Portable hot water to wash horse

[Xanthoria]

We have a lovely wash bay that used to have hot and cold water. Sadly the instant hot water heater died and the BO shows no sign of replacing it.

So, I’m shopping for a portable hot water solution I can bring to the barn as needed. I used to have a bucket heater that’d get 5 gallons hot in about 10 minutes, but that’s a bit slow for bathing a horse in cold weather. Need to connect to a hose and use mains power ideally.

I’ve seen portable heaters that use a propane bottle to heat but ugh - heavy, hassle. And recently a mains or 12V battery powered one that was perfect, but only available in the UK starting this month: https://www.hydro-therm.co.uk/product/h2-horse-shower/

Is there anything similar to that product in the US?

[clanter]

my wife wanted the same so I got her this portable propane tankless water heater, have not used it yet other than to test run it. During the testing it raised the water temperature at least to be better than just warm, it was hot but not burning hot

I had looked at it on line a few times then got a special buy it now for $90 offer with free shipping, so sprung on it

https://www.eccotemp.com/eccotemp-l5-portable-tankless-water-heater/#product-tab-information

[WhiteOakFarm]

Don’t know about one that works on 12V, but I love my propane powered Eccotemp. I got one that was open box and it was very reasonable. Works great!

[gumtree]

There have been several thread if not more on this in recent years. Lots of comments. Might be worth trying to do a search and dig up. Not what you linked to.

I have a pretty good understanding of these things. Don’t see how a battery powered water heater would put out nearly enough hot water, even luke warm to wash a horse effectively. Esp for $500. IMO you would be better off replacing the unit if the barn owner isn’t willing.

[clanter]

@gumtree

There have been several thread if not more on this in recent years. Lots of comments. Might be worth trying to do a search and dig up. Not what you linked to.

I have a pretty good understanding of these things. Don’t see how a battery powered water heater would put out nearly enough hot water, even luke warm to wash a horse effectively. Esp for $500. IMO you would be better off replacing the unit if the barn owner isn’t willing.

the battery is used as the igniter power source, the heat is supplied by propane (20 pound tank is said to supply the unit for 15 to 18 hours o operation)… once the pilot light lights it does not use the battery … works like the igniter for a gas range

The one we got can use a 12VDC water pump if you want to be completely off grid otherwise just hook a hose to the unit

[Xanthoria]

@gumtree

There have been several thread if not more on this in recent years. Lots of comments. Might be worth trying to do a search and dig up. Not what you linked to.

I have a pretty good understanding of these things. Don’t see how a battery powered water heater would put out nearly enough hot water, even luke warm to wash a horse effectively. Esp for $500. IMO you would be better off replacing the unit if the barn owner isn’t willing.

The other threads all refer to propane heaters which I’m not interested in.

The one one I linked to plugs into mains power, or if unavailable can use a large RV battery too. Plenty of power.

[clanter]

@Xanthoria

The other threads all refer to propane heaters which I’m not interested in.

The one one I linked to plugs into mains power, or if unavailable can use a large RV battery too. Plenty of power.

it would not be very portable since it requires 13 amp at 240 VAC

Power Requirement : 240v 13 amp (if mains power is not available you will need an alternative power supply, generator or inverter battery pack).

[gumtree]

@Xanthoria

The other threads all refer to propane heaters which I’m not interested in.

The one one I linked to plugs into mains power, or if unavailable can use a large RV battery too. Plenty of power.

My fault I didn’t read the product description you linked to closely. Interesting gadget, a electric point of use packed into a box. It doesn’t go into a lot of description. I assume a hose is attached somewhere? Being of UK origin you would need a 220 V outlet and suitable power cord.

If the hot water coming out of it has to be pushed though the pictured little hose. That wouldn’t produce much of a “shower” for washing/hosing off a horse IMO.

The key information that is not given;

What is the temperature rise given the temp of the incoming water?

How many gallons of water, water pressure can pass through it to maintain the temp of the water at X?

Interesting idea with various applications as long as there is a power source. I can easily see MacGyvering up one of these using an off the self electric point of use “box”. Would be pretty simple, 220 is the preferred voltage for electric units. But they do come in 120 v. For a lot less money.

When finished using in frigid weather you can disconnect and take into a warm space.

Might have to go into my shop and play around with this idea. Slap on a picture of a happy horse and charge twice as much, lol.

[CHT]

What about doing it completely different, and using a portable horse bathing system like the Anivac? You could easily fill it with warm water using a kettle to heat the water, or I think they have a model that heats the water too (mine does not)The nice thing about the Anivac, is the horse is not very wet when done.

[poltroon]

I would price out what it costs to replace the broken one and see if that’s in your budget, or see if there are other people in the barn who would contribute to replacing that. I think that would be far better and easier than trying to portable something, and maybe not a lot more costly for the same water flow.

If you’re comparing to a 5 gallon bucket heater, even a relatively inexpensive undersink type heater can probably make you enough hot water to fill a bucket.

[gumtree]

@poltroon

I would price out what it costs to replace the broken one and see if that’s in your budget, or see if there are other people in the barn who would contribute to replacing that. I think that would be far better and easier than trying to portable something, and maybe not a lot more costly for the same water flow.

If you’re comparing to a 5 gallon bucket heater, even a relatively inexpensive undersink type heater can probably make you enough hot water to fill a bucket.

Basically what I said in part of my first comment. I like the suggestion of getting others to chip in.

[Xanthoria]

@CHT

What about doing it completely different, and using a portable horse bathing system like the Anivac? You could easily fill it with warm water using a kettle to heat the water, or I think they have a model that heats the water too (mine does not)The nice thing about the Anivac, is the horse is not very wet when done.

Looked up Anivac - interesting system but it’s $990 if you can find one for sale, and I don’t see how it cleans a horse’s legs well, with all those bony lumps and bumps?

[Xanthoria]

@poltroon

I would price out what it costs to replace the broken one and see if that’s in your budget, or see if there are other people in the barn who would contribute to replacing that. I think that would be far better and easier than trying to portable something, and maybe not a lot more costly for the same water flow.

That was my first thought, quickly dismissed because BO won’t allow boarders to provide upgrades or pay for anything for barn use at all. I think someone must have done that and then got all possessive about whatever it was once, but they blew it for everyone because now there’s no point in asking. The end. Drives me mental. Even if I bought a heater and secretly installed it under cover of dark I expect there’d be recriminations…

[Xanthoria]

@gumtree

What is the temperature rise given the temp of the incoming water?

How many gallons of water, water pressure can pass through it to maintain the temp of the water at X?

I’ve asked the seller. They got back to me in a matter of hours when I asked bout shipping to the US (65 pounds sterling)

@gumtree

Might have to go into my shop and play around with this idea. Slap on a picture of a happy horse and charge twice as much, lol.

I’ll buy one from you!

[soloudinhere]

It’s rudimentary, but I have a battery op hose/water pump and I just stick it into the bucket of water heated by the bucket heater. Total cost like $65 incl. the bucket heater.

I think this is the one I have. It does not burn through 5gal all that quickly and it would be enough to wash a horse. I just use it for legs and at shows.

https://www.amazon.com/Baban-Portable-Rechargeable-Filtration-Showering/dp/B07BC8S655/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1547091856&sr=8-16&keywords=battery+shower#customerReviews

[poltroon]

Another option that probably doesn’t suit is a solar shower system - basically a black 5 gallon water vessel you can leave out in the sun for a couple of hours. It doesn’t work if it’s dark or cloudy, but if you ride on a cold sunny day and put it out before, you have hot, or at least significantly warmed, water waiting for you so you don’t have to wait for the bucket heater and the annoyance it is a bit less. I originally bought it for use in locations where I didn’t even have power and found it pretty handy.

[Xanthoria]

@gumtree

What is the temperature rise given the temp of the incoming water?

How many gallons of water, water pressure can pass through it to maintain the temp of the water at x?

This just in from the manufacturer:

“You can set the temperature to anything you want up to 40 degrees C, it is factory limited to this for safety purposes. The water pressure is 6 bar and the flow rate is 2-2.5 ltrs per minute. Irrespective of the water temperature the unit will instantly heat water to the set temperature you want.”

[clanter]

@Xanthoria

This just in from the manufacturer:

“You can set the temperature to anything you want up to 40 degrees C, it is factory limited to this for safety purposes. The water pressure is 6 bar and the flow rate is 2-2.5 ltrs per minute. Irrespective of the water temperature the unit will instantly heat water to the set temperature you want.”

average shower uses 2 gallons per minute… 2.5 liters is 2/3rds of a gallon

[TMares]

We have an EccoTemp 10 for our outdoor shower. To set it up you:

attach a portable propane tank to it,
and attach a garden hose and turn the water on
(Oh, and put in I think 2 D cell batteries)

Turn the water on, and then adjust your water pressure and heat. It is incredibly hot if you want it to be, but fully adjustable. We wash the dogs in it, I’ll be adding rubber mats on the patio so I can bathe a horse down there etc. You have hot water until you run out of propane.

it is not ‘small’ but could be stored in the tack room, BO permitting

For scale, this is it in place:
https://flic.kr/p/RZWkof

[TMares]

we have the Eccotemp 10, because of the better water output. it’s a great shower, no regrets.

• 2.65 GPM flow capacity

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Eccotemp-L10-Portable-Outdoor-Point-of-Use-Gas-Tankless-Water-Heater-L10/205583899