Warm water supply system

An apparatus and method for supplying temperate water from a water cooled internal combustion engine to warm outdoor water enthusiasts during cool weather, said engine generally having a cooling system with an intake, a cool water pump with a discharge to supply cool water to the cooling system and a warm water pump having a discharge to circulate water in the cooling system, said apparatus and method comprising a warm water supply line connected to the discharge side of the circulating pump in the engine cooling system, a cool water supply line connected between the cool water pump discharge and the engine cooling system intake, the cool water supply line and the warm water supply line feeding into a Y-connection and delivery line having a shower head or other water distribution apparatus at the opposite end for warming, for example, a water skier; valves in the warm water supply line and cold water supply line control the flow of water in each line; a valve in the shower head regulates the volume of water delivered to the shower head; a quick disconnect fitting with a shutoff valve at the Y-connection allows storage of the delivery line when not in use; and a valve in the delivery line before the shower head allows flow in the delivery line to be shut off so the shower head can be disconnected while the engine is running.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to warm water sources of water for outdoor 
recreational activities, and more particularly, to showers which connect 
to and use fluid from the cooling system of an internal combustion engine 
without the need for an additional electric pump to warm a water skier in 
cool weather. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Outdoor water sports are curtailed during much of the year due to cool 
weather. Skiers and divers become chilled even with the use of wet suits. 
A device which supplies hot water to a water skier for a warm shower or 
bath in cooler weather allows a skier to warm up quickly and extends the 
water skiing season. The only available source of heat is often the 
internal combustion engine of a boat. However, previous devices using heat 
from a boat engine have provided insufficient water pressure at engine 
idle speeds, have required expensive pumps, have required separate heat 
exchangers, and/or have required complicated electrical/mechanical 
connections. There is a need for a device which provides a sufficient 
pressure and volume of hot water for a shower or bath at a controlled 
temperature from the cooling system of a boat engine at idle with minor 
engine modification. 
The prior art related to the warming of persons engaged in water activities 
does not lend itself to pleasure craft or simple installation by small 
boat owners. Prior art systems and devices draw cooling water from the 
intake side of cool water supply pumps or attempt to operate solely from 
cooling system hot water circulation pumps. These systems and devices can 
deprive the engine of cooling water and cause danger of overheating. Often 
in these systems water pressure varies greatly depending on the speed of 
the engine. These systems also provide insufficient water volume and 
pressure at idle. Separate pumps and pressure regulators have been added 
to correct these problems which increase the expense and complexity of 
these systems. Often the water volume and temperature of such systems are 
difficult to control. Such systems are not user friendly for storage or 
use by non-commercial consumers. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is the object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive 
alternative to shower systems which require separate pumps and/or 
elaborate mechanical installations. It is an object of the invention to 
provide a system which can be easily attached as an accessory to engines 
of ski boats by their owners with minimal effort, minimal maintenance and 
maximum assurance of reliability and safety. It is the object of this 
invention to provide sufficient pressure and volume of heated water from 
the existing engine cooling system of a boat at engine idle speeds without 
the use of an electric pump or danger of damage to the engine. It is 
further the object of the invention to allow regulation of the mixed water 
temperature separately from regulation of the mixed water volume for 
greater ease of use and greater comfort of the user. It is further the 
object of this invention to provide a system in which on deck water 
delivery lines can be disconnected and stored for convenience between use. 
This invention provides a warm water supply line of 1/2" ID tubing which 
connects to the cooling system drain port on the engine block. There is a 
cool water supply line of substantially 5/8" diameter which connects to 
the discharge hose of the cool water supply pump. The use of substantially 
5/8" tubing for the cool water supply line is necessary to overcome low 
pressure in cool water pumps supplied by manufacturers on many boats. The 
use of smaller diameter lines causes insufficient pressure and volume of 
cool water in many systems. In practice, a preassembled cool water supply 
line, connection and discharge hose are provided to insure a secure 
connection to the cool water supply line to the engine and ease of 
installation. The cool and warm water lines connect at a Y-connection so 
the cool and warm water can be mixed in a delivery line. The delivery line 
has a valve at the other end at a disconnect fitting which allows a shower 
head or other water distribution apparatus to be attached while the system 
is under pressure. The Y-connection has valves on each junction and a 
quick disconnect at the common end. The valves on each fork of the 
junction allow relative volume of hot and cold water to be controlled to 
regulate temperature of the mixed water stream. The valve on the common 
end of the Y-connection allows water to be shut off when the delivery line 
is disconnected for storage. A valve at the shower head allows control of 
the volume of heated water to the user. Multiple delivery lines may be 
connected to the common end of the Y-connection, in the delivery line or 
in the supply lines to allow showers by two or more users simultaneously. 
The use of 5/8" ID tubing and a cool water connection point on the 
discharge side of the cool water supply pump is useful to provide 
sufficient water pressure and volume at low engine speeds in contrast to 
systems and methods of other devices. This cool water connection point 
also minimizes the danger of engine overheating due to lack of cooling 
water. The use of valves at all points of the system increases user 
control of water temperature and volume, as well as user satisfaction and 
storage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIG. 1 presents an internal combustion engine 1 in a configuration which is 
typical of modern boating installations supplied by boating manufacturers. 
Such engines 1 typically have a cooling system 2 for cooling the engine 
block 3, an internal warm water pump 4 for circulating water at discharge 
port 4b in the cooling system 2, and a cool water pump 5 which supplies 
water to the cooling system 2. The cool water pump 5 and warm water pump 4 
are normally mechanically driven by the engine 1. 
The cool water pump 5 picks up water at intake 5a from a cool water source 
6, typically the body of water floating the boat, in line 7 and discharges 
it at discharge port 5b in line 8 at a volume and pressure sufficient to 
supply water at an ambient temperature of the body of water to the intake 
port 4a of the warm water pump 4 and cooling system 2 of engine 1. Water 
from the ambient cool water source 6 is elevated in temperature to warm or 
hot water by the engine 1 and engine cooling system 2. Warm water not 
needed in the cooling system to cool the engine is discharged from the 
cooling system 2 and engine block 3 at port 9. 
The present invention in the preferred embodiment has a cool water supply 
line 10 and a warm water supply line 11. The warm water supply line 11 
preferably connects at point 11a to a drain port 12 in the cooling system 
2 on the engine block 3 to obtain warm water for use. In the preferred 
embodiment, the cool water supply line 10 obtains cool water for use at a 
connection 10a to the cool water pump 5 discharge line 8, or at some point 
between the discharge port 5b and the cooling system and warm water pump 
intake port 4a. It is recommended that the entire line 8 between the 
discharge port 5b and the intake port 4a with connection point 10a be 
supplied to the consumer as a substitute to the engine's original line 8. 
This allows ease of installation. It also allows simple removal of the 
shower apparatus from the engine to restore the engine to original 
condition by replacement of the original line 8. 
The use of a drain port 12 in the engine block 3 is significant. 
Specifically, connection of the warm water supply line to a drain port 12 
lower in the cooling system 2 provides a more reliable source of warm 
cooling system fluid than connection of the warm water supply line 11 to a 
port 12a higher in the system, such as on a crossover manifold 12b 
typically used in an eight cylinder engine block formed in a V shape. Port 
12a is typically used in an automobile to connect a heater hose for a 
heating system inside the vehicle. See FIG. 1A. A lower connection point 
would be a connection point which is lower than a typical V8 engine 
crossover manifold 12b and a connection point which, if opened, would 
allow a substantial amount of the cooling system fluid to drain from the 
engine by gravity. A lower connection point such as drain point 12 
prevents air in the cooling system from entering the warm water supply 
line 11 and supplies a greater quantity of warmer water of more uniform 
temperature. Prior art kits for warm water supply systems obtain warm 
water from upper portions of the engine cooling system such as from the 
crossover manifold 12b at port 12a. This causes considerable variation in 
the temperature and quantity of warm water supplied to the user, 
particularly when the delivery line 14 or shower head 20 is raised or 
lowered by the user during use. 
In addition, connection of the warm water supply line 11 to a drain port 12 
in the cooling system 2 low on the engine block 3 allows the warm water 
supply line 11 to be disconnected, for example, at connection 11b, and 
used to drain the engine of engine coolant in freezing weather. This is 
accomplished by placing the disconnected end of warm water supply line 11 
in a lower position than drain port 12, such as in the bilge of the boat, 
so that cooling system fluid can drain by gravity from the engine block. 
With more detailed reference to FIG. 2, the warm water supply line 10 and 
cool water supply line 11 have connections 10b and 11b, respectively, to 
Y-connection 13 for mixing the warm and cool fluids into a common fluid 
delivery line 14 connected to the common port 13a of Y-connection 13. 
Valves 15 and 16 control the volume of cool and warm water which flows in 
the cool water supply line 10 and warm water supply line 11, respectively. 
Adjustment of valves 15 and 16 control the relative mixing of warm and 
cold water, and thereby the temperature of the water. Valve 17 at the 
common port 13a of Y-connection 13 controls How of the combined warm and 
cool fluids. Valve 17 is generally used to turn off flow when delivery 
line 14 is disconnected at connection port 13a. Valves in this arrangement 
have proven to be particularly convenient for control by the user. 
With reference to FIG. 3, the delivery line 14 delivers mixed warm and cool 
fluid to the user and may be affixed to any type of delivery device such 
as a shower head 19 at connection 14a for end use by a skier, etc. Valve 
18 controls How in the delivery line 14 and valve 20 controls flow in the 
shower head 19. In the preferred embodiment, quick disconnect connections 
are used for connection points 13a and 14a. Connection point 13a allows 
the delivery line 14 and shower head 20 to easily be disconnected for deck 
storage. Connection 14a allows the shower head 20 to be replaced with 
other water delivery devices which may be convenient for the user such as 
nozzles and the like. Water in the delivery line 14 is conveyed to the 
user and discharged to the atmosphere or body of water from which it came. 
The use of a substantially 5/8" diameter tubing for the cool water supply 
line 11 is an important factor in the method and system. This size tubing 
allows sufficient flow, yet prevents turbulent flow in the cool water pump 
5 discharge line 8 which may prevent sufficient cooling water from 
reaching the engine cooling system 2. This limits the danger of 
overheating of the engine due to shower use or turbulent flow due to the 
cool water line 11 connection point 10a. Similarly, connection of the cool 
water supply line to the discharge side of the cool water pump 5 further 
allows sufficient flow of cool water in cool water supply line 10 and to 
the engine cooling system 2 and warm water pump 4 at port 4a. These 
factors substantially reduce any need for a separate electric pump to 
supply cool fluid to the user. 
The principles, preferred embodiment, and mode of operation of the present 
invention have been described in the foregoing specification. This 
invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms 
disclosed, since these are regarded as illustrative rather than 
restrictive. Moreover, variations and changes may be made by those skilled 
in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. This 
invention should be read broadly in light of the following claims to a 
warm water shower system.