Originally Posted by
Zmax73
2001 H345 Vantare- How does the hot water temp get adjusted ? Mine has a AquaHot Bay control dial , but don`t know for sure if that does it? Also have a thermostat in the stateroom underneath the Cruisair control panel, wondering if that controls the Aquahot heating of the stateroom if needed ? Also curious how the Aquahot system switches between electric & diesel fired? Haven`t found a stand alone seperate electric water heater, but may be one hidden deep in them indiana jones caves ? Thanks for any help.
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The Aqua Hot system does not actually switch between diesel and electric, that is user controllable by turning on the Electric element or the Diesel Heat switch. Both sources heat the coolant in the unit AND the domestic hot water. The system contains a multi coil heat exchanger to simultaneously heat both the coolant that flows to the heat exchangers via the 3 zone pumps and a 6-gallon "slug" of dometic water in the coil box. If both independant sources of heat are turned ON, the control temperature for the 120v electric element is set higher than that of the diesel burner, so if the 120v electric element can keep up with demand, the diesel burner will not fire and heat the coolant mixture. Also, if you are driving down the road, there is a "motor aid" loop will heat the water above both the 120v electric control setpoint AND that of the diesel burner control thermostat, so neither other heat source will be on and "actively" heating the coolant in the Aqua Hot system.
With the Aqua Hot system, there is no need for a separate 120v water heater, so you will not find one in the "bowels" of your coach lol.
Vantare and others who installed the Aqua Hot system generally put separate 120v electric heaters for freeze protection, especially during storage of the coach. There is one in the plumbing bay, and any other storage compartment that may contain water lines, and toekick electric heaters in the bathroom, sometimes bedroom (depending on the converter), and also sometimes in the Salon &/or Galley area as well. These are all separate and redundant of the main heating system for customer convenience.
The mixing valve, described in a previous post is factory set to supply infinite 125-degree water to the hot water faucets. Adjusting this valve can result in hotter water, but usually customers who change this setting find the also "run out" of hot water during long showers because the heat exchanger is making the water hotter, is also cannot keep up with a prolonged demand for this higher enthalpy fluid output. The heat exchanger is only capable of transfering so much thermal energy, as is the burner only capable of producing a certain amount of thermal energy be transfered out through the coils into the domestic water system, based on time (flow rate) in contact with the coil walls.
Hope this helps.
Ben Cummings
U.S.A. Luxury Coaches, LLC
Clearwater, FL