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Thread: SLM buys a flower shop van

  1. #21
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    Very neat. Any idea how hot it will get the water?
    -Formerly Stabulator

  2. #22
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    Well in theory, especially since I'm going to be recirculating the water between the water storage tank and the heat exchanger, it could get it as hot as the engine coolant. But, I'm not sure how much just one pass through the heat exchanger will heat the water. That's one of the big reasons I decided that I needed to put some kind of control and monitoring on the coolant flow through the heat exchanger. From what I can read online, the polyethylene water storage tank shouldn't be subjected to over 120deg F, so I figure as long as I regulate the temperature of the coolant going into the exchanger at or below that, there's no chance of the water getting too hot.

    I can also do some testing to see if maybe there's a little leeway where I could allow the coolant to go a little hotter than that, with the understanding that just one pass through the heat exchanger won't get the water to quite the same temp as the coolant, and even if the water going back to the tank is over 120deg, pex tubing is rated to 200deg, and as soon as the water coming back from the exchanger gets back into the tank, it'll be mixing with cooler water that's already in the tank.

  3. #23
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    As an fyi: PEX expands length-wise when you run hot enough water through it. I don't know if the temp or the distances you'll be plumbing are large enough to make that an issue, but it can lead to irritating intermittent leaks or rub-through.
    -Formerly Stabulator

  4. #24
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    Shouldn't be a problem. The run from the heat exchanger to where it goes through the floor is only a couple of feet. And it makes a 90deg bend just before it goes through the floor, so lengthwise expansion would just move this bend a little bit. I also have the pass through the floor protected with rubber grommets to prevent any chafing. Thanks though.

  5. #25
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    Been working very hard on this because well, there's nothing else to do. I have the floor in, insulation in, and all of the woodworking framing done inside. Next is to cut the plywood to face all of this, and then doing all of the electrical and plumbing.

    I have not decided just how picky I'm going to be about how perfect the plywood framing needs to look yet. I'm no master woodworker. This framing looks good... From a distance. Part of me feels like I should invest the time and make everything as spot on as I possibly can, but part of me just hates woodworking and knows that it would be really frustrating. I am probably just going to leave openings where I want storage to be. Putting on doors would be more work, I'm using 1/4" plywood which is kinda hard to attach hinges to, doors might get in the way in such a small space, and I want to keep the weight down.

    Here is where it stands now, plus an overhead storage bin over the right side cabinet, and a storage area over the driver and passenger seat.


    1R0_1038.jpg


    1R0_1041.jpg

    Refrigerated cooler, a tiny sink, and a safe for storing camera equipment.


    1R0_1039.jpg

  6. #26
    Senior Member Leon's Avatar
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    Good to see progress

  7. #27
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    Nice work. And yeah, 1/4 ply is pretty much a no-go for hinges unless you want to attach a piece of one-by on the back side or something.
    Do yourself a favor and get some beeswax to rub on the moving contact surfaces of those bed slats - since it'll be pretty variable humidity-wise, you'll likely get some amount of unexpected rubbing if you don't and beeswax does double-duty of lubricating and sealing pretty well.
    -Formerly Stabulator

  8. #28
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Wow. That is very cool.

  9. #29
    Corvette Enthusiast Kchrpm's Avatar
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    Nice!
    Get that weak shit off my track

  10. #30
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    You've heard of the Spruce Goose, now meet... The Birch Bastard!

    Just got more or less finished lining the inside with 1/8" Birch plywood. I'm using magnets to hold the panels onto the sliding doors and the left rear panel, and they came detached, so those panels might look a little wonky. But it's really getting there. Next is electrical. Honestly I'm glad to be finishing off the woodworking part of this, because I'm not a huge fan of it.



    1R5_4797.jpg

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