Helton Hot Water
- Thread starter JFarris
- Start date
nwoods
Expedition Leader
I helped install one on a 4runner. Not much too it. They do get incredibly hot though. Be sure you mount it well away from any wiring or anything prone to melt. Our unit came with a fairly anemic pump with an inadequate mixing valve. I'd prefer a mixing valve that could regulate the amount of cold water intake (or more accurately, limit the amount of hot water added) so that you had better temp control. Our unit just ran too hot for comfort, and the pump did not deliver much water pressure.
24HOURSOFNEVADA
Expedition Leader
Kurt (Cruiseroutfitters) has a detailed write up on his website. http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/helton.html
About halfway down the page are a couple of more links.
About halfway down the page are a couple of more links.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
I think the kit we used on the 4runner was the shower kit and not the hot water kit. I think the addition of a temp control valve would be very much worth the extra cash. We used the pump and shower head that it came with and was not impressed. In my previous post I said the pump was anemic, in thinking about it more, I think that's inaccurate. The pump was okay, but the shower head was disappointing. I think a simple kitchen sprayer such as what comes with the Nemo foot pump activated shower is better suited for water conservation and just easier to manipulate.
Borrego60
Rendezvous Conspiracy
This is what I did on my tundra.Pump not shown on install.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...helton-heater-install?highlight=tundra+helton
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...helton-heater-install?highlight=tundra+helton
JFarris
Wanderer
Problem with the my Jeep is that there is almost no room inside the engine compartment to mount the heat exchanger.(12' JKU) Im thinking about mounting underneath the vehicle somewhere now. I've been busy installing other things. This Helton kit is going to end up being the last thing I install at this point.
Charlie56
Adventurer
When you get it figured out I would like to know what you did. I am thinking this is the way to go, but like you have a JKU. I have the ARB compressor already installed, plus dual batteries so there isn't any space left up front. I am thinking under the tub above the rear pumpkin. I had a flatplate exchanger on the last rig and realized quickly that the distance from the exchanger to the shower head is the important dimension as not to waste water.
What will you be using as your water source?
theksmith
Explorer
i used a plate style exchanger instead of the helton, but maybe a similar mounting position is available to you - lower front frame rail beside/beneath engine: http://offroadpassport.com/forum/showthread.php?t=754 (see post #9)
On the 3.8 a good place is above the passenger side valve cover. This is where the heater core hoses route between the water pump and fire wall. This placement does require a different configuration than Kurt usually stocks. The in/out of the heat exchanger need to be on opposite ends; this placed the exchanger inline with the engine coolant hose. I have not seen the 3.6 to make a suggestion.