Dumb aqua hot question

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Dumb aqua hot question

November 23, 2017, 11:27:05 am

We are parked in an rv park . Plugged in to 50a service.

Had the electric function on all night .. this am I turned the heater on to get the chill out of the coach.. probably on for 45 min. Seemed the air coming out cooled with time. Wife went to take a shower 2 min in and ran out of hot water?

Does the heater pull the heat out that fast? Last night when I took my shower it was super hot so I am not sure.. we are in Phoenix and it's in the 60's in the am I would guess.. do i need to run the diesel next time ? Trying to figure this out as we go still .. thanks for the help

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #1 – November 23, 2017, 11:35:24 am

Quote from: DavidS – November 23, 2017, 11:27:05 am

We are parked in an rv park . Plugged in to 50a service.

Had the electric function on all night .. this am I turned the heater on to get the chill out of the coach.. probably on for 45 min. Seemed the air coming out cooled with time. Wife went to take a shower 2 min in and ran out of hot water?

Does the heater pull the heat out that fast? Last night when I took my shower it was super hot so I am not sure.. we are in Phoenix and it's in the 60's in the am I would guess.. do i need to run the diesel next time ? Trying to figure this out as we go still .. thanks for the help

Quote from: DavidS – November 23, 2017, 11:27:05 am

We are parked in an rv park . Plugged in to 50a service.

Had the electric function on all night .. this am I turned the heater on to get the chill out of the coach.. probably on for 45 min. Seemed the air coming out cooled with time. Wife went to take a shower 2 min in and ran out of hot water?

Does the heater pull the heat out that fast? Last night when I took my shower it was super hot so I am not sure.. we are in Phoenix and it's in the 60's in the am I would guess.. do i need to run the diesel next time ? Trying to figure this out as we go still .. thanks for the help

Electric only on aqua-hot will probably not provide enough to heat coach and water for shower. If you took your shower after driving the coach, engine would have heated the water for your shower.
Use electric and diesel for best results.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #2 – November 23, 2017, 11:37:54 am

My shower was about 3hrs after we parked but yes , after driving

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #3 – November 23, 2017, 11:40:36 am

David, there is no such thing as a dumb question. If there was, I would have to have headed all my inquiries with the word DUMB".
Mostly what we are looking for here is answers to problems we have not encountered before.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #4 – November 23, 2017, 11:51:23 am

Short answer is yes. Electric element primarily for keeping water hot in small quarries.
Turn on diesel switch for interior heat and endless hot water

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #5 – November 23, 2017, 12:01:09 pm

How much time for the water to be ready for a shower if the element has been on for a while?

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #6 – November 23, 2017, 12:02:07 pm

Off topic but I also think the site could use a chat spot for simple quick discussion.. maybe not?

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #7 – November 23, 2017, 12:17:13 pm

If you just stopped driving - immediately.
Haven't timed just electrical element from ambient. Suspect an hour or more. I think Element might be 1,800 Watts, - if you search on aqua hot electric element in Forum you might see more in previous threads

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #8 – November 23, 2017, 12:18:43 pm

If on both diesel and electric the diesel will only come on when needed The thermostat is 10 deg. higher on the electric to keep the diesel from running unless needed.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #9 – November 23, 2017, 12:39:29 pm

Quote from: DavidS – November 23, 2017, 12:01:09 pm

How much time for the water to be ready for a shower if the element has been on for a while?

Maybe an hour if water is not preheated by driving. Heating element is about 1500 watts, so you will have a limited amount of hot water for your shower. If trying to heat coach and heat water on electric only, shower will probably be only warm. Also depends on ambient temps, if water in your tank is cold, will take longer.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #10 – November 23, 2017, 12:52:32 pm

Thank you. That is pretty much how it worked.. I noticed the heat getting cooler as it ran.. I will turn the burner on next time. . So if I have both on (electric and diesel) the electric will go until the burner needs to run? So if I ha e the electric on and the diesel , run the heat and try to take a shower (assume water was hot on electric). The burner will kick in and supply all the hot water I need? As long as the element has been on the diesel will be instant?

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #11 – November 23, 2017, 01:14:11 pm

Yes.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #12 – November 23, 2017, 01:18:21 pm

Quote from: DavidS – November 23, 2017, 12:52:32 pm

Thank you. That is pretty much how it worked.. I noticed the heat getting cooler as it ran.. I will turn the burner on next time. . So if I have both on (electric and diesel) the electric will go until the burner needs to run? So if I ha e the electric on and the diesel , run the heat and try to take a shower (assume water was hot on electric). The burner will kick in and supply all the hot water I need? As long as the element has been on the diesel will be instant?

With Aqua hot on Diesel or Diesel & Electric it's more of an endless or at least a very long lasting hot water supply. BUT only after the aqua hot or engine has heated the boiler liquid to temp. However, the diesel switch needs to be on after parking to maintain the boiler fluid temp. from driving. It is not an instant on hot water system. Normally when we park after driving. One of the check list items is turn the aqua hot to diesel.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #13 – November 23, 2017, 01:18:39 pm

"Chat spot"? Don't thinks so. Too easy to get burned here if it isn't coach related.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #14 – November 23, 2017, 01:28:12 pm

I turn on the AH when we leave the house and don't turn it off until after we return. The diesel thermostat is set for 180 Deg. The engine heat keeps mine from coming on. One less thing to remember as we unload chairs rugs etc. and then hours later, as we dry camp have to wait for hot water.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #15 – November 23, 2017, 02:10:15 pm

Turn on electric. Turn on diesel. Forget about AH, let it manage itself AH electric element NOT on invertor, so even if "on" only really on when shore power or generator power present Basically, turn on both when start trip, turn off when you get home Truly set it and forget it

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #16 – November 23, 2017, 05:23:05 pm

David. From ambient temps your AH electric element will heat to the thermostat setting in about two hours (make sure the circuit breaker is closed). If it is and you turn the AH Electric on you should see one leg of the 120v drop by a couple volts.

If you were driving and stopped and turned on the electric you should have had plenty of heat for two showers and coach heat all night long especially in AZ.

The diesel side will heat from ambient to the thermostat setting in about 20 minutes. If you leave it on you can take several showers and heat every zone including the basement continuously.

If yours isn't doing this then you need to be checking things out. If you are in AZ John Carrillo will be down that way in January.
John Carrillo, AquaHot Service Schedule, SW USA, Winter 2018

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #17 – November 23, 2017, 07:46:58 pm

We are in Phoenix today and tomorrow for thanksgiving with the kids.. first one at her house and next year we will have a little addition to the family ( will be our first grandchild ).. headed to puerto penasco fri night/Saturday morning..

I only turned the heat on after the wife woke up. Thermostat said it was 60 in the motorhome.. so heating it to 75 ate all the warm and left very little for the shower.(I think). I'll just keep both switches on from now on and all should be well.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #18 – November 23, 2017, 08:05:21 pm

Quote from: DavidS – November 23, 2017, 07:46:58 pm

We are in Phoenix today and tomorrow for thanksgiving with the kids.. first one at her house and next year we will have a little addition to the family ( will be our first grandchild ).. headed to puerto penasco fri night/Saturday morning..

I only turned the heat on after the wife woke up. Thermostat said it was 60 in the motorhome.. so heating it to 75 ate all the warm and left very little for the shower.(I think). I'll just keep both switches on from now on and all should be well.

When on 50 amp and it's above 45 degrees outside, we often use the heat pump(s) for warming the coach, and the AH on electric only. That gives HW from the AH for showers if you wait about 45 minutes between each shower. Saves diesel, and if campground includes unmetered electric as part of site cost saves you a few dollars.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #19 – November 23, 2017, 10:11:09 pm

Ok I might have an even dumber question I have a 2003 U320 plugged into shore power in cold ohio and no furnace heat. I just had propane tank filled as it was empty blower comes on front and rear but no warm air tried cycling switch on thermostat for past hour as instructed in manual but still no heat. Heat pump is to cold to work cant find furnace location any help would be greatly appreciated

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #20 – November 23, 2017, 10:39:15 pm

No dumb questions. Just figure out what is going on. We are good on AH electric only with overnight temps in the low 40s, even at 30 amps, heating the LR overnight to 64 and turning it up to 68 when we get up. They changed to a different coolant in 03 or so, maybe 02. Water is heated inside the tank on those rather than outside. Maybe the AH in the 01 is much more efficient. When you say you can't even take two consecutive showers I would be concerned. We can heat the Bath Room to close to 80 and then take two showers all on electric. I only know how ours functions and it is much different than what you are describing. I would have it checked out. Is your basement zone running all the time? Are you heating the bathroom and the bedroom overnight? Have you added a dash blower disable switch? Ask Rudy if your experience is normal for your AH model.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #21 – November 24, 2017, 02:11:03 am

electric is 5k btu and diesel is 50k btu

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #22 – November 24, 2017, 09:16:36 am

On my coach, the electric element will provide good heating and hot water with outside temperatures down to the mid 50's. What you are experiencing is like a problem that I had with my Aqua-hot. Hot water and heat after driving all day. The next morning, very little hot water or air. The first thing I would check is the Aqua-hot circuit breaker. However, the most common failure is one of the thermostats. Two years ago, the VAC control thermostat failed and on my last trip, the VAC high-limit thermostat failed. I do NOT have an electronic control on my system, so my testing procedure might be different from yours. Be aware, if you do troubleshoot the system you will be working on energized circuits. Use caution.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #23 – November 24, 2017, 10:13:41 am

Quote from: Zodman – November 23, 2017, 10:11:09 pm

Ok I might have an even dumber question I have a 2003 U320 plugged into shore power in cold ohio and no furnace heat. I just had propane tank filled as it was empty blower comes on front and rear but no warm air tried cycling switch on thermostat for past hour as instructed in manual but still no heat. Heat pump is to cold to work cant find furnace location any help would be greatly appreciated

Do not believe you have propane heaters. Put thermostat on furnace position and turn aqua-hot electric and diesel switches on.

Re: Dumb aqua hot question

Reply #24 – November 24, 2017, 10:22:48 am

Quote from: Zodman – November 23, 2017, 10:11:09 pm

Ok I might have an even dumber question I have a 2003 U320 plugged into shore power in cold ohio and no furnace heat. I just had propane tank filled as it was empty blower comes on front and rear but no warm air tried cycling switch on thermostat for past hour as instructed in manual but still no heat. Heat pump is to cold to work cant find furnace location any help would be greatly appreciated

2003 U320 should have no propane heat and no propane furnace. On ours, under kitchen cook top, far left switch turns on diesel for AH, next switch over to right is electric switch for AH. Then use thermostat in AH mode.

Do you have over 1/4 to 1/3 tank of diesel? The pickup line to the AH will not be in the bottom of the tank, but somewhere between 1/4 to 1/3 (same as for the generator).

No furnace system. AH uses coolant circulating via pump through radiators at floor level behind the vents, then 12 volt blower fans blow air through the vent register and small radiators.

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