Aqua Hot Recovery Tank Level Not Changing

[Timaz]

My Aqua Hot Recovery Tank Level is Not Changing as the Tank Cools down. It stays on the HOT Full Mark all of the time. Everything is working as it should, Hot Water and Heat. It just doesn't make sense. I'm dry camping in Quartzsite and I leave it off until I want hot water of heat in the morning and the level never changing.
What's going on?

Tim

[96 Wideglide]

Your right, doesn't make sense.

Boiler fluid gets hot, it expands. Has to go somewhere!

[Timaz]

On top of that I should’ve added the boiler fluid in the recovery tank is not even hot.
Tim

[96 Wideglide]

First thing I would check is the radiator cap.

[Monaco_hwy]

I suspect that you have air in your system. If there is an air pocket at the top of the tank, it will absorb the expansion and contraction of the fluid. You should top off the tank when it is cold.

[Timaz]

Originally Posted by Monaco_hwy

I suspect that you have air in your system. If there is an air pocket at the top of the tank, it will absorb the expansion and contraction of the fluid. You should top off the tank when it is cold.

I’m a DS. As with almost all Monaco‘s my aqua hot is buried in the center of the coach and I have a lot of plumbing and filters in front of it and I just noticed the hose is snapped off the overflow at the radiator cap. Sorry for wasting anyone’s time.
Tim

[153stars]

The non reinforced hose is junk for AH it gets too hot sitting on top of the unit. You can use good small coolant hose. I stretched it first as not to over stress my cap neck parts. Used a hose barb union to short length of cheap stuff because my recovery tank has plastic hose barb.

[Monaco_hwy]

Originally Posted by Timaz

I’m a DS. As with almost all Monaco‘s my aqua hot is buried in the center of the coach and I have a lot of plumbing and filters in front of it and I just noticed the hose is snapped off the overflow at the radiator cap. Sorry for wasting anyone’s time.
Tim

If the hose snapped off then you definitely have air in your system. I had the metal tube snap off the filler neck. I discuss my fix in this thread:
https://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/my-...en-598917.html

[Timaz]

Mine was just the rubber hose that broke I have now cut it off a couple inches in and replaced it and the unit has ran and cycled once without any issue. As I said before all of my heater registers and my hot water worked fine so I am hoping I don’t have much air in the system and just let it bleed itself out through cycling. If someone knows for sure that that is not a good idea please let me know.
Tim

[96 Wideglide]

Your tank level never got low enough to allow air into the zone lines. You may have to top off your overflow tank a couple of times, but you should be fine.

[Timaz]

Thanks Ben, It's seems to be staying at the correct level as it cycles. I don't have any fluid come out of the tube fitting so I don't think I lost anything.
Tim

[Eric Koger]

Check one simple thing first before spending a lot of money and potentially unnecessary worry. There is about a gallon of expansion that occurs with the boiler fluid when heated. I found that the seal on my cap (where boiler fluid can be added) had deteriorated which would allow the boiler fluid to seep from under the cap and down around the neck, down to the bottom of the shroud and then out the bottom of the unit. If the boiler tank is full, at least a gallon or two can escape this way as the heater cycles. If you are fortunate enough to be a victim of this very common failure, you are in luck because the fix is easy, quick and cheap by simply replacing the cap. There is a reason they recommend replacing these caps often, however, it is a maintenance item that gets frequently overlooked. Good Luck!!

[Timaz]

Thanks to everyone that responded. It is working correctly after I cut and connected the overflow tube.
Tim