Skip to main content
Topic: Aqua hot Rebuild (Read 3705 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Aqua hot Rebuild

Reply #25
Seems Aqua hot is a pretty expensive item. Not sure why. Nothing in it that I have seen so far leads me to believe that it is anywhere near worth those kind of pricing.
Good to know that parts are available for them thought.
I just replaced the fuel atomizer when replacing the fuel lines. I found that the last person to service it did not tighten the back nut all the way down, so there was a gap on that side. Hot air and fuel could have worked its way past that seal to the inside of the aqua hot where there are a lot of wires and hose with diesel fuel and water. That could have been a disaster.
Also found that the aqua hot was not installed correctly at the factory according to the aqua hot service guide on mine. It shows that the fuel lines, water lines etc should come out the side for the connections to be made, but were not. The knock offs were never removed. So getting the cover back on is difficult as well as a danger to the hose from the metal sides rubbing on them.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: Aqua hot Rebuild

Reply #26
Very Impressive. Bookmarking. Thank you for sharing.
Former 2003 GV U295 (6230) (2015 - 2025)
Former 94 GV U225 (2013-2016)

Re: Aqua hot Rebuild

Reply #27
Hawkeye, just saw your question, sorry. Yes my leak is a fresh water leak. When I was dewinterizing, I put water to the system and had water coming out of the coach from around the aqua hot exhaust pipe. When I opened it up and looked inside while turning on the water, I could see water coming from around the copper coils.

Larry
Larry Warren
1996  U320 36' SBID "Lola" sold 2020
Build #4970
Motorcade #18318

Re: Aqua hot Rebuild

Reply #28
Bob,  If the back J-bolt is not properly tighten and the burner is not seated, the leaking combustion air (which would not have any fuel to burn in it) causes black smoke.  This gets the combustion chamber and burn chamber dirty fast.  Changing the nozzle (fuel atomizer) does not address the soot build up in those areas.

With the burner out, remove the combustion chamber and wire brush it and the U-channels in the burn chamber.  A shop vac helps but the loose soot can be allowed to fall down the exhaust hole to be blown out the exhaust pipe.

The cover is to make things look pretty.  Newell leaves it off to make service easier as the cover has nothing to do with the operation of the heater.  I agree it is a pain to get off and on.

If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact me.  All the best.
Rudy Legett
2003 U320 4010 ISM 450 hp
2001 U320 4220 ISM 450 hp
1995 U320 M11 400 hp
1990 Granvilla 300 hp 3208T
Aqua Hot Service Houston and Southeast Texas

Re: Aqua hot Rebuild

Reply #29

Has anyone had any experience with this aquahot knockoff fuel nozzle; price is right;  not sure about performance or compatibility
Danfoss 030F6103 0.35 GPH 60° S Oil Nozzle Same As Aqua Hot WPX-886-41A Same...

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
Fiddler
1959 Parris Island grad
40' 2001 U320 Build 5875
1999 Suburban K1500 toad
1986 Corvette Pacecar
ssoftail@comcast.net

Re: Aqua hot Rebuild

Reply #30
Seems Aqua hot is a pretty expensive item. Not sure why.
That's easy to answer. We are coach owners and are therefore considered Bill Gates rich and an obscene amount must be obtained for the simplest item that has a nomenclature that includes the words "Motor Home" in it.
Jerry & Nona and Kimeru the cat that thinks she's a dog
1998 36' WTFE U320  #5314 Motorcade #17711
USAF 1975-1995
2019 Subaru Crosstrek 'toad'
2003 Subaru Legacy touring car
jerry Fincher | Flickr

Re: Aqua hot Rebuild

Reply #31
I've been using that nozzle with no problems. Three years in my Monaco and three years in the Foretravel.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

 

Re: Aqua hot Rebuild

Reply #32
This is the exact thing that I have to do this winter. Just inspected mine tonight from a discovered leak a couple of weeks ago. Does it improve the heat transfer to put mastic on while wrapping the copper so there is some mastic inside the coils? Also, I was wondering if sharkbite fittings would be able to handle the heat through the copper lines as well as the general heating of the aqua hot box?

Great write ups from those going before. I truly appreciate the information being delivered. Helps take the fear factor out of it.

Thanks,
Larry

Larry, regarding the placement of the mastic, it should be applied to the tank first and foremost. I started with a flexible 1.5" wide putty knife, then switched to a gallon Ziplock bag filled with mastic. Cut a 3/8" hole on one corner and applied the mastic by squeezing the bag.  My helper (my wife) applied it to the tank and on top of the tubing, working our way up with each round of tubing, mashing the tubing into it and pulling tight. It squeezes out between wraps, but I scraped off the excess and used a rubber hammer to get the gaps out from between the wraps. When done, we covered it completely with the mastic. Might be overkill, I don't know. I saw Matthews pictures of when his was opened up and you don't see mastic anywhere except a little between the wraps.

We had to stop after our first 50 ft coil so I used "sticks" cut to fit and mashed into place to hold the wraps tight against each other. Two days later, we got back on it and it had dried and hardened so we continued with the other 2 50 ft coils. I think the method of reversing the curve of the coil worked best. I could push it into the tank and down against the previous wrap better.
1999 U320 CAI Coach #5452
Worked at Foretravel Nacogdoches 28 years