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Topic: What heating system is best for winter use? (Read 1183 times) previous topic - next topic

What heating system is best for winter use?

Hello Guys,
This might be a silly question but as far as I am concerned I have been told that in order to winterize a Aquahot it is a kind of expensive nightmare, even because of maintenance costs and often lack of technical skills when something does not work with the system. Well, to be frank with you I was thinking that Aquahot was a system that heats the RV by using hot water with a pipeline that runs just below the floor. I do not know whether this contributes to have heated holding tanks too. There is a company called Alde (it's Swedish) that design and build a system which is technically similar to the Aquahot and this heating system is designed right to make it possible to use the RV in winter with temperatures around of minus 20 °C (around -4 °F). As I was thinking of buying a U320, the only Unicoach equipped with Aquahot, and as I thought to be this one best for winter use while having read messages of other members saying that a Aquahot MUST be winterized, then I am finding myself with a great question mark. Is Aquahot just an upgraded, more finest technological solution to get heating and hot water compared to a normal furnace or is it designed for use in winter as well?  :o
Steve

Re: What heating system is best for winter use?

Reply #1 –
Quote
Well, to be frank with you I was thinking that Aquahot was a system that heats the RV by using hot water with a pipeline that runs just below the floor. I do not know whether this contributes to have heated holding tanks too.
Aquahot does not use hot water, it makes hot water & heats the coach & bay using coolant.
I have used my coach in winter and had no trouble having plenty of heat and hot water.

Prior to the 2003-year model the antifreeze used was the same as what was used in your engine, Texaco extended life 50/50. After that, another type was used due to how the system was built. In the older units, the heating coils were wrapped around the outside tank. Now the coils are wrapped inside the tank, submerged in the coolant. Due to the coils being inside the tank and incase of a leak, a non-toxic antifreeze is used. The new Aqua/Hydro-Hot utilizes an FDA approved GRAS Propylene Glycol (P.G.) antifreeze and water solution. The P.G. based heating solution utilizes boiler type antifreeze, which is Generally Recognized as Safe ("GRAS") by the FDA. A 50/50 heating solution of P.G. antifreeze and water is recommended to provide the best overall domestic hot water and interior heating performance (50% P.G. antifreeze and 50% water). For those who have the Hydro-Hot system, the proper antifreeze to water mixture should be 50% antifreeze and 50% water as well. A high concentration of antifreeze will cause a poor domestic hot water performance.

Some additional information at:

http://www.rvhydronicheaterrepair.com/downloads.htm
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: What heating system is best for winter use?

Reply #2 –
Barry. Are you sure the construction of the Aqua-Hot changed around 2003? I was under the impression that the change in coolant was no more then a matter of safety overkill, by the safety police. Maybe I just learned something new today and can go to bed now.
No RV! Have hung up the keys.
In the past: 2016 Winnebago Era, 1994 Foretravel U240, 1995 Foretravel U240 (wide body), 1999 Foretravel 320, 36 Foot, 2003 Foretravel U320 38 foot,

Re: What heating system is best for winter use?

Reply #3 –
Quote
Barry. Are you sure the construction of the Aqua-Hot changed around 2003?
No construction difference just different coolant

Quote
I was under the impression that the change in coolant was no more then a matter of safety overkill, by the safety police. Maybe I just learned something new today and can go to bed now.

It was supposed to be changed to Camco in 2003 model.
BUT of coarse my coach is the prototype & it had coolant like in the radiator.
There should be a label on the Aquahot indicating what is in there.
Mine says Texaco coolant, same label is on the radiator reservoir & the genset reservoir.
Even James Triana thought mine was Camco but it is not..
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: What heating system is best for winter use?

Reply #4 –
There is a pretty good description on how the Aqua-Hot works on their website, here: http://www.aqua-hot.com/eSource/ecom/eSource/staticpages/ServiceTrainingVideo/index.html  Click on "How it Works".

There are several ways to "winterize" your Aqua-Hot.

1.   Completely fill the fresh water system with RV anti-freeze.  I have written a description on how to do this pretty easily.  If you want a copy send me a personal email and I will email you a copy. You cannot blow water through the Aqua-Hot to winterize it.  That method does not get all of the water out of the unit.
2.   Leave the unit turned on.  The electric element only will keep unit from freezing.
3.   Drive south until you do not have to worry about freezing.

It is VERY important that you do not allow the Aqua-Hot to freeze.  The fresh water line that runs through the unit will burst if it is allowed to freeze.  This requires a very expensive re-manufacturing by Aqua-Hot.

The Aqua-Hot will keep your coach warm and toasty inside in very cold weather.  Almost everyone who has one loves it and would not have a coach without one.

Re: What heating system is best for winter use?

Reply #5 –
Roger,

As I read through mails coming from other members who were saying that it is hard to winterize a Aqua hot rather than a normal furnace working with gas, I was under the impression that a kind of technical intervention was needed as to have a well winterized Aqua hot and that, for this reason, the intervention of a specialist was necessary too. I hope I greatly have misunderstood all about that. Is it like that?

However, I was a bit worried when I read point 3 of your mail: Drive south until you do not have to worry about freezing. How do I get aware that a Aqua hot is starting to freeze? Perhaps because it does stop to make hot water?

Moreover, if I plan to go to Montana to go skiing in winter, is there anything I have to do with the Aqua hot before I leave, or it is just a question to keep the coolant level under control.

Least but not last, are there typical reasons/errors why an Aqua hot could freeze?

Roger, referring to point 1 of your mail, I would love if you could let me have copy of your file. Can I get in contact with you directly, then?

Thank you.

Steve

Re: What heating system is best for winter use?

Reply #6 –
I have inferred from a couple of the questions about winterizing that some folk think "winterizing" is required even if you are using and living in the coach. My understanding is that "winterizing" usually refers to preparing an RV to remain unheated in subfreezing weather. If the unit has the heating systems running, most good units do not require much special preparation. Systems that are exposed to the cold temperatures and don't get heat from the furnaces need special attention, but the heating systems themselves will be fine. At home we simply fire up the furnaces in the coach when there is a forecast for freezing weather. That works well in the moderate climate where we live most of the time.

We spent 12 days in subfreezing weather in a DP (Some Other Brand) coach last winter. We froze a few drinks in the basement on the side opposite from the propane furnaces, but most systems experienced no problems. We hooked up water and sewer briefly to fill/dump, then stowed the hoses. The basement was heated sufficiently to protect water tanks and plumbing. Overnight temperatures were below 0F.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: What heating system is best for winter use?

Reply #7 –
I, too, am confused.  If Steve is using his system in the winter he still would need to have it protected by antifreeze.  Wouldn't that provide the same protection for him when he stores it?  Remember that Steve lives in Switzerland, not a warm country.  I guess he could drive it down to Italy or Spain to store it but I somehow doubt that he would want to.

What is the difficulty in winterizing an Aqua Hot system?  Does it have to be bled?
John Cooper
'91 GV 36'
Oshkosh chassis
Cat 3208T 300HP

Re: What heating system is best for winter use?

Reply #8 –
John,

The Aqua Hot system supplies heat to the coach, hot sink and shower water and engine pre-heat by heating a tank of anti-freeze with either a 1650 watt  (5000 watt) electric element or a 50,000 btu diesel heater.  This tank of anti-freeze will stand up to freezing temps.

Attached to this tank is a coil of copper tubing that is filled with fresh water and is connected to the hot water lines in the coach.  Hence, the hot water heater for the shower and sinks is this coil inside the Aqua Hot unit filled with fresh water that will freeze and split when exposed to freezing temps with the Aqua Hot unit turned off.  Repair of a frozen split hot water coil is re-manufacture of the Aqua Hot which is very expensive.

So to make a long story short, one winterizes the Aqua Hot unit by replacing the fresh water in all the hot and cold water lines in the coach with pink RV anti-freeze.  Pink RV anti-freeze is NOT the Pink Camco boiler anti-freeze used in newer Aqua Hot units in the Aqua Hot tank that is heated by the electric and diesel heaters.

Bleeding the water lines or blowing them out with air pressure will NOT remove the water in the coil in the Aqua Hot unit.  So in freezing temps the Aqua Hot needs to be on and running or winterize the water lines if left turned off.

Hope this helps you.
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