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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: saddlesore on July 23, 2017, 10:57:33 pm

Title: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: saddlesore on July 23, 2017, 10:57:33 pm
Boiler fluid tank way low on coolant. (bad filler neck) have non solder type fill neck to replace with.
I do not know if the tank has red Antifreeze or has high dollar boiler fluid.
put a paper towel rolled up into the overflow tank and wife says that that fluid is orange.
Which one to refill with?

thnx
red
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: craneman on July 23, 2017, 11:19:18 pm
You need to get the model number of the Aqua Hot. Both the ELC and the safe to drink are red. The one with the coils around the tank use regular ELC and the one with the coils in the tank have to have potable coolant known as boiler fluid. The information should be in the book that came with the coach. I don't know what year they switched over '99 is still regular coolant.
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: Numbers on July 23, 2017, 11:20:56 pm
Call Aqua Hot technical support on Monday morning and ask them.  What you use will depend on the year and model of your unit.  Usually it's either Jessica Painter, or Jim Yates who answer.  Both are very good.

Chris
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: saddlesore on July 23, 2017, 11:22:02 pm
Model is 100-02
I just need to know which one is actually in the tank, as there is a possibility that the previous owner may have "updated " to the new style/type & I do not want to inadvertently mix them together.
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: craneman on July 23, 2017, 11:27:00 pm
I don't want to make a mistake so call Aqua Hot. When I do a Google search of 100-02 coolant the boiler type comes up.
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: craneman on July 23, 2017, 11:28:16 pm
You can't update the Aqua Hot you would have to change the whole unit out they are completely different.
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: craneman on July 23, 2017, 11:44:03 pm
I just checked Roger Burke's site and serial numbers before X00-07 take regular coolant. The x means any number preceding the 00 Yours being -02 is before the change. The ELC that is used in the engine is what is used. Also look at your recovery bottle mine is labeled what to use.
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: saddlesore on July 24, 2017, 12:09:31 am
I just checked Roger Burke's site and serial numbers before X00-07 take regular coolant. The x means any number preceding the 00 Yours being -02 is before the change. The ELC that is used in the engine is what is used. Also look at your recovery bottle mine is labeled what to use.
Thanks! OAT it's gonna be.( taking a chance that the previous  owner did not go with the new boiler fluid.
And the Texaco tag is obliterated.)
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: Travelin' Man (RIP) on July 24, 2017, 08:17:14 am
Mine is an '03 and uses regular ethylene glycol.
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: Michelle on July 24, 2017, 09:03:45 am
Mine is an '03 and uses regular ethylene glycol.

IIRC the changeover from ELC to GRAS non-toxic occurred somewhere in the 2003 model year, so never assume  ;)

If we were dealing with an unknown where there could potentially be a compatibility concern, would likely flush with distilled water and start with known new, recommended fluid.
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: Travelin' Man (RIP) on July 24, 2017, 02:43:07 pm
IIRC the changeover from ELC to GRAS non-toxic occurred somewhere in the 2003 model year, so never assume  ;)

I wasn't assuming................I've drained it out and replaced it.
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: craneman on July 24, 2017, 03:36:05 pm
I wasn't assuming................I've drained it out and replaced it.
The issue is not coolant compatibility. The fact that the later style A.H. has the fresh water inside the tank instead of on the outside  it is possible to get coolant in the water supply and Ethylene Glycol is poisonous. 
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: red tractor on July 24, 2017, 10:10:40 pm
Our 03 had the GRAS coolant in it according to the tag on the recovery bottle. The model number of the aqua hot in our coach could have had regular engine coolant in it as it had the coils on the outside of the tank.
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: Michelle on July 25, 2017, 07:07:20 am
I wasn't assuming................I've drained it out and replaced it.

T-man, I didn't mean it to sound like I was responding to you directly, just making a general statement in response to the OP's "what coolant do I have?" for future reference that you can't assume based on model year, especially if it's a 2003.  You need to know

a)  What the AH model and serial number are

b)  What was actually put in the unit at the last fluid change (don't take it for granted that the correct fluid was used, either)

Aside from chemical analysis, I don't think there's any way to tell from color what fluid is in there. 
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: Travelin' Man (RIP) on July 25, 2017, 07:46:42 am
The issue is not coolant compatibility. The fact that the later style A.H. has the fresh water inside the tank instead of on the outside  it is possible to get coolant in the water supply and Ethylene Glycol is poisonous. 

Just to clarify................according to the serial number ethylene glycol is what mine calls for.
Title: Re: Color of Aqua hot boiler fluid(s)
Post by: saddlesore on July 26, 2017, 02:19:09 pm
AHH HAA!!!
After a bit of sleuthing.... The Orange fluid in the boiler is a GM (OAT) coolant from NAPA.....
part # RTU1DEX-P5783
 Now to attack the filler neck issue