Liberty heating systems

[merle&louise]

How does Liberty heat the water in the bus? I have read that they have an electric water heater (sometimes 2). Also, I have read that they have an Aqua Hot system. Does the Aqua Hot heat the water?

[phorner]

Tuga,

We have a marine electric hot water heater as well as the Webasto heater and the engine to heat the water in the bus.

While on the road, the engine heats the water hot enough that the hot water tank will last for a couple of days or more. If electric power needs to be conserved, the Webasto works very well.

One thing we never have too little of is hot water!

[merle&louise]

The hot water is circulated from the 10 gal water heater to the engine and back to the water heater while driving down the road. When in a CG the 10 gal water heater is powered by shore power and provides hot water. When dry camping the Webasto (Aqua Hot) is used. Is this correct?

[jack14r]

Tuga,The water heater is 20 gallons and the webasto is a 80,000 BTU unit,it is not an aquahot.The aquahot is different from the webasto in that it supplies the hot water where the webasto will heat the water through a heat exchanger in the hot water tank.When plugged in or with generator running the hot water is normally heated with just the electrical element,but can be heated with the webasto also.

[truk4u]

Tuga,

The water heater is 20 gallon and has a heat exchanger. While the engine is running, the water is heated by engine coolant via the exchanger. The coach heat exchangers are also in the loop unless you have the valves turned off. You are correct, while dry camping the Webasto takes care of the hot water and if on shore or gen, electric heats the water.

On mine, the engine, hot water, water bay and all coach heat exchangers are heated with the Webasto running. I ran the Webasto Sun morning before braking camp for about 3 hours and my engine was at 170 degrees. The ole girl was so toasty it didn't even smoke!;)

Sorry if I jumped on your post Paul.:rolleyes:

[merle&louise]

I understand, thanks for the info. It is good to have a back up hot water system: if the water heater fails the Webasto can be used. If both the water heater and the Webasto fail the engine can heat water. COOL!:cool:

To carry it one step further: how is the bus heated? Electric and Webasto and engine?

[jack14r]

Mine has 4 cruise airs(AC and Heat Pumps),2 heat exchangers from the webasto in the galley and bedroom,one 110 volt bath heat in the hall.Since Liberty has Over The Road air and heat the coach is heated with that system when in transit.

[Loc]

Tuga,

Are you on a quest for knowledge's sake or are you looking at a Liberty to purchase?

Loc

[truk4u]

Tuga,

When I referred to coach exchangers, they are the heat source for the Webasto and located in front, galley and bedroom. I also have two electric kick heaters located in the galley and bedroom. I assume you can run the Webasto and all three heat exchangers (coach heat) while traveling. The pumps would run, but the Webasto wouldn't have to fire cause the engine is keeping things hot.

[merle&louise]

Both. I would like to buy a Liberty, but they are still over priced in my opinion. We checked out the new Bella Terra RV resort in Gulf Shores, AL this weekend, and we tried a little experiment. We kept the slide-outs in! I did this to see what it would be like to have a non slide coach. We kept them in for a day; we found it crowded and clostraphobic. On the second day we opened the slides. Much better. So it seems that a Liberty with slides would be my best option. Only problem here is MONEY! I don't have enough.

I met a couple in the RV park that owned a '96 Liberty w/2 slides. They had them installed by Rogue RV in Oregon. They loved the slides and said that they were working fine (I find that hard to believe with aftermarket slides). Anyhow, they liked the slides and the Liberty.

There were 25 coaches in the park over the weekend: all were slide coaches. I just can not bring myself to buy a non slide coach. So I guess I will dream on about buying a Liberty with slides. Besides, buyers are not lining up to buy my coach. Perhaps I need to lower the asking price but I really don't think that will matter much. The market is very soft now and if were able to sell now I don't know what I would replace it with. Maybe an Allegro Bus!:D

[Ray Davis]

this weekend, and we tried a little experiment. We kept the slide-outs in!

Is it not fair to say that generally a coach with slides that are in are much tighter inside than a coach without slides. I'd venture to say that wasn't really a fair comparison.

Certainly, slide outs give you much more room. That's a given. But, comparing against a slide coach with the slides in, I think was probably a bit unfair test.

Ray

ps: sorry, I seemed to say the same thing three times! Need more coffee this morning. But you get the point ...

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Tuga, I agree with Ray. You really didn't have a good way of assessing the usable space the way you did it.

A Non Slide coach has more useable room in it, than a slide coach with its slides in, because of the way the slide coach has to be built to handle the slide. :confused: It sure sounded better in my head, sorry if it didn't come out right.

On our last outing we had a slide problem, and I wasn't a happy camper. We stayed the weekend anyway, but when we considered going the next weekend, and I knew the slide wasn't working, I SAID HELL NO, I WON'T GO.

The good news is the slide is fixed, but the bad news it is still at Prevost Ft. Worth having more work done, so we still can't go camping.

Oh well, maybe soon? Bottom line Tuga, we are believers in at least One slide for the extra space when camping it allows, BUT EVEYONE has their opinions.

Gary S.

[merle&louise]

Thanks for your response Ray, I understand what you are saying. Karen and I and her Mom were just discussing me wanting a non slide coach and that was the first thing we thought of to test it. So we did.

A few weeks back I thought that I had convinced myself that I could get used to a non slide bus. Now, I'm not so sure.

[Ray Davis]

How about something like this for a test?

Arrange a mini-rally with a couple of your POG friends. Then arrange a one day/night bus swap. They use yours for one day/night, and you use theirs for one day/night.

Might be fun?!

Ray

ps: This effort might be in vain, however. Certainly from what I hear that once you go to slides, it's hard not to have them. And, they add a signficant cost to a Prevost.

[merle&louise]

Ray,

That is a great idea! I think that would answer many questions that Karen and I both have about going back to a non slide coach as well as comparing a Newell to a Prevost regarding liveability. If anyone out there is planning to go to the "space shuttle lauch" mini rally in Feb. 2009 and would like to swap coaches for one night we would love to try it. However, Karen stays with me!

I am also curious about how much effort is involved in washing and drying an XL. I'm sure I'll have more takers on the washing part than on the sleeping/living part.

Ray - you have come up with a great idea. Thanks:D

[merle&louise]

Gary,

If you don't mind sharing, what was wrong with your slide?

[Ray Davis]

I am also curious about how much effort is involved in washing and drying an XL. I'm sure I'll have more takers on the washing part than on the sleeping/living part.

Tuga,

I'm sure you'll get a lot of answers on this. A lot of it depends on what you're washing with, etc.

I can generally give a "quick wash" to the bus in about 1 hour. That doesn't include drying the whole bus, but would include a wipe-down of the stainless.

Several people on the forum use de-ionized water systems which eliminate or lessen the need to dry, so a one hour wash is possible. Obviously in that timeframe, you're not going to get on top of the bus and wash the roof.

Actually truth be told, I've found that going to a truck wash (Beacon, Little Sisters etc) is generally a great value. For about $1.50 per foot, you get your rig washed, and hand dried. I've been very happy with the quality at these places too. So, for somewhere around $60 to $70, you get your bus washed, and looking good, including completely washing down the roof. Hard to beat.


Ray

[merle&louise]

Ray,

I wash my coach with soap and water and a brush. It takes me about 2 hours. I dry the rims and mirrors with a towel and the windows with a squeege. I let the painted surfaces air dry; they don't show any streaks because I use Nu Finish car wash. It is really good stuff.

I would like to use one of those deionized water systems. I watched JDUB wash his Marathon one morning at Sevierville. He used a brush with soap and water and rinsed with deionized water. It came out beautiful.

I have never washed the roof of any MH that I have owned and never will. Too dangerous! I would like to try out a truck wash; sounds like a good deal if they wash it with a brush and soap & water.

[phorner]

Tuga,

Just to chime in regarding the issue with slides, our '03 Beaver was a triple slide, 42' coach. The inside was VERY cramped when the slides were in.

Our Liberty is much more comfortable compared to the Beaver with the slides in.

In fact, one of the reasons that we wanted a non-slide bus was because we realized that once we went to a 45' bus, the over night stops would probably end up in rest areas or parking lots while in travel mode and we wanted to be just as comfortable in a rest area as we would be in a campground.

We are very happy being slide-free!

The bonus is that I never need to crawl under a slide out to get stuff from one of the storage bays.

If you decide on a slide coach, make sure you spend some time in it with the slides closed..... you will spend at least some time on the road as such.

Just food for thought......

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Tuga there were two problems:

One caused by the RV installers when they put on my SMI Toad brake system up in Denton, TX. They inadvertantly cut the two main wires going to the slide brains, that were under the bus, when they installed my brake system. Good news is they paid for my headache and cost going back to Prevost for that fix. :)

The other was a Prevost factory recall about the metal supports ( or lack of ) as well as the thickness of SS they used for the roof in the slide. ( Possible Water leaks ) It is all being covered under warranty, and I am only out of the bus for 2-3 weeks. Peg and I never had any water leaks, but apparently the previous owner did, cause he did some caulking solutions on the slide roof. :confused:

ITS ALL GOOD :D Go with at least one slide!

Gary S.

[merle&louise]

Paul,

A non slide coach is good for two people. We have 3 and 4 people in the coach almost all of the time. Karen's mother travels with us and other friends take trips with us. And when we tailgate it is more like 10 to 12 people INSIDE. So you can see that we need a coach with the extra room that slides afford. With us, it's about liveability while parked.

If we park in a Wal Mart I put the slides out. It only takes a few minutes and it makes it so much more comfortable when we open both sofas into beds. In my '93 non slide Newell; when we opened both sofas it was like a king sized bed. Both sofas would touch together and there was no room to walk between the two. With 4 people in that coach it was very crowded.

If it were just Karen and I a non slide coach would be perfect. But currently the way we use the MH - slides are a necessity. :)

[merle&louise]

Gary,

Glad to hear the good news. Enjoy that beautiful Prevost.:D

[lewpopp]

Tuga,

Just a reminder of FMCA's "Code of Ethics" says when you pull into a Wall Mart or shopping center it is improper to put out slide and put lawn chairs out. They are giving you a resting place and not a camp ground. Just reminding.

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

Tuga,

The Liberty with slides, I am sure you will love it. BUT, make sure you know where the door is when you want out or in;);) Oh, also remember where the doorbell is located.

Sandy

[garyde]

Hi Tuga. The Price of Liberty's will always be a little higher. It's worth it. Also, the non-slide Libertys and other conversions , have plenty of room. I know how you like to travel and camp so the slides are the answer for you. So, enjoy life, buy that liberty.

[merle&louise]

Tuga,

The Liberty with slides, I am sure you will love it. BUT, make sure you know where the door is when you want out or in;);) Oh, also remember where the doorbell is located.

Sandy

For the uninformed: Sandy was walking by our Newell in Sevierville after dark and she thought she would stop in and say hi. She was unaware that the entrance door was in the middle of the coach not in the front. She was trying to find the doorbell in the dark! It was pretty funny at the time.

Thanks Sandy, I would love to have a Liberty with slides. I wonder if Liberty would build one for me with a door in the middle?:eek:

[merle&louise]

Tuga,

Just a reminder of FMCA's "Code of Ethics" says when you pull into a Wall Mart or shopping center it is improper to put out slide and put lawn chairs out. They are giving you a resting place and not a camp ground. Just reminding.

Lew,

Thanks for the reminder, but I don't think that an extra 24" on a bedroom slide is going to make much difference in a parking lot that can hold 1000 cars! We don't put the lawn chairs out or the Girard awning; just the bedroom slide.:D

[merle&louise]

Hi Tuga. The Price of Liberty's will always be a little higher. It's worth it. Also, the non-slide Libertys and other conversions , have plenty of room. I know how you like to travel and camp so the slides are the answer for you. So, enjoy life, buy that liberty.

Gary,

If I buy a 2 slide Liberty and default on the loan do you think the government will bail me out?;)

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

With our new administration coming in, Tuga, you might could get a free Prevost!!! These people who are known as TBA, can share their wealth with you. Isn't this nice and the right way to do things?;);)
Sandy

[garyde]

All of those folks who make more than 250 will pay for it Tuga. Your home free! Isn't this a great country!