Community Forums

Cincy22EC · 11-06-2023, 03:08 PM

Late to the party but I had the same issue just recently. '22 Cornerstone new to us in May. Aquahot worked perfectly all summer. Used floor heat for the first time recently when it got cold and noticed when I returned home expansion bottle was full to the cap and purged some out. Turned the system on and it purged some more. maybe a 1/3 of a quart and released a bunch of air. I just happened to be taking it to Entegra that next day for warranty work so I told them to check it. But I also noticed the floor in the bedroom and rear bath were not getting warm. the rest was did.

techfarmer · 11-06-2023, 04:03 PM

Thanks, Ambetter. I'll look for them when we get the coach back. Trying to get the dash AC working now. It leaks freon. They replaced the high pressure coupling at the compressor before we picked it up but the new service people say that it is still leaking there.

Cincy22EC: What did they find was the problem with yours?

brobox · 11-06-2023, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by techfarmer

Thanks, Ambetter. I'll look for them when we get the coach back. Trying to get the dash AC working now. It leaks freon. They replaced the high pressure coupling at the compressor before we picked it up but the new service people say that it is still leaking there.

Cincy22EC: What did they find was the problem with yours?

I just went trough the same thing. They replaced the fitting, but failed to tighten it completely. Long post, but finally learned how to fix and stop the constant AC repairs. https://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/das...ss-616588.html
It's been six month and the dash air is still holding 52 degrees at the vents.

757driver · 11-07-2023, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ambetter

If you have them they are on left hand side of engine, looking from rear, one is beside the frame rail and other is up high. Both have yellow handles on them. Not easy to see.

Also, you may be able to spot the one higher up from the inside through the engine access in the rear bedroom/bathroom.

Cincy22EC · 11-07-2023, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by techfarmer

Cincy22EC: What did they find was the problem with yours?

Nothing yet. Haven't got to that issue. My list was rather long but thankfully generally cosmetic. All of my "systems" worked as expected all year.

xtechgeek · 11-07-2023, 03:28 PM

I have a 2013 Cornerstone and it took me several years to figure out they undersized the coolant reservoir for the length of loop. I initially had the century fluid brown muck issue, but after changing to Camco and cleaning out the system thougroughly, the only issue that remained was an overflow issue. when driving in mountains.

All I did was order a 2x size reservoir and have not had a problem since. See https://secure.aquahot.com/ProductInfo/PLE-621-800.aspx or your favorite online Aquahot parts dealer.

5 Qt. Expansion Tank, Aqua-Hot
Item Number: PLE-621-800

Regards,

Cory

brobox · 11-07-2023, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtechgeek

I have a 2013 Cornerstone and it took me several years to figure out they undersized the coolant reservoir for the length of loop. I initially had the century fluid brown muck issue, but after changing to Camco and cleaning out the system thougroughly, the only issue that remained was an overflow issue. when driving in mountains.

All I did was order a 2x size reservoir and have not had a problem since. See https://secure.aquahot.com/ProductInfo/PLE-621-800.aspx or your favorite online Aquahot parts dealer.

5 Qt. Expansion Tank, Aqua-Hot
Item Number: PLE-621-800

Regards,
Cory

Excellent idea. However I choked on the Aqua Hot's price. It would be easy enough to adapted a generic automotive coolant recovery tank. Great idea going to a larger tank.
Wasn't that sludge problem fun? Constant stuck valves and no heat in the front half of the coach, but AH was saying "there's no problem with the sludge".

jmilner1234 · 11-07-2023, 07:11 PM

We have a 2016 Cornerstone and went through the same problem. You have a loose connection in one of the Aquahot zones. Because the leak is above the Aquahot exchanger then air is sucked in….ie, the system only leaks out of the overflow tank. After spending a lot of money for technicians to not solve the problem I went to work myself. I installed cutoff valves on both the incoming and outgoing pex lines for the two Aquahot zones. I then pressurized each zone individually. I quickly had a leak in the floor zone heat line inside the sealed floor space. Entegra installed a connection well hidden within the floor space and this connection worked loose. I cut a hole from the underside and tightened the existing clamps and added additional ones. Problem solved.

MS60ocb · 11-08-2023, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmilner1234

I installed cutoff valves on both the incoming and outgoing pex lines for the two Aquahot zones. I then pressurized each zone individually. I quickly had a leak in the floor zone heat line inside the sealed floor space. Entegra installed a connection well hidden within the floor space and this connection worked loose. I cut a hole from the underside and tightened the existing clamps and added additional ones. Problem solved.

Tell me more how you pressurized and watched the pressure leak off. I"m imaging that you cut open the loop, pressurized found the leaks and closed the loop with valves. Is there a different method.
I just returned from the annual service and turned the Aquahot system system while doing some other work the RV. Maybe a pint of liquid overflowed the expansion tank. Now that the Aquahot has cooled down the the expansion tank level has increased from a cold level of about 1/3 to 2/3.

Aquhhot, I think I have a problem.

kosanow1 · 11-08-2023, 05:53 PM

I had the same issue. I fought it for a year. It's been a year since with no problem. This is my post in Aqua Hot/Hydro Hot Repair and Maintenance. " I changed out the check valves and did a flush of the tank. I got the check valves from Heat My RV. Things worked like they should for a month or so. Then it started again. The next time I bought a couple swing type check valves with a higher temp rating from Grainger. Also a bunch of Aquahot heat transfer fluid and distilled water. I flushed the Aquahot with distilled water till it was draining out clear. 4 times. Then I flushed it out twice with Aquahot fluid. I've now used it for 6 months without a problem. I recently flushed it out again and the fluid looked like new. I think the check valves I purchase from Heat My RV would have worked just fine, if I had done the flushes the first go around. I bought my fluid from Camping world. A lot cheaper but the same stuff. It's yellow, but to me it looks more green. I believe the previous owner must of put some funky sh!t in the tank at some point, and the heat and cool cycle was creating small chuck. These chucks were keeping the check valves open for a short time. I may never know"

jmilner1234 · 11-09-2023, 04:51 AM

The hardest part of installing cutoff valves was finding 5/8 inch pex fittings. These are not standard items and most plumbing companies do not stock then. Finally found them on online plumbing outlets. I purchased standard brass cutoff valves and added an air port and air gauge to one of the cutoff valves on each zone. With the valves closed I put in 20 lb of air in each zone. The rear zone (rear of coach [3] and bay heater) maintained the pressure. The forward zone [1] and floor heat [2] immediately dropped in pressure. Quickly Aquahot fluid began to pour out in the middle bay from the overhead floor (about the center of the coach). From there it was simply opening a hole in the underside floor covering to find the loose pex connection. I left the valves in place should I have this problem again.
As a note the Aquahot system was drained in order to install the valves. While testing there was enough fluid left in the lines to produce the leak.

brobox · 11-09-2023, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kosanow1

I bought my fluid from Camping world. A lot cheaper but the same stuff. It's yellow, but to me it looks more green. I believe the previous owner must of put some funky sh!t in the tank at some point, and the heat and cool cycle was creating small chuck. These chucks were keeping the check valves open for a short time. I may never know"

That is good to know. After all of the chemical analysis that were preformed when I had the sludge problem of what was causing it? The Engineer personally thought it was a bad batch of Century Fluid, but nobody would ever admit it. Everybody's head went deeper in the sand. The test to narrow it down would have been over $10,000. It was cheaper to change all the fluid, Which Aqua Hot did. Personally I don't care if I ever have another drop of Century Boiler Fluid. I had the experience, Century has terrible quality control. I will start using the Camping World fluid, thanks.

Are these the chunks you experienced? If so it wasn't the previous owner, mine started with the OEM fluid that had never been added to.

kosanow1 · 11-09-2023, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

That is good to know. After all of the chemical analysis that were preformed when I had the sludge problem of what was causing it? The Engineer personally thought it was a bad batch of Century Fluid, but nobody would ever admit it. Everybody's head went deeper in the sand. The test to narrow it down would have been over $10,000. It was cheaper to change all the fluid, Which Aqua Hot did. Personally I don't care if I ever have another drop of Century Boiler Fluid. I had the experience, Century has terrible quality control. I will start using the Camping World fluid, thanks.

Are these the chunks you experienced? If so it wasn't the previous owner, mine started with the OEM fluid that had never been added to.

Yes that is what it looked like. Good luck with your Aqua Hot. I'm just waiting for the next problem. I've also had to replace the clutch half.

brobox · 11-09-2023, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kosanow1

Yes that is what it looked like. Good luck with your Aqua Hot. I'm just waiting for the next problem. I've also had to replace the clutch half.

Thanks for that feedback...the sludge is still rearing it's ugly head. For second owners having Aqua Hot problems....if your fluid had any kind of fouling....change it. Aqua Hot will say it's OK, but others with stuck valves, plugged fitting, etc will tell you it is not. Now that Kosanow has shared a less expensive fluid, it is a cost effective thing to do. The fouled fluid only gets worse with heat and use.