Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2006 06:54:55 -0700
Reply-To: mike elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: mike elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: [NVC] 6-volt bilge pump?
In-Reply-To: <6.0.3.0.0.20060801070926.02f100a8@buncombe.main.nc.us>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Thanks, Edward, for checking on that ... though for showering purposes, I
expect I need a pump that will lift water more than 3 feet, unless I could
somehow convince myself to be satisfied with only cleaning body parts from
belly button level on down. A critical range, to be sure, but the uppers
appreciate a good lather and rinse, too.
I have no update to report about how Zodi, the people who make the shower,
have responded to this pathetic design issue (see my OP, quoted below),
except to say that they have not responded to my polite email request for
help. If they haven't improved the design so the motor doesn't rot away
while unused, then I guess I'll have to use a 12V submersible pump and run a
wire to the van's power.
In contrast to Zodi's lack of response, I also sent an email to
JottoDesk.com about some bit of theirs not quite doing what I need it to do,
and they are all over it like hot tar on a summer day.
-- Rocket J Squirrel
On 8/1/06, Edward Maglott <emaglott@buncombe.main.nc.us> wrote:
>
> Update: It's made by Attwood, and it's called Water Buster.
>
>
>
>
> I picked up some king of little pump at a thrift store that is submersible
> and runs on 4 D cells. Pretty quality item. It doesn't seem to pump very
> much water if you ask it to pump it up 3 or more feet of verticality, but
> that is running on the unknown batteries that came in it. I don't have it
> handy so can't give you the name. Looks like its made to pump water out
> of
> a tub or for some similar purpose. I'll get the name if you are
> interested.
>
> Edward
>
> At 03:27 PM 7/30/2006, you wrote:
> >This is probably a better question for some boating list, but I don't
> >boat, though I reckon there is someone reading this list that does, so
> >maybe I can get a little help with my Zodi Hot Tap shower. (
> >http://www.zodi.com/web-content/Consumer/zodihottaptravelshower.html ).
> >
> >It uses four D-cell batteries to pump water through a propane-flame
> >heating coil then out a shower nozzle. Comes in darn handy in those camp
> >grounds where showers are not available. I can get pretty funky after a
> >couple days and I like to smell clean for Mrs Squirrel.
> >
> >Anyway, I set it up this weekend and found that it no longer pumped
> >water. Electrically everything checked out, so I disassembled the
> >immersion pump and found that the motor had totally corroded and would
> >no longer turn (picture available upon request). It's a pretty cheesy
> >design and I've fired off an email of inquiry to the manufacturer.
> >
> >I'd like to replace their pump with a better piece. The Westy freshwater
> >tank pump or any other small immersible bilge pump would do the job
> >quite well. But all I can find are 12-volt models, and four D-cells put
> >out 6 volts. I could run a line from Mellow Yellow to the shower and
> >provide 12 volts that way, but sometimes the shower is set up 50 feet or
> >more from the van, and I'd rather not run that much wire. Or I could
> >replace their battery pack with some little 12 volt lead-acid battery,
> >but that would be kind of kludgy. I'd like to find a little immersible
> >6-volt DC pump. Ideas?
> >
> >--
> >
> >Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> >71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> >84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> >74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
> >KG6RCR
>
>
>
| 
