This is our first summer traveling with our new-to-us U320 in hot weather as we are staying in the deep south for much of the summer for family reasons. The basement stays pretty hot in these conditions with the Aqua-Hot on - 90s outside temps and the basement (compartment closest to A-H) is about 100 degrees. The basement exhaust fan is running constantly. Other than shutting down the A-H and taking cold showers, is there any other solution - can't leave the basement doors open due to mud dabbers and the like.
Previous coaches had propane hot water heaters so they did not heat up the surrounding area as much as the A-H. Thinking we'll just have to live with it but hoping there is another answer. Also have a July Nac trip to look forward to for slide bladder replacement (sigh). This good news is the coach interior is comfy as the ACs have no problem keeping up with this hot weather. Even did OK on 30 amps and one AC at the Elks lodge but we were in a shaded spot. Now parked out in the sun at our daughter's farm but we've got 50 amps here.
Jeff, imagine your scenario plus the heat from a 100# electric deep freeze. We have never had a problem so far with the electric heat running the AquaHot. I do crack the door on the large basement compartment where the freezer lives to provide some extra air circulation.
Personally, I would not worry about it...100 is not a problem.. Just left Tucson and bays were way higher....110 outside...but, I am an old "MAD" magazine subscriber....:WHAT ME WORRY?
We lived the first two years fulltime in our coach parked in Las Vegas. We hit temperatures around 115 degrees many times. If your have you exhaust fan running, then that is all you can do. We usually opened that door a bit to help circulate air. I see from your post, you cannot. We always left our Hydro hot off and only turned it on when needing hot water for a shower.
Jeff, have you tried just using the electric heating element by itself?
That should be enough.
Richard B
If the bay is at 100F, you may not need a water heater at all. You might try using water from the fresh water tank for showers. Turn off the shore water until you need to refill the fresh water tank.
When we were parked in Tucson and the ambient temp hit 105+ outdoors during the day, the "cold" water coming out of the faucet and being drawn from our fresh water tank was 104 degrees in the mid-afternoon. We never even turned the Aquahot on and just relied on the elec element to heat the hot water tank if necessary. Honestly, I think we could have done without that, as well!!
I am relieved to see that a hot basement is pretty normal in this climate with the A-H on. I did switch it to electric only and that helped a bit. It has also been somewhat cooler the last couple of days (in the mid 80s) and the bay temp has come down - the exhaust fan has stopped running also.
We'll enjoy this "cool" spell while it lasts or until we hit Nac next week. :D