My Aqua-Hot overflow is broken!

[Monaco_hwy]

I have been working on my Aqua-Hot furnace. I noticed that the hose to the overflow tank was dangling. It seems that the small tube that sticks out from the filler neck is missing. Is there any repair kit for this? It is really tight getting in there, so I cannot solder a new tube in.





Is there any other workable solution?

[saddlesore]

Originally Posted by Monaco_hwy

I have been working on my Aqua-Hot furnace. I noticed that the hose to the overflow tank was dangling. It seems that the small tube that sticks out from the filler neck is missing. Is there any repair kit for this? It is really tight getting in there, so I cannot solder a new tube in.


Attachment 380887


Is there any other workable solution?

YES, there is a "Fix"
I had the same issue [cap assembly had poor solder].
Contact John @ https://www.heatmyrv.com/#top
or Roger @ https://hydronicheatingwarehouse.com/


There is a kit that has the upper part of the boiler fill neck & the cap assembly.. I think I bought it from Roger..[note.. this is a "git by" rube goldburg" fix using heat shrink tubing to re-connect everything]
[You will need to expand the pic to see the cap and the upper end of the shrink tubing]

You may try calling AquaHot for ideas also.

[Jobert]

Here is a link to a thread on replacing the whole neck on the Aqua-hot including the parts needed and where to get them. I have looked at this but mine is not leaking in that area yet. It may be one of your solutions.


https://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/red...ml#post6073970


Another possibility may be to get a piece of copper tubing of the right diameter and use one of the various JB Weld epoxies that may be appropriate to that metal. This is probably what I would try first. JB Weld and other companies make several products for repairing various items including radiator repair. Also, there are some low temp solders that can be used with a heat gun, which may work in a tight place like this. It seems that Aqua-hot units were never place where they were easy to work on.



Just a couple suggestions that I would try if I were in that situation. I am sure there are other possibilities as well. Hope this may help. Happy Trails Bert

[Monaco_hwy]

Thanks for all the great info.
I have been thinking of a fix. Here is what I am thinking.
These are the parts;




Here they are assembled;




I put a small flair on the 1/4" copper tubing to hold it in place in the filler neck. It must not stick in too far, or it will interfere with the filler cap. I was thinking of gluing it in place with JB Weld and then pushing the short hose and spring clamp up against the filler neck. I have yet to figure out how to push the rubber tube up against the neck, given the very tight work space.

[wamcneil]

Oh, wow... I don't know what would suck worse... having that little barb fall off like yours or the entire pressure cap housing like the rest of us...
That fitting isn't under pressure, but it does sit under a low vacuum for long periods as the tank cools. Any leak at that point will let air into the system. Which might not be a huge problem.
I left my pressure cap housing off and replaced it with an expanding plug like this:
https://www.thermprocesses.com/produ...oducts_id=1537
That might be another option if it doesn't work out to glue the stub pipe into the hole.
I'm not sure the system really needs to be pressurized, and maybe they designed it with a pressure cap just to try and prevent the heat exchanger hoses from kinking after installation.
Cheers,
Walter

[Monaco_hwy]

Here is the fix installed.





I knew that I would drop the part in the tank. So I fed a wire through the hole in the neck and slid the copper tube down the wire and pushed it in place. I first put JB weld around the flair on the tube to form the seal. I then slid the rubber tube over the copper pipe. Lastly, I put the spring clip on the rubber tube. This all sounds easy, but it was really difficult because there is no room to work. I hope the JB weld hardens properly because we were below 24 F temperature last night and only up to 38 F now.

[wamcneil]

I hope it works out!
Short of pulling the unit out to repair, I can't think of a better solution that doesn't involve a die grinder, a torch, plus much better soldering and contortion skills than I possess ... and most likely a big insurance claim from setting the rig on fire...
If yours is way back in the middle of the bus like mine, with just barely enough room to get your arm in there... I know how awkward and aggravating it is to work in there. I had to move a gas line to get my arm all the way in there.

[153stars]

JB weld works best when there's a nice gap or space between materials or a nice bead all the way around like a weld.

[Monaco_hwy]

Originally Posted by 153stars

JB weld works best when there's a nice gap or space between materials or a nice bead all the way around like a weld.

I was thinking of using the epoxy putty type stuff around the joint between the tube and the neck to add extra support.

[DPDriver]

I had the same issue last year and likely exhausted review of all historical threads on suitable repairs. I tried an overflow tube repair kit from Dorman but I could not get it to stop weeping and after too tight it was suddenly too loose, of course. For a complete stem repair the kit from John Carillo, is perhaps the best option, but like other posters in Canada it was impossible to get it up here during the Covid. I opted for a very inexpensive repair (I recall $20) using a standard radiator stem that I sourced from a local radiator repair shop. That included them soldering it to a coupler. The list of parts:

-new filler neck (standard necks are 1 1/4” soldered to 1 1/4” to 1 1/2” pipe
-Permatex Ultra Black Gasket Maker PER59803
-3” length of 1 1/2” Gates radiator hose (cheaper hoses were not stiff nor did they have a large enough OD to work effectively with the clamps I used)
-two t-bolt hose clamp size 1.65-1.81 (Princess Auto or US equivalent store)

The replacement was fairly simple:

-remove rubber gasket/flange from around neck to facilitate the replacement
-remove old filler neck by applying heat and pulling it free with pliers
-remove cover from aquahot valve and pump area
-drill access hole through cover near the top to later allow tightening of hose clamp (see photo)
-apply a thin film of the Permatex to the inside of the Gates hose
-apply a thin film of Permatex to the short stem on the Aquahot tank
-work the Gates hose over tank stem and bottom it out
-drop a hose clamp over the hose and work it down inside the cabinet close to the bottom of your new Gates hose
-tighten clamp using your previously drilled access hole, driver and deep socket
-apply Permatex to the inside of the other end of the Gates hose
-drop the second hose clamp over the Gates hose
-insert the new filler neck assembly into the Gates hose
-Tighten clamp around new filler neck
-I let the new assembly dry 48 hours before use

The Permatex may have been overkill but I was worried as the Aquahot tank stem is straight with no crimp ring to hold a hose and clamp. I added the Permatex for extra adhesion. I’ve been running my Aquahot a year now with this repair with no issue. A rebuild is in my future but will wait for next summer.

Best of luck with your repair!

[Monaco_hwy]

That is great! It looks good enough to be a permanent fix.

I don't think that I have enough vertical space to do what you did.

I have my fix installed, and I am attempting to bleed the air out of my system. I got the rear zone working, but the others are more stubborn. The middle zone is no higher than the rear zone, so it should not be such a problem. The forward zone is above the windshield, if I am not mistaken. It will be much harder to blow the air out if such a high radiator.

[wamcneil]

Originally Posted by DPDriver

I had the same issue last year
The replacement was fairly simple:

-remove rubber gasket/flange from around neck to facilitate the replacement
-remove old filler neck by applying heat and pulling it free with pliers
-remove cover from aquahot valve and pump area
-drill access hole through cover near the top to later allow tightening of hose clamp (see photo)
-apply a thin film of the Permatex to the inside of the Gates hose
-apply a thin film of Permatex to the short stem on the Aquahot tank
-work the Gates hose over tank stem and bottom it out
-drop a hose clamp over the hose and work it down inside the cabinet close to the bottom of your new Gates hose
-tighten clamp using your previously drilled access hole, driver and deep socket
-apply Permatex to the inside of the other end of the Gates hose
-drop the second hose clamp over the Gates hose
-insert the new filler neck assembly into the Gates hose
-Tighten clamp around new filler neck
-I let the new assembly dry 48 hours before use

The Permatex may have been overkill but I was worried as the Aquahot tank stem is straight with no crimp ring to hold a hose and clamp. I added the Permatex for extra adhesion. I’ve been running my Aquahot a year now with this repair with no issue. A rebuild is in my future but will wait for next summer.

Best of luck with your repair!

Nice! I theorized that I could drill a hole and get a hose clamp to work in there. Good to see that you were successful.
Gosh that's an awful place to work...
Cheers,
Walter