Cheap Gas Hot water - is there a catch?

hako · Guru

Cheap Gas Hot water - is there a catch?

Mike Harding · Guru

Providing the gas approvals are kosher it looks pretty good to me.

For odd reasons your link doesn't work - maybe this one will:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GECKO-Gas-Hot-Water-Heater-Portable-Shower-Camping-LPG-Outdoor-Instant-Caravan-/381464859686?epid=1462708695&hash=item58d113d426:g:0agAAOSwZOVZt22a

hako · Guru

Thanks Mike - my link looks *exactly* the same as yours and I linked it as normal but???
I think the mob selling these are part of Mills Trading.
For tent camping with my sons we have resorted back to basics with a drum heated on the fire and a battery powered pump - this is after both Coleman and Companion units failed within 2 years. I really don't think these modern units with temperature control and electric ignition can handle being bounced around in a trailer with dust etc.

Regards

Mike Harding · Guru

Mils Trading - I think it would be difficult to find an e-bay seller with a worse reputation. I have heard some absolute horror stories about them although I have never dealt with them.

I have a 12lt stainless steel bucket which I use to heat my shower water on the campfire. A small bilge pump:

http://www.bcf.com.au/Product/Blueline-Bilge-Pumps/215657

connects to the pipe and rose of one of those ubiquitous $25 camping showers. I made a 1m wooden arm onto which the shower rose clips and the arm slides into a bracket on the roof rack. A 6x4 tarp provides a clean shower floor. It takes about one minute to set up and/or take down. I've been using it for some years with good results - an old sock provides a coarse filter for the pump :) A 7Ah battery easily powers the shower to 2.5m head.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Hi Denis, other than in cold damp weather, I always used a "solar" shower before we bought our current van.
BUT you need to disregard the instructions of "Place in sun with the black side up". I could never work out why it didn't work until I saw on a forum that the CLEAR side has to be FACING THE SUN - worked extra well then! It just means that you have a shower earlier (before the sun sets).

There is a post on this page (eBay Generator Buying Guide) that states what Mills Trading is like. From what I saw, you get better satisfaction by digging a hole & putting your $120 in it!

Warren

first timer · Senior Member

Hi Denis, I was until recently a member of a lions club in nsw on the south coast, I've now moved to the Sunshine Coast in Qld. Now back to subject, in nsw we built a $65,000 catering caravan and we installed one of these water heaters in it. We could not fault it at all,the only problem we had was operator error. We paid a lot more than the asking price in this link as well but we did purchase about five years ago. So as far as I'm concerned no the deal is too good to be true,or should that be yes it's too good to be true, oh well you be the judge eh.
Cheers
Ashley

hako · Guru

I just checked the listing again - price dropped $10 from $149 to $139 take 20% off plus an extra 5% off if you buy 2 or more! That's $110 ea.

Regards

PeterD · Guru

I'm not across the one you are enquiring about but I have used this one which is similar. The council would not let the proprietor of the camping area Left of Field install an amenities block as they reckoned there was insufficient water supply. So to get around that limitation Adrian mounted a couple of those on movable supports and erected these tents. to use with the heaters. They worked very well, we had excellent showers there. You can also find them and similar units in camping stores. If you consider the adherence to Oz gas standards then there are alternate units available through Australian suppliers.

mr glassies · Guru

We used 2 on our house for yrs 1 is still on use at a m8s place . Only thing I can pick that went wrong was the alloy battery joiner inside the battery box failed . Took a bit to work it out but then a sinch to fix. Did buy a instant water heater to replace the tanked suburban and was thie biggest crap heater ever saw even to the point I told distributed I was going to chuck it through hi shop window . Went back to tank model .

Dibs

Spook · Senior Member

Absolute rubbish!.........................but don't take my word for it. I've only had half a lifetime's experience at the gas game.

macka17 · Guru

It Costs more.
but "Hot-Tap" seem ok.

Mine is. Hot on demand. Variable and looks decent.

A few camping parks use multiples of as showers, off poles with tents.

Just remember.
The hotter you want it.
The slower the water flow. And you'll be right.
OH.
And don't use a small water pump. Full size only.

We use ours for van. Mounted externallyl, and also as the Pool shower unit at home.
Double duty.

WAS $340ish but worth it.

Mike Harding · Guru

Spook wrote:
Absolute rubbish!.........................but don't take my word for it. I've only had half a lifetime's experience at the gas game.

Don't go all girly on us - tell us why you think they are "Absolute rubbish!".

PeterD · Guru

Spook wrote:
Absolute rubbish!.........................but don't take my word for it. I've only had half a lifetime's experience at the gas game.

What exactly are you referring to as being absolute rubbish? Which answer are you referring to?