I finally got a start on the Aqua Hot rebuild this afternoon. I only had a couple of hours today, so not too much progress. I did get the burner removed. I had serviced the unit last year so I was familiar with it. I didn't want to miss anything so I've take lots of pictures and have labeled some of the lines. I'm not sure how well the stickers will stay, but time will tell. I also got the boiler drained. I can't believe how much water/antifreeze came out. I ran out of containers quickly. I estimate that I have close to 15 gallons of antifreeze out of the boiler unit. I wanted to get that done today with the good weather. Rain is supposed to move in tonight and I don't really want to lay on the wet ground if I don't have to.
As I progress, I will update this topic. Hopefully it will be of benefit to some others. I'm following the lead of others (Matthew, Hawkeye, Cubesphere, Craneman and the expert advice from Rudy) to name just a few. I've had comments and recommendations from others giving me their advice. My sincerest thanks for all your help.
Join the ride. Hopefully it won't be to bumpy.
Larry
Was guessing 18 gal with all the lines on the inside... its a lot of liquid either way.. Good luck..
I hadn't read anywhere what to expect, boy was I surprised. Probably surprise #1 out of 300 by the time I get done. While the AH is out of the coach, I'm planning on changing the fuel lines.
Larry
Might as well (if you can afford) to replace the motors and all the shut off ball valves.. If you think you had any one way valves sticking go ahead and replace those also.. New tempering valve (mine had gunk on the inside I couldnt get out) and I pulled every fitting off and resealed them.. Only think I kinda think I should have down was provide a shut off for each motor so it can be changed without draining the whole system.
If you think your labels might come off then buy a pack of colored zip ties and use those to mark your lines.
David, I'm planning on going thru the entire unit and seeing what looks good and what is kinda iffy. I am a firm believer that it needs fixed right the first time. I'm sure that I don't want to have to remove this again down the road.
Foliver, Thanks for the idea. That is excellent. I was thinking of getting those paper tags with strings attached, but I really like the tie wrap idea better. ^.^d
The rain has set in for the day, I will see how much I can get done. Unfortunately, I don't have a building, just the driveway.
Larry
OK, the rain let up a little bit. I was able to get out there for an hour or so. I went back on the lines that I had labeled yesterday and replaced the stickers with tie wraps and labeled paper key tags. I also unwired the main bundle of wires going to the relays, power, ground and the different control and thermostat wires. Then the rains came back and the DW is fixing supper. Hopefully tomorrow will be a full day.
BTW, for those who have done this, when the coolant lines are disconnected how much coolant should I expect from each line. The AH manual says that there should be about 2 quarts. I assume this means each line. I just want to be prepared better for this than I was for the boiler. I was scrambling to find containers to hold the antifreeze in yesterday. I bought buckets at Home Depot today. The boiler released 15 gallons of coolant. Yep, I was surprised.
Larrty
Be sure to pinch off the engine coolant loop. I didn't and had way more buckets of coolant than I expected.
Thanks Craneman, that is the type of insight I need. ^.^d
Larry
The engine coolant loop is circulated directly with the aquahot coolant? I figured they'd be separate loops with a heat exchanger.
It is separate, but to drain the Aqua Hot to remove it, the hoses have to be pinched off or they drain also.
OK, for today's update.
I decided to remove the exhaust system before the AH was loose. I started the coach, travel light went on and it got to travel height, but no other HWH lights. Wouldn't level, raise, dump, nothing. Time to panic. Went on a search on the forum. What more praises can I express for those who post their issues and resolutions for those of us to follow up on in a time of crisis. End result............old timers disease. I forgot to turn on the salesman switch.
Raised the coach, put my safety stands under it and removed the exhaust system. A little PB blaster, air impact and dirt in the eyes and it was off. Only lost one bolt to, not bad start for the day. I'm going to have a new exhaust system rebuilt. As per Rudy's suggestion I plan on having it made from 2" pipe instead of the 1 1/2".
Thanks to Craneman's advice, I went to the tractor store and bought 4 more 5 gallon buckets for removing the engine coolant lines. Sure glad that I did. I pinched the lines and the coolant still keeps on coming. I ended up with around 8 gallons of engine coolant. I think that I had so much because my drive slopes to the front of the coach, therefore I was lower than a lot of the engine. That being said, I plan on draining out the rest of the engine coolant and putting in new antifreeze in both the AH boiler and the engine coolant system.
Got all the lines disconnected and discovered to my chagrin that with my coach they installed the AH first and then built the rest of the coach around it. At least it seemed like it. I was able to use a couple of crowbars and get a 3" board under it. I then slid the unit forward and worked the back corner around, rinse and repeat. When it reached it's maximum point, I didn't have 1/16" clearance on the front corner with the left side dragging the edge of the opening. With a little persistence, I worked the unit onto a small 4 wheel furniture cart, rolled it to the edge and slid it down to the driveway. Got the two wheel dolly and into the garage where it awaits tomorrow and the tear down process.
I do believe that I may get a good nights sleep tonight :))
Questions or comments are appreciated.
Larry
What's involved with changing out the exhaust to 2 in? is it a 2-in exhaust from the unit? Or are you going from a one and a half inch to a 2-in?
Sounds like something I would do forgetting the salesman switch was off!
Yes it is 1 1/2" nipple to a 1 1/2" elbow to another 1 1/2" nipple to the straight pipe out. I will have to flare up somewhere along the way.
Larry
What is the point in making it bigger? what does it help? Or in other words..What is the benefit?
The 2 inch exhaust currently used by Aqua Hot on new installs breaths better and is a little quieter. I would not remove a working exhaust to step up to 2 inch but if you are doing something requiring the exhaust removal, then I would with a stainless steel straight out tip.
Got up early this morning (2:30) couldn't sleep. After coffee and weather started on the AH. Got the cover removed. Had to chisel the rivets. Every one was loose and just spun in the drill. Found the reason for the water leak. 5 ruptures about 1" each. Took my time removing everything and making sure it was tagged and photographed. Had to sweat off 3 lines, cut 1 and unscrewed 2 others.
Disconnected thermostat wires and electric element wire as needed to remove the front inside cover. A lot of the mastic had crumbled off of the unit and was inside the compartment. I am not certain, but it looks like someone has done work on this unit before. The ball valves were newer, the layout was slightly changed from what the AH manual showed and I found a 1/4" deep well socket buried in the debris.
I put a micrometer on the old copper and it showed an outside dimension of .510" . I plan on taking a piece to the local plumbing supply show to match it up for size. I ordered 2 gallons of Thermax 300 heat transfer mastic. Should be here on Monday. I know there was more to tell about the day, but the early morning start has caught up with me and my fried brain. I think I will take a nap now. That's what retired folks do isn't it?
Larry
1/4" size or 1/4" drive 10 mm?
1/4" deep well socket on a 1/4" drive
Larry
Strange 1/4" doesn't match any metric size, and the Aqua Hot is all metric unless some parts were modified.
Not sure why it was there, but it will go with the collection of probably 50 other oddball sockets I seem to have collected over the years ;D My guess is that it was supposed to used on a couple of the hose clamps someone had used making their connections. Part of why I believe that a previous owner has done some changes in here.
Larry
Did more cleaning this morning on the unit. I scraped off the old mastic with a stiff putty knife, then I got a wire brush for my 4" grinder and one for the drill and polished it all up. Decided that it looked so good that I took off the thermostats on the front and took the paint off as well. When I'm done with the copper tube and mastic, I will paint the entire unit with a high temp heat. Some of the wires for the thermostats are feeling brittle, so when I go to put it back together, I will make new wires up. I've got things to do tonight, so it was a short day. Won't get the mastic till Monday anyway.
Larry
Buy some thermal wire like used in ovens for the igniter. Has a heat resistant sleeve.
Larry, I've got my popcorn an a cold beverage on this project! lol
Craneman, will do. It will be worth the upgrade in the long run.
Joe, I hope that the show is enjoyable. I would hate to have a hiccup and you choke on the popcorn :giggle:
Till tomorrow's episode........
Larry
If you have mini hose clamps anywhere they use a 1/4 socket.
If you have any mini hose clamps they use a 1/4 socket.
Old guy, yes there is a mini hose clamp on the overflow line on top of the AH. It also takes a 1/4" socket to remove the screws that hold the high limit switches on.
Not much accomplished today. I spent the day chasing down copper coil in stock and getting the proper fittings to connect them. I wanted a 100' coil, none in town and delivery would be 4-6 away, so I went with 2 50' coils which I found at an HVAC supply. Tried 6 different places, no one could exactly match the old copper tube. It may have swollen and stretched in it's 24 years of usage.
The saga continue's
Larry
Larry,
When you start to wind the coil around the tank be aware that where you solder the two sections together that area will be harder to wind around the tank due to the heating of the copper. With care it can be wound without kinking this area. It also works better to swedge this connection rather than using a coupling.
Mike
Thanks Mike. I've flared copper but never swedged copper before. I just watched a couple of you tubes. I might haver to try that.
Larry
Swage | Spin Tools
Swage | Spin Tools (https://spintools.com/swage/)
T-man thanks for the video. I already hove one coming on Amazon. It isn't the drill spin type. It sure looks nice though
Larry
Since I am awaiting the mastic to be delivered and I seem to have strained my back slightly, yesterday was a light day. I took the time to clean up the housing for the AH. I have worked with stainless steel on occasion over the year and know that there are various types of SS. I am so glad to see that they used high quality SS. After 24 years, it polished up to look nearly brand new. Only a couple of spots with any stain. With a little work, could probably reduce that. A previous owner had partially removed the inside panel which holds the fuses and relays. In the process he had bent it up pretty bad. I was able to get most of the bends straightened out so it looks better.
I want to replace the inside insulation. I don't know the type or where to buy. Any suggestions? I am also looking at modifying the existing plumbing. I am wanting to extend the connections to the outside of the case, similar to what the manual shows as being from the factory. Someone has reworked these so that all connections are congested inside. I had removed the outer front housing from the unit 4 years ago when a high limit switch went bad and I replaced. Took Rudy's advice to leave it off so that not as much heat built up on the electronics of the unit. Since it is in the inside middle bay, it isn't readily noticeable and allows for quick inspections of the filters, fuses etc. I may reroute some of my hoses so that they are not as tightly packed. Not sure yet, but thinking.
I changed the lights in the lower bay to brite white LED strips. It really lights up the bay. I want to see about adding one to the compartment for the AH. Just need to figure the wiring and where to hook up a switch. It sure is nice to have the coach at the house, but soon I expect the HOA to start complaining. don't like them anyway >:D
Larry
Larry,
I would get some 1" KAO-Wool or any similar ceramic fiber product. You can find it on the web. If you have an industrial insulation company in your area you may be able to pick up some end cuts that they have for cheap. (none of this type product is cheep)
Mike
Thanks Mike. I didn't know the type of insulation it is. I looked at spun fiberglass boards which is manufactured here in KC but the thinnest I could find in a quick search was 2". I thought about contacting AH to see if they could help. I wasn't sure how well rock wool would stand up to the diesel environment.
Larry
Ordered a roll of 1"X 24"X 12.5' ceramic fire insulation blanket ^.^d
Larry
I put led lights in the Aqua-hot compartment and put a switch just inside the top left.
That is likely the area I''m looking at. right now it is cold and snowing..........being retired I don't have the time restraints where I have to get out in it. Maybe this afternoon, supposed to get to around 40.
Larry,
That will be plenty with some left over for some other project.
Mike
That was what I thought. The next smaller size was 2' X 5' and that wasn't enough. I'll find something I'm sure.
Larry
Not much done today. I basically did a service on the AH motor. Cleaned out the combustion chamber, set the ignition points. (Didn't know till I talked to Rudy a couple of weeks ago that the device to locate the points is mounted on the outside of the burner motor. Great business model that you won't see these days. Let the owner do something. The business plans for most places now is make it where it has to come back to the store/factory/certified tech for everything, all at oly a couple hundred dollars an hour!!!!! Sorry for the rant, just thankful that AH didn't do that plan in the early years. Don't know about now, hope not.)
I probably spent more time cleaning and sorting my tools which I had scattered around the garage. Anyway, got sidetracked by a couple of phone calls. There is always tomorrow.
Larry
OK the show is on again. The mastic came in yesterday afternoon, too late to try anything so I was hard at it at the crack of mid morning. I had to take the exhaust system to a muffler shop in the next town to have a new 2" exhaust built. He said no problem, has to order the muffler. It will be in tomorrow. Should be able to pick it up by mid afternoon.
Back to the mastic. I ordered 2 gallons' of the Chemax 300. I put it on about 1/8" to 1/4" thick for under the coils. I used less than 1/2 gallon. The reason for 2 gallons is I plan on putting a layer on the top of the coils once I have pressure tested the coil. It has been a long time since I soldered copper, so before it goes into the coach I want to pressure test with air to make sure there are no leaks. I bought a swag tool and used it for the first time. With practice, I might make it look truly professional. I liked how it worked so well and the fact that there was only 1 joint to solder verses 2 in a coupling, I figured that I bettered my odds.
If you do this project, make sure that there are 2 people to help hold the coil tight in place while wrapping it. It would have been nice to have had a 100' coil and a 50' coil instead of 3 50' coils, but no one seemed to interested in getting one in in a timely manner. I also made sure that the tank was secured from moving while it was standing up.
I was able to get 30 wraps on the boiler verses 29 on the old tube. Hopefully it will work as well or better than before. It worked great then, but if it can be improved, so much the better. I have 1" ceramic insulation due for delivery by this weekend. I hope to have some other items taken care of by then. We are supposed to get a lot of rain Wed-Fri with winds up to 70 mph on Friday, so we will see how much this impacts my betting out in the coach.
Were having fun now :D :D
Larry
You don't need the muffler. You go to 2" to lessen restrictions. Why add one by installing a muffler? I left it off when I went to 2" and the sound is not noticeably louder, just has a little bit of a hollow sound.
Agree! Definitely do not need a muffler for the Aqua-Hot. It is quiet and works well with a straight-pipe exhaust.
Get a higher wattage heater element while you are in their... I have a 2000w now and have a 2200w in my drawer at work to swap out later.
That much power limits it to a strong output plug in?
Depends on your setup I suppose.. and needs? 30 amp shouldnt be a problem and if pedestal to pedestal that shouldnt be a problem... Plugged in on a 15 amp plug... maybe a problem but you have other issues also.
Bob & DJ, I assumed (yes I know) that I should since there was one originally. Could have saved a few bucks I guess. This will be one job that should never have to be redone.
David, my question is would I need a higher amp fuse in the rig? I'm not sure what the wattage is on the heater now, I haven't taken the time to look it up. Also, recomendations on where to get the higher voltage heater. I'm not sure if I would use it very often. Most of the time I have used the diesel side.
Larry
Larry also consider the size of the wire going to the heater element. It needs to be sized large enough for the increased wattage.
Larry, The electric element is 120 vac and is not fused. A 20 amp circuit breaker protects that circuit. The circuit breaker is in the 120 vac panel.
A 20 Amp circuit should only carry 1920 Watts @ 120V (80% of breaker size)
Thanks for the info. Since I'm not the electrical type, is a 20 amp fuse big enough to handle the larger element? If so, should the wiring be upsized.
Larry
A 20 amp breaker at 120V can handle total of 2,400 watts before it trips and it might take a little while at that wattage before it does trip. So in answer to the question, yes. But, If I was figuring out a circuit to handle a 2,200 watt heater I would take the 2200 watts x 1.25% to come up with a circuit that would be able to handle 2,750 watts. Thus a number 10 wire with a 25 amp fuse or circuit breaker and I would then be able to sleep good at night.
Thanks for the info Turbojack. Not sure if I will change it out or not. Is there a way to test the old one to see if it is still good?
Larry
The mastic hardened overnight and it looks really good. Only the first and the last loop came loose and I think that I can get them to size down to the tank. They only came up about 1/8". With all the rest sitting tight I don't think that I will loose much heat, especially if I put a layer of mastic over the top and then the new insulation in the box.
I put the boiler assembly into the main box to begin figuring out how I am going to modify it. I am seeing how to reroute some hoses so that I can put shut off valves on the engine coolant and isolate it if I want to remove again. The valves located on it now will isolate the boiler so that it won't be necessary to drain it to work on it. I'm also going to move the tempering valve assembly further out from under the burner motor. This will allow me to have the connections located on the outside of the box. I will have to do some rework of the hot and cold water lines but I think I can run them further out of the way.
I spent over half of the day running down parts to fabricate a pressure test gauge to make sure that my soldered joints had no leaks. Got the parts and began assembling it an snapped off the gauge. Figures. Back to NAPA , got a new gauge and came home and set up the test. SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No leaks. It has held 100# pressure for over 3 hrs now. I'm feeling confident it is good to go. That is a great big weight off my shoulders.
Tomorrow, the new coating on the outside.
Larry
Here's the good news for the morning. The pressure test held for over 16 hrs. I hereby declare victory on onward with the project.
Larry
Gotta cut the day short today, got places to be this evening. Here's the update. Got a layer of mastic covering the outer part of the coils. Went on smooth. It will take at least a day to dry and cure with the high humidity that has set in for today. Calling for heavy showers so I expect that to slow the process. I used less than 1 gallon of the Chemax. I still have an unopened container if someone can use it, PM me.
I went to the muffler shop to pick up the new exhaust. He had a question about length so it wasn't quite done. I told him about not putting on the muffler and he was good with that. Said he had another job that he would use the muffer on, so he wasn't out any money. Total cost for new pipe. bending and flaring, cutting into 2 pieces and flaring so it will fit, 4 clamps and a chrome straight tip $43.00. I was expecting much more. I will recommend him to anybody in need.
When I got back, Prime had delivered my new ceramic insulation. Surprise. It wasn't scheduled to be here till next week. All the better. I can get the insulation on with the cold weather coming tomorrow and begin the actual re-installation process, as soon as the mastic dries.
Larry
Larry,
It sounds like you have a handle on this project, good deal! When you apply the mastic, its easiest to just use rubber gloves and use your hands, it will be a mess, but you will be able to uniformly cover all the copper relatively quickly. I hope you were able to get a heavier grade copper pipe than regular, it will last longer. It is tough to find quality products, but you can if you search for it. Check the insulation to make sure it can be reused without hazard.
Keep us posted!
You got it!! funny
The mastic set up nicely so today after cutting the new insulation and gluing it in I put the boiler into the box. I bolted it down, something that wasn't there from when I removed. I did some rework on the wires showing deterioration. The front panel was bent in multiple places when I bought it. I looks like someone pried the top corner away trying to get inside. I straightened the panel out a lot. It shows the old crease lines but it looks much better than before, and with some minor adjustments it fits and aligns with the original rivet holes.
Tomorrow I'm getting some more pipe fittings in order to rework the engine coolant lines and the fresh water lines. Once I am satisfied with that, I will rivet the panels back together and finish the insulation around the tank.
Larry
I used the self tap Phillip head screws with the larger flat head to put back together .. Just in case I need to take it apart in the future I wont have to drill the rivits
I used stainless self tappers too!! good call.
Today I began some of the modifications for the hookups. I loosely fitted the plumbing back together to try to make sure that something moved wouldn't be in the way of something else. I want to relocate the diesel fuel filter. It has been moved to laying horizontal in the area where the 3 zone pumps are. It is not easy to get to for changing the filters. The AH manual doesn't show on the schematic where it belongs, but on the side panel there are 2 holes which have the same dimension that the hanging bracket has. I assume someone moved it from there to the inside panel. I've not decided where to relocate it yet.
I disassembled the plumbing and began resoldering the copper lines. I lengthend the lines feeding the tempering valve so that the connections now protrude thru the housing outside the box. I am doing similar extensions for the engine preheat lines. I only had a couple of hours today, probably about the same tomorrow if I'm lucky.
I took the others advice and used self tapping screws instead of rivets to hold the front panel in place. It seems to hold well and the heads will be located in the back still out of sight. I may still use rivets on the other panels just to have a more finished look.
Larry
Our AH fuel filter is in the first bay on the driver's side where the generator blower and access handle is at. Easy to service.
John M.
I changed out the fuel filter for the aqua hot and put in a small racor knock off. It's easy to access in the aqua hot compartment. It's a little inline filter I removed and threw away. Did that all when I changed out the fuel lines. Think I paid like $50 for it.
Following this thread closely as probably a lot of us are, since I know at some point I will have to do this too. And since I don't want to pay $8,000 to have aqua hot company do it, I plan on doing it myself if I can. Might just do it proactively next year. Since I found a lot of things on this coach not fully up to standard, due to some maintenance issues possibly, or maybe just not being used enough, I'm sure I'm probably have the same issues with the aqua hot too.
Would really appreciate if after you're done you post what it cost you to do this.
Not sure if your unit is the same as 920431/432. On my 99 U320 there is an inline fuel filter mounted to the right of circulation pumps above burner assembly. ???
John, I hadn't considered moving it out of the AH bay, which in my case is in the middle of the coach. I have access through my main storage on top of the joey bed. I may look into moving it for easier access. I moved my primary filter for the engine and am very glad I did. After all, I'm not getting any older or more agile :))
Larry
Bob, do you have a link to the knock off? I would like to see what it is. I hope to have things back in order this week, weather depending, but it could make an interesting modification even after I have thing up and running. Is the new filter a spin on like the main engine?
Yes I can post what expenses I had. Some of which not all will want/need to do I anticipate. Since I come from a maintenance background, I like to see if I can make things more accessible and easier to service going forward. So not everything that I do will be necessary. I also have purchased a few tools to make the job go easier. Some will need fewer tools to purchase, others more so I will try to break things down in a somewhat logical listing.
Larry
Chuck, that is exactly where mine is located. I also had 2 holes behind the engine circulation pump which led me to think that someone might have moved it. My new guess is that AH moved it. Thanks for pointing that out. It doesn't show up on the online manual which I down loaded. The thing that I don't like about it besides the locations difficulty to service is that the filter being on its side doesn't ever fully fill up. I've not noticed any fuel starvation issue so it is getting enough fuel to run, but my worry is that only about the bottom 1/3 of the filter is being used. Probably not a problem in reality, but it just didn't seem right in my universe.
The 2 preceding posts have me thinking along a different route though ::)
Larry
NEW Arrival Fuel Filter/water Separator with Center Thread R12T 120AT 15 GPH... (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Arrival-Fuel-Filter-water-Separator-with-Center-Thread-R12T-120AT-15-GPH-/282620649986)
This is what I used.
Some po switched out the original filter for a small inline wix filter that was hard to reach. I like the open bowl water filtering racor type filters.
I'll post a pic when I can of where I mounted it.
Bob, very nice looking unit. I like the looks better than the cheap plastic wix unit I have. I failed to mention that on inspection of my wix filter I found a crack in the lead in tube assembly of the filter. I knew that there had been a minor leak but couldn't locate it till I removed the whole assembly. This unit in a better location would be a nice upgrade.
Thanks for the link and the advice.
Larry
New filter ordered ^.^d
I had a small inline filter inside the Aqua-hot and changed it out for one like Bob used beside the Aqua-hot, easy to get at. I also changed the fuel lines.
I also replaced the small plastic fuel filter which was located inside the AquaHot unit with a larger cartridge type filter mounted on the overhead outside the AquaHot unit. The AquaHot in my coach is located in the awkward to access area amidship. Since the fuel pick-up for the AquaHot is well above the bottom of the fuel tank, I saw no reason to have a filter with the water separator function.
Richard I'm sure you're correct about the order separator not being needed with the pickup not being at the bottom of the tank. But for that price it's a no-brainer for me. Part of my problem is I come from a sailing background and I tend to think nautical when I replace parts. But I think I paid $50 for that filter with the water separator it's good insurance.
Larry, can you post photos of your progress? Please!!!! We have the 431/12 unit as well. I think that all U320's from '95 to around '05 have this unit as well. Knock on wood, ours is purring like a kitten right now, thanks to Rudy and his expertise!
Joe, I will try to, but truthfully I am more adept at machinery than that magical, technical , post pictures thingy. I have several things going on right now, so I haven't been able to spend the time the last couple of days I wanted to, but I have been documenting this with my camera and I will try to get a few of the better pictures up and running. It might take a day or two. I think that so far I've taken around 100 pictures, many to document where electric and liquid lines went to.
Larry
I would also very much so appreciate the photos. Rebuilding the aquahot is something I would take on if it ever came to it. For now, it is good.
MY A-H fuel filter is mounted 90 degrees to Witt's, thru-bolted. My propane tank is on the other side of that wall but I could reach the fasteners just fine.
Things have come along well today. Once I got more propane (ran out on Sat. It was the same tank I have had since 1985) I was able to finish soldering the copper joints into place. I used a combination of black and brass piping to make the connections from the engine preheat circuit to extend outside the sheet metal box for connections. I got the 4 pumps reattached in their respective places.
I did cut the wires to the engine preheat pump in order to make reassembly easier. I plan on splicing in longer wires and rerouting them for better convenience.
I changed out the lower old valve for a new 1/4 turn ball valve for isolating the boiler. It is smaller and as long as the burner is removed, it will be easy to access. The old one was nearly impossible to get to. I have moved the engine preheat lines to hook up outside the box and have added 1/4 turn ball valves so that I can isolate the engine coolant instead of having to drain it all should the need arise. It will still loose what is in the lines within the AH, but it won't drain the engine.
For the fresh water lines, I am adding valves to isolate the AH also. I plan on adding a quick connect air line so that I can blow out the coils for winterization. I had always ran RV anitfreeze through the system till it came out of the various faucets, but apparently I didn't do something correct a couple of years ago. I believe the coils ruptured because I had improperly winterized. There fore once I have run the pink stuff through the system, I will shut off the valves and use air to blow it out. I don't want to chance ruptured coils again. This isn't a job that I want to do again.
Tomorrow I plan on air pressure testing the pipes and rehooking the wiring. It might be a banner day and I get the burner back in place. Assuming that not to many things come up to take me away.
Larry
Larry, If you can blow all the water from the AH fresh water loops, you will be the first to do so that I know of. You might post on AH forum to get Roger Berke's opinion on blowing out the lines.
Water lingering in the bottom of any one of the many loops could negate all your hard work if allow to freeze.
Super job
Thanks Rudy, I'll give Roger a call.
Larry
For those still following along, today the air pressure test for the engine preheat went excellent. No leaks. I couldn't test the different zone furnace sections. The fittings are a different thread than the pipe threads used on the pipe. With the stay at home orders, I couldn't go get some. It would have taken 6 fittings minimum. I only changed one place on it. I guess I'll see if it leaks when it fires up.
I reconnected the zone pumps electrically, put the swirl tube in, made a new insulation blanket for the boiler tank and got the outer casing on and secured with rivets. This is the first time since I've owned the coach that it is completely put together. It had been opened up by a previous owner.
I need to put the burner assembly back in and it will be ready to reinstall the unit. I'm going to do some minor things to the coach bay which it is in, so it may be a couple of days. I'm still waiting for the new filter assembly. Once I have it mounted, I will be able to get new fuel lines and hook to the burner. I'm also working on adding LED light assemblies and a switch to this area. I've got to locate where I can pick up the 12 volt lines to run them.
I'm also going to add some checker plate to the floor for the AH to set on. When removing the unit, the floor felt very flimsy so I want to give it something to help carry the weight better, especially while sliding it into position. I need to fabricate it and make the holes necessary for the drain, exhaust and the bolt holes for it to mount to the floor.
The weather is finally getting to where I can work outside on the coach, so I'll concentrate more on it while waiting for the fuel filter. After that, I had to mow the grass at the house and fertilize the yard. It was a full day, thankfully most spent on the coach.
Larry
Larry,
When you reconnect your fuel lines what type of connection are you using? The fuel lines to my burner are connected via a standard hose clamp around the rubber fuel line attached to the flared metal feed & return tubes. Needlessly to say there is a never ending seapage and it is annoying. Not sure if someone changed out something on this unit or not this cannot be correct?
If your coach is like mine I got 12 volts with in a foot from the Aqua-hot opening from the inverter wiring.
Yes, and I would like a little piece of mind. I have cut the hoses back 2 inches and replaced clamps but it just starts to weep again.
I used 2 mini clamps 180 deg. apart on each hose. No leakage since then.
Constant tension clamps would help
I just googled constant tension clamps. I will give them a try tomorrow. Ty.
Muskyman, this is a test to see if I can figure out the photo thing. If it came through you will see what setup I currently have. I just cut the hoses off since I planned on rebuilding them anyway. On mine, one line has an "S" stamped into it and the other an "R". I didn't see this till after I had removed the burner. Like you, there has been a leak of some sort of diesel fuel. Not a lot, but there was always some fuel on the pan. I can't say for certain if this was the hoses leaking or the crack I found in the fuel filter. Hope this helps.
Larry
Now you all are in trouble since I found out how to post pictures :)) . We are supposed to get storms tonight so you are safe for the day. I'm going to try to get enough done that I can clear out my garage to park my car inside before the hail comes. I wish that I could do the same for the coach, but alas I can't. Once I get more time though, the pictures will come. >:D
Larry
Oldguy, that is where I was considering running a wire through. In the battery compartment I there is an area with some items that I think I can get 12 volts from.
Larry.
When I replaced my fuel lines last year I re-used all the Parker Push-Lok fittings. I have no leaks to date and I didn't use any hose clamps.
When I cut the old hoses off the fittings in a few cases the utility knife blade slightly scored the barbs, but a little filing and sanding made them like new.
From Parker concerning their Push-Lok fittings;
"Sealing integrity may be damaged by using exterior clamps."
Check those two banjo bolts at the burner as they can be a source of leakage.
Make sure the sealing washers are new and the nut is tight. One of mine was seeping but I was able to tighten it an almost indecernable amount which solved the problem.
Also the fittings pictured in Reply #89 are not pushed on far enough. When properly
installed the hose should bottom out on the yellow plastic cap.
I'm pretty sure that when I replace my fuel lines on the aqua high that I did not have push lock fittings on it. It was just pipe with a little bunk in it if I remember correctly. Think I put two hose clamps on it and I've used it multiple times since then without any leaks that I've detected. It was kind of annoys me when I look at the blow up drawings of what the aqua hot is supposed to look like with neat and tidy lines coming out the end of a self-contained unit, and in my unit, and probably yours, where everything came out the back and into the top of the unit and just jumbled up inside. Fuel lines, water lines, etc. But I'm sure they made that decision for a good reason. The other side of that bulkhead is the battery compartment I think on a lot of people's coaches and I guess they didn't want the lines running through there. If they had reversed the unit they could have done it but then aqua hot would have had the design it 180° and maybe they only had one type of unit at the time. Don't know. But it really would have been better that way with all of the lines running down the middle of the coach.
The picture in Reply #83 looks like someone cut the hose fitting off the end of the tube and then just slid the hose over it with a clamp added.
I understand that they sell replacement banjo fuel pipes that have no fitting and 1/2 of a double flare on the end to allow for sliding the hose over the end with a clamp,
but my originals have fittings for attaching Push-Loks.
Chuck,
Go to Roger Berke's Aqua Hot parts website ( parts.rvhydronicheaterrepair.com ), type fuel hoses in search window and look for fuel line upgrade. The fuel line with banjo connectors that fit the Webasto burner will be there.
Link: RV Hydronic Heater Parts (http://www.parts.rvhydronicheaterrepair.com/)
Thank you all I now have some direction to follow. Rudy/Brett I found exactly what is needed on that site.
Muskyman, those clamps are too big for that diameter of hose and is most probably distorting the hose hence your leak. As mentioned by Tman use the narrow smaller one and reverse 2 on each hose. Do not overtighten.
JohnH
And, use this style clamp of course in the proper size: HPS SAE #17 Stainless Steel Fuel Injection Hose Clamp - 5/8" - 45/64" (16mm... (http://www.torqued.io/hps-sae-17-stainless-steel-fuel-injection-hose-clamp-5-8-45-64-16mm-18mm)
I got new fuel lines for the AH. I pushed them up till the yellow stops as informed. I also got the fuel injection clamps as informed. Thank you guys for the advice and heads up. The burner is reinstalled and hooked up. I am waiting on a buddy who is going to help me lift the unit off of the bench and up into the coach storage bay. From there I can move it around and into place by myself. I added the lights and switch into the bay but didn't get it hooked up to power. Everything is disconnected so I'll wait till I can test to make sure that I get the right wires. I also got the new checker plate put in on the floor.
Larry
My buddy showed up and helped me get the AH from the garage into the main bay. I have it on a 4 wheel cart so I can handle it anywhere I need to.
Larry
I decided that I needed to check the boiler for leaks before it got into a tight position so I pumped in 4 gallons of water. One of the fittings that I soldered I was uncomfortable with. It wasn't pretty and it was in a difficult position therefore my fears. And lo and behold there was a leak. I couldn't tell exactly where so I had to remove the burner to see/get at. It turned out that I hadn't tightened the union which I had put in for the preheat line. Got it tightened up and no more leak.......Yeah!
I then wrestled the AH back into it's cubby hole. With the time that it has been out, the coach has shrunk. It wouldn't go worth a plug nickel. After 2 hrs of wrestling it, I became victorious. I got it slid back in place and 1 foot bolted down. I will bolt down the others tomorrow when my strength and patience comes back.
The fuel filter assembly showed up today. I fabricated a bracket to mount it from the back side of the box to beyond the edge of the box. I was patting myself on the back until I realized while sliding it into the bay that it hung down to low by about 1/4". A slight modification will fix that tomorrow.
I connected the zone pump lines, and the preheat lines. I may change the routing on some of them, not sure yet. I still have to hook up the electrical from the coach to the unit, but I'm not only tired, I'm retired. Time isn't an enemy this time.
It feels like I did more, but can't remember what it was.
Larry
Yesterday, I went thru drive thru at Taco Bell. Not a good choice, not my friend. Made for a short day on the coach. I got the new exhaust hooked up. That was it.
Larry
Hope it wasnt Taco bell exhaust... You are doing good.. I have learned in life it all comes down to this....
A little grease and a lot of determination!!
You are in the Home Stretch!! Now onto the electrical and the lines in the coach.
Awesome Job!!
Larry, at 75, I can relate to being exhausted after a short day of want to do jobs on our coach!
David, I actually have some of the lines and electrical hooked up. Not all but some. I'm looking to possibly reroute slightly different with the modifications I've made. While laying under the coach working on the exhaust, I got dizzy and nauseous when I got up. I'm blaming it on the Taco Bell syndrome.
Today, I'm going to look at draining the rest of the antifreeze from the engine, taking off the coolant filter for replacement and whatever I can do while the weather is nice. They're calling for rain Monday evening, so I really don't want to be laying on the ground after a rain. The State of Ks has just announced stricter guidelines for staying in, so before they have to shut everyone down, I'm wanting to get my antifreeze and filter.
Right after lunch I'll get started ^.^d
Larry
Joe, I'm not quite 64, but do I feel the drain compared to just a few years ago. But it still beats the alternative ;D
Larry
I got the rest of the electrical lines hooked up. I was hooking up the diesel fill lines to the new filter when it became apparent that with the fittings I had, the hose would possibly be pinched. Went to NAPA for new fittings. Not is stock, will be in in the morning.
I went to get antifreeze this morning. Stopped at 2 NAPA, 2 OReillys, called 1 Walmart 40 miles away looking for Prestone Concentrate. Nada. Ended up finding the 15 gallons by going to 2 different Walmarts, 40 miles apart. That shot 2 hrs down the drain. No one knows why the run on antifreeze. My uneducated guess is someone put on the internet that it stops the corona virus. You know that if it is on the web, it's gospel. Another problem I have discovered with the lockdown from the virus. A couple of friends of mine are now home, lonely and looking to talk to someone on the phone for an hour or so. Glad I got to catch up with them, but it didn't expedite the work on the coach.
Hopefully tomorrow I will get the diesel lines finished up and work on the engine coolant. I still have about 5 gallons in there somewhere that I need to figure the best way to get out. The coach is in the driveway, slanted nose down. Any suggestions???
Larry
Larry,
1. I would pull the thermostat
2. replace thermostat cover.
3. fill system with distilled water, run engine, let cool, drain.
4. repeat step 3
Should be good to go
Mike
Have fun finding distilled water. Everywhere here is sold out.
Mike, thanks for the advice. I wasn't sure on the best way to go forward. Would tap water work for the flush. As Bob pointed out, distilled water seems to be a rare commodity. Perhaps a couple of tap water flush, then a distilled water flush, then antifreeze/distilled water????
Thanks,
Larry
Bob, Your correct about lack of distilled water. I did manage to get 15 gallons from our local Walmart last week. This should be close to what I need. 16 gallons of 50/50 antifreeze for the engine and 15 gallons for the AH.
Larry
Larry,
Under these conditions this would be your best option.
Doing it this way you need to use 100% antifreeze as using 50/50 you will be off on your % due to what water is left in the hoses and engine block that you can't get out. With your coach needing 16 gallons of coolant once you have flushed the system add 8 gallons of 100% then top off with the distilled water. Doing it this way will give you a closer mix of 50/50.
Mike
thanks Mike, sounds like a plan
The fittings 'from NAPA didn't fit. The threads were just slightly wrong. It would screw in about 1/2 thread and then got tight. Sent them back. I wasn't going to ruin the threads on the new filter head. I ended up reshaping the mounting bracket. It will work and still be accessible. Got the diesel lines all hooked up, but still need to prime. All in due time.
I put in 16 gallons of antifreeze and water and got a radiator pressure gauge for helping to prime the zone pumps. With help from the forum on another topic, it went well. The pumps primed easily with the pressure. Now the problem. When I hooked up power to the coach, the heat exchanger fans were running in the kitchen, living room and bedroom even though the switches were all off. I didn't check the bathroom. When I jumpered the zone pump A to prime, the fans stopped running. After getting hold of Rudy, he walked me through a series of electrical checks. The nearest that we can tell is that the socket that holds Relay A in place is faulty. I have a call in to Roger Berke to see the how to's and where to's that need to happen to change this out.
I'm very happy that the pumps primed easy and so far no leaks. Once the fans get fixed that will be good. Tomorrow I hope to work on the engine flush and check the preheat bypass on the system.
Once again my thanks for all the advice, encouragement and help that the many members here have given me. I see light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope it's not a headlight :))
Larry
As we near victory the smell is sweet. Smells like diesel fuel. I put water in the cooling system and warmed the engine up to 180. NO LEAKS ^.^d ^.^d ^.^d .
Definitely a load off my mind. I'm running out of time from some prior commitments so I'm taking the easy way out. I'm going to take Lola to Transwest in Belton, Mo. for the engine flush. It will cost a couple hundred dollars labor, but it gets it done in a more timely manner than I have.
I still need to connect/reconfigure the fresh water lines, but that should be a relative walk in the park compared to what I've already done. I will start putting the joey bed back in this afternoon while the engine cools so I can see if I need to add more fluid from air in the system. I anticipate having to do this a couple of times to make sure I have enough to get to Transwest.
The journey continue's. Thanks for the support.
Larry
Joey bed in. It went much better than I had hoped. The DW helped to align while I did the lifting. Didn't take 5 minutes once I had the side rail reinstalled.
Larry
I do hope that some how some way you get pictures posted. This sounds like quite the adventure!
I will try to get some posted over the weekend. I took the coach to storage yesterday awaiting it's trip for an engine flush and oil change on Monday. With this project, the garage was a complete mess with tools and dirt every where, so after parking the coach, it was reorganize the tools, pressure wash the floor and get things back to normal. In between the weekend projects, I will try to post some of the pictures showing the major spots.
And yes it has been and adventure and a learning curve. I believe the largest part is behind me.
Larry
What did you do to your coach today IX (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=38604.msg380288#msg380288)
teaser until hes able to get some pics posted
As promised. Here are some of the ones before it came out of the coach.
Into the garage
Taking things apart.
Starting to clean things up. That is as far as I have gotten downloaded from the camera to the computer, so you'll have to stay tuned for what is more to come. A word of caution when cleaning the housing. The label on the front panel with the model # and serial # scratched into, the ink writing on the label will disappear forever if you use brake cleaner to clean the stainless steel. Son't ask me how I know. The numbers can still be seen, but everything else is gone. And before you ask AH cannot/will not make you a new one either.
If you have questions, fire away. I'll try to answer as best I can. I also won't take credit for being able to do this project. I give credit to those that paved the way before me. I will say that I now understand this system MUCH better that before.
Larry
Larry thanks for posting those. Really helps put things in the perspective. well I've mucked around in the alcohol to change the burner orifice and to mess with the wiring a bit I had no idea what the inside looked like now I do.
so my big question is now that you've done this job what did you learn from it? if doing it again what would you do different? Is there anything that you didn't replace that you wish you had? And the most important question of all, if you had to do it again would you, or would you just buy a new one, or have aqua hot rebuild it?
Whenever I do projects I use my smartphone, which is an Android phone, to take my pictures. Not only does it take awesome pictures, but they upload to the cloud immediately and I'm always able to retrieve them without messing around with a regular DSLR camera. Even when I post on a phone which is what I'm doing right now, I can easily post a photo.
Just a thought.
Bob
Bob, first off thanks for following along this journey. It has been a true experience. Not all great, but definitely not all bad either. I will try to answer your questions the best I can.
(1) What did I learn from it? While scary and daunting to start with, for me it wasn't as bad as I had feared. By taking my time and trying to think ahead, I may have avoided some mistakes. Coming from a background as a millwright for 35 years, it was actually pretty straight forward and not unlike pieces of equipment I had worked on in the past, just on a much smaller scale.
(2) Would I do anything different? Yes I probably would. For instance, I replaced the lower ball valve with a 1/4 turn shut off valve. While I like the 1/4 valve better, because of it's location, I have to remove the burner assembly to operate it. The handle is too long to swing closed because of the burner. Perhaps I could have found a 1/4 turn valve with a different style of handle or cut the one shorter on the one I had. If needed, I can do this later. The handle also interfered with the small stud/nut assembly which attaches the burner to the AH unit. I had to take the nut off to swing the bolt around it for reassembly. While doing this on a bench in the garage, it wasn't bad, but deep in the coach, laying on my side with very limited space, this might be a problem. That being said, the old style of ball assembly needed the burner removed for operation also. You can't access the valve assembly without it's removal. By extending some of the lines for access out side the stainless assembly, it did interfere with some other items which I didn't foresee. I may go back and rework some of these lines at a later time.
(3)Anything I wish I would have replaced but didn't? I considered both the electric heating element and the check valves, but they are relatively easy access so I deferred on them. Now that I did that, one or the other will probably fail soon at a most inconvenient time. But I was running up against a time constraint for the month of April, so some things have to wait.
(4) Would I buy a new one or rebuilt one? For me, the answer is absolutely not. With time, patience, a methodical process and a place to do the project I can't afford or justify the price for a 24 year old coach. We had operated for the last 2 years by bypassing the fresh water heat system into a 6 gallon electric tank from Home Depot for under $300. It required either a plug in or running the generator. That was the down side. While I haven't totaled the cost yet, and I still have to reroute the water lines, I don't think that I have passed the $1000 mark yet. When I 'm done, I intend to post detailed costs for any interested.
I could have cut costs by not reworking the connections, using the old insulation and probably a dozen other areas. I also bought a few tools which I didn't have. If I would have had to buy all the tools, the cost would have been much higher. Somewhere down the line, this coach will pass on to someone else. I want that person to have as good of a repair as possible for peace of mind. By reworking it the way I did, it is already in much better shape than at any time that I have owned this coach. If I am going to spend the time and money to fix something, it needs to be done right.
At my age (almost 64) it is most difficult for me to muscle around a 200# piece of equipment. I'm not 30 anymore. I would hope that I never have to do this project again, but if needed, I wouldn't hesitate to. With an average amount of mechanical skills, it is doable by more people than they give themselves credit for. Just make really really sure that you identify and label meticulously every wire. Pictures, pictures and more pictures. I've only shown a few. I probably have taken 150-200 just for my peace of mind.
To end this way to long of a post, I also took a number of pictures on my Android phone. I haven't got anything going to the cloud. My mechanical abilities far outweigh my technology abilities, or it could by my paranoia of who is looking at what I have on the cloud. Yeah I know they are watching anyway, good guys or bad, but that is a different topic all together. I take most of my pictures with my DSLR and then download them. From that point I can usually stumble through how to email or even post them now. I also back them up on 3 different devices in the hopes that they will still be found again someday.
Thanks for the interest and sorry for the length. I will try to get more of the completed pictures online as I can get the time.
Larry
Larry,
Looking at the pictures of the broken pipe, was that damage caused by pressure? Freezing pipes usually split, those pipe look like heat blew it apart? I know that with certain antifreeze, boiling point is low, just getting the engine running could be enough heat circulating from the engine to blow the pipe unless the valves are turned off to the boiler. Great job!
If this post gets deleted by the "bomb factory-post 1933" I will email it.
cubesphere, I am inclined to believe that it was caused by freezing while in storage over the winter. I apparently didn't winterize correctly is my assumption. I had used the coach the previous fall without any issues. When I was dewinterizing the next spring, water came pouring out through the exhaust hole. On the hand railing on top of the roof, I have a similar looking rupture in the rail. I would have thought that any water in it would have drained, but there is a tear that looks similar to the large rip on top of the coil.
Thanks,
Larry
Larry well said and thank you for that inclusive post. Not only for me but for others in the future that will be looking for threads like this. I hope to not have to do this job but if I do I know that I can do it with the help of others like you that have done it. Any end it is just a bunch of plumbing relays switches and wire. Just have to be meticulous I guess in making sure that nothing is going to leak after. It was interesting to see what an interior of the aqua hot looked like.
Bob
Larry I have really enjoyed your post. If someone else has to do this job, you will have made it much easier.
Rudy,
Following Larry's experience are you now offering to rebuild A-H's yourself? :D :D
Brett, Larry is my official rebuilder. Just send me lots of money and I will supply his address for you to ship the heater.
Did I miss something while I was off line :o :o :o
Thanks for the pics. I would definitely try a rebuild myself I think.
It is a doable job by most people I would think. Take your time and preplan your moves. I also want to restate my thanks for those who showed me the way and helped with posts, advice and encouragment.
Larry
Larry,
Whatever happened with the Aqua Hot rebuild? Did you ever get it running? Hope all is well.
John M.
John, thanks for asking. Before I can finish the rebuild, I needed to flush the engine. I took it to Trans West to do 2 weeks ago. They wrote my phone number down wrong. I called the first of the week.They have finished the flush, changed oil & lubed. They also found a rear wheel seal leaking, so I told them to fix that also. They are supposed to have the parts today, so I expect to pick up the coach the first of the week. Then I can finish hooking the fresh water lines up and testing the unit. In the mean time, the home projects have been keeping me very busy.
Larry
I wanted to follow up on the rebuild. I have been doing home projects so the coach has been in storage for the last few weeks. Brought it home today so that I can finish up the AH. I need to reconnect the fresh water lines and drains. Then fire up for the test of the burn.
In putting the unit back together, for some reason, the blower fans on the furnace's are running even with the thermostat turned off. I have to remove the contact relays on the AH panel to stop them from running Before putting the coach in for engine flush, Rudy helped me on the phone to try and track down the issue. I've put in a call to Roger Berke, got no response' Anyone else had this issue?
I will be back tracking the wiring to make sue that I didn't put in the wrong spot, but the wires were all tagged as they were removed, so they SHOULD be correct, time will tell.
Any help appreciated.
Larry
Try removing the three thermostat wires, bedroom, bathroom and living room to see if fans stop blowing
Rudy, I will give it a shot. I've been trying to track down a relay solenoid mounting brakcet in case there is a ground out in it. No luck on the internet over the weekend. With rain most of the week, I can try calling real live people.
Larry
Larry, Go to parts.rvhydronicheaterrepair.com, put relay mount in search window, scrol down and there it is for $27.
thanks Rudy, your the best
Rudy, tried removing the Tstat wires. No change. The fans still ran. Since it was happening to all 3 fans and not just one, I figured that maybe I had shorted out something going back together. I went back to my original photos to see where the short could be. On closer examination, I found my error. On all three of the relay mounts, where wires were supposed to connect to terminal 4, I had hooked up to terminal 1 by mistake. Changed that, and all the fans are silent with the relays in and the Tstat wires hooked up. I will blame fatigue as a good of excuse as any. Sure am glad that others had emphasized the importance of documentation when taking apart.
I also hooked up the water supply into the AH coils and hot water out. I'm not overly confident that the pex fittings will hold. My first time with them and I'm not impressed. I wanted to rework everything with sharkbites, but HD didn't have the PEX to PolyButyl fittings which would have been needed to attach to the lines from the factory. I will fill the tank tomorrow, weather permitting and check for leaks. Right now, it is raining and I'm tired. Till tomorrow.
Larry
Larry do you mind posting the pics of the connections for future searches?
Larry, I am sending you a Papal blessings for attacking such as project! My hat is off to you, as I am sure that others on here can only guess to the amount of work, thinking, solving, etc. that went with this project! Thanks for the many photos and advise, no goes, etc.
Thanks everyone for the well wishes. I appreciate it. I finally got off my duff and downloaded more of the pics. I will try to pick up where I left off.
Larry
Remember, you were the ones who wanted pictures ^.^d Here are more.
this was my first time with PEX. Only had 1 leak and fixed it with a Sharkbite. I feel it to be a huge success. I'm testing the electric heating element now, but first it's time to BBQ.
Larry
Great job Larry! And yes we do like pictures and so do you. It helps bring home the most excellent work that you did on this job. I like how you brought the plumbing out through the front as intended by aqua hot versus how it is in my coach and probably others. Not looking forward to doing this job mind you, but if I do have to do it having seen what you have done and read what others have done, I'm pretty sure I can tackle it myself as well. Again great work and thanks for posting!
Bob
Thanks Bob. I hope you never need to do this either. It's a great learning experience, but not necessarily real fun. By bringing it out the front, I can isolate the engine coolant from the AH if needed so as to not have to replace 16 gallons of antifreeze again. I originally intended to isolate the hot water supply also, but their wasn't enough room for the valves, so I removed them.
Larry
I hearby declare that this project is completed. I test ran the diesel side of the AH. Turned on the switch...................nothing. No light, no humming, oh boy. Did some checking. A 10 amp fuse had popped on the AH panel. (I only confess to this so that if someone else has this issue, it gives them a place to start looking.) Replaced and tried again. Sucked the fuel into the new filter and timed out. Nothing. Tried again, fired right up. It didn't smoke spit or sputter. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then for the finally, I attached the new chrome tip to the new exhaust pipe.