Aqua Hot elec heating failure

[ajducote]

During my last camping trip over the 4 July holiday we were at Jetty Park campground at Port Canaveral, Fl. We had full hookups with 50 Amp power so we used the electric heating element on the Aqua Hot to make hot water. After 2 or 3 days the water got cold. So I started trouble shooting and this is what I found.

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The post meleted off of the "Thermostat, VAC High-Limit, 230°F, White Dot, AH"

Part number: ELE-254-010 , Item # 99 in the diagram below.

Cost was about $33.00

I really do not know what caused the problem, but I have 2 guesses.
1. The part failed due to age and overheated.

2. The campground had very high voltage all weekend, usally from 124 to 127 Volts. I do not know if that contributed to the failure.

There is a real nice web site now for Aqua Hot that I ordered a repaclement part from. The site has a large selection of manuals and I was able to download all the information I needed to find the problem and get the right part number.

http://www.aquahot.com/Default.aspx

http://www.aquahot.com/Library.aspx

http://secure.aquahot.com/eSource/default.aspx?store=&page=

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[Pete]

Nice post Andre. Complete with schematic. My Aquahot has never been very adequate using the electric heating element, although it does draw current on the amp gauge. This could be my problem as well. Was it difficult to find?

[ajducote]

No it is easy to get to. pull the cover that goes over the area where the burner is. There is a panel just above the burner head, item number 96 above. The thermostats are behind that panel.
The heating element is behind a small panel to the bottom right of the burner head, item # 101 in the schematic above.

[Jamie Bradford]

That is great info Andre!

[garyde]

It most likely was a loose connection to the element. When voltage goes up, amperage decreases so I doubt the voltage was the problem.

[ajducote]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. It looks like the likely culprit was a loose connection at the screw. The crimp on the spade connector was tight. The screw was melted so bad I could not really determine if it was loose before it had melted. While I had it apart I checked all the other connections and they where all tight.

I have to admit that I never even considered that 124-127 volts was normal. I do not ever remember seeing more then 118 volts in any campground I have ever been in. At home it is a steady 116 volts.

As far as the GFCI tripping, I suspected that it was a ground problem at the campground power connection, but wanted to check the operation of the washer and dryer at home to make sure it wasn't some issue with my shore power cord or transfer switch. So I guess if it ever happens again I will know what to complain about to the campground.

[grantracy]

So, pardon my ignorance,does my aqua hot have an electric heating element as well? I have an electric water heater ( is this my aqua hot masquerading as an electric heater)but didn't know there was an electric element in aqua hot, how is it operated.

[ajducote]

Granvil,

If your Aqua Hot has an electric element, you should have a circuit breaker in your power panel labeled for it. There may also be a switch somewhere to turn it on. My switch is under the kitchen sink.

Look under panel # 119 in the diagram below. That is where the 120 VAC power from the circuit breaker is connected to the Aqua Hot.

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Also look at my 1st post, the electric heating element is behind panel # 101 in that diagram.

[grantracy]

Thanks Andre, I have a breaker labeled hot water heater and have always assumed it was a small version of a domestic water heater, of course I have never seen it and hope I don't have occasion to. I will do some investigating when I get back to NC where I left the coach.