Running a water heater.

N-Lionberger

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Dec 1, 2013
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Arcata, California
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Make sure you have a filter before the heater sand will plug up copper lines causing steam. Also make sure you have a mixing can after the heater to keep steam from melting your butt cheeks together.
 

Make sure you don't rig the hot water hose going into your suit so that you cannot pull it out-in a hurry !
 

Make sure you don't rig the hot water hose going into your suit so that you cannot pull it out-in a hurry !

Yes and pull it out if temp starts to change if water gets cold really hot water will follow when plug clears. And if your nozzle quits sucking head up fast the water will boil if you run out of gas. But used with some common sense heaters are great you can take a hot shower right on the river.
 

just got back from a trip to washington state, on a large 6" dredge built for deep water, we used a portable on demand propane heater, it worked great, kept constant water temp, the topside tender "reset" the heater when the egg timer clicked off at 20 minutes by turning the water flow off with a ball valve for 5 seconds, then turned it back on. you never got cold water, since the heater chamber was still hot
 

dredge 2018.jpg
 

just got back from a trip to washington state, on a large 6" dredge built for deep water, we used a portable on demand propane heater, it worked great, kept constant water temp, the topside tender "reset" the heater when the egg timer clicked off at 20 minutes by turning the water flow off with a ball valve for 5 seconds, then turned it back on. you never got cold water, since the heater chamber was still hot


I've been invited to work on an operation. Thats what we are using too. It's so simple it's genious.

The water line is paired with the air line and splits at the end with enough length to get down the back. long cooper nipple with a lead weight around it.. It can be pulled out instantly.

It lasts forever on a 25 gallon tank.

looks like exactly the same one on the rig you show.
 

some info on that pic, that dredge is a 18hp honda with a 750gpm dahlke pump, 6 inch with double venturis. the deck is 18ft long and 8ft wide, used it down to 33ft before running out of hose and it still had plenty of suction. the heater is a 2.65 gpm eccotemp L10

we taped the water feedline (3/8" airhose with a barbed fitting on the end and a 3 ft piece of soft hose that goes down the front of your suit) in with a strength member (rope to pull diver if needed) and the keene airline all together
 

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Make sure the system has a pressure relief. Scalding is the worst injury imaginable. I was carving the meat off a boiled ham hock when just a youngster. The hock splashed back in the water and it splashed up into my bare navel. A lesson I'll never forget!
 

yes, scalding is the worst. I've had steam burns.. and spatter. But, nothing beats 350 degree bacon fat. I know a guy that had second degree burns on his back from long term heat pad.

I hate burns. My most common injury until I left my old industry.

That's my wrist six years ago. Can only tell now when I get a tan.

arm burn 1.jpg
 

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yikes what were you doing when you got that one?
 

I have a bad habit of resting my palm on the exhaust of my pump when adjusting the idle or turning the engine off.... luckily the last couple of times my hands were wet enough to stall the burning momentarily enough to learn the error of my ways and yank my hand off the exhaust.

Would be funny if it wasn't true.
 

yikes what were you doing when you got that one?

I was transferring rendered bacon from an oven to what we call a "speed rack' like they use for trays of bread too.

You cook the bacon on a riser. A mesh rack that can also double as a classifier 8-) The fat drips down onto the baking sheet. PERFECT BACON!!

I was putting a tray on rails higher than eye level. My angle was off and I started a wave of two or three cups of 350 degree bacon fat that I didn't adjust for and well...

It was like the twenty eighth tray out of a thirty tray batch too.

Just moving too quick

I dropped the tray and when I pulled my chef coat back my skin went too.

Good times. The Physicians assistant at the clinic was cute and flirty. I was back at 0600 the next morning for Sunday brunch shift.

I don't miss it!
 

yes, scalding is the worst. I've had steam burns.. and spatter. But, nothing beats 350 degree bacon fat. I know a guy that had second degree burns on his back from long term heat pad.

I hate burns. My most common injury until I left my old industry.

That's my wrist six years ago. Can only tell now when I get a tan.

View attachment 1629121

happened to me.
 

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