using aquahot in cold weather - Printable Version

using aquahot in cold weather - Printable Version

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using aquahot in cold weather - encantotom - 12-04-2017

hi all,

i live in arizona in the hot desert. we have not traveled in the newell so we have had to use the heaters. we try to get away from the heat, not go to where it is cold.

but....we are remodeling our cabin in the mountains of northern az at 7000 feet. so we took the coach up there to use while the place is gutted. tonite it will be 17 degrees. i am nice and cozy in here now. it will be here for a few weeks, having brought it up here last week. will be interesting to see how much diesel the aquahot uses. i only have a 20a connection here.

btw, it was a 150 drive from our place to our cabin. all uphill....got 5mpg. ughh

tom

RE: using aquahot in cold weather - Fulltiming - 12-04-2017

According to several websites, an Aqua Hot on diesel will use about .41 gallons/hour when it is running. I suspect it will be running a lot at 17 degrees. Hope you have lots of diesel. That is somewhat less than my diesel generator uses.

RE: using aquahot in cold weather - HoosierDaddy - 12-05-2017

I checked my generator usage once. I'm thinking it was around .7 gph.

RE: using aquahot in cold weather - folivier - 12-05-2017

But will your battery charger/inverter keep up with the aqua hot battery usage? Make sure your 20 amp electrical hookup will do so.
You may have to do some power management.

RE: using aquahot in cold weather - ron skeen - 12-05-2017

HI Tom,

I was in Mich snow mobiling in -20 below in my 96 for a week. Had a 20 amp service that kept the batteries charged with the Aqua hot running on Diesel. Never ran the generator other than when I used the Microwave. Had no problem and stay warm with no issues. Only problems was with water in the air lines. Be sure and kept the air tank drained.

RE: using aquahot in cold weather - encantotom - 12-08-2017

after a week in the coach in cold weather......it got down to 15 degrees most nights. on 20a it had no problem keeping the batteries up and the coach started nicely the few times i tried. we even used the convection microwave and watched tv etc with no issues.

keeps the coach nice and toasty. i had darlene bring me 20 gallons of diesel that i put in for safety. we are quite a ways from a diesel source.

i will bring it home this next week sometime to the warm country

tom

RE: using aquahot in cold weather - pestes - 12-08-2017

We came back to our coach last night after visiting some hot springs. About 16 degrees when we got back. And found that we had blown a fuse for the Aquahot fans. Thermostat showed it as a balmy 46 degrees inside. Doh!

Replaced it and it blew again after about 15 minutes. Once more and heard the main blower in the salon stop while the others kept going. Looks like the VDO seized and also appears to have blown the High/Low switch as well.

Of course, it couldn't happen when the temps were in the 30s at night, it had to wait until we're planning to be where lows are in the teens for the next week.

At least with the front blower disconnected, the coach does heat up, albeit slowly. New blower motor should get here early next week. From the relevant thread, it looks like it might be some fun to replace it.

RE: using aquahot in cold weather - encantotom - 12-08-2017

i changed mine and it wasnt all that bad. but as steve says, all of ours are different

tom

RE: using aquahot in cold weather - hagcam - 12-08-2017

I drove through Texas last winter and boon docked in 15F weather three nights in a row. I was worried about the batteries keeping up with the aqua hot all night. I ran the generator all night and used the electric element in the aqua hot and the three electric heaters in the house. The bus stayed nice and warm no problem. I read that the battery bank cannot keep up with the aquahot if it is below freezing, and the recommendation was to run the generator all night. I must say it worked very well. Even if the generator used 1 gallon an hour, for the 10 hours overnight, it was not that bad, and cheaper than paying for a substandard campground.

RE: using aquahot in cold weather - encantotom - 12-08-2017

i know several cautioned me on the batteries not keeping up with charging on only 20a, but like i said, i have had it there for 10 days and half of that in 15 degree night time temps and used the convection microwave as well with no issues. i started the coach twice to make sure it would start.

i am taking 30 gallons of diesel up tomorrow to put in the tank though....

tom