Century Boiler Fluid and Aqua Hot and floor heating

[Gary.Jones]

This is a slightly different issue, but relevant to those that may be buying new coaches and following this thread.

Because we live in the south and generally try to avoid "the cold", we had used our Aqua Hot for hot water but never used the floor heat circuit or system in the coach so decided that we should get it going and get it allmworking as we read a thread on here about owners finding they needed to add a gallon or more of Century Boiler Fluid to their system, I decided while in New Hampshire and encountering high 30s temps, to fire everything up and get it going. First, I discovered that without using the floor heat circuits, my reserve tank on the AH was empty when hot so I had not been topping it off.

Anyhow, once I started using all part of the AH, I then found that I needed to add about a third of a gallon each of three times over the last ~ 10 days . I have now gone through a gallon of Century pre-mixed AH Boiler / Transfer fluid and the burping is slowly coming to an end. In total, I have added at least a gallon and maybe overall nearly a gallon and a half since I bought this coach 15 months ago.

Moral of the story to new owners..... be sure to be diligent in checking AH boiler/transfer fluid levels until you are sure the system is filled.

Gary

[garysfb]

Originally Posted by 757driver

Gary,

The red line coming out the top of the Aquahot that is only warm may have either a pump that is not working or a stuck check valve. Take the front cover off of the Aquahot and tape the plastic plunger in so the unit will run. The check valve (silver) is located at the bottom of the unit before the pump. Give it a controlled wrap with a tool to unstick it. Feel the pump to see if it is running and check for a red light on the status panel while attempting to run that pump.

Before doing anything I felt both pumps and squeezed both hoses. Pumps both felt like they were running and it felt like fluid was running through both hoses. Tapped on check valve (mine are brass) waited, no change. Repeated several times. If I didn't feel fluid through the line I would think it was a bad check valve not just stuck. But if fluid is running through that doesn't make sense. All the lights are on green that should be. Read the manual and it verifies all that we've talked about, no mention of feeling fluid in the line. It also says the check valve would be either stuck or bad.

So I've learned a lot and since it's not cold enough to worry and no trip planned up north until going to Middlebury in January. I know, it will be cold then, but just a 2 day drive. So I'll let Entegra figure it out and give me the details. Thank for your input!

[hogdriver]

To backup what 757 driver said, I’ll throw in on this AquaHot Fluid thing. I’m one of the original posters about this brown sludge in 2014. My Anthem had fluid turning into thick brown liquid in the first 6 months. I never mixed coolants. Maybe a service guy did that I was unaware, but I never did. Back in 2016 I wrote a long post about completely flushing the system with distilled water and refilling with Camco pink boiler fluid. Yes, I did have to “burb” it. Since that time, my Aquahot fluid is exactly the same color I put in in 2016. I get no sediment.

Maybe AquaHot has stock in Century Boiler Fluid, or maybe AH pissed off Camco. I don’t know. All I know is I’m using the boiler fluid AquaHot used for the previous 20 years and it is economical and it works. The discussion about being super careful about corrosion additives I think is moot if the system has so much sludge it fails. I think my Camco pink will work fine as long as I own the coach.

Up until last month DW and I have been fulltime living in the Anthem for 2-1/2 years and the only thing I have done is had annual AH normal maintenance and topped off a little fluid (1-2 cups) two or three times.

I’m pink, not brown.

[Flanz]

X2 Dave and if it wasn’t for you and Don I’d still be running the Century in our Aquahot. Flushed and filled my Aquahot with Camco pink back in August 2018.

Just checked the Camco in the expansion tank and it’s still nice and pink. Didn’t notice any sludge or anything floating in the fluid.

A quick check with my refractometer and I’m sitting around 35%. We also fulltime and the boiler is used all the time. Looking for a good ph meter now so that I can monitor this as well.

[Gary.Jones]

I dont think that anyone has argued that Camco is not good boiler fluid. It is.

What I have said is that if you are going to move to Camco pink, then you need to completely drain and flush out the Century boiler fluid from all parts of the AquaHot and then replace a "clean system" with nothing but Camco boiler fluid (or the reverse). Camco pink is cheaper and it has been used a Loooooong time in AquaHots.

It is the mixing of Camco and Century that is viewed as the problem. Both are good by themselves, supposedly.

Gary

[Ann n Gene]

I think that either are very good fluids but should not be mixed because of color problems and potential sludge because of incompatibility. The Camco is much cheaper and just as efficient. I will continue to use Century because that is what the factory installed and unless I have trouble and need to flush the system there is no need to change. If I were to completely drain the system I would flush it and install the much cheaper Camco or perhaps just plain glycol boiler antifreeze which is the anti-freeze agent and even cheaper than the Camco. All JMHO

[BobG88]

Is the price difference really that great between Camco & Century?

Maybe I'm missing something; however, at least on Amazon, Camco is 20.00/gallon, while Century is ~23.00/gallon if you use the concentrate (which is also very convenient to store)... Thanks,

BG

[757driver]

Originally Posted by BobG88

Is the price difference really that great between Camco & Century?

Maybe I'm missing something; however, at least on Amazon, Camco is 20.00/gallon, while Century is ~23.00/gallon if you use the concentrate (which is also very convenient to store)... Thanks,

BG

Bob,

The Camco pink that I put in my system is listed here for $9.84 per gallon and then is diluted approximately in half so it makes close to 2 gallons. That is less than 1/4 the price of Century.

https://www.rvautoparts.com/30027-Ca...hoC94AQAvD_BwE

[BobG88]

Originally Posted by 757driver

Bob,

The Camco pink that I put in my system is listed here for $9.84 per gallon and then is diluted approximately in half so it makes close to 2 gallons. That is less than 1/4 the price of Century.

That is a great price until you add in shipping, which to my location is 16.49 for standard ground, for a total of 26.33.

Also, the mixed Camco yields a 37% concentration vs. 50% for the mixed Century concentrate (per Century). If you mix the Century at 37% concentration, the price would drop to ~27.00 for 2 gallons.

This is still a bit higher than the 20.00 at Amazon for the Camco, but the real price difference (gouge!) is with the mixed Century at 30.00/gallon! Thanks,

BG

[757driver]

Originally Posted by BobG88

That is a great price until you add in shipping, which to my location is 16.49 for standard ground, for a total of 26.33.

Also, the mixed Camco yields a 37% concentration vs. 50% for the mixed Century concentrate (per Century). If you mix the Century at 37% concentration, the price would drop to ~27.00 for 2 gallons.

This is still a bit higher than the 20.00 at Amazon for the Camco, but the real price difference (gouge!) is with the mixed Century at 30.00/gallon! Thanks,

BG

The place I ordered from when I switched out from Century fluid had free shipping when an order over $100.00 was placed. One gallon at a time from this seller would be expensive.

[jdmain]

Not a Aquahot expert like many seem to claim they are. However I have 20 years of service experience on them. I also have the certificates and the hat and fancy sew on labels LOL. Jim Yates (sp) is the trainer for their service School and tech support guru. So I tend to value his opinion. Color of the fluid does not matter they would prefer you to not mix it but if it is tested with a refractometer that is all that matters. Now if you mix them and it turns brown odds are some techs will tell you that your fluid is contaminated and bill you big time to drain and flush your system. Many of these same techs will also drain and dump your fluid when doing repairs and force you to buy several gallons to replace it. Me I test it and if it is good I am fine with it.