2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Topic: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel (Read 1812 times) previous topic - next topic

2015 IH45 Winter Travel

January 04, 2022, 12:20:40 pm

I am new to Foretravels but not RVing. Had our previous 40ft DP for 18 years and over time, learned a variety of things to make winter travels safe and more comfortable. Realize features and functions vary by make, model and year with most RVs--assume it's true for Foretravels too. Have read in several sources that you can run AquaHot to heat cabin while driving? My AquaHot dash fan shuts off as soon as I turn ignition to on position. Drove for the first-time last Sunday in cold temps--mid 30s. Dash heater didnt perform very well until I turned dash control selector to "max air" and heat knob to mid to maximum heat setting. Learned this from previous DP. So, 1--does AquaHot work while driving? and 2--does dash heat work on other control settings? Didn't need it on Sunday but am concerned about whether windshield defrost setting works.
PS--recently had to replace dash coolant heater valve--it was a basic "plug and play" but could this be an issue?

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #1 – January 04, 2022, 06:32:06 pm

Okay Old, In my 2001 U320 coach the AH works going down the road just fine. So, unless the new guys that manufacutrer the IH 45 has a relay to inhibit AH function when the ignition key is ON, it should run just fine.

My coach uses the fan for the dash hvac set to defrost to put AH heat into the very front of the coach. Perhaps the fan control defaults to the dash fan setting when the ignition is ON. If that is true but the AH is still operational, the other front fan coils will be blowing warm air.

If dash heat does not work well with ignition ON, see a Foretravel fixit shop for a suggestion.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #2 – January 04, 2022, 06:41:25 pm

We haven't tested ours yet (we just got our Realm in the fall of 2021). So this is untested but, my thought would be your dash heater would work in the cab (in lieu of the AH as it would override the AH while driving), but your AH should work for the rest of the coach to keep it warm. If your AH doesn't work at all I would think there is an issue somewhere, if the cab heat doesn't warm also probably needs a little attention also. It only happens when it matters, we currently have no front AH Heat on ours and of course been in the low 20's the last few nights...even though FOT said it was working..it isn't..luckily we have another appt in 2 weeks!

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #3 – January 04, 2022, 06:49:24 pm

Aquahot will work while driving, and the engine will also produce heat. I seem to remember that while it will heat the coach, when ignition key is on, the dash fans do not run automatically when heat is called for. But the other heat vents do run.
At least that is how my '99 320 works.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #4 – January 04, 2022, 08:45:45 pm

I run the Aqua-hot from the engine and my dash will run with engine running.
I usually turn the the thermostat down and heat from the engine heater up front.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #5 – January 04, 2022, 09:06:20 pm

AH will get heat from engine driving down road. So you can have your back heat zones on and they will heat coach. I have not been in the 20's driving but have been in the 50's and coach has stayed warm. The dash will heat on it's own. Ours is touchy and does what it wants sometime. Sometime it works perfect. I have gotten a new computer for the dash and hope that will fix mine. I have not run the burner going down the road since I am concerned that the burner would add heat to the engine, instead of taking heat from the engine when I have burner off and have inside heat zones on.

I love my electric floor heat and us it all the time when temps are cold.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #6 – January 04, 2022, 09:18:11 pm

I have driven below 0 F and if the engine wouldn't keep the Aqua-hot enough running
the Aqua-hot on diesel won't heat up the engine in fact at that temperature it's hard
to keep the engine hot enough.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #7 – January 04, 2022, 10:19:30 pm

The engine heating the AH in our coach gets the AH to about 145-150. When it is cold out (we have driven at -30°) we run the AH on diesel. That should get it to about 170. We set the bed room to 60-63 and the LR to 75 or more. The heat from the dash heat will fool the thermostat up front and inhibit AH heat in the LR. The dash blower will run with the AH heat exchanger if the ignition is off. This also heats up the front thermostat before the back of the LR gets as warm. You can disable the dash blower when the AH runs. This will make most of the LR more uniformly warm.

If it is very cold set the basement thermostat to about 35. There are two heat exchangers and fans in the wet bay (on mine).

The dash heat controls for max air is for air conditioning in our coach.

Drive with care. If it is slippery don't use the cruise control and be careful using the retarder.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #8 – January 05, 2022, 02:56:57 pm

Appreciate the quick replies--lots of info here to "digest." My original premise was that there may be differences as to how the AHs function between different model years, eg, 90's and 2000's models vs. 2010's IH45s vs. the newer Realms? Of course, right now, "operator error" is often suspected during my early ownership period. I need to do some more investigating to better understand how the AH ops on my 2015 IH45. Does anyone have access to better documentation for AH 600 ops? Once I discovered I was able to use the dash "Max Air" setting to heat the cab area--I stopped experimenting with the AH settings. The trick in south Texas is that the "colder" weather needed for experimenting with the heating is somewhat sporadic this time of year.
PS--my experience with the Max Air control setting is that it is akin to the "re-circulate" setting on most dash systems--accordingly, it works equally well when you don't want to heat or cool with outside air during extreme weather.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #9 – January 05, 2022, 03:24:36 pm

I would send Rudy a message on here. He is the aqua hot guru!

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #10 – January 05, 2022, 05:16:44 pm

I'm monitoring this post closely since we too are new to the IH45. I know how my U320 AH worked and it seemed to be the same on our last trip (second trip) in the IH, but this weekend's trip home is going to be a lot colder than our previous experience.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #11 – January 05, 2022, 05:39:57 pm

Idlrunyon, When you get time you might want to put your coach year and model in your signature line. It will help when you have questions.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #12 – January 05, 2022, 09:06:11 pm

Hey Idrunyon, welcome to my world, or perhaps I am now in your world. We were in Galveston this past weekend with the IH45 and drove back to New Braunfels Tx in the cold and wind on Sunday. Was relieved to find that the dash heat worked great on "Max Air," so we were very comfortable on the way home. But I am interested in learning more about all of the capabilities on our IH45s.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #13 – January 10, 2022, 08:31:48 am

Got the IH home and tucked in to her warm shop for a few weeks. When we left FL it was around 80 and the dash air does not seem to cool very much. By the time we stopped in TN it was 32 and highest temp from there home was 40 here is what I figured out.
1. Thanks for the max AC tip that works like a charm the dash heat will over heat the driver on this setting.
2. Ran the AH on engine during the day and it was toasty warm through out the coach.
3. Soon as the ignition is turned off the AH takes over the dash vents.
3. Ran AH on Burner at night with the gen on auto start toasty warm all night and when we came back from
eating breakfast the generator was running.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #14 – January 10, 2022, 08:56:35 am

Quote from: ldlrunyon – January 10, 2022, 08:31:48 am

When we left FL it was around 80 and the dash air does not seem to cool very much.

You can run the second roof AC on while going down the road to help keep the coach cool when it is not hot enough out to run the generator and the other AC's' Just make sure you shut the roof AC off before you shut the engine down or have the generator running because it will run you batteries down quick!!

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #15 – January 10, 2022, 02:13:20 pm

Hey ldlrunyon, this is great information. Right now, I am diverted with an AquaHot issue that Rudy is helping me with. He is rapidly becoming my best friend although not sure the feeling is mutual [smile]. We leave for Az next weekend and will see some cooler temps along the way--so lots of opportunities to figure out how all this works. Ref my tip on "Max Air"--pretty sure it also runs the A/C compressor [like when on normal defrost cycle]. On my old DP, I would unplug the compressor clutch wire if I was going to be running in cold temps for several days--probably not necessary. As stated, the max air setting works great for improved A/C cooling too. Looking forward to running the A/H system while on the road to see how it all works in rest of coach. Will also be our first time to dry camp in Az with the IH-- for a week or so. This will give me a chance to fully "exercise" the genset, A/H, solar cells and batteries. "Quiet hours" at the dry camp are 11PM to 7AM so will see how the bats stand up, though we usually turn down the heat and throw on a comforter or two. Safe Travels.

Quote:
1. Thanks for the max AC tip that works like a charm the dash heat will over heat the driver on this setting.
2. Ran the AH on engine during the day and it was toasty warm through out the coach.
3. Soon as the ignition is turned off the AH takes over the dash vents.
3. Ran AH on Burner at night with the gen on auto start toasty warm all night and when we came back from
eating breakfast the generator was running.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #16 – January 11, 2022, 05:30:43 pm

A bit chilly is South Texas today, so thought it would be a good day to learn more about the heating systems on my IH. As many of you explained, my coach seems to work the same way. Dash air over-rides AH when ignition is on. Other zones keep working on Aqua-hot. Assume this will continue with engine heat while driving down the road. Max Air setting works great for heating and cooling but am still a bit concerned about defrost dash setting in cold, damp weather--guess we will see. Had the AH apart today--thanks to "A/H Rudy," we found the issue. Had to replace the spark ignition coil on the burner assembly--not cheap$$$$. A/H fired right up, now works like a charm. Not sure how long coil has been bad--didnt notice it last Aug in Texas when we bought the coach--go figure?

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #17 – January 11, 2022, 08:19:41 pm

The dash air works great on my coach. I find if you tilt the main part forward and the
vents to the side it clears the window really well. When I got the coach one side wouldn't
turn very far to the side so I had to take it apart and turn things around so it would face
further out. When I had my Monaco it had dash fans where the where the defroster is
on the Foretravel and they made a huge difference on the Monaco for keeping the
window clean. I was trying to figure out where to put them on the Foretravel but so far
I haven't needed them.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #18 – January 14, 2022, 02:25:57 pm

Great thread. I've got to reread this when I get off work. We leave next week for Branson Mo and it's supposed to be low 20's so this is my first rodeo in cold weather. I need to see how to turn on floor heat or does it come on automatically with the hydro hot? I'm also concerned about the wet bay so I need to make sure that heater is working. The ice maker is also a concern so I've got a lot of reading to do this weekend.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #19 – January 15, 2022, 10:28:10 am

Quote from: ldlrunyon – January 10, 2022, 08:31:48 am

.

When we left FL it was around 80 and the dash air does not seem to cool very much.

As an FYI-we have a 2020 Realm and had the same issue it was a small freon leak. Of course it was fine when we got her, but a couple months later it wasn't cooling as well. Glad you got your AH issue figured out!

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #20 – January 15, 2022, 10:03:05 pm

Update--we travelled in the wind, and I do mean wind, from San Antonio to Van Horn Tx today. Outside temps were in the 40s to 50s and all heating systems on our IH worked well. Engine loop on AH kept the whole coach comfortable all day. Did find that AH heat in zone 1 will over-ride dash A/C--sunny afternoon warmed up cab so tried the dash AC--not much cooling. Turned off AH zone 1 and dash AC worked fine. This FT stuff is complicated {smile}.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #21 – January 04, 2025, 10:00:23 am

Quote from: turbojack – January 04, 2022, 09:06:20 pm

AH will get heat from engine driving down road. So you can have your back heat zones on and they will heat coach. I have not been in the 20's driving but have been in the 50's and coach has stayed warm. The dash will heat on it's own. Ours is touchy and does what it wants sometime. Sometime it works perfect. I have gotten a new computer for the dash and hope that will fix mine. I have not run the burner going down the road since I am concerned that the burner would add heat to the engine, instead of taking heat from the engine when I have burner off and have inside heat zones on.

I love my electric floor heat and us it all the time when temps are cold.

. Does the electric floor heat have a thermostat? I see how to turn it on at the Silverleaf panel, but not sure if it has a temp control. Thanks

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #22 – January 04, 2025, 10:39:28 am

Yes, but the Temps are broken down to just 10 options with 1 being coolest and 10 the hottest.

If you had a Newmar King Air they are just set by amount of time on vs time off in a 20 minute cycle. They don't have thermostats

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #23 – January 16, 2025, 08:23:37 am

Thanks for the reply Jack,
I am now in the coach and trying to figure out the Schedule button on the floor heat. last night I set the floor heat on 5 and this morning it was on 2. Is the schedule OFF when the two ends of the button are grey? Or do the two grey ends mean that the schedule is ON? I do not want to run a schedule, but I see no information on how to disable it or how to set it.

Re: 2015 IH45 Winter Travel

Reply #24 – January 16, 2025, 08:36:26 am

In one of the menu settings you can see adjust times. I ended going deep in settings where you need Password. (42) and turned off schedule so it is no longer there.
I think Somewhere I have some pictures. Tonight I will look for them.

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