Community Forums

Armye7 · 07-12-2017, 08:33 AM

We have a 2014 Aspire DEQ with the 375lp Aqua Hot. If we are living in our coach full time how much of the boiler fluid should we be using??. In the winter months we are using about a gallon every 2 weeks is this normal??. We have had our coach back to the mother ship 3 times and they can't find a leak. Even now when we are not using any heat and using electric to heat water we are still having to had fluid every 3 weeks. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

MRUSA14 · 07-12-2017, 08:40 AM

NOT normal. I have the diesel AquaHot but the systems are similar insofor as this issue is concerned. In four years of 3-4 months per year of use I have never added any AH fluid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armye7

We have a 2014 Aspire DEQ with the 375lp Aqua Hot. If we are living in our coach full time how much of the boiler fluid should we be using??. In the winter months we are using about a gallon every 2 weeks is this normal??. We have had our coach back to the mother ship 3 times and they can't find a leak. Even now when we are not using any heat and using electric to heat water we are still having to had fluid every 3 weeks. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Crabby Mike · 07-12-2017, 08:42 AM

You shouldn't be using any. I've had my current coach almost 4 years, and haven't replaced a drop of boiler fluid. (Well, it's possible that the guys who service it have added some, but it's not a regular event.)

Seems to me that yours has to be leaking somewhere - onto the ground, into your fresh water supply (seems like you would notice that), or wherever ...?

Mr_D · 07-12-2017, 08:50 AM

Not normal to use any. My 600D doesn't anywhere close to that much. After two years of part time use I had to add maybe a cup.

kgchampagne · 07-12-2017, 09:15 AM

Have to agree, even though mine is much, much older, the answers above are correct. You should not lose any fluid.

Gary.Jones · 07-12-2017, 10:12 AM

No normal loss of fluid, and you need to be investigating where it is going.... a leak is most likely somewhere. Take the cover off and investigate all motors and all hose connections inside the box.

Gary

xtechgeek · 07-12-2017, 10:51 AM

I would monitor the reservoir level to make sure it is not being pushed out the overflow. I increased my reservoir size due to the expansion issues and that has fixed my problem.

Other places to check:
-Fill connection from the reservoir to the top of the aquahot
-Pump motor connections
-out/return line connections
-blower/radiator connections in the kitchen, bath, etc.(I had a leak here too)

Matt D · 07-12-2017, 12:27 PM

Our AH fluid level varies quite a bit. I never add and it seems to be at the same level when it's hot.

Typically, I check it when the system is fully hot, such as 10-20 minutes after a shower.

If I added fluid every time I saw it at the low line, we would be burping a ton of fluid out the overflow.

You can easily check to see if your losing from the overflow by connecting a plastic beverage bottle to the overflow. I wouldn't make it air tight as the overflow needs to breathe.

-Matt

Crippsfl · 07-12-2017, 01:24 PM

One thing to watch is the clear hose that runs between the expansion tank and the AH unit. It was a clear vinyl hose on mine that deteriorated over time ands ending up leaking a lot of fluid. U have replaced it with a reinforced hose and replace it when it starts to discolor over time. This is a clear hose with mesh inside. I prefer to see the color of the fluid through the hose.

Busskipper · 07-12-2017, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armye7

We have a 2014 Aspire DEQ with the 375lp Aqua Hot. If we are living in our coach full time how much of the boiler fluid should we be using??. In the winter months we are using about a gallon every 2 weeks is this normal??. We have had our coach back to the mother ship 3 times and they can't find a leak. Even now when we are not using any heat and using electric to heat water we are still having to had fluid every 3 weeks. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Contact Aqua-Hot

Give them a call at the Factory - they should help to chase down the problem.

It's a closed system so you either have a leak (Most Likely) or an awfully lot of air in the system.

Common leak areas have been a Plastic drain plug, that when Hot Leaks.

A connection to one of the small radiators, but you would notice the leak.

Other than those you might have something Special.

Best of Luck, and report back when you solve the issue.

gizmo123316 · 07-12-2017, 04:38 PM

When I found a leak on my Aquahot, the boiler fluid was evaporating at the speed that it leaked (about 1 qt per week). It was at the aquahot, at the end of the hose that feeds it from the expansion tank. I could smell the antifreeze, but couldn't see any liquid. Replaced the hose, and fixed my leak problem.

BigSkyBob · 07-12-2017, 04:48 PM

Been running my DE450 for over 10 years, 7 months a year and a summer trip or two. I have never had to replace any boiler fluid during this time so you obviously have a leak in the system.

brobox · 07-12-2017, 05:00 PM

A common area of a non noticeable leak is the 5/8 inch clear plastic hose coming from the tank to the AH unit. That hose get dried from the heat and cracks. If it's discolored replace it with the clear brained line hose from Lowes. I think that might fix the problem.

hogdriver · 07-13-2017, 06:02 AM

Also check my AH unit leaked from the fittings on the back side (the storage bay side) of the coach. The fittings only leaked when hot as I drove down the road so I'd find small puddles of red fluid around the perimeter of the white AH case but no major accumulations. The fix was changing out those cheapie radiator clamps for constant tension clamps. They are described on postings the past two years and look likes smaller version of the ones Cummins uses on the engine.