AquaHot Basement Fan Running When Winterized

Mike Canter · 12-11-2010, 07:58 AM

I had winterized my Signature about a week ago and parked it on my friends property. I had turned both battery disconnects off and turned off the "salesman" switch inside. I went over to get something out of it yesterday and when I was walking down the side of it I could hear this humming sound. I was surprised since everything was shutdown and in disconnect. It took me a while to find and it was the fan in my basement Aqua Hot heat exchanger. This is the heater in my tank area. I always leave the thermostat set at 40*. I turned the thermostat to less than zero degrees and the fan turned off. When I winterizing it was warmer than 40* so it was not on and yesterday it was cooler than 40* so it turned on. Again all my battery disconnects were in the OFF position. My MH is plugged in so it would not have run my batteries down plus I have a solar panel but if I didn't that would have run my batteries down enough so they would have frozen in the future below freeezing weather.

So I would recommend that everybody check their basement heater fans regardless of if it is an Aqua Hot or a regular heater because this can mess up your batteries.

djhinds · 12-11-2010, 08:40 AM

Mike, did you turn your inverter to the OFF position? I think on mine the battery charger stops on both batteries. I checked with a volt meter and voltage went down to 12 volts.

Dave

Mike Canter · 12-11-2010, 08:54 AM

No I don't touch the inverter. I leave it on so the batteries still maintain a charge. The fan is run by 12 volts on the Aqua-Hot heat exchangers so even with the inverter/charger off it is still going to draw power directly from the batteries but I will check that when I go back over there.

According to both the manual and my experience the batteries will still charge via the solar panel or the charger with the battery disconnect switches in the off position and the inverter/charger left on.

**JMonroe** · 12-11-2010, 10:03 AM

OK, I read this with interest. The couple times I've walked past our rig, near the Aqua Hot bay, I too hear something running. I've checked the thermostat, and it's in the off position. I do not turn off the batteries, it is always plugged into 50 amp power. Can't be good for 'whatever' to run all winter.

Mike Canter · 12-11-2010, 10:13 AM

Jay, when you say you have checked the thermostats are you talking about the inside wall thermostats or the little thermostat for the basement heater. My inside wall thermostats were in OFF. Have you tried turning your basement thermostat counter-clockwise and see if the noise stops?

**JMonroe** · 12-11-2010, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Canter

Jay, when you say you have checked the thermostats are you talking about the inside wall thermostats or the little thermostat for the basement heater. My inside wall thermostats were in OFF. Have you tried turning your basement thermostat counter-clockwise and see if the noise stops?

What basement thermostat? The rig is new, and I don't have it all figured out, but I've not seen anything mentioning a 'basement' thermostat. The only thing we've seen is something to the effect that the basement is heated, if I remember right, when the rear heat is running. Plus, both the diesel and electic Aqua Hot switches are off.

Mike Canter · 12-11-2010, 11:10 AM

Let me tell you how mine is. Not sure if they have changed anything. I have a Aqua-Hot heater in my fresh water tank bay and the thermostat for it is in the bay right next to it with a the temperature probe going into the tank bay. With my MH the water pump and pipes in the one bay are actually heated by the Aqua-Hot unit being in the same bay radiating the heat while it is working so there just needs to be heat in the fresh water tank bay. The thermostat is nothing more than a small block box about 2" wide and 4" long with a knob on it and a temp dial. If there it is probably towards the ceiling of the bay so it doesn't get damaged. They are normally set around 40-45* so they just come on to protect the tank from freezing.

bdpreece · 12-11-2010, 11:52 AM

You would think if a manufacturer installs switches and calls them battery disconnect switches that they would totally remove the batteries from the circuit. Does not sound like this is happening. I have not figured out my present coach totally but on my last coach with the battery disconnect switches off the steps still worked.

**JMonroe** · 12-11-2010, 04:57 PM

When our blizzard ends, I'll see if I can get to the Aqua Hot bay and look for that black box. I don't think ours has it though. We have the 'smallest' of the AH, the 375D.

Mike Canter · 12-11-2010, 05:35 PM

Jay, the operators manual for your system shows that you have a fresh water bay adjustable thermostat

http://www.aquahot.com/eSource/ecom/...nual_Rev_A.pdf

**JMonroe** · 12-12-2010, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Canter

Jay, the operators manual for your system shows that you have a fresh water bay adjustable thermostat

http://www.aquahot.com/eSource/ecom/...nual_Rev_A.pdf

You're right!

I'd completely overlooked that paragraph. There's three foot drifts around the rig right now. I've sent a note to Fleetwood asking if they can point me to it.