Community Forums

swberry · 10-28-2015, 04:12 PM

I have a question about how the aqua hot system is used to heat the floors on the new Entegras. I am not very knowledgeable on the aqua hot system in general as I do not have this system on my current coach so bear with me. From what I understand there are radiator lines and pumps that move hot liquid through the lines and then fans to move air over the lines thereby moving hot air through ducting to provide heat in the coach.

My question relates to the underfloor heating and the lines that are under the floor. I assume these lines have the aqua hot liquid. My concern is if a leak were to ever develop while using the floor heat. Seems like this has the potential to cause quite a problem before one would ever know there is a leak. Is this something that others have thought about or is my concern unfounded?

One other question regarding the floor heat; do you find this system reliable and does it provide even heating? I know that was two questions, but thanks for the replies.

Sid

DSL417 · 10-28-2015, 05:03 PM

A leak, while not unheard of, might be problematic, but the reason it hasn't happened much (that we have heard of) is because it is a continuos line of tubing from heat register to heat register (it also provides the heating fans in the coach, which I assume is similar to the Oasis or any other hydroponic heating system). The only time I've heard of a leak on here was when a screw/staple was mis-"shot" on the factory line. We've also heard of a kink; both were back in 2013, before stricter quality control efforts were in place. Today, I do't think it any more likely than a short in the electrically heated floors.

The electrically heated floors tend to be more evenly heated, at least through the early part of heating, but over time, the hydroponically heated floors tend to even out. The positive to the latter is when you are dry camping, you're not using the battery as much. Maybe a wash???!!! Kinda like chocolate or vanilla, each person has their preference.

brobox · 10-28-2015, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swberry

One other question regarding the floor heat; do you find this system reliable and does it provide even heating? I know that was two questions, but thanks for the replies.
Sid

On my coach, I have not been able to keep the floor heat pump/motors working. So far I have been able to use the floor heat once. I have the second motor that has quit. Just being honest, others probably work fine.

roadrunning · 10-28-2015, 06:00 PM

I have a 2013 and it works great on mine. The edges aren't as warm as the main traffic area but I would expect that.
Overall my Aquahot has been perfect with no problems the heat has been outstanding in below 0 temps.

Hayman · 10-28-2015, 06:12 PM

One of our reasons for choosing Entegra was the hydroponic floor heat vs electric floor heat in other brands. The tubing is in my opinion less likely to leak then the electric wire is to short out . The tubing is accessible from below while the electric requires taking up the tile flooring which is a very messy and intensive job. Again just my opinion.

Mr_D · 10-28-2015, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSL417

The electrically heated floors tend to be more evenly heated, at least through the early part of heating, but over time, the hydroponically heated floors tend to even out. The positive to the latter is when you are dry camping, you're not using the battery as much. Maybe a wash???!!! Kinda like chocolate or vanilla, each person has their preference.

Our rig has the electrically heated floors and I think being able to use them when only running the AquaHot would be an advantage, as it is we have to have 50 amp shore power or run the gen.

DSL417 · 10-28-2015, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Our rig has the electrically heated floors and I think being able to use them when only running the AquaHot would be an advantage, as it is we have to have 50 amp shore power or run the gen.

That's kinda my flavor, but some folks get down right hard over about how great the electric is...personally, I don't use it that much anyway...try to keep South of those kinds of temps, and if not, house shoes...but we have a few carpets on top of the tile in our coach.

swberry · 10-28-2015, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayman

One of our reasons for choosing Entegra was the hydroponic floor heat vs electric floor heat in other brands. The tubing is in my opinion less likely to leak then the electric wire is to short out . The tubing is accessible from below while the electric requires taking up the tile flooring which is a very messy and intensive job. Again just my opinion.

Ah ok so that makes sense if the plumbing is accessible from beneath. I can see what you are saying if the electric is embedded under the tile it could be more of a hassle to fix than the aqua hot system.

757driver · 10-28-2015, 08:41 PM

If a leak in the floor tubing was to occur it would not be long before you would know about it because the system would shut down for low fluid in the boiler, probably less than a gallon or so.

swberry · 10-29-2015, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 757driver

If a leak in the floor tubing was to occur it would not be long before you would know about it because the system would shut down for low fluid in the boiler, probably less than a gallon or so.

Ok so the system will auto shutdown due to low fluid levels? Now that I think about this a bit more with what y'all have told me the system probably doesn't hold that much fluid anyway. Maybe the fear of springing a leak is a bit "alarmists" after all. I think maybe I like the idea of this system better than the embedded electric elements after all. Thanks for the info. Y'all are helping me to make and informed and educated decision.

Sid

Gary.Jones · 10-29-2015, 06:48 AM

People have referred to this obliquely, but let me talk about it more directly. One disadvantage of the boiler fluid heated floors is that it takes a fairly long time to get them to heat up. Most people on this web site report that it takes several days to get the floors warm, and then when running the AquaHot full time. That has been my experience in this current 3 month trip up north (in Fall conditions). If I am in one location, and have the AquaHot on with the diesel burner providing the lion share of the heat, then the floor heat is quite spotty for the first day or two and then begins to feel more even. However, I have not found that the AC heater is able to do much alone when it comes to heating the coach, basement, and the floor. When the temps have dropped into the low 30s, the AC element is overwhelmed as a heat source and is not able to keep up with basement, floor, and cabin heat. Now, in those same circumstances, the diesel-fired burner is able to help the AC element and do a nice job, but you do begin to burn through diesel at a pretty good clip, and again, it takes a while.

If you are moving from park to park, or traveling down the interstate, don't expect that your floors are going to be warm and toasty in my experience ( unless you have the diesel burner in-line all the time). if you are spending a week or a month in chilly temps and running the diesel burner on the AquaHot most of the time, then the warm floors becomes more realistic. Compared to electrically heated floors, lets say in your bricks and mortar house, which a timer switches on an hour before your morning shower, these are nowhere near as good. However, still nice in the right circumstances. As Gene says, this is JMHO and experience with my coach.

Gary

DSL417 · 10-29-2015, 07:02 AM

Interesting perspective, but does the generator have to be running while you're going down the road to heat the floors electrically??? And going down the road, with your #2 zone gas on, your AH should heat the floors using the engine flow around the boiler to heat the fluid which will flow using the zone #2 pump (just like your heat registers will provide hot air while you go down the road with Zone #1 and #3 heat using gas on). Fortunately, a S&B house can have electric without a generator. I just visited with some folks in NH, though, who use hydroponic floor heating in their cement flooring throughout the house and garage, specifically because when storms come they loose electricity, but they don't lose heating in their fuel oil heat home and floors.

As to the three days to warm the floors, again not my experience. On both my 13 Anthem and 15 CS, setting the Zone#2 at 80, I would start to feel the heat in the floors closest to the path of the floor heating tubes within 3-4 hours and had nice floor heating with 12-16 hours.

True, the heat pump/ACs on the roof will not provide heat, generally below outside ambient temps of 40, particularly in the humid Eastern US, and do not heat the floors. They do a little better in the desert SW, working down to maybe 36 in the dry air. They were never intended to heat the floors. Not all coaches have heat pumps on the top, so that is a plus when you are connected, saving diesel fuel.

That's my experience.

brobox · 10-29-2015, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSL417

As to the three days to warm the floors, again not my experience. On both my 13 Anthem and 15 CS, setting the Zone#2 at 80, I would start to feel the heat in the floors closest to the path of the floor heating tubes within 3-4 hours and had nice floor heating with 12-16 hours.
That's my experience.

Thanks for posting that Dave. Very helpful for my situation.