Aqua Hot question- signature45

[Onrecess]

2003 Signature Commander 45
I had posted before that my hot water didn't seem to get more than barely warm. I had the AquaHot and electric on. I was told to try adjusting the mixing valve to clear a blockage.
So, today I tried the electric water heater. Barely warm after a half hour. But, it appears to work, as it got a bit warm.
I started aquahot. It never got any warmer, as before.
I opened storage and looked at AquaHot. It is in about 18 inches, and the hot/cold solution tank is on the front. There is a manifold for all the places water goes in that cabinet. I can't see any way to get into aquahot. I went inside and figured the trash cans drawer is over aquahot. I put out slide and disconnected a sliding door on side of that drawers island. I see hot and cold water lines, but I don't see a way to get through floor to the aquahot to get to the valve. Is there a way?
Do you have to remove the whole aquahot to get to the mixing valve? That sounds like a nightmare.
I did find the brine overflow tank hose that goes in the top was broken, and I found a domestic water leak that needed tightening, so it wasn't a complete waste of time.

[96 Wideglide]

Often you need to remove a panel between the bay the AH is in, and an adjacent storage bay, to get to the back of the AH unit.

Good luck!

[153stars]

Check your indoor and outdoor shower make sure its not on with handle off mixing the two. Been posted dozen times even by guys that read it before and didn't think of it.

[Outbound]

Ditto on a slider door in cargo bay next to AH if your anything like my 02 Exec., then remove AH side panel.

[JJTL]

I think if you read the manual it notes something like it takes 3 hours or so before the Aquahot is up to temperature if using only the electric element. So maybe didn’t give it enough time. Even with the diesel burner on, can take 30-45 mins to get to temperature.

I’m not sure there is a mixing valve at the Aquahot itself, just the end user points (faucets, shower). The side panels of the Aquahot can be removed to service the unit. Has it had its annual service regularly? When you fire of the diesel burner, does it smoke a lot? This is a good indicator that it needs to be serviced.

The tank you are seeing on the front is just the overflow tank for the Aquahot. Is the tank showing in the right range?

Water from the Aquahot is HOT for sure, when it’s up to temperature. If you run the furnace does it blow hot air?

All the best!
Josh

[shootist]

From the side bay you remove 3 screws along the bottom and a few from the sides and pull the cover off into the bay. At the bottom in the front of the unit you will see the mixing valve. The tank you're referring to is just a cold water pressure tank so your water pump doesnt cycle constantly.

[vito.a]

Look for a sliding door in the basement compartment just in front of the Aqua Hot.
There are a few phillips head screws that you remove and the stainless steel cover lifts off and out. It takes about 2 min with a cordless drill.
Your electric element will not heat the water very well in the winter. It is only a single element and greatly depends on the temperature of the incoming water. It also will not provide enough BTU to heat the coach.

Your diesel burner will run about 20 min and heat the tank up. It will heat the coach as well as provide continuous hot water. But, all this depends on the burner being in good working order.
If it smokes you need a tune up. A new fuel filter and nozzle will make a huge difference.

[RamiDav]

Onrecess,
You said " I had the Aquahot and elect on " That implies you had the diesel switch
on but still had no hot water. It seems to me like the burner is not igniting.
Can you hear the burner? Go outside and see if hot exhaust is coming from
the Aquahot exhaust pipe
Until it reaches temp and cuts off, the exhaust should be very obviously hot.
When I turn my burner on I hear the fan inside the burner come on then after a few
seconds I hear the burner ignite and the exhaust gets hot.
If the burner fails to ignite the fan will stop and I will need to turn the sw off
and on again

BTW with the side panel off the mixing valve is below the burner, sort of hard to
get to without removing the burner first.
You can buy the guts for the valve if it is actually bad.
Roger Berke has a great Aquahot site you should take look at it

RV Hydronic Heater Repair - Home

[Onrecess]

Thanks! I'll check the shower first and then pull panel. The AH heated the coach well. We had it on for a couple of days. The shower and sink had barely warm water. So, the AH is good. It is quiet and no smoke.
Thanks again!

[K7JV]

Just a thought. If you plan on keeping your coach and doing your own maintenance, you might consider taking a Dremel and turning those screw holes on the two cover pieces into slots. That way all you need to do is loosen the screws rather than remove them and you can lift the two cover halves up a half inch or so and they'll come right out. It's MUCH easier putting the covers back on, too, if you do that. I also cut off the inboard, back "flap" on the top cover to make it easier to maneuver it out from around the distribution lines and the cabling coming out of the top of the unit.

Finally, I measured and drilled a couple of 5/16" holes thru the adjacent wall directly in line wih the screws that need to be removed or loosened on the side of the unit. I actually keep a long phillips screwdriver there, so I have it when I need it. Again, it makes the job a lot easier.

I also purchased a nifty little ratchet socket/screwdriver set. The ratchet is only about 4" long and the bits slip into a hex opening on either end of the handle. The entire kit isn't much more than maybe 1 ½" thick and 3" x 5", in its case. You can ratchet screws and small hex-heads with maybe as little as 2" of total clearance.

[Onrecess]

I'm going to work on it right now. I'll take a look and see what you are referring to, thanks!

[Outbound]

It may have already been mentioned but have you tapped on the AH zone solenoid valves in housing, they have been known to stick.

[Onrecess]

Hoooray! I pulled the panel and twisted the mixing valve, (I had to use a screwdriver and hammer to tap it), and it got easy after one half turn each way.
Worked perfectly!
The panel in mine just slides off the side of the bay. No screws. It was tough to get to the knob, though. Couldn't get a grip. I cheated with the tapping, pretty carefully, but I figured there wasn't much to lose.
Thank You all.

[vito.a]

Glad you got it working.
The screws hold the stainless steel cover over the boiler and pump assembly. You remove the cover to service the Aqua Hot.