Hindsight - LPG Hot Water - Controversial.

[Iron Giant]

Even if you set the gas bottle on fire they don't generally explode. More than likely there has been a gas leak and there's a perfect ratio of gas to oxygen. He has then went to clean the windows with the pole and the heater has ignited the burner and all the surrounding gas escape. That's why gas explosions in houses are usually between 6am and 8am when the boiler kicks in for the central heating.

I don't think it was a window cleaning van, I simply used the photos as an example should the worst happen

 

[Baldmonkey]

I’m reading this post aloud into google translate ?

Thanks for the very comprehensive opinion on the webasto, what does everyone use then with reference to window cleaning, are they easily controlled and works on demand rather than having to be switched on and off

 

[spruce]

Thanks for the very comprehensive opinion on the webasto, what does everyone use then with reference to window cleaning, are they easily controlled and works on demand rather than having to be switched on and off

A diesel heater heats the water in an internal water circuit like a car's engine.

So you have the furnace and a header tank and a heat exchanger.

The furnace heats the water in the circuit circulating this hot water through the heat exchanger.

This heat exchanger has a mixer valve on it which you adjust to the temperature you want at the brush head. 

You transfer heat from this internal water circuit to your child water line to the brush via the heat exchanger.

You can't connect a diesel heater directly into the water line to you brush head.

It works totally differently to the way a tankless gas water heater works.

 

[Baldmonkey]

A diesel heater heats the water in an internal water circuit like a car's engine.

So you have the furnace and a header tank and a heat exchanger.

The furnace heats the water in the circuit circulating this hot water through the heat exchanger.

This heat exchanger has a mixer valve on it which you adjust to the temperature you want at the brush head. 

You transfer heat from this internal water circuit to your child water line to the brush via the heat exchanger.

You can't connect a diesel heater directly into the water line to you brush head.

It works totally differently to the way a tankless gas water heater works.

Have you got any manufactures or links of well used and tried and tested units, kinda like gardiner is to poles and brushes

 

[dmw]

I remember this one, that happened 2 years ago, as you can see in the photo 1 there is a gas barbecue, so I can only assume that the gas bottle for this exploded

View attachment 18525

View attachment 18526

I only told him to blow the bloody doors off!

 

[spruce]

Have you got any manufactures or links of well used and tried and tested units, kinda like gardiner is to poles and brushes

No I haven't. If you are looking for a unit then you need a universal one that they use on boats as they aren't CANbus specific.

I believe you can also use heaters from Rover 75's and Citroen/Peugeot but not BMW, Mercedes Benz etc.

Here's an example. It comes with the wiring loom as well as all the other accessories.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Webasto-Thermo-Top-C-boat-motorhome-diesel-water-heater-warranty/252144112661?hash=item3ab4f5d415:gw4AAOSwDIJdr3zb

(I'm not advocating you should buy this one.)

Here's another,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Webasto-Thermo-Top-C-KIT-5kW-DIESEL-WATER-HEATER-12V-Boat-Motorhome-3-mths-WA/223782761099?hash=item341a7df28b:g:51MAAOSwPbdd6Wby

You have to be careful if you buy one from a breaker. Often the water circulatory pump, fuel pump and wiring harness are missing. By the time you add these you might have been better buying a refurbished kit. They will always guarantee it working but they can't test it. The drama starts if you want to return it. You say its not working, he says it is because he tested it.

 

[windowsurfer]

Fitting the 2kw immersion element is great, i have a timer, heats water 7-10pm then 3-6am water is usually nice n warm enough for it not to cause thermal shock.

I had a lpg heater,but had concerns, n bottle took up floor space,so its good i dont have it in. However dont know how much its costing to heat water hopefully less than 5k to buy a diesel heater.

 

[Davy G]

I use a 2kw immersion. I used to use a timer but with a bit of experimentation I found the best formula for me to be : plug it in early evening and forget it till 9am, when I unplug it as I leave for work.

The thermostat is set to 60c. Once it reaches that temp it switches out and only comes back on for a short time periodically to maintain temperature.

The 650 litre Wyedale tank is extremely well insulated and loses only a very few degrees in a full working day.

It won't cause thermal shock as long as you don't dwell the brush too long in one spot. Keep it moving briskly and it will be fine, even if the water is hot. I can't hold my hand in front of my brush, even late in the day.

 

[dazmond]

I use a 2kw immersion. I used to use a timer but with a bit of experimentation I found the best formula for me to be : plug it in early evening and forget it till 9am, when I unplug it as I leave for work.

The thermostat is set to 60c. Once it reaches that temp it switches out and only comes back on for a short time periodically to maintain temperature.

The 650 litre Wyedale tank is extremely well insulated and loses only a very few degrees in a full working day.

It won't cause thermal shock as long as you don't dwell the brush too long in one spot. Keep it moving briskly and it will be fine, even if the water is hot. I can't hold my hand in front of my brush, even late in the day.

I dont believe that for one minute!theres no way a 2kw immersion will heat a 650l tank of water hot enough to have hot water at brush end at the end of your working day....itll be very luke warm at best.....

 

[Davy G]

I dont believe that for one minute!theres no way a 2kw immersion will heat a 650l tank of water hot enough to have hot water at brush end at the end of your working day....itll be very luke warm at best.....

I stand by every word I've ever written on the forum .

If you choose not to believe that's up to you. Though calling me a liar on a public forum is a bit low in fairness.

 

[jack b]

It won't cause thermal shock as long as you don't dwell the brush too long in one spot. Keep it moving briskly and it will be fine, even if the water is hot. I can't hold my hand in front of my brush, even late in the day.

Wow Davy G that's very impressive temperatures there. You'll put the diesel boys out of business with those temps.?

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Depends on how long you leave the 2kw heater on for? It will cost about 40p an hour to run, so £4 a day if you leave it on for 10hrs.

 

[Davy G]

Wow Davy G that's very impressive temperatures there. You'll put the diesel boys out of business with those temps.?

The last thing I'd want to do is affect anyones business in a negative way. ?

The system I use works very effectively because of in-depth attention to detail. If any one step is scrimped on it would not be the same results.

The van is ply lined

It has a bulkhead

The roof is insulated with double sided foil bubble wrap glued to the roof with aerosol carpet glue

The floor is ply lined and has 10 mm rubber mat under the tank

The tank is a flat 650 litre Wyedale (a smaller tank will probably not hold the heat quite as well, it being a smaller reservoir)

The immersion is fitted close to the bottom

the tank has about 4 layers of insulation of the same type as the roof

the tank has an 18 mm thick rubber mat on the top which adds to the insulation and is a platform for the side reel workstation

the hoses going from the tank to the two pumps and continuing to the reels are insulated with sleeving

the immersion is plugged in as soon as I get home. On Sunday it's plugged in about 2pm

I've measured the temperature in the tank after 4 to 6 hours work and it is over 50c

I have no real control over the the heat loss in the reel and pole hoses because of the outside temperature and how much hose is pulled out for each job.

I hope this information is useful to you. ?

 

[Davy G]

Depends on how long you leave the 2kw heater on for? It will cost about 40p an hour to run, so £4 a day if you leave it on for 10hrs.

If you leave it on for ten hours it may not be drawing power for the whole time.

Once it's up to the set temperature it will kick on and off with the thermostat, so probably won't be quite as expensive to run as it could be.

Most important things are : loads of insulation tucked in, over, under, and around properly. Put the immersion on early and leave it on till morning.

 

[dazmond]

I stand by every word I've ever written on the forum .

If you choose not to believe that's up to you. Though calling me a liar on a public forum is a bit low in fairness.

i know several window cleaners who ve got 2kw immersion set ups and insulated tanks and even when they leave them on all night their water is never more than warm,even less after 5 hours work and its gone through 100m hose,great for frost protection in the winter months though....so yes im calling your a liar on a public forum....?

 

[windowsurfer]

When i put my 2kw immersion heater in, i had turned the toggle down thats inside the cap( just needs unscrewed) when fitting.  The water was barely warm when it was switched on all night.  I then turned it up,but not all the way n now ive had 45 degrees water.  

I have mine on a timer 3 hours on evening n 3-6am n its certainly noticeably warm dont know temp, but the water does stay warm all day,ice only obe layer of insulation on 400 litre upright n layer on roof of doblo lwb. 

Just get pals to check their setting if it has temp adjuster a small little plastic toggle under the cap.

I

My water is cold this morning, as i forgot to switch my plug on. Saved electricity,as not working due to weather.

Lpg n diesel heaters are good if u forget to turn plug on.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Lovely day yesterday and now back to wind and rain. Not worth risking it today so staying in looking at u tube videos. My mechanic is retiring so I'm going to service my Crafter myself. Getting a socket set off of santa to help me on my way. Its not that difficult as I have the 2008 model but the new one with the Adblue is causing some problems.

 

[windowsurfer]

I had a citreon with adblue tank,broke down in cornwall this year with adblue system fault, seemingly the adblue is corroding the motor n parts n they are failing, seems to be a hush hush subject as not heard it on tv, but we ended up rejecting the car as only had it a few weeks n got another. Cost the garage £1k to fix. My cousin has a range rover same thing happened,they kept resseting the warning light. Probably to try n get her to the end of warranty,but they got it changed after us telling her about ours. Think people wll be spending lots of money fixing this system unless informed that its a failed system due to components not up to handing the corrosive properties of adblue n that it is a manufacturing issue. Recall in my book. 

I

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Aye, Guy near me has a 66 plate Peogeot Boxer van and the adblue went on it. Two grand to fix because you have got to get the whole new part from Peogeot. He decided to buy the part from China for £40 but had to wait 5 weeks for it to arrive. Seems to be a big problem with the design of it. My next van will be a hybride or full electric so I avoid this nightmare.

 

[CHWS]

Aye, Guy near me has a 66 plate Peogeot Boxer van and the adblue went on it. Two grand to fix because you have got to get the whole new part from Peogeot. He decided to buy the part from China for £40 but had to wait 5 weeks for it to arrive. Seems to be a big problem with the design of it. My next van will be a hybride or full electric so I avoid this nightmare.

And there is me thinking of going back to diesel from electric. I’ve forgotten the headaches of a combustible engine. Gives me the willys thinking about it 

 

[windowsurfer]

Your pal should have pursued a recall,. The citreon garage i had my car in in cornwall, said citreon might pay for parts n labour or just one of them. Needs to have a fuss kicked up about it.