Date:         Sat, 7 Apr 2007 13:26:59 -0700
Reply-To:     Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Sources for plastic valves?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

This is only marginally related to Vanagons because it is about camping
equipment.

We have a Zodi On Demand portable hot shower thingy. Works just fine.
But, I'd like to modify it.

It has a pump on a hose that you drop into a water reservoir. The
storage bag is designed to be that reservoir. The water is pumped
through a coil of copper tubing that is heated by the gas flame, then
out of the device, through the outlet hose and to the shower head. To
conserve water, one is meant to put the shower head in the reservoir
when soaping and scrubbing, so the water recirculates when it is not
needed. This also provides hotter water. You're not meant to turn off
the pump when the flame is on.

In my experience, showering is a lot easier when you can use both hands
for rinsing and scrubbing, but with a shower head that has to be
hand-held because it always needs to be returned to the reservoir,
one-handed showering has to be mastered.

So while rinsing myself this past week, it occurred to me that the
shower head could be mounted like a real one if there was a valve in its
line that could be used to divert the water back into the reservoir when
soaping and scrubbing. In one position, the hot water comes out the
shower head, in the other position, it goes back into the reservoir.

So I'm looking for a source for inexpensive plastic valves. I reckon the
line has about a 3/8'' ID, and barbed fittings on the valve would work
fine. Aquarium supply stores?

Heck, I suppose I could just put a tee in the line and use bulldog clips
to alternately open and close the recycle or the shower head line.

--
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