Aqua Hot Problem

[grantracy]

Fortunately not my system...I am at Outdoor Resorts Blue Ridge and a guy down the way is in an H model Millenium. His aqua hot unit is leaking coolant . Facing the unit it appears to be coming from right rear corner. Unfortunately this is the "box" portion of the unit and no way( I can see) to get inside without removing entire unit. Any thoughts/suggestions?

[MangoMike]

Cary Grant,

Get some up close photos to help us out a bit. The only guy here with a Millennium is BOB-xx and he has his butler maintain the system.

Mike

[Jerry Winchester]

Grant,

You can remove most of the "box" part of the AquaHot or at least the end where all the circulation pumps are and most of the plumbing. That would be the first place I would start.

Bare in mind that you may have to remove some trim to get to the box. Our Royale had a door and trim all around the AquaHot, but a few screws would allow you to take it all off and thus you could pull the end off of the unit and get to the head and such. As often as those have to be serviced, there has to be a relatively easy to get to it.

JDUB

[rmboies]

Cary Grant,
Get some up close photos to help us out a bit. The only guy here with a Millennium is BOB-xx and he has his butler maintain the system.
Mike

Grant, the "butler" has asked me to inform you that your friend with the Millennium needs to call Brian directly at Millennium and ask him where to start. It is a tough job, and you can remove the stainlees and get to the box with the Aquahot but he would definitely call Brian before attempting to repair the system. Brian is extremely knowledgeable and will give you a starting point according to the description of the problem. Butler Bob has been into our Millennium aqua-hot system to re-set the relay so I would listen to his advice.

Mango, the Butler is not for hire:D He has that posted on his driver door......

[grantracy]

Thanks for the replys..the trim is removed (as you will see) seems to be leaking from sommewhere other than the "business end" Hopefully photos will at least show area of leak.( Right rear area) I think the pictures are attached,if not this presents a whole new host of issues.2970

[Larry W]

Grant
Just a thought, the electric heat unit may be leaking and the coolant running across the pan before it finds a hole to drip out of. The heating unit is covered with a 3" or so square plate just inside the cover that is removed in the picture you attached. Before removing the unit one should closely inspect for leaks four places. 2 are the taps for the heat zones. One is the drain pipe and the last is the electric heat unit. These are all threaded into the boiler section and if leaking the coolant could be dropping into the bottom of the pan. Hope it is this simple

[grantracy]

Checked all the connections no obvious leaks. Pardon my ignorance but what is contained in the sealed "box" itself? Is this the heat exchanger ?

[merle&louise]

I talked to Vehicle Systems in Colorado today; my Aqua Hot blows fuse "F" 30 seconds after it is turned on. According to the trouble shooting guide (which is wrong!) the diesel fired thermostat is not working. They suggest testing it for continuity (it tested good) and then replacing if necessary.

I called VS and spoke to Mike in service; he said that the blower motor and blower motor bearings are bad and should be changed. He also suggested changing the 2 clutches while I am at it along with the fuel nozzle and fuel filter. So I ordered the parts and they will arrive in a few days.

I checked on PrevoMan.com but could not find how to change a blower motor, blower motor bearings, and the clutches. I have an appointment with Newell in 2 weeks but I would kinda like to try to do this myself. Could anybody tell me if this is a big deal? I searched the threads, but I could not find anything except this one.

[dalej]

Tuga, what does Karen think of you trying to do this? :)

[Jerry Winchester]

Tuga,

It is not a big deal to do. I had that exact problem heading out to POG 1 and I had them send me the parts while we were at the rally and we tore it apart on the picnic table and fixed it in about an hour.

Just make sure you mark or know how the wires hook back together. I think they are color coded, but it has been 7 rallies ago and A1 (back when he was still just "Jon") and MangoMike were helping as well, so that could cause some fuzziness.

[Orren Zook]

Tuga,

you could also take a picture of the wiring with your handy digital camera and then refer to the photos when reassembling your unit.

[merle&louise]

DaleJ, Karen only wants hot water. She doesn't have much confidence in my mechanical ability - hopefully I can prove her wrong.

Good idea Orren. I think that I will take pictures of the clutches (2) and how the bearings are connected to the motor shaft.

Jerry, I always make a wiring diagram BEFORE I take it apart. Glad to know that it isn't too big of a deal. Thanks for the post.

I'll post the results of my efforts; I should receive the parts in a few days.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

I was at the bus barn yesterday, checking on the bus, and I noticed something? :o

The AquaHot was fireing up and coming on? The bus had been in the barn for almost almost two weeks now.

Pretty much everybody knows that you Turn Off the AutoStart Generator feature when your bus is put away, but I don't think anybody has mentioned that you should also disable the AquaHot so that it too doesn't fire up automatically to keep the water in the bus warm. Obviously when it comes on it also emits diesel fumes into the barn. NOT GOOD !

OR you can leave the 110v Electric Water Heater ON, instead of turning it off accidentally, and the water will not need to be heated by the AquaHot. :( :D

Just thought I would pass this NOTE onto everybody for their edification & education?

Gary S.

[Ray Davis]

Gary,

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but my webasto's have always had a specific switch or breaker to turn it on, which I have only done when I needed the webasto running.

Assuming webasto and aqua-hot are reasonably the same, do you leave your unit turned on all the time?

I will admit for awhile with my first Marathon (unlike the CC), the electric water heater was a circuit breaker down in the bathroom, and I didn't realize it, so my electric water heater kept my water nice and warm when I had the bus parked. I've since made that part of my storage routine to turn that off as well. Would have been nice to have a switch intead. I kinda hate turning things off with circuit breakers. It doesn't seem right.

Ray

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Ray, I talked with Panterra Coach today about my AquaHot Situation.

Here is what Craig the plumber told me and in no certain order.

Since I have two (2) switches to turn on/off the A.H. one of them maybe defective. There is no light on the switch themselves that tell me when I have that switch turned off or on, you just have to guess what you have done.

There is a Red A.H. Light above the drivers panel that I have been going by, when I turn the A.H on and because I want to turn it on.

What I think I have figured out with my situation is, because I turned off the 110v Electric Heater, the last time I put it in the barn, the water in the bus was cooling down, and the switch in the pantry closet may have been turned on, so the AUTO Part of the A.Hot kicked in, and started warming the water?

As far as the plumber could tell, there were no other switches I could use to disable my aquahot. I could remove a 10amp fuse from the unit and then put it back in when I want the AH to work, or i could unplug a couple of circuit (power) cords from the brains and this would do the same thing but I think I will just check again the CORRECT Functionality of the two buttons I know I have and make sure they are set correctly.

I thought I had to manually turn on the AH at the OverHead switch above the driver for the unit to come on, cause that is when the Red Light I spoke of comes on, and I know the unit is working, cause I hear it.

Sorry for the long post. It is cocktail time, and I need one, so long for now.

So Ray, aren't you sorry now you asked ??? :D


Gary S.

[Ray Davis]

ON my CC, there was like a master switch. If that was on, AND then I turned on either the water heater switch OR moved the temperature control to high enough heat, the webasto would start. When it started the red light would come on, and I'd hear the unit running.

Point being though, the red light could have been off, and it would have started when either the water got cool enough or the temperature indicated it was time for heat.

Not sure if you're plumbed the same way, but make sure that both of those possibilities are handled.

On my Marathon, to tell you the truth (I'm gonna get yelled at here), I don't exactly remember about the switches/light arrangement. I only had the coach 6 months, and took it on two trips.

I do know that instead, I pushed a button for either 12V heat, or 12V water heater, and that would start the webasto. When either of those switches were pushed, they glowed (green I think). I don't know if there was another light somewhere which indicated whether or not the unit was firing.

Ray

[merle&louise]

DaleJ, Karen only wants hot water. She doesn't have much confidence in my mechanical ability - hopefully I can prove her wrong.

Good idea Orren. I think that I will take pictures of the clutches (2) and how the bearings are connected to the motor shaft.

Jerry, I always make a wiring diagram BEFORE I take it apart. Glad to know that it isn't too big of a deal. Thanks for the post.

I'll post the results of my efforts; I should receive the parts in a few days.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

With the help of my friend, I changed the blower motor, bearings, and 2 clutches on my Aqua Hot today. It took us about 3 hours. The most difficult part was getting the wires seated properly in the plastic casing so the housing could be re-assembled.

If any of you out there are considering doing some of your own repair work my advice is TRY IT. It really makes you feel good if you succeed, and you learn something every time you try. It is a good idea to have someone nearby to help you and offer advice.

I'm glad I attemped it.:)

[Joe Cannarozzi]

That is great Tuga. Good for you. Saved fuel saved labor did not have to be without your bus and if something related goes wrong there is no one to blame but yourself:rolleyes:

Soooooooo, what is the next project Hmmmmmmmmm?;)