Aquahot continuous hot water - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Aquahot continuous hot water (/showthread.php?tid=460)

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Aquahot continuous hot water - bikestuff - 01-13-2013

From time to time, I have felt like I was not getting continuous hot water from my Aquahot. I have replaced the cartridge in the shower and the tempering valve next to the Aquahot unit.

Normally, I start a shower with plenty of hot water, but the hot water eventually gets colder and sometimes I end up with a very luke warm shower.

I learned something today by reading the maintenance manual for the Aquahot. You can only expect continuous hot water while using the diesel burner.

I know that the Newell version of the Aquahot has two electric elements compared to the normal one element. I will try some experiments to compare the results of diesel heating vs electric vs diesel + electric.

Just food for thought. Feel free to comment and set me straight!

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RE: Aquahot continuous hot water - encantotom - 01-13-2013

i certainly do not have the experience for this that others of you do, but everything i read says to turn the diesel burner on for showers. there just isnt enough btu's from the two elements to heat water continuously for showers from my opinion.

this summer when we were out for 3 weeks we just flipped the aquahot diesel on ten minutes before a shower and had plenty.

interested to hear what others say. i know that ron said in another post that he can keep his coach heated enough with just the two elements in freezing weather..

tom

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RE: Aquahot continuous hot water - Express1 - 01-14-2013

In our winter or cold travel. The electric side will keep water temp above 100 when 40's outside. Keeping the coach comfortable. But for showers the diesel side must fire-up. It can keep water temps around 198-204. Warming rate is pretty quick, just minutes.

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RE: Aquahot continuous hot water - bikestuff - 03-24-2013

Ok, this is still an issue so I thought I would add some more information.

I have been using the diesel side of AH for showers and temperature (according to thermometer display in galley) never drops below around 160. Yet....I run out of hot water. It starts hot and then gradually cools. Eventually it gets to below 97 degrees when I declare that my shower is finished...Clean or not!

Newell has looked at the unit multiple times and their last guess is that the copper tubing inside the AH unit has pulled away from the burner and needed to be "re-glued". Their estimate was around $2k to fix. I passed.

So...I am still stuck with cold showers.

My questions are these: 1) Has anyone else had this sort of problem? 2) Does anyone have pictures of what is inside the AH box? 3) If one were inclined to have work done on the AH unit (not just replace jets and such), where would one take the unit?

Thanks!

bill

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RE: Aquahot continuous hot water - rheavn - 03-24-2013

Bill,
Sounds to me like your mixing valve is failing. I'm skeptical of Newell's diagnosis. Might go over to Roger Berke's web site and ask him as he is the AquaHot guru and will help you diagnose your problem..

http://forum.rvhydronicheaterrepair.com/forum.php

Here is a look at the inside of an AquaHot:

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RE: Aquahot continuous hot water - encantotom - 03-24-2013

if you decide to try changing the mixing valve, it is a common watts valve. you can buy it anywhere. i think i paid 30 bucks for the last one i got and i took the guts out and replace the guts on my 02. my 90 didnt have one so i put it in to keep from burning the grandkids.

tom

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RE: Aquahot continuous hot water - bikestuff - 03-24-2013

Good thoughts on mixing valve, but I failed to say that it has already been replaced. Great picture, Steve! that is exactly what I imagined the insides would look like.

Could the new valve be bad?

I have checked that all the water in the coach gets cold at the same time so it is not the mixing valve in the shower handle.

Maybe I should try a new mixing valve just in case????

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RE: Aquahot continuous hot water - Trainer - 03-24-2013

Steve & Tom,

I am happy to agree with you all.

I replied to Bill's message to me sharing how to test the valve. Basically, the valve is the problem if the tube from the heater to the valve stays very hot while the tube from the valve to the coach starts hot and cools off with the shower flowing.

On edit, Bill just saw you have replaced the valve. So do the test feeling the tubes and get back.

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RE: Aquahot continuous hot water - les korcala - 03-24-2013

For last 3 weeks we are hooked up to 50amp and have plenty hot water every day all day ! using diesel has nothing to do with continous hot water, you should have on both dieel/electric if you AH is working corectly!

$30 mixing vale would me my first to go replacement and go from there , see whteles could be wrong!

I just check with 3 other newell owners here at MCC in Indion resort and all of them are on electric and hot water any time!

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RE: Aquahot continuous hot water - tuga - 03-25-2013

I always use the diesel side when using the shower. The reason you are running out of hot water is not the Aqua Hot malfunctioning, it is because the ground water is cold.

During cold weather the water coming out of the tap is usually about 40 degrees or so. The Aqua Hot can add about 55 degrees to the 40 degree water giving you a 95 degree shower. IMO, that is a cold shower!

I have found that if I put the bay heater on 70 degrees and fill up the fresh water tank, in 24 hours the water will warm up to around 60 degrees. Starting out with 60 degrees on the cold water side will help the Aqua Hot to give you a 115 degree shower for a longer time.

I have battled with this problem for years. My wife's main complaint about the Aqua Hot was that it would run out of hot water when she washed her hair. The only solution we have found that works everytime is the above sequence.

After everyone has showered in the morning, re-fill your fresh water tank with tap water and the electric bay heater will warm the water all day and the next morning you will be starting with 60+ degree water instead of 40 degree water. After a couple of days, you can take long hot showers just like at home.

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