Where's the Furnace?

Topic: Where's the Furnace? (Read 890 times) previous topic - next topic

Where's the Furnace?

January 04, 2012, 07:35:46 pm

Well, after searching for over an hour or so for the Gas furnace last night in the 15 degree cold.... wow, it had to be a Winnebago brave flashback I guess... an extra glass of wine...then realizing aqua hot wasn't just for the water and engine warm up. Heat pump wouldn't do the job...to darn cold. Didn't want to run not knowing for sure if allowed without water in the system
I have drained the water and winterized, and can't seem to find info regarding aqua hot use without any water in plumbing? Is it allowed? I've come to my senses about selling this beauty of an rv. it's staying here.

Your opinions appreciated

David and Christi Spillman

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #1 – January 04, 2012, 07:59:28 pm

Quote from: ratbug – January 04, 2012, 07:35:46 pm

I have drained the water and winterized,

David - as a tangential comment - you did winterize with the pink stuff, right? It's needed when you have an Aquahot. Just draining the system isn't sufficient to prevent freezing of the internals.

Michelle

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #2 – January 04, 2012, 08:28:11 pm

Michelle,
I did the air bag dance ..... should have drained out most of the water.......
Re-reading operation manual it does appear I should reconsider.

Fair question

I am keeping small heaters in the bays.not really that concerned about freezing.... I do appreciate your concern.

But if I decide to snooze in the rv over night again this winter, can I flip on the Aqua Hot for heat without watersupply? without lighting up 2-3 ceramic heaters?

david

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #3 – January 04, 2012, 09:36:34 pm

the aqua hot will heat the coach without having domestic water, but does have to have the aqua hot coolant full.

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #4 – January 04, 2012, 09:58:08 pm

Winterizing also includes all plumbing water lines including the ice maker & all appliances such as washer/drier & toilet.

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #5 – January 04, 2012, 10:01:34 pm

David,

As Red Tractor said, your Aqua Hot will heat just fine with freshwater in the loop or RV pink antifreeze in the freshwater loop. The Aqua Hot coolant tank must be full which it normally is, so no problem there.

If you leave freshwater in the loop it will freeze and crack the loop if cold soaked just as will the water lines in the coach. If you drain the coaches freshwater or if you blow the freshwater out of the coach there will be enough freshwater left in the Aqua Hot freshwater loop to freeze and crack the loop.

The only way to have your Aqua Hot off in very cold temps is to fill the freshwater loop with pink RV antifreeze. Any time you introduce pink RV antifreeze at the water fill inlet and keep pumping till pink flows from the hot water faucet in the sink, you have winterized the Aqua Hot freshwater loop.

I just replaced a AHE 600 D01 with a new AHE 600 D03 because of cracked freshwater loop. The retail of a AHE 600 D03 is almost $9900 plus 10 to 12 hours labor, 9 gallons of boiler coolant, 9 gallons of distilled water, some fittings and supplies and $400 in truck freight.

The moral is do NOT let your Aqua Hot cold soak and freeze. Keeping the Aqua Hot electric element on will keep the Aqua Hot from freezing. Portable heaters in the coach, utility basement and Aqua Hot basement will certainly work also. All this depends on the grid not loosing power so watch out for an ice storm that knocks power out for more than a short while.

Hope this helps you.

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #6 – January 04, 2012, 10:48:12 pm

Thanks Rudy,
Being the freshest rookie here, I need that kind of guidance.
Further searching looks like I'm good to run without fresh water as long as the coolant tank shows proper level.

Heading outside to fire it up.

David

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #7 – January 04, 2012, 10:55:39 pm

Hey there Rudy, I think you wanted a NOT in the first sentence of the second to last paragraph, unless you are drumming up bidness... :-)

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #8 – January 05, 2012, 08:41:47 am

Dave,

Thank you very much for the editing. The important "NOT" is now there.

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Where's the Furnace?

January 04, 2012, 07:35:46 pm

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #1 – January 04, 2012, 07:59:28 pm

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #2 – January 04, 2012, 08:28:11 pm

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #3 – January 04, 2012, 09:36:34 pm

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #4 – January 04, 2012, 09:58:08 pm

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #5 – January 04, 2012, 10:01:34 pm

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #6 – January 04, 2012, 10:48:12 pm

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #7 – January 04, 2012, 10:55:39 pm

Re: Where's the Furnace?

Reply #8 – January 05, 2012, 08:41:47 am

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