Hot water

or, "Propane Suppliers are Unreliable"

For near 40 years, I have been going from one propane supplier to another.  A new one every 6-8 years.  I tell a new provider to do whatever they need to keep me from running out of propane.  Things go smoothly for a few years.  Then, I find myself out of propane and go on to another supplier.  I've been through 4-6 suppliers over the years.

I ran out of propane a few weeks ago.  I've been taking cold showers since.  With a great supply of cheap electricity, why should I put up with such horseshit, I ask myself.

I immediately started cooking with a single "burner" induction hot plate.  I'm pleased with it's functioning.

I've been plotting several possible electric solutions for hot water.  A straight forward solution is complicated by not having a big wire going to the water heater closet.  I've been toying with the idea of using a low power electric heater whose output is circulated through the propane heater's storage tank.

A consideration is that I do not wish to spend electricity on heating water unless I am producing a surplus.  That is, I do not wish to use PowerWall electricity to heat water.

With a little luck, I'll get a photo link posted here.  It seems my Android phone is still refusing to give up it's photos.  I'll take more photos with another Android.

The not phone Android seems to have worked smoothly.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8sFggqvJyTryHUwCA

A few days ago, while mowing the clothes line area, I was reminded that I have outside faucets for both hot and cold water.  Those are just across the outside wall where the clothes washer is located.  So, I decided to run water between the cold and hot faucets through some black poly pipe.  A 300' coil of that pipe, 1" diameter, should hold about 12 gallons.  I decided on 600'.  Laying out on the ground in the sun.  I put a check valve so water can only go into the hot line.  I have turned off the cold water supply to the propane heater.  If I do get solar heated water out of my hot water outlets in the house, I'll devote myself to prettying it up and building some enclosure for the big pile of black pipe.

First photo shows rear of house with two hose bib outlets.   Hot on the left with a check valve.  The black riser is overflow for clothes washer.  To prevent overflow inside in case the drain (to yard) becomes clogged.

Second photo shows coils of pipe around the corner of the house and also the rear of the house.

Third photo shows an accumulation of pipe fittings I had available for use.  The hose bibs need to be replaced with better valves.  The whole conglomeration is made up of 1/2",  3/4", and 1" pipe.

I have HIGH hopes of having my first warm/hot shower in many days.

7/7/19
Tweaking is CLEARLY in order!  Luke warm showers, however, are a LOT better than cold showers.
After first placement, I discovered my black plastic pipe coils had morning shade.  I then discovered that 24 gallons of water is HEAVY; the coils were very difficult to drag to a better location.
First tweak will be to spread out the coils so they see more sun.  But, that will make building an enclosure a bigger project.
I try to wash dishes every couple of weeks.  Whether they need it or not.  With only cold water, I postponed to about a month.  Finally washed most dishes with warmish water this afternoon.
I'm thinking about trying to relocate the pipe coils to the roof of the house.
I've priced commercial solar water heaters and was not much enticed.
Running a wire and installing a real electric heater remains a possibility.

7/18/19
https://photos.app.goo.gl/WKbf5H8GeGWR3WubA

The above shows new location for the water heater.  Currently chopping out brush stumps and leveling a bit.  Ground layer will be weed block fabric.  Over that, old pallets from PV panel shipments.  Then, black plastic.  Then, the pipe coils.  Then, covered with clear plastic.

A kludge?.  Yes, I embrace kludges.  But it will serve the purpose of cleaning up that area of the yard as well as providing a site for the heater.