Carver water heater

[SheffSean]

I'm thinking of up grading my water heater from a gas only to a gas and 240 volt model but what I'd like to know is if I bought a cylinder and element, is there anything else I need, I know it would be easier to buy a complete unit but I'm trying my best to keep the costs down, I've not ago bought a new burner so that's the reason I'd like to retain the burner/front assembly, cheers guys.

Sean.

 

[Damian]

Carver ceased making the Cascade in around 1999 so getting parts is much more difficult now.
In real terms you would be looking at second hand parts and still end up with an outdated heater.
Your best bet would be to upgrade to a Propex Malaga which would probably end up costing about the same as trying to upgrade yours, but you have a new guaranteed heater.

 

[SheffSean]

Ouch, if I suggest spending over £300 on a water heater for 24 year old ABI, the bank manager (wife) will file for devorce lol, I've been on eBay and there's plenty on there for under a £100, I agree they're old but I can't justify spending so much on my old caravan, I know we're doing a big job on it at the moment but if my current job is safe next year we may well be buying a much newer caravan, I hope you understand my reason Damien, so I need to know what/if I'll need anything else to update my water heater please.

Sean.

 

[Gafferbill]

The person you need to seek advice from as to what is possible and cost effective can be found here.

http://www.arcsystems.biz/
Gary offers excellent tailored individual advice as to what is possible on anything to do with Carver heaters.
I suspect your best bet will be to purchase a second hand complete dual fuel unit.

 

[Damian]

I agree with Gafferbill, speak to Gary at Arc Systems as he knows everything about Carver items and may be able to help with parts as well.
Make sure you have a cup of tea with you when you get hold of him and be prepared for a LONG talk !!!

 

[Mel]

Hi Sean. I'm not technical so can't help there but I am wondering why you want to upgrade the water heater at all. Yes you will save a bit of gas on an electric hook up, but sites with electric hook up often have a pot wash where the hot water is free and if not you can boil an electric kettle in no time to wash up. How often are you using the shower? I may be siding with your bank manager here, but if you might be upgrading to a newer van next year, does the cost of a water heater upgrade ( c£100 which equates to 3 or 4 bottles of gas ) reallly make sense?
Mel

 

[Gafferbill]

.......good bit of lateral thinking Mel

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

.......good bit of lateral thinking Mel

That's because ladies are supposed to be good at lateral things.

 

[Sproket]

My water heater is gas only. .. costs very little to run ....

 

[SheffSean]

Thanks Mel, the voice of reason, thanks also to you all for your advice, we only stay on cl's with nothing but electric hook up and taps so no pot washing facilities, I wanted to have the electric option as it would be used for hand washing, I'd reduce the temp of the water via the thermostat, we've not got lift up mixer taps so just turning the hot tap on on electric would be more convenient, the answer to how many showers do we have is, every day, I'm a bit of an ocd freak lol.

Sean.

 

[paws]

Hi Sean,

Here's how small boat, owners get a nice hot shower in a tiny cabin cruiser or sailing cruiser. ( works well for caravanners too...)

1 Boil a kettle of water on the stove
2 Half fill a "rose sprayer" with cold water, and then pour in kettle of hot water.
3 Top up rose sprayer with cold water
Note a rose sprayer is a cylindrical plastic container with a pump handle in the top and a rose head on a 1m long wand with a water on/off button ( available from garden centres for a few pounds)

4 Give 8 or 10 pumps on the pump so the container is pressurised.

5 you are now almost ready to commence the shower... pressing the on button on the wand you can rinse yourself with lovely warm/hot water ( check temp is Ok for you on your elbow first!)

6 Now you can press the off button on the wand and soap yourself all over

7 Rinse off and repeat (if necessary)

A full container with just one kettle of hot and the rest cold will do two average size people with a little left over.... perhaps for those folks who just want to wash their hair.
We also used to give an extra 8 or 10 pump strokes between people!

I know this may sound "prehistoric" to some folks but I can confirm it works a treat and costs next to nothing!

Regards to all and of course
Happy Caravanning
paws

 

[Mel]

Hi Sean, I take it all back. Having read the above, which I am sure does work wonderfully well and is very innovative, get the water heater!!!!! :cheer:
Mel

 

[Dustydog]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B001ULCILM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1445942258&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=hozelock shower&dpPl=1&dpID=41ZvVJdJaML&ref=plSrch
The dogs have used the dog version, it's identical, for the last five years.
Paws. I never thought about using if of humans but the thought of going alfresco.......... :woohoo:

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Used to use a free standing shower cubicle (the days before our vans had showers or running water!), with water from kettles mixed in a bigger bottle to requisite temp, initially pressured but i got an electric pump to modernise us. Family 2+2 used to shower in it stood in the awning. Used same pump to empty the tray. Good showers. Unit sold on to our neighbour after we moved up market with shower and water in van. Neighbour used it for a year or two afterwards. Had some rallying friends who improvised their shower by standing the supply bottle on the top of a hardtop Landrover, al fresco!

 

[gary]

I'm with sproket, as he says cost of gas used is little compared to cost of upgrading the cascade, my advice has always been i doubt you will ever get your money back in any savings.

As for you young damian......

 

[SheffSean]

I totally agree with you Gary I probably won't see any financial gain but to be honest with you, I'm not doing to make any profits, I'm doing it all for convenience, if I'd got lift up mixer taps it wouldn't be a problem, but while washing ones hands and trying to mix the hot/cold water with soapy hands is a pain in the backside, and the head if I don't clean up the soapy taps, the pain in the head is from my misses scutching me lol, no seriously, I've managed to get my hands on a complete unit off eBay so I'm happy, I just need to ask another question.

Sean.