Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Two Hams in a Can on December 14, 2010, 08:44:36 am

Title: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Two Hams in a Can on December 14, 2010, 08:44:36 am
In our 1996 U320, the bathroom, bedroom and living room heaters have all been working just fine as of yesterday.  We moved to a new location, and, thru the night and right now, the front heater is blowing hot; but, the bedroom and bathroom (separate thermostat) heater blowers do not come on.  We are running the diesel AH.  Any suggestions on where to look first, second, third, . . . . . ? :( :( :P
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: George Stoltz on December 14, 2010, 09:23:21 am
Have you checked the thermostat in the bathroom?
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Barry Beam on December 14, 2010, 09:35:33 am
In our 1996 U320, the bathroom, bedroom and living room heaters have all been working just fine as of yesterday.  We moved to a new location, and, thru the night and right now, the front heater is blowing hot; but, the bedroom and bathroom (separate thermostat) heater blowers do not come on.  We are running the diesel AH.  Any suggestions on where to look first, second, third, . . . . . ? :( :( :P
Jeff,
Is your Thermostat making a good connection?
Try jumping across the contactor where shown in the photo.
It may be just dirty.
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Rick on December 14, 2010, 09:55:58 am
With the thermostat Barry has shown I found that the on/off contacts of the thermostat were intermittent. I replaced the front thermostat with a Hunter 44550 so that I can program it and have digital control of the temperature. I also added an independent on/off switch below. This thermostat will also keep track of the furnace run time which I was interested in.
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Two Hams in a Can on December 14, 2010, 09:58:23 am
Thanks. . .I'll try that with the bathroom thermostat.  But, the bedroom heater blower operates separately from that thermostat.  Our coach thermostat is a Duo Therm Control Center (original equipment) with Zone 1 and Zone 2 settings.  Zone 1 works fine. . .but no response on the Zone 2 "furnace" setting but it does work on heat strip and A/C fan settings. 
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Barry Beam on December 14, 2010, 10:10:22 am
Thanks. . .I'll try that with the bathroom thermostat.  But, the bedroom heater blower operates separately from that thermostat.  Our coach thermostat is a Duo Therm Control Center (original equipment) with Zone 1 and Zone 2 settings.  Zone 1 works fine. . .but no response on the Zone 2 "furnace" setting but it does work on heat strip and A/C fan settings. 
You threw me when you said
"the bedroom and bathroom (separate thermostat) heater blowers do not come on"

After many years of use, the brass contact switches on the Duo Therm Thermostat can bend, and some of them might not be making contact to create a good circuit, resulting in difficulty in selecting the desired setting. The following solution corrected this problem.
http://www.beamalarm.com/Documents/duo_therm_control_center_repair.htm (http://www.beamalarm.com/Documents/duo_therm_control_center_repair.htm)
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Two Hams in a Can on December 14, 2010, 10:21:12 am
We can turn on the A/C and the heat strip in Zone 2 with the Duo-Therm, so I don't think it is the thermostat.  I can also hear the "click" of the thermostat in the bathroom.  We just don't have blowers.  The bath and bedroom blowers are close together, so I wonder if it could be some loose connection, fuse, etc. 

Anybody have an idea?
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Barry Beam on December 14, 2010, 10:58:41 am
We can turn on the A/C and the heat strip in Zone 2 with the Duo-Therm, so I don't think it is the thermostat.  I can also hear the "click" of the thermostat in the bathroom.  We just don't have blowers.  The bath and bedroom blowers are close together, so I wonder if it could be some loose connection, fuse, etc. 

Anybody have an idea?

After turning the Diesel switch ON:

The Aqua-Hot is at operating temperature, but an Interior Heating Zone is not producing heat.

Q1: Is the particular Heating Loop's Circulation Pump operating?

Quick Check -
Remove the Aqua-Hot's Access Cover and determine if the problem Heat Exchanger(s) are plumbed with Circulation Pump #1 or Circulation Pump #2, reference Figure 1 and the illustration below.
Once the correct Circulation Pump has been determined, locate and activate the Room Thermostat for the particular heating zone.
This should activate that particular Circulation Pump.
Is the Circulation Pump operating?

A: If YES:

Check the particular Heating Loops plumbing system for kinks and/or any other types of flow restrictions.

If NO:

Perform each of the following procedures as necessary until the problem is resolved.

1. Locate the Electronic Controller and remove the Faceplate.

2. Locate the Electronic Controller's JP-3 Plug and then insert the probes of a DC voltmeter into Pin locations 5 (+) and 6 (-) for Circulation Pump #1, and/or into Pin locations 3 (+) and 4 (-) for Circulation Pump #2, reference Figure 3.
Observe the DC voltage level on the voltmeter.
Does a nominal voltage reading register on the voltmeter?

A: If YES:

The Circulation Pump must be replaced.

If NO:

The Electronic Controller must be replaced.
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Two Hams in a Can on December 14, 2010, 11:22:51 am
Barry, thanks for your comprehensive diagnosis.  Unfortunately, due to my inability to do close work in tight spaces, I'm left with two options. . .either head back to MoT (they just finished extensive work & parts replacement in early November); or, deal with only the front heater until Q (Roger, are you listening?).  I'm going to contact Mike Rodgers at MoT now. . .stay tuned, Roger.
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Kent Speers on December 14, 2010, 05:58:21 pm
Now you know why I stuck with a 93 with propane furnaces.

By the way, the problem I had with my furnace earlier this fall was simply a bad regulator at the propane tank. The fix was under $30.
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Roger Berke on December 14, 2010, 06:57:50 pm
Jeff & Suzanne

If you can get the cover off your Aqua-Hot, you can check inside to make sure the fan relay has not come loose.  They have been known to vibrate loose.  Just push them into their socket.  Should be #2 (middle) zone.  See photo for where to look

We will arrive in Quartzsite about January 15th and stay through at least February 6th.  We will be with the Lemon group for most of the time we are there.

- Roger -
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Felix and Gail on December 15, 2010, 12:38:10 am
I recently had a problem with zone 1 blower not coming on . The zone 1 relay had become unplugged as Roger described. The wire clamp holding it in place had fallen off.
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Two Hams in a Can on December 15, 2010, 09:15:05 am
Thanks Roger, Barry & all. . .I'll give it a shot later today & report back. . . . .
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Two Hams in a Can on December 16, 2010, 12:19:25 pm
Thanks Roger, Felix & Barry. . .and all the rest who contributed possible answers.  It was the Zone 2 relay halfway out; and, the Zone 3 relay lying on the floor.  Is Zone 3 the bathroom or bays?  Anyhow, you guys missed the comic show of a fat old cripple's butt sticking half out of a bay. . .Suzanne was selling hot chocolate & Christmas cookies to the spectators who witnesses this mechanical triumph!! ::)  Thanks again. . . ;D :)) :P
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: jeff on December 16, 2010, 01:01:59 pm
Pictures please..........on second thought,,,,,never mind ;D
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Two Hams in a Can on December 16, 2010, 01:17:00 pm
Pictures please..........on second thought,,,,,never mind ;D

Was going to, but camera broke!! :o ::) :P
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: MAZ on December 16, 2010, 07:27:01 pm
You guys are toooo funny. ;D
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: jeff on December 16, 2010, 07:41:53 pm
Both Jeffs are DV navy....explains a lot
Title: Re: Yet another Aquahot heating issue
Post by: Roger Berke on December 16, 2010, 09:41:18 pm
Every coach is plumbed / wired a little differently.  Generally #1 zone is the front of the coach, #2 zone is the bathroom and #3 zone is the bedroom.  The bay heater runs off zone 2.

- Roger Berke -
2000 Foretravel U320 42ft