with the above idea.

rugercpl
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:40am
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I should add that I hope to be able to have the pump between the heater and the shower head....not between the rain barrel and the propane heater....because the rain barrel and propane heater will be outdoors, and I need to keep the pump indoors.

Martian
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 08:02am
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Pumps push water much more effectively than they pull water. Even if it means extra hose, I'd put the pump before the heater.

Tom

rheber8
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 08:54am
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We have our pump only about 4 feet from the barrel and then it pushes it thru the hot water heater and then to the rest of the cabin. Martian is correct in saying it pumps alot better than it pulls water.

sparky1
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 09:15am
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HOT water will ruin the pump-

Martian
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 09:45am
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Quoting: sparky1
HOT water will ruin the pump-


Not to mention, there will be no cold water! If the pump is after the heater, all the pressure water will be HOT!

Truecabin
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:06am - Edited by: Truecabin
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Quoting: Martian

Quoting: sparky1
HOT water will ruin the pump-

Not to mention, there will be no cold water! If the pump is after the heater, all the pressure water will be HOT!


ooooops M No Hot water, the heater won't fire up until theres 20 psi at the inlet

Martian
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 02:41pm
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Quoting: Truecabin
ooooops M No Hot water, the heater won't fire up until theres 20 psi at the inlet



Good point!

creeky
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 03:09pm
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make a box for the pump or route the water through the cabin and back to the heater.
I've got a Shurflo Revolution and an ecotemp lv12 sitting in boxes. Next week it's install the water system. I can't wait.
Ultimately I'll preheat with solar panels wired direct to 48v DC heater elements (still to be ordered).
that first shower will be priceless.

Truecabin
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 05:32pm
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Understand your goal regarding putting the pump in a warm area but you'll have to try something else.
Quoting: rugercpl
I'm wondering if the shurflo 2088 can pull water from a rain barrel, through an on-demand hot water heater, to a shower head.

Nope, you have to push the water thru the heater. You could perhaps pull water thru the heater but the heater has a pressure activated switch at the inlet which only fires the heater at 20 psi or more. If your heater is on the sucking side of the pump it will never fire up.

rayyy
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 06:15pm
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Here is a depiction of what I got set up.The barrel shown can be a 5 gallon bucket or a 250 gallon tank.The volume of the holding tank doesn't really matter.The Shurflo 12 volt pump easily self primes and pull's water from 5 feet below.It claim's it can pull water up from 10 feet below if needed.The pump,s outlet then pushes water over to the eccotemp L5 on demand hot water heater and up to the shower head just fine. If you'd like I could make you a video of the set up?
hot_water_setup_001..jpg
hot_water_setup_001..jpg


MJW
Member
# Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:23pm
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Quoting: rayyy
If you'd like I could make you a video of the set up?


rayyy...not to hijack the thread but what I would really LOVE is a video on hooking up this Honda to run my house through my panel box.

I am really struggling with this one...

rayyy
Member
# Posted: 28 Mar 2013 04:47pm
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MJW,My cabin has no power company grid electric.It's totally ran off my generator.If you house is tied to the grid,it would not be safe trying to feed your panel with your generator.You could run some individual outlets to critical areas around your house that would be just dedicated to being plugged into your generator,such as to your furnace,frig or freezer.Maybe a couple of light fixtures.If it's for just power outages,this would work for you.

tmcmurran
Member
# Posted: 2 Apr 2013 04:12pm
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Quoting: rayyy
would not be safe trying to feed your panel with your generator



If you were to install a transfer switch it would not be an issue. Back feeding is a no no if your tied into the grid. Even when not, the use of a transfer switch makes life a little simpler. Just plug in your 220 plug and fire up the genny. Hit the breakers you want power to and your up and running.

SFCLYNCH
Member
# Posted: 2 Apr 2013 08:24pm
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I would love to see the video.

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