Community Forums

nella1129 · 10-19-2016, 04:18 PM

Hello All,
Can anyone tell me what needs to be done to use the basement heater. I have the thermostat turned on but don't know if a certain zone and the burner have to be turned on in order to heat.
Thanks for any help.
Carl
2014 Anthum

Swerwin · 10-19-2016, 04:24 PM

You need to turn on the AquaHot diesel burner. Then set each thermostat zone to gas heat. Zone #2 is for the floor heat and needs to be set rather high since the floor is getting warm and the temperature sensor is about 1/2 way up the wall allowing the other zones to warm it and shut the floor heat off.

PJL · 10-19-2016, 05:33 PM

I think you will find that the basement thermostat is independent of the thermostat located in the coach. You will need either the electric or diesel (or propane) burner to be on, but other than that, no other "zone" is required to be on.

DebbieMH · 10-19-2016, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJL

I think you will find that the basement thermostat is independent of the thermostat located in the coach. You will need either the electric or diesel (or propane) burner to be on, but other than that, no other "zone" is required to be on.

Correct ... just turn the thermostat in the basement to your desired temp. Typically, you really don't need to put it very high as you aren't going to live in the basement. Also, during cold weather, the floor heat will help keep the tanks and water lines from freezing as well. My understanding from the day with PJ is that there are aqua hot lines following all the water lines and there is an aqua hot coil above all three tanks (fresh, gray and black) ... so, you really don't have to worry too much about the water freezing.

MRUSA14 · 10-19-2016, 07:49 PM

Correct. Basement heat is rarely needed if you are heating the coach in order to live in it. Unless it is extremely cold, the basement gains enough heat from the furnace, heat lines that are in the basement, and heat leakage from above, that things in the basement won't freeze.

Gary.Jones · 10-19-2016, 07:58 PM

However, depending on the outside temperature, if it is VERY cold (e.g. a risk of freezing) then you need to have the diesel fired AquaHot turned on ("Gas" on the thermostat). The AquaHot is capable of heating the coach and the basement to a good level almost regardless of the outside temperature. However, the electric element of the AquaHot on the Anthem and the Aspire is really not sufficient to heat the coach and the basement in very cold conditions... the cold will simply overwhelm the electric heat element. I have found that the electric element is pretty good down to temps in the 40s, but for temps in the low 40s and 30s and below, the diesel fired burner is needed to stay in front of the cold.

Gary

nella1129 · 10-20-2016, 07:24 AM

Thank you all for the information. it was very helpful.
Regards,
Carl Allen

Dieselgem · 10-20-2016, 07:37 AM

I had a 13 Aspire which I did not winterize. I simply turned the electric side of the aquahot on and the basement switch. It heated very well, in temps below 25, I turned the burner side of the aquahot on and it supplemented the required heat. I use a remote temperature display to keep check.

I thought the Cornerstone worked the same way and you only needed to turn the thermostat on zone 2 to gas if you wanted the floors to heat. Is this correct?

AspireDoug · 10-20-2016, 07:45 AM

When I first got my coach Joyce told me that in Central Texas near Austin (where I live) I should be okay running the basement heat using only the electric element while in storage. I have been afraid to try it without the LP burner on. Anyone been successful using this method? Most of the time our winters will only see a few times when we drop into the twenties and some years we only have a few freezes. Of course we can have temps in the teens or even down near single digits once in ten or twenty years where obviously I would have to turn on the LP burner.

Doug

Marcosdad · 10-20-2016, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dieselgem

I thought the Cornerstone worked the same way and you only needed to turn the thermostat on zone 2 to gas if you wanted the floors to heat. Is this correct?

Nate:

You're correct. When outside is in the 40s, we just use the electric element with zone 2. IE, heat gas but the gas burner off. Keeps the living area about 20 degrees warmer than outside and no cold tile shock

when one gets up.

Mwoodofd · 10-20-2016, 04:08 PM

Living in the DFW area, I do not trust the electric option only for protection from freezing while in storage. The electricity is not that reliable in our storage facility. Draining or putting in the pink anti freeze is a pain, but not like the damage that can happen from frozen pipes and parts. The propane is an added option, but I just add the pink stuff, and flush if we choose to take the coach out. ($20 insurance)