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Audrey & John · 03-09-2006, 04:41 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Wayne Routhier:
Audrey, we have a small ceramic heater made by Honeywell. I think I paid less than $15 for it on sale. It is noisy but keeps the chill out of the front zone. With the privacy door closed we cant here it at night. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hey Wayne! I wanted to thank you for the terrific suggestion to turn down the living area heat and close the privacy door. This has gotten us through the winter on electric! (Which included a few nights in the 20s).

That plus a nice dual-control electric mattress pad - what a wonderful invention!! So nice to have the bed warm before you get in it.

Now that we have this setup "down" we've not tried to use diesel at all.

We're back in Texas and looking to get our Hydrohot unit checked out. I've just about convinced myself that we did not have this smell before our unit had the recall work done. We perhaps only ran it twice when we first got the coach, but I believe that we used it overnight both times - or at least for several hours without noticing a smell problem. So long ago.... so hard to remember....

If the unit checks out, then we'll probably get the exhaust out back retrofit done.

You also asked somewhere about our tire cover and the Hydrohot exhaust. We leave that left rear tire cover off if we expect to use the Hydrohot on diesel.

Oh wow - I see from the photo above that you now have the same tire covers. I guess you're not having problems with exhaust pipe proximity?

Audrey

Audrey & John · 03-10-2006, 01:22 PM

[Hopefully this does not get lost 3 pages is pretty long for a thread]

Well I finally, FINALLY, discussed our problem with a Vehicle Systems, Inc technician.

November and December were so crazy hectic for us, that it was only after the holidays I started to think clearly and remember important things like - when we first accepted the motorhome, we ran the Hydro Hot unit all night the very first night when we "boondocked" at MHSRV, and we had run it at least one other night - maybe two. And we did not notice any smell at these times.

So clearly, something changed during the recall work. (There were 7 hours on the unit when we had the recall done).

It didn't take much describing of the problem to Vehicle Systems for the tech to say that our fuel nozzle tip was probably damaged and the unit was running too rich - thus the fumes, etc. The annual service which replaces the nozzle along with a couple of other things should take care of the problem.

We're now in a position to schedule service so we'll take care of this asap.

BTW - you are supposed to run your Hydro-Hot unit on diesel every two weeks to keep the fuel lines clean. One cycle suffices.

Audrey

Audrey & John · 03-15-2006, 04:14 AM

Our hydro-hot unit is fixed! http://irv2.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9686094452/m/8791008012

We may still get the exhaust rerouted, but it is not longer a critical issue.

Audrey

Ted III · 03-15-2006, 12:21 PM

Audrey & John, I would have someone check the burning efficiency of the Hydro-Hot before you make a lot of modifications. We had one on our Monaco and it was nothing less than outstanding. I am certain that moving the exhaust up the side of the coach and/or back to the rear is a great idea and will definitely be of great benefit. I would just make certain the your Hydro Hot is functioning as it should. Not only for efficiency but also for safety purposes.

Ted Ulmer

Audrey & John · 03-15-2006, 03:16 PM

We did just that!

There was a problem with it running too rich, and now it's been fixed via a "tune-up". See http://irv2.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9686094452/m/8791008012

The tech at Vehicle Systems suspected that the tip of the fuel nozzle had been damaged causing the unit to run too rich. That's why he recommended getting the tune up - which replaces the nozzle and filter as well as general inspection and cleaning.

The smell has gone - or is barely perceptible if the wind conditions are wrong.

Audrey

Wayne R · 03-20-2006, 05:22 AM

Audrey and John, I have found since the recall work was completed on mine. I no longer need to use my GenTuri setup even with a bedroom window open.

EngineerMike · 03-20-2006, 08:48 AM

Guess I'll need to get mine "tuned" up & maybe the smell will diminish.
Also, it popped the 20A AC breaker the other night in Aguanga, & the electric hasn't worked since resetting it, though the electric LED is lit green. Guess that's reason for a bit more than tuning.

Audrey & John · 03-20-2006, 10:55 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Wayne Routhier:
Audrey and John, I have found since the recall work was completed on mine. I no longer need to use my GenTuri setup even with a bedroom window open. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Interesting!! Vehicle Systems, Inc. told me that normally they tell the service place to perform an annual tune-up when they do the recall service. (In our case I don't think it was done with the recall because the tech told us we only had 7 hours on the unit). So - that might have been it for you!

Audrey

Wayne R · 03-21-2006, 04:47 AM

I don't believe they tuned mine up,at least the tech did not indicate he had. My combustion chamber was so bad I probably was exhausting some raw fuel. That also is probably why I used 1/2 a tank of fuel in 2 months last winter and discovered my unit will run the tank dry.

EngineerMike · 03-22-2006, 03:23 PM

1) I think I've located the primary entry port of the diesel smell. The HHot has an air intake, consisting of a 3" or so sheet-rubber sleeve attached to the burner intake (which can't bee seen w/out taking the metal cover off the burner side of HHot). The sleve pokes thru the basement floor inside a 4" or so sheet metal hub (which is visible from below the coach). There is a sort of closure piece between the sleeve and the hub, also of rubber sheet. The closure piece leaves a 1/2" to 1" annular gap; exhaust is free to get sucked into the HHot burner space thru this annular hole. This would be especially effective when outside air is still & there is any negative pressure in the basement, which would be the case if using exhaust fans in the coach. Its only about 5.5' from exhaust outlet to intake, so w/still air it'd be easy to suck in the exhaust. Now all we need is an effective way to seal the annular hole; maybe staple the sleeve to the closure @ quadrant points? Take a look when the opportunity presents & post your analysis.

2) To diagnose my electrical problem, I printed the HHot "Shop Manual" which is excellent. Problem's a burned out 120V thermostat limit switch on the elec. heater element circuit. The hot wire to the heating element burned clean thru at the thermostat contact, and there are a couple three other burn indications in the 4" square 120V box. It appears that the only way to beat the service vacuum in motorhoming created by FMCA rallies is to go to FMCA- 80%b of the guys @ HHot will be back 3/27, after FMCA. But if I was @ FMCA... I'll order the part in the a.m. & install it; less trouble than hiking the coach to local service where it'd likely get parked & wait. While i'm there I'll clean up the wiring in the 4" box, which is messy & may have caused the short.

3) re: Annual Maintenance, the Shop Manual says "A tune up should consist of a new Fuel Nozzle and Fuel Filter, along w/a thorough cleaning of the Combustion Chamber, if necessary."

EngineerMike · 03-24-2006, 09:53 AM

Got the 120V thermostat limit switch part today as promised from HHot (along w/a spare, I know dummee). Had to pay in advance; got a return authorization # for credit when I return the fried out part. Sweet outfit to deal with, even considering the fact that 80% of the shop is @ FMCA.