Hydro-Heater Baseboard Heating

[captbmf]

My 2004 Country Coach 'Newport' Allure VIN: 4U7A8EV1541103639 makes great hot water from the furnace for the shower and sinks, but I cannot get the Hydronic Heater to get heat to the baseboard registers.

Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Is there a manual cut-off valve? Are there check valves that I can bleed the system if there is air in the lines?

Thank you.

Electronically Yours,

Cap'n Blaine

[ticat900]

The hydro hot system that gives you hot water and interior heat is two separate systems.The heat exchanger and what heats it(120V and diesel) are the common denominators.

The fact that you get no heat at all sounds like the wall thermostat is failing or set improperly. Its possible both zone valves are stuck closed but highly unlikely.

You did not mention if the heat exchanger(mini heater rads) fans are blowing cold air? or no air? If no air then its the controller or the thermostat.

Please provide more information. If the Hydro hot is low on boiler fluid the diesel will not activate and nothing will circulate heat wise.

Go look at the overflow bottle and make sure there's fluid in it and make sure no little red lite is on on the control board.

[captbmf]

Ticat900;

Thank you for responding.

In deed I have plenty of RV Antifreeze in the boiler. I even carefully removed the radiator cap to see if per chance the boiler was empty and/or low.

Yes, the fans come on at the register when I turn the Thermostat Control Unit to Furnace.

No red light on the Control Board.

Regards,

Cap'n Blaine

[ticat900]

OK now you will need to take the front cover off the unit and make sure the circulating pumps are coming on. There will two of them assuming yours is a standard 2 zone heating.

If the pumps are not activating then you will have to trace the problem which most likely is the control board.

If the pumps are running locate the brass one way flow valves and give them a couple of raps with a small hammer or mallet as theses things stick especially if unit has sat for long time without usage. These valves are located between the pump and the lines that flow out the top of the aqua hot/hydro hot unit.

[five]

... I have plenty of RV Antifreeze in the boiler...

My manual says to put Propylene Glycol in the boiler, not normal engine antifreeze or RV antifreeze.

[medico]

I was told if there was no 12 v to the pumps it was the control board and the pumps would not turn. If the pumps turn, the pumps might still not be pumping, but since both zones are not working, it is probably the control board. As stated previously, I doubt both check valves are bad, and also doubt both pumps are bad.

in my system, zone 1 was not working. It was traced to a plugged heat exchanger. Since both zones are not working, I suppose it's possible there is a plug in both zones. A plug will prevent the hot boiler liquid from being pumped around the system.

[captbmf]

Success! The gentle tap on the brass zone valves did the trick. Zone pumps doing their thing. We have Furnace Heat. Thank you for everyone's help.

[ticat900]

Perfect and just what I suggested was wrong as I been there and done that.

Glad you were able to get er done man.

[medico]

I wish the tapping fixed ours, no such luck. Oh well, we'll see what happens when we finally get the replacement heat exchanger.

[ticat900]

I would remove the so called "plugged" heat exchanger and run some pressured hot water through it and see what the flow is like.

You can easily join the hoses and the zone will run fine without the one register if in fact that's the problem till the new one gets to u.

its really almost impossible for those little heat registers to be plugged

[medico]

I have removed it, and have joined the hoses. Unfortunately the heat exchanger is at our site in Florida and we are on our way to Memphis for a couple weeks. Meeting our kids for Christmas. Weather looks livable for now. Of course, now the front exchanger is blowing cold air again so when I get back I will check the pump and check valve again. Both were replaced during the initial go around at the dealer. I'm just a little disappointed with the whole situation. We have been fighting this since September. The dealer sent the replacement heat exchanger to the wrong address (our old house which we sold in July) so they are working on a replacement for the replacement. And the saga continues.

[jgoubeaud@yahoo.com]

I have a 99 Beaver Contessa w/ Hurricane hydronic boiler.

Maybe your heat exchanger fins are plugged with dust. I cleaned mine with an air hose and now have plenty of heated air blowing out.

[HarveyWhite]

Should the electric element keep up while on shore power?

Mine wouldn't blow very hot until I turned on the diesel burner. Being a newbie to this hydro hot system I thought as long as the water was hot it would be good. Seems with all three zones on it took all the heat out the electric element could make.

[wolfe10]

Harvey,

Yes, the diesel burner produces a LOT more BTU's than the electric element. Specs for both should be in your manual.

[five]

Actually, the diesel burner is the primary method for heating...the electric element is secondary. However, I normally keep the electric element on all the time...and use the CG's electricity...and use the burner when it gets cold or we need more hot water.

[dougallman]

I can only reply to the Aquahot as this is what we have in our 2004 Beaver Marquis.

IF you go to the www.aquahot.com website you can download the manual and the parts manual for your units aquahot.

The model number is on the front of your unit about halfway back from the compartment opening, you will need a mirror to be able to read.

Our model was 103 pages long but well worth the time and reading it made a lot more sense as to how and why it works. Parts manual also has several parts I will have as spares now that I understand why. Numerous pictures if you do not like to read.

They look complicated but are actually quite simple once you understand what and how they do it. Wonder why a Coach cost what it does, New Aquahot $10,000.00 refurbished $7,000.00. Trust me you can repair your own with a little help from this forum and a decent mechanic, and the manual.

I am currently completing a bypass for the Aquahot so I can heat the Coach while in its bay for winter with our wood fired boiler. It has taken a little ingenuity to understand that you must totally bypass the aquahot and drain the domestic water line around the boiler heat chamber as the diesel burner or electric will not heat the copper lines wrapped around the heat chamber. No residual heat will be there either.

( I have talked to Aquahot service numerous times and with the systems regulated thru a circuit board it is impossible to seperate them to operate the zone pumps without having the diesel burner or electric firing the boiler). The Coach will have its own zone pump off the wood boiler and the coach thermostats will operate as they normally do to regulate the zone heat desired right thru the plate heat exchangers and blowers under the cabinets and bed.

[ticat900]

Dougallman,

Its so simple to winterize a coach and hurts nothing sitting with no heat all winter so what is the point behind this experiment.

[ticat900]

harveywhite,

When on electric if you have the 450 unit running THREE zones on electric will not work very efficiently and DP will be needed.

Now if one has the 600 series which has TWO big heating elements then it works great on 120V. I generally only run one zone as that seems to heat the whole coach and have a small 1500W heater as back up.

I have the 450 with just TWO zones and as long as it stays at 36-40(low for the nite) and warms up during the day(above 60) the single 120V works fine. IF one is in a area where its at 30-45 all day long then diesel is and will be required when on a 450 system.

[dougallman]

In general we are below freezing every night from November thru mid April. Many nights we are in single digits and usually several weeks with below zero.

Its is no experiment, as we have everything heated with our wood boiler. Home, workshop, storage for foam insulation products and in floor heat in our foam application trailer.

I cannot quote the source, but with the high end finishes and furnishings in a home or a Coach it is always best to keep the temperature level above the freezing mark. Many see 50 degrees as a norm that protects most all items.

We have winterized numerous RV's that were not the caliber of our current Coach with little problems. However, they were nowhere close to the 2004 Beaver Marquis that we currently have.

[ticat900]

Whatever works for you. Its your MH and your project.

I have seen hundreds of trailers and MH sit through winters unheated and have never seen it hurt a darn thing as long as its winterized correctly.

[dougallman]

It is now working and holding at 48 degrees.

[hermanmullins]

Capt. Glad you got your unit working. Yes the solenoid valve get stuck quit often. However your unit needs to be serviced annually. But be sure you find a good tech. I had problems with mine but finally found a great tech, Blue Moon RV Service and Repair in Carrollton, TX. Mine works fine now.

Herman