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Topic: Rebuilding Aqua Hot (Read 7036 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #121 –
As promised. Here are some of the ones before it came out of the coach.

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #122 –
Into the garage

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #123 –
Taking things apart.

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #124 –
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

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #125 –
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

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #126 –
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

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #127 –
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.

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #128 –
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

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #129 –
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

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #130 –
Larry I have really enjoyed your post. If someone else has to do this job, you will have made it much easier.

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #131 –
Rudy,
Following Larry's experience are you now offering to rebuild A-H's yourself? :D  :D

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #132 –
Brett,  Larry is my official rebuilder.  Just send me lots of money and I will supply his address for you to ship the heater.

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #133 –
Did I miss something while I was off line :o  :o  :o

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #134 –
Thanks for the pics.  I would definitely try a rebuild myself I think.

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #135 –
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

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #136 –
Larry,
Whatever happened with the Aqua Hot rebuild?  Did you ever get it running?  Hope all is well.
John M.

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #137 –
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

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #138 –
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

Re: Rebuilding Aqua Hot

Reply #139 –
Try removing the three thermostat wires, bedroom, bathroom and living room to see if fans stop blowing