Off Grid Water Heater for Tiny Cabin Sled- DIY Heat Exchanger + Snowmobile Camper

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I put together a DIY off grid water heater, using a copper coil, and ammo can. I use the heat exchanger to warm the inside of my snowmobile camper, which I plan to do some winter camping with this year.
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#cabinsled #tinycabin #offgrid

[@michaelmartin3807]

Fill the system with glycol. Then you won’t need to bleed it out each time. You will need a couple of isolation valves on either side of the disconnects so you can transport without losing much of the glycol. Awesome project, very impressive!

[@Linuxhax]

Propylene Glycol.

[@DBuss-om8sh]

That's what I was thinking too. But can glycol can be heaten up that much? Is it the same than Prestone?

[@odw32]

You could make some kind of a "cupholder" hole in the top of the ammobox, so you can partially submerge a food-safe aluminum bottle/canteen. 70-80c is certainly hot enough to heat some water "bain marie" style for warm drinks or reheating soup.

[@johnsellers2999]

Ok good idea you have there. I would also have a propane back up heater because you never know when that copper is going to break. And I'm betting it's gonna break on the coldest night ever. To not have a back-up in very remote and cold place can be a real serious problem. Wish I was young enough to play like that. My mind is for it but my body might not be strong enough anymore. But very cool heating system I must say

[@ShaneZettelmier]

There are lots of ways you can deal with the pressure, almost every house hot water heater deals with it. You can buy a pressure tank which is about the size of a soccer ball and it’s got kind of a bladder inside so when your pressure builds up it gives room for expansion and then as it cools it keeps a Tanks and all that from collapsing. The way to get around your valves with the rubber seals is to plumb it. Basically make a permanent radiator inside the camper and you can have a second water tank outside or an insulated tank outside and you can sweat or brace everything together so you don’t have to worry about seals. You can get hot water rated valves and put them outside, you could even put them in an area where you can pile of snow on them but outside they were cool a lot better. You can do things like insulate your pipes running over to the fire, you could have a smaller fire or build a specific stove to heat it like a little rocket stove or build A small wood stove with a flu and tight ventilation system to keep your wood-burning slow and not as hot all night. Another thought is you could do a fire pit and have wood set above it on the shelf and after a few hours you could just yank on the cable and dump that wood in the fire pit to keep it going longer. You could also have an external tank that you could mount on the exterior wall and insulate some and you could have that work like a boiler and put a small car radiator or something inside, maybe even a small motorcycle radiator. I like the idea of just using wood and mechanical devices and not needing electric but you could wire your snowmobile and or a small generator to charge a battery and you could heat the water in the tank with a diesel glow plug, you’d be surprised how much it will heat it and that way you could put it on a timer or even a thermostat and the car battery should run that for several hours. I’ve seen people make a water heater with a 55 gallon drum and heat 55 gallons with two small glow plugs within an hour or less. It would probably heat your ammo box in 10 minutes end it wouldn’t take much to put a thermostat on their aunt be able to control your temperature very well and make it last a long time. Since you’re pulling it with a snowmobile you could run wires off of the alternator through the trailer hitch and charge your battery that way and not need a solar panel or a generator and you would always have a battery back up for your snowmobile as well. You could even mount a couple of batteries on the snowmobile and use that to power the heater and lights in the camper. I love these projects, it will be fun to play with overtime and make improvements on. Now you’re gonna have to work on an air conditioner. ;)

[@bigoldgrizzly]

Some great ideas fella - just seems a shame that the channel owner has not bothered to reply or comment on your [or amost anyone else's] valuable contribution(s)

[@pixelbasedlifeforms]

The design can be improved IMO. You can attach a small woodstove to the one of the outside walls with the pipes already in it. Pipes could connect to the radiator on the other side of the same wall, inside the cabin. This way the pipes could be super short preventing the heat loss. It could make it much easier to use as well. You wouldn’t need to set anything up. All you would need to do would be to put the wood inside and start the fire.

[@harolddomangue9206]

Here is a thought: thermo floor heating run tubing on the wood floor and insulate the floor Like in a house. The floor will heat the camper and your backside while you sleep

[@Beltloop29]

I was just thinking the same thing. Rarely reply to these things but thought I should on this. Copper lines running back and forth either under the floor above the insulation or could be the wall. May be able to control the flow with another valve on outside or just inside with partially closing it to help control the temp. Also use some insulation on the pipes outside to help keep them from bursting. Maybe get a few fire bricks to set up just under the pot on the fire and possibly put some cobb around it to help further keep the heat.

[@Beltloop29]

Could still be used in combination with your ammo can.

[@BrooklynAvenue]

This is why I love watching projects develop.... you've come up with how he ought to build the next model.

[@harolddomangue9206]

@@BrooklynAvenue not building the next model but improving on this camper add tubing to floor place styrofoam between tubing and add strips of 2x4 boards to hold up sheets of plywood above tubing

[@heidiullrich966]

Exactly! Was thinking the same thing.

[@smpb238]

way cool . if i may add a thought ,it almost looks like you need to build a rocket stove kind of thing on the front of your sled so you can keep that system installed all the time. then run some coolant instead of water so it can get cold.

[@rveurope]

Thought the same, a little boat oven with a metalbacking would heat the camper as well when you have 2 metalsheet backing you get a convection inside and you can cook on the out side..make a little flap over the stove and its all weather proof

[@Shady-Shane]

can also be used as an emergency bong.

[@Bliu2th]

Inside a hotbox

[@carlmartin3623]

Inside shady Shane's rv 😂

[@BatGS]

I suppose if Ur stoned being cold, frostbite, hypothermia or death won't matter.

[@wessmith7408]

I discovered your channel yesterday and I love it. Knowing this is 4 years old, I’m an old heating expert. Adding something to the water to keep down the boiling point is how a boiler works. Next, find a long hot water baseboard heater. It would need to be mounted inside the camper at an angle on the wall. This will make the inlet higher than the outlet so nature and gravity do all the work. These are small and light weight. This would distribute the heat more evenly. You could mount say a 2 1/2 gallon container on the wall just head of the baseboard heater. This would be your water supply, much like your ammo container but smaller. This should eliminate the need for so much water. This is a thought and I am quite sure it would work very well. I also thought you may want to remove the outer cover of the baseboard heater and just use the coil inside. If it isn’t too bulky, leaving the cover on would make it more efficient. Leaving the cover on will also eliminate the boiling problem. Either way, this would work quite well. In your area, I am sure there are many hot water heating systems in use. I’m in love with your channel and all that you are doing. If interested, I’m almost 3/4 of a century in age.

[@alexanderheling2057]

Now, that is a tiny home!

[@andrewcairns7185]

I like you trial and error can-do attitude. I really enjoy your videos. Thanks for making fun content.

[@sacredcymatics9550]

Closed circuit loop for transportation, fill with propylene glycol. Locking ball valves on the tank and use braided lines with locking ball valves so your lines maintain glycol. Having an open vent like that automatically bleeds the air properly from the loop and you've vented it at the systems highest point which is correct. Ultimately what you've done can remain an intact or disassembled fully portable heat source that does not require filling or draining with every use. Simply apply the few suggestions I've offered and see for yourself. Excellent video thanks for sharing.

[@letrainavapeur]

Take all those kinks out of the flexible pipe, shorten the copper pipes and insulate all pipes. To control the temps just put less wood on the fire. Need to remove the valve from the vent line or one day it's going to be left shut.

[@Talkingworms]

My thoughts exactly. There are too many ways to build up pressure in the hot line and effectively creating a pipe bomb. An inline pressure release directly following the copper pipe would be my first safety add. Also, this is extremely overkill for a space that seems to be less than 50 cubic feet. Just insulate, then heat a pot of water and pour it into the ammo can.

[@letrainavapeur]

@@Talkingworms The traditional way, at least in power stations is to fit a pressure relief valve to any pressure generator without any means of disabling that pressure relief i.e. valves. I would also be quite wary of that pressure relief valve operating in a water filled line since it would emit very hot water.

[@Talkingworms]

@@letrainavapeur A very good point. Honestly, I keep going back to "just heat the can of water, put a little insulation in the walls, and drag the can inside as a considerably massive thermal sink." Or even safer- skip the water and go directly to sand.

[@letrainavapeur]

@@Talkingworms How about using some thermal bricks as used in electric storage radiators and just heat them in a custom frame on the fire, easier to handle and transport.

[@Talkingworms]

@@letrainavapeur Perfect.

[@jaquigreenlees]

To set up a camp for a number of days you could add some anti-freeze to the water so there is not as much risk of the lines freezing.

[@GHumpty1965]

Not if he plans on maybe wanting to drink something hot like tea or coffee from it. Breaking it down might contaminate the area he is camping in which is not good for the enviroment, I think hes trying to leave a Zero foot print while out camping like this.

[@PaulSchortemeyer]

Great idea! He wouldn't need to flush the lines every day...if the antifreeze can handle the heat(?) There would be no contamination of the environment unless it developed a leak.

[@PaulSchortemeyer]

@@GHumpty1965 He actually mentions that this is not a potable water system...he has no plans to consume the water. Also, if he doesn't have to drain it there would be no contamination (theoretically).

[@strietermarinesurvey1415]

They sell environmentally friendly antifreeze at most hardware stores.

[@jaquigreenlees]

@@strietermarinesurvey1415 exactly. and wood alcohol is the base ingredient in them, a naturally occurring product that has existing microbial life that eats it.

[@b5maddog]

Love the system. Really enjoyed you showing and explaining the well thought out heater. Please say hello to your father. God bless you and your family always

[@BeachBum100]

NIce design. You can regulate the temperature with a standard plumbing thermo bypass valve, which will open at a preset temp (usually 38 C) of you can dial in various temps. Also, a pressure relief valve should be added in case you have a steam surge. Ive built engine exhaust water heaters for diving.

[@josiahstevenson]

If you rotate your coil bucket 90 degrees so it's on its side, you'll get a lot of convection flow in the line - probably enough to switch the inlet and outlet and still have the water circulating a lot faster.

[@goqsane]

@@Nighterlev on its* side.

[@Lee-qp6gf]

Add a couple of magnetic thermometers to the side of the tank. You could tell what it's doing. Good luck, Lee

[@douggibson9084]

Excellent video Outsider. Glycol system for extreme cold weather. Have your lines insulated using a PVC pipe and pool noodle with couplers on each end. Heat sink on ammo box Excellent work.

[@RBMawby]

Good constructive comments are such a delight.

[@ants9230]

Definitely not ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is sweet smelling, sweet tasting, attractive to animals and extremely toxic. Any leaks could be potentially fatal to wildlife.

[@douggibson9084]

@@ants9230 is there an environmental solution to stop the water from freezing but safe to the wildlife.

[@lavrentichudakoff2519]

@@douggibson9084 I thought RV antifreeze would be safe. Could be wrong. Don't have any around at the moment to look at the label.

[@Mujajiconcept]

@@douggibson9084 drain the system when not in use

[@heywhyerd]

You can insulate the copper piping for better results and more residual heat except if the lines are allowed to freeze up at any point which would cause longer system start up time. You can also install a heating element in the ammo can hooked to a solar panel on the roof to deep cycle 🔋 battery for daytime use.

[@paulsojourner7551]

You could also run copper tubing in a zig-zag pattern in the floor or one wall of your snowmobile camper with screw on connections on the outside of the camper. Connect one copper line from the heated water line so that the hot water travels through the camper before exiting and going to the tank. This way you don't have to store the hot tank of water inside your limited space camper and you get radiant heat. Could also add a faucet line from the hot tank and one from a cold tank to a dual valve and have temp controlled shower outside.

[@bearrivermama6414]

Great job. I enjoyed watching your ingenuity come to life! I'm sitting next to my fireplace watching with the temperature outside at -49* so my appreciation for the heat you created is at a heightened level! 😂

[@warrenh3515]

I've heard those same sounds coming from the ammo can when I was on the toilet. Quite relaxing. XD

[@alexsweet8585]

I dig it. You're right, not great for everywhere, but pretty good in it's place. Well played.

[@danno5805]

Old ideas with new concepts 👍

[@dlsdyer9071]

As far as adjusting the heat, you could use a vent arm like we have in our greenhouse that automatically opens when a certain temp is reached and closes when it cools.

[@TheOutsiderCabin]

Interesting idea!

[@romeorozeta4998]

Or perhaps something similar to what an automobile uses on the water line.

[@allamerican6094]

We have those arms on our greenhouse also.they work very well.can adjust them to desired temp.i think we got them from Johnny's greenhouse supply

[@monkeysuncle2816]

Or a secondary water line, with isolating valves, to shunt the unwanted heated water outside to cool it off.

[@tonymorrison578]

simple plumbing fittings with header tank and head stand would complete the heat battery - good idea !!

[@wannabeagamer1204]

As someone watching this from America, thanks for the temp conversions lol. Also, that is an amazing idea. I think it’s practical for camping, would be good for a pop up camper if it had a fan behind it.

[@cable3366]

replace the ammo box with a Radiator heater should make big difference. Good luck out there and stay safe.

[@samrichards8251]

Great idea I will give that a try

[@samrichards8251]

Wonder if the radiator heaters already have a pressure release valve or maybe that’s taken care of somewhere else on those systems

[@pjwhalen5104]

It is such a joy to learn along with you as you tinker, adjust and improve everything! Thank you so much for sharing.

[@windbreaker57]

My thoughts, too.

[@Eric-gi9kg]

Love how you have persisted in making this a great unit. Far as a thermostat...a Bypass Valve connected to a thermostat. I'm going to Save this for use in a future project.

[@rconger24]

3 way valve.

[@BrianBriCurInTheOC]

The correct definition of Water Hammer - Hydraulic shock (colloquial: water hammer; fluid hammer) is a pressure surge or wave caused when a fluid, usually a liquid but sometimes also a gas, in motion is forced to stop or change direction suddenly; a momentum change. This phenomenon commonly occurs when a valve closes suddenly at an end of a pipeline system, and a pressure wave propagates in the pipe.

[@GordLamb]

I'd weld copper pipes directly to the radiator inside, permanently mounted, to faucets outside the camper, with self-sealing quick disconnects. Replace the pot and coil with another ammo box that sits near or over the fire. Fill the whole system with antifreeze, and just hang the exterior ammo can on the side of the camper when not in use. Should be able to just grab it off the wall, and set it next to / on top of the fire and be good to go! Could also put a radiator / heat sink on the outside of the camper with a mechanical bypass thermostat; if the antifreeze exceeds a certain temperature it's rerouted through the heatsink to cool it off and regulate the temperature.

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

Xtra-kool, the cons you mentioned can be refined, still a great prototype...i was thinking anti freeze, clear fuel-type filter, a few anti-freeze tester balls to monitor flow, pressure cooker popoff or mr. beer machine valve instead of the vent. maybe a quick mount on the shed itself for usability and unclunkyness. i can think of 100 more im sure you can too...outstanding job kutgw.

[@carbonmonoxidefreeheater8381]

If you don't mind commercial version of heated water heater, I recommend to see this - kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqjVaGmMg96qrqc

[@Downeastwaves]

Excellent system!! Great design!! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@jameshelton8095]

Thank you for sharing. Cool updates. Couple of thoughts- 1. add some pieces of stone (soapstone or granite countertop scraps) or ceramic tiles to the outside of the water can to increase"battery" size. 2. Once you are happy with placement, consider replumbing so that the valves are outside and solder pipes directly to water can so that should the seal fail, the water will go outside, not on your stuff. Shouldnt be to much an issue having the valves outside since you have to go out when you shut it down anyway. 3. Add one of those fans for wood stoves since they operate from heat and not electricity. Better equalize the heat inside. 4. You could use a metal tripod and some chain to allow you to alter the height of the fire bucket to allow some control of heat. 5. Not doubt you already considered that you can add an additional coil to the inside of the water tank to allow you to make drinkable hot water, plumb it to a metal pot on the outside of the water can and you are good to go. Would also let you increase humidity inside during dry winter. Could be fun to experiment with. Could also just put a pot on top of the water can (grin). Take care

[@chase7143]

You can heat and sous vide at the same time! Hopefully you don’t ever forget to open your vent valve. Waking up to third degree burns alone in the dark trapped in your sleeping bag hours away from help is a scary thought. Cool build!

[@micflynn1]

The Outsider, Tip, if you add Heat Sink Finns to the side of your Ammo tank it would give off heat more evenly and better, Also you could add a second one way valve and make a inner loop that you can turn a valve and send half the water back to the pot bypassing the ammo box. That would let you regulate the heat.

[@spaceing3328]

Iam always happy to see new episode

[@m715fm]

Great project and thank you for converting temperature to farenheit.

[@adamseth328]

This is the type of ingenuity I like! Not many ppl out there like us that won’t stop til we find a way to make it work. Great video skills too. Keep up the good work

[@SimpleSustainableLife]

So awesome, thank you for putting this out there and going into such depth. Every off-grid setup is different, and apart from the inevitable little tweaks, this is pretty much perfect as far as I can tell. Your fuel source and water is ever-present, and the kit is quick and easy to set up. Inspiring, love it.

[@minihaha3940]

Great job. I love the movable cabin. Your heating system could save lives

[@skjoldmail]

You could place the ammobox on some kind of tray fitted with a small hose out through your hole at the bottom of the cabin. If any of the seals should leake the water could drain away so you don't have to sleep in water...

[@Urobam]

I am just learning, listening, and appreciating taking the time sharing, building, providing information, the pros and the cons. Thank you😘😘😘😘😘😘😘

[@marvingrosziii2747]

Cant believe the obvious comments as well as the negative nannies.. this kid did awesomem.. it is a great video.. Thank you

[@mainlawcafewv7681]

Sycophant definition: a servile self-seeking flatterer. Does nobody any good.

[@LynnWrayDillard]

A very well thought out system. Smart solution and a smart looking video too. Stay warm my friend.

[@ronaldclark2624]

Very cleaver use of an old technology that was used in my youth! Just a friend Ron

[@krzysztofboduch1492]

As you lose water you can just throw some snow in to replenish and cool down a little the system.

[@duhhhh1723]

Your my favorite , the most interesting and intelligent survivalist on KZbin , thanks so much for taking time to share every detail of your inventive projects 👍.

[@DieterSchneider]

Great stuff. I am going to build a portable camping cabin for my car trailer in my next video. Heating is one of the main issues, so this is good inspiration.

[@RBMawby]

Good constructive comments are such a delight.

[@02271953me]

Genius!! Glad it worked for you. Will be fun to see what it finally morphs into. Take care always. Much love to you and family. Hapoy New Year!!

[@kristenleblond5047]

I just have to say that you are one talented builder, creator, and engineer!!

[@ttali211]

buoyancy at it’s finest

[@aliceg9571]

Thanks for the video. This is a great idea si you can stay warm. I always look forward to your videos. Hope this will be a good year on your cabin build. ATB

[@ilcilc2910]

It may not be practical but it is a "proof-of-concept". I can actually see this becoming more practical if more "tweaking" is done to it. It might actually be beneficial to bring outside expertise to help further mature the design.

[@lindaashbrook6789]

You are so amazing! Lots of thought involved. I'm sure it feels awesome to have your plans prove right!

[@MoontownMoss]

Awesome. What about 1. Some anti-freeze in the water 2. Permanently fitting the ammo crate in the camper with quick release valves on the exterior walls (Just for a quick set up)

[@Valkaneer]

Yep, that's what I was thinking anti-freeze I think would work well, basically like a car heater.

[@markholmes5778]

I love your videos...hope you and your family are doing great!! I love your cabin and foraging videos!

[@barefootralph8467]

I know you discounted the use of cast iron radiators but have you thought of using a car or truck radiator, they already have an inlet, an outlet, a relief valve, and It disperses heat well. In floor or in wall piping might help too if you are still looking for improvement options. Congrats on the great job so far.

[@jeffweber8244]

BareFoot Ralph Yes, perhaps a radiator from a “crotch rocket” inline-six motorcycle would be about the right size and weight for the task

[@danlibby8366]

It looks great! It's heavy but your pulling it with a sled...no problems. The best part is no chance of Co poisoning from the heat source. Stay away from gas/propane type heat in a sealed camper like that. Nice!

[@outdoors-university]

Great simple idea my brother!!! Thank you for your content! Stay safe and have fun!

[@jaclyng7022]

You are always up for a challenge and perform very well! Brilliant! 🌠

[@japanairtoground5070]

Awesome man. Enjoy your videos. A pioneer of the spirit of innovation!

[@rebeccathomas1036]

That's pretty cool that you can have natural heat. And everything need care or it won't last long. Great idea

[@robertmuckle2985]

You might be able to insert a secondary smaller (food safe) tank, and perhaps just hang it from the top lip filled with potable water. It would be near the top and equalize temp at the same rate as the ammo box. You could also fashion a spigot through both chambers and have hot tea any time👍☕

[@rogerbeebe3950]

Awesome! Well done!!

[@drgunsmith4099]

Thanks for the great upload, respect brother.

[@MyOldSled]

That is so cool. Thanks for sharing.

[@creativejamieplays7185]

I feel like you might want to put a quick connector between the inside and outside of the cabin. That way you don't have to crawl underneath a fumble with the hose. Just clip on outside and inside then its done.

[@roizdoci]

and a faster set up

[@davidbarnhart6228]

I like it! Nice work!

[@alterego3525]

Same thing as when a furnace comes on - noises associated with heat = comfort knowing your heating system is working to keep you warm. 👍🏻

[@TheOutsiderCabin]

Exactly!

[@jedclampid347]

This a really cool setup you have. You could try a brass ball valve to replace the other valves, it can withstand higher temperature and you wouldn’t have to worry about the rubber seals.

[@VentShop]

Looks like it works well as a proof of concept. Now drop the hose connections like they are. Simply plumb a couple valves on the front and connect them with a short flex line. This way you can simply attach your flex lines on the outside and be done, there is really not a huge need to move the tank in and out. It will also speed up the setup by not having to make connections on the inside. Same for the vent. Basically just need that leftover piece of copper line and attach it to the top and plumb it outside a little ways. On the inside of the tank take another piece of the leftover copper and plumb it down to the far bottom corner from the input for better circulation so that the tank fully heats up. Another advantage of this is that you can prep meals in some vacuum sealer bags and then drop them in the hot water to cook. Just have to make sure that the things you intend to cook like the temps you are getting in the tank on average.

[@ssiddon]

Great vid! Look up KZbin videos about “self-feeding campfire” that will keep your heater running all night.

[@UrbanGrrl69]

This was a great test. It will be interesting to see how this gets modified over time. I wondered about maybe rigging the box to the outside more permanently and using copper piping in the inside as hot pipes,maybe some sort of boxing in etc. Just to maximise space and control it from getting too hot..anyway you it’s a brilliant idea as it is.

[@jerrygregoire586]

Great work and absolute sustainability!

[@roxanneweichinger9318]

This looks like fun!!

[@micheljean3715]

Happy New Year. Great system.

[@LastV8Interceptors]

Bahaha. Ever more complex assemblages of copper pipe. It is like south park: always snowy. Looks fun!

[@kiwifin]

If I had the choice of this or a tent....it would be this hands down! Looking forward to how the heating systems goes when you take it out again. Thank you for sharing!

[@virustracker4840]

Your experimentation is well done and a great learning experience.....keep testing and learning. You made a heat exchanger!

[@hueypilot1950]

Great prototype, 2nd generation (sand in lobster pot), I see many applications and variations. My next tweak might be a rocket stove or wood stove to improve efficiency and all night warmth. I have thought up similar systems but I don't have the talent and money to make them happen, especially the talent. As good as buddy heaters are, some form of external fire and heat transfer to the inside would be better for lots of campers. and would pump less moisture and products of combustion into the camper.

[@mrtomsr]

Just to add data to your notes, add a little thermometer that has remote sensing leads and measure your inflow and outflow over the course of the night. If you get one with a memory, you can review the temps at your convenience.

[@TheOutsiderCabin]

It would be nice have that kind of data recorded over the course of the night. Could be quite helpful! Usually I just listen to the tank. As long is it's gurgling, I know that hot water is still circulating. If the tank goes quiet, then I'll know to maybe throw a bit more wood on the fire.

[@MrJahanzebharoon]

Man i was thinking about this idea from last 2 days and I'm very pleased to see that you implemented it in a very easy and practical manner.

[@jackal6902]

Now THIS!! Smart man to include the mass. I was going to comment this on your last video that coil wouldn’t last as long as the effort deserves in direct contact with the flame. This auto played and you got it. ;)

[@SourBogBubble]

GENIUS!!!🤗

[@shredct3118]

Thank you for taking the time to explain what you have done. I'm going to try this for my small shop . I'll share my results with you on IG.👍🔥🔥 Thanks again my friend.

[@bradleyschneider3871]

Yea that would work for your shop u might want to put 2 or 3 water tanks around the shop to have even heat.just saying

[@dougmacaulay1782]

Nice! Built one like this years ago to heat water for a shower at the bush campsite.

[@dt9094]

I like your thinking. Great job

[@harrynut3044]

Having the gate valve open to relieve pressure is causing a massive amount of heat loss. You need some type of expansion tank on the system. Very cool stuff.

[@harrynut3044]

@valleywoodworker Yep, with a drip leg that exits out the bottom. Perfectly Safe and effective.

[@Ricopolico]

Nah, even more complication.

[@harrynut3044]

@@Ricopolico Its only complicated to someone who has no knowledge or experience with Hot Water Systems. Its actually quite simple and safe.

[@Ricopolico]

@@harrynut3044 - Lets see. before I got my BSEE, I worked on permit as a pipefitter then I got a boilermaker's book. I would have loved to keep working with the tools, as I was a natural at it, but fate intervened. So the closest I could get was engineering nuclear power plants. Perhaps I should have said, 'unnecessary complication."

[@harrynut3044]

@@Ricopolico So are you responsible for the 70%+ of All Nuclear Power Plants in the US leaking? No offense but most "Engineers" are beyond stupid, in my experience. 25+ year HVAC Contractor out of Chicago. If i had a Nickel, for all the Furnace's and AC units that i have had to put back together, because the so called "Engineer" , who was a customer, thought he was smart enough to fix the unit himself, id be rich...Oh wait, i am rich, never-mind. Jokes aside, that's real talk from real life experience. So, you can save your "I'm an engineer" pitch, i'm not impressed in the least bit, in fact, the total opposite.

[@marting8841]

I feel like some sort of quick connections in conjunction with shortening the copper pipes and having specific length hose would make it more convenient. Just buttoning everything up.

[@tangoindiamike9189]

Suggestion. Build a small enclosed insulated box on the end of your camper to house the ammo can heater, with a little space around it. Install a small solar powered fan and thermostat with some type of flap vent into the camper. A small computer fan would work. The thermostat will require minimal power, and the fan only needs to be strong enough to blow some of the warm air gently into your cabin space through the flap vent. Think about how the vent cover for a clothes dryer works. When warm air is blown against it, the flaps open and allows the warm air to pass through. When the dryer stops, the flaps close. So when the temperature in your cabin reaches the set temp on the thermostat, it turns on or off the fan and the flaps open or close. You could probably get by with the small 6v or 12v battery typically used in deer feeders. It would add another component or two to your kit, but it could all be permanently installed on the cabin, except for the coil and pot, and the exterior water lines. Get the light flexible solar panels that are used on sail boats. It may weigh a pound. Adding a permanent, insulated compartment for your heater will add some weight to the cabin, but it will reduce weight and occupied space on your snowmobile, and will also reduce your set up time. With the can already inside a compartment, and strapped in, you could install hook ups directly through the compartment walls. With a hinged lid on top of the compartment, you can easily add water or snow to your can. Then just hook up your hoses from your wall connections to your pot, and you're all set,...except for the fire, but you'll always have to do that step. If your battery, thermostat, or fan ever fails, you still have the option to move the can inside the cabin. You are welcome, and as a footnote, you may not need a solar panel and battery if you can figure out a way to use energy from the heat to power the thermostat and fan, but voltage would have to be regulated, perhaps through a small solar charge controller,...but then, you would need to be sure you don't exceed the input limitations on the charge controller. Ok, I went out there a ways. Just stick to a flexible 100 watt solar panel and a small battery. I recommend the 12 volt, 7 amp hour battery for deer feeders. If it turns out to not be enough to run the thermostat and fan through the night, get a second battery and wire the two together in parallel to maintain 12 volts while doubling your amp hours. The ammo can, connections, solar panel(s), charge controller, and batteries, can all be pre-installed and ready to connect the lines to the pot. Harbor Freight has a cheap solar charge controller to prevent overcharge of your batteries. Just my two cents. Good luck! Edit to add: Here is how you wire it. Solar panel to charge controller, charge controller to battery, battery to thermostat and battery to fan. Keep in mind, when making these connections, you actually wire up everything before connecting the solar panel to the charge controller. Do that last. I just listed it in that sequence for visual references. You can install fuses and shut off switches if you like, but probably not needed for such minimal power draw.

[@problemsolver3138]

Kool concept bud....thanks for sharing....

[@Spartan2x]

I wish more people would do videos on these "micro" style shelters. It's really neat.

[@jamespatterson1433]

Cold air coming up the hole in the floor is only happing because hot air is going up and out the holes in the gables. Its a good thing, I wouldn't totally plug it.

[@MuskratOutdoors]

Great design. The only down side I can see is the sand. You can't find loose, unfrozen sand in the winter, and it's heavy to haul along with you. Filling it with snow for water would work, but would boil over or evaporate.....I'm not sure what else you could use instead. This is a really neat idea, I bet you could find a stainless steel tank instead of the ammo box, so you could use the water for cooking. The other option would be copper coils built inside the floor instead of the tank. Anyway, great idea, and great video too. Good job!

[@Grizzlife]

Bend one end end of copper pipe to hold water and fill with water. It will freeze and if you have a pipe the size you want you can bend copper without fear of crimping the soft metal. Nice set up!

[@ZombieBitesAgain]

Nice job my fellow Canadian can't wait to see how the cabin will turn out once you get it done 😀

[@CarftyCarper]

No idea how I got here but glad I did, love camping and love enginuity this has both 😃 many thanks and you have a new sub.

[@TheOutsiderCabin]

Thanks Keith! Welcome to the channel. :)

[@Bluetoothedshark]

Build a mini log burner from a fire extinguisher, wall mount it, run it on kindling, chimney out the top, you could even build a back boiler from a gas canister or something and have hot water...

[@Rokomarn]

lol but that would actually be efficient and convenient.

[@davidduncan6280]

I really enjoyed watching this. It is a basic boiler system used in home heating as a heating guy I have some thoughts. The first would be your open vent. if you are camping in sub zero temp. the outside can freeze up due to the condensation. As it leaves the hose it can collect water droplets, these droplets can start to freeze. If this happens it can clog the vent. I have seen this many times with a furnace. To prepare for this problem you should install a safety blow off valve at the top of the tank and plumped outside. It may never happen but if it does you have a closed boiler. I was reading another posting and it was suggested a copper coil on the vent this is a good idea. take it a bit further and add a tee and a line with a check valve back to the top of the can. take the top of tee to the outside (pressure relief). as it goes up the coil it will cool, the tee will let the pressure out and the line back will return some if not most of the liquid back. i move on. your valves on the side may be way to close. move that cold return down to as low as you can maybe even out the bottom this will help move all your cold back. add the supply hot closer to the top there again will help use all the heat stored up. one last thing. you may be able to use a simple temp control and a low voltage pump to help when the fire has died down to low. All this could be made to fit in the ammo can. Oh and insulate the rest of the tubing. Good job on coming up with this did like the moonshine still post. happy winter camping