Attention Aspire owner with Aquahot Problems

[Plozano]

This past weekend our LP 400 Aquahot in our 2014 Aspire 44U stopped working. Very little hot water (lukewarm at best) and no gas heat. Checked all breakers, fuses, made sure valve on gas tank was open. No problems there.

Took it to the shop on Monday 1/4/16. Shop did the diagnostics and some consultation with Aquahot and it turned out to be a burned out buck booster card and 2 internal fuses. From what I understand, the buck booster cards are only in the LP versions of Aquahot.

Aquahot send the new buck booster card overnight and the card was replaced on Tuesday. Now, plenty of hot water and heaters are working fine. There are 2 buck booster cards in our heater so I hope the other doesn't go out.

I've read about the mixer motors, kinked lines, transfer fluids and other causes of Aquahot problems. The buck boost card is a new one. So Aspire owners, if your Aquahot goes on the fritz, add the buck booster to your troubleshooting list.


Paul and JoAnn Lozano
2014 Entegra Aspire 44U
San Antonio, Texas

[Ultratravler]

Paul, where is the buck booster card located, how about the two fuses? Thanks.

Dave

[Plozano]

Here is a link to an Aqua Hot PDF that has the picture of the buck booster

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

[Mwoodofd]

Replaced mine a few months ago.(the one controls the fan) - very easy to do, located inside the AH unit. Remove the top cover (2 screws) and the diagram will show you the details. Can download the service manual from Aqua Hot with decnt detail on trouble shooting some issues.

[voltdoc]

One of mine went a year or so ago. Mine had cooked itself and the smell made it easy to find. Simple to replace. Good support from AH. No other problems since. What that module does is regulate the voltage to exactly 12 Volts, bucking it if it's higher and boosting it if it's lower.

[dave&ginny]

I had mine replaced a couple of weeks ago but now the electric doesn't seem to be working.

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by dave&ginny

I had mine replaced a couple of weeks ago but now the electric doesn't seem to be working.

The electric side has three basic parts. A 12v circuit that drives a relay, a 120v AC shorepower driven heater element that is turned on and off by the relay, and a thermostat that turns the element on and off to maintain the tank temperature.

The 12v part includes the "Electric" switch in the bathroom, does the green light come on? If not there is a 10A fuse inside the AH (I believe at position B) that supplies power to this circuit, check it. The master 12v fuse is located in the forward most outside compartment on the diver side, but if propane is working that fuse will be OK. I had this problem and it was a loose wire at the terminal block on top of the AH.

If the green light does come on, make sure the 120v AC Water Heater breaker over the Driver seat has not tripped.

Next, the service manual mentions a reset button on the thermostat, check to make sure that has not tripped.

The service manual from the AH site provides a troubleshooting procedure for the electric heater on page 88 and the wiring schematic on page 91.

[dave&ginny]

Originally Posted by voltdoc

The electric side has three basic parts. A 12v circuit that drives a relay, a 120v AC shorepower driven heater element that is turned on and off by the relay, and a thermostat that turns the element on and off to maintain the tank temperature.

The 12v part includes the "Electric" switch in the bathroom, does the green light come on? If not there is a 10A fuse inside the AH (I believe at position B) that supplies power to this circuit, check it. The master 12v fuse is located in the forward most outside compartment on the diver side, but if propane is working that fuse will be OK. I had this problem and it was a loose wire at the terminal block on top of the AH.

If the green light does come on, make sure the 120v AC Water Heater breaker over the Driver seat has not tripped.

Next, the service manual mentions a reset button on the thermostat, check to make sure that has not tripped.

The service manual from the AH site provides a troubleshooting procedure for the electric heater on page 88 and the wiring schematic on page 91.

Thanks for the information, I'll look at it

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by voltdoc

One of mine went a year or so ago. Mine had cooked itself and the smell made it easy to find. Simple to replace. Good support from AH. No other problems since. What that module does is regulate the voltage to exactly 12 Volts, bucking it if it's higher and boosting it if it's lower.

Should have knocked on wood or something when I made that post. We're at the Tampa Show, came back to the coach this morning and there was a faint fried epoxy electrical smell lingering in the air. Uh Oh. Checked my AH burner and sure enough it's not working.

Popped the AH cover and sure enough the 20A fuse is blown. Unplugged the two harnesses from the two buck/boost modules. Set the thermostat to call for heat, turned on the "burner" switch, clamped the interlock switch to keep the system alive with the cover off. Installed a new 20A fuse, didn't blow. Plugged in Buck/Boost #1 harness, didn't blow, plugged in Buck/Boost #2 harness, zap, pop, nasty smell, 20A fuse blows.

That's the brute force troubleshooting method but it helps identify which buck/boost failed if it isn't visibly obvious.

Hope Entegra can get me a new one, it's been cold here.

[brobox]

Originally Posted by voltdoc

Hope Entegra can get me a new one, it's been cold here.

Had the word from Entegra that AH is going to be at the Tampa show. Hopefully they have a buck booster with them.

[Mwoodofd]

Originally Posted by voltdoc

Hope Entegra can get me a new one, it's been cold here.

If Entegra does not get you one, (since you are probably out of warranty on the 13 model) Aqua Hot can, and they are about $200 if you are out of warranty. They did ship it quick, and I paid for 2 day service.

Like Chuck said, since you and AH are at the show, you may have a good opportunity to get it replaced at no charge. (Get me another one if you can.)

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by brobox

Had the word from Entegra that AH is going to be at the Tampa show. Hopefully they have a buck booster with them.

Thanks Chuck, will check that out. Working with tech Kirk (great guy BTW) and he told me no AH parts on hand but he promised I'd have one B4 the weekend. If AH is here he doesn't know.

[voltdoc]

Originally Posted by Mwoodofd

If Entegra does not get you one, (since you are probably out of warranty on the 13 model) Aqua Hot can, and they are about $200 if you are out of warranty. They did ship it quick, and I paid for 2 day service.

Like Chuck said, since you and AH are at the show, you may have a good opportunity to get it replaced at no charge. (Get me another one if you can.)

Thanks! Roger Berke has them too, $190 plus shipping. Big $'s for what that thing does. No Amazon Prime here! Looks like Entegra is going to take care of it, great thing about these rally's! Fireplace doing an excellent job keeping us warm. The rally generator has been providing us nice stable 30A power so far.

[brobox]

Originally Posted by voltdoc

Thanks Chuck, will check that out. Working with tech Kirk (great guy BTW) and he told me no AH parts on hand but he promised I'd have one B4 the weekend. If AH is here he doesn't know.

If you see Joyce, ask her, she is the one that told me. She may have been referring to upper management from AH. I was thinking a booth.