The heat exchanger goes before the heater control valve in older models to allow regulating of the temperature through the control system.
This is only applicable to vehicles prior to approx. 1997; from then on heater control systems on more modern vehicles operate quite differently (climate control), so have no effect on the operating temperature of the heat exchanger. Locate the main heater feed line. Prepare to cut this hose if possible, at a point where the heat exchanger will be mounted e.g. firewall, inside mudguard etc. Affix the mount bracket and heat exchanger in the selected position. If a heater control valve is fitted, the flow runs from the motor to the valve. This means the return line has the coolant flowing towards the motor. The feed line from the motor always comes from the engine block either at the back of the motor or near the thermostat housing. The return line usually returns near to the water pump suction side. Vehicles built after 1997 do not have heater control valves, so moving the heater will not affect shower temperature.
As for the most suitable location to install; once again every vehicle is different. Ideally as close as possible to the engine under the bonnet is ideal; but in some modern vehicles there’s no room for the heat exchanger to fit under bonnet, so they can be mounted in front alongside the chassis/radiator support panel or underneath the vehicle along the chassis rails.
There’s no 1 answer fits all. It’s depends on the vehicle, thermostat, water pump efficiency etc normally anywhere from approx. 60 to 90 degrees Celsius is around the norm in modern vehicles. Putting a tempering valve (we also sell these) in line will assist with providing metered water at a more suitable temperature.
If you are only pulling water from on-board your vehicle or from a drum/bucket etc at the vehicle, the smaller 3.8lpm pump is ample. If you intend to travel remotely and mostly draw water from an external source such as a creek, dam etc. then the larger 12.5lpm pump is the only option as the smaller pump does not have the ability to cope with the demand.
The direction of flow of the 2 fluids is vital. The Glind heat exchanger is bi-directional, but the most critical factor is that the engine coolant and shower water MUST flow in opposing directions. The system will not work if the 2 fluids run in the same direction; all you will have is a short blast of hot water then continuous cold. When you first open the shower head on initial heating the water in the system has been super heated as it’s remained captive within the heating cycle. We recommend to purge the initial expulsion of hot water to avoid possible scalding.
If all these above have been confirmed and done, the next thing is to use the water source to recycle the inlet and outlet hoses. Place the inlet and outlet in the same drum if possible and run the system to recirculate the water through the system into the drum for 5–7mins. Then remove the shower outlet side hose and check for warmth. If this is warm/hot, then the system is working.
If it’s not heated then the issue may then be the flow through the exchanger may be too quick and the vehicles heating system cannot produce enough heat fast enough for the flow of the outlet. The best solution to this is to create a recirculated system either on-board as a permanent solution or by simply recirculating the water as mentioned above to get to the desired temperature.
Every vehicle is different in terms of heating efficiency and what works well on an old 2f petrol 47 series Landcruiser, may not work as well on a new 300 series Landcruiser.
It depends on the vehicle; every make and model is different.
Some will be suitably hot on a single pass through the exchanger once at normal operating temperature; others will have to be cycled.
It’s a test and see due to every manufacturer having different heating/colling efficiencies. We normally put the inlet and outlet hoses into a jerry can and cycle them for approx. 5–7mins – this seems to be the normal range for most vehicles for a comfortable shower.
If the instructions are followed exactly and the Shower does not heat the water properly, check that the vehicle thermostat is operating correctly – a faulty thermostat will stop the system from heating water.
Modern vehicles have to meet current emissions requirements so with advancements in technology and changes in emissions manufacturers have had to fit within the guidelines, so they have become adept at changing the cooling systems to assist meeting their emissions.
MOST variants of the modern diesel engines have their cooling systems that produce quite low output temperatures.
The modern engine has a very hot thermostat rating, often above 90°C, in comparison to the older vehicles which typically ran an 81°C thermostat.
The reasoning is this; engines emit the most emissions during warm up, so to meet the requirements and become compliant with new Emission Laws, new vehicles must reach operating temperature as quickly as possible.
This is why the much hotter thermostats have been incorporated to the newer vehicles.
Heat exchanger requires 2 things; heat and flow. The temperature is certainly there, but because the new engines run so hot, these engines do not require a high coolant flow in order to keep them at the extreme temperatures.
This will result in low output temperatures at the shower rose, particularly if the ambient temperature of the supply water is less than 25°C.
To counter this, you MUST run the vehicle at a fast idle, generally around 1500 rpm in order to get sufficient coolant flow to heat water efficiently.
Also, to heat water fast, and conserve fuel and water usage, the suggested recommendation is to recirculate the shower water supply for approx. 7 minutes per 20lt of water, with the engine rpm lifted to 1500 rpm.
Then turn the vehicle off and pump directly from the pre-heated supply and enjoy.
Each vehicle is different as far as efficiency for heat generation is concerned; it’s basically a trial and error to see what suits your vehicle as different brands have different flow rates, heat transfer rates, thermal efficiency etc.
If the instructions are followed exactly and the Shower does not heat the water properly, check that the vehicle thermostat is operating correctly – a faulty thermostat will stop the system from heating water.
