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Old 12-01-2021, 07:45 AM   #1
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Hot water & AquaHot system

Good Morning,
I have a 2015 Aspire with the 400LP Aqua Hot system. I run out of hot water when I'm taking a shower after about 3 or 4 minutes (with LP burner on). Then it takes 4 or 5 minutes for it to start getting warm again. Is there any way to get the LP burner to kick on any quicker?
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Old 12-01-2021, 08:00 AM   #2
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Galen

I cant help you as I dont have your AquaHot (I have the 450), but it is very hard for me to believe that even your unit is designed to operate the way you say it operates. On mine, the 3 or 4 minutes you are getting hot water for a shower would be from the electric element in the AH. If the water is already hot from the electric element, then just turning on the diesel does not immediately make the diesel burner fire, it seems to wait lets say 2 minutes to sense the hot water going down and then fires up to keep the hot water coming.

This is just a guess. Are you absolutely sure that the LP burner is firing up before you run out of hot water. I'd turn on my shower, go outside with a stop watch and watch and listen to what is going on with the AH. What it sounds like is that the LP burner does not fire until your water tank is completely devoid of hot water and the LP burner only comes on after the hot water is gone.

A call to AH Customer Service would probably get you some possibilities.... I'd bet there is a thermistor that senses the state of the hot water reservoir tank that is not functioning and fails to turn on the LP burner when it needs to and the system waits until there is nothing but cold water. Just a guess extrapolating from the 450

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Old 12-01-2021, 08:02 AM   #3
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If your AH is working correctly, then you are getting into the shower when the water is already at the temp AH stops the heating process (195F I believe). Either start burner 5 minutes before getting into the shower or turn on your floor heat to signal the AH to restart the heating process. Hope makes sense.

On the other hand, there is a possibility that you are only working with the electric heat only? Is that side on? Maybe the AH, although the light of the burner inside turns on, is not actually firing underneath the coach.
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Old 12-01-2021, 08:49 AM   #4
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My system is run on LP. I always turn the burner on at least an hour before I take a shower. I leave the electric switch on all the time.. I have read that previous coaches with the 375 LP system has the same issue and Entegra came up with a work around. The Diesel units have mixing valves and apparently do not have the issue that the LP system does. LP systems don't have the same mixing valve design supposedly.
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Old 12-01-2021, 09:46 AM   #5
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I have this issue as well, it started when i adjusted the water flow in the shower handle increasing the water flow in the shower.. its really hot for a few minutes then it's just warm but then after a few minutes its hot again. I assume it's too much water flow for the aquahot to handle.
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Old 12-01-2021, 10:27 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Grape View Post
My system is run on LP. I always turn the burner on at least an hour before I take a shower. I leave the electric switch on all the time.. I have read that previous coaches with the 375 LP system has the same issue and Entegra came up with a work around. The Diesel units have mixing valves and apparently do not have the issue that the LP system does. LP systems don't have the same mixing valve design supposedly.
So I am not Aquahot expert but had read enough info to, i think, understand the process. The AH, once on, will start heating the coolant to its operating temperature (155F to 195F). This means the AH, while on, will keep the temperature of the coolant fluid between those numbers. Once it reaches 195, it will shot down and should not start again until the coolant temp falls below 155. Also, the "water" temp (not the coolant), technically will be at the same temp as the coolant, however, this is only true for 1.5 gallons per minute (34 ft of copper tube inside AH). SO you might be using more than 1.5 gallons of water and and at the lowest temp in the 155-195 bracket. Specially if your AH is on 1 hour ago.

See video below starting at 12:10.... It should be very clear by then if I am understanding your problem.



Here is the next part:
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Old 12-01-2021, 12:19 PM   #7
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One thing to remember is that the inbound water temp has a lot to do with how hot the water is. When we are Spartan school, PJ gave a talk on the Aquahot, that alone was almost with the price of the class. His suggestion was to turn on the floor heat about 5 minutes prior to heading into the shower, this will cause the system to turn the burner on most of the time and you get a good hot shower.
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Old 12-01-2021, 12:29 PM   #8
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Perhaps your "stir" pump is not working in your AquaHot? This will result in poor heat distribution within the AquaHot boiler and that leads to poor water heating efficiency. When other pumps for heating zones are working then the stir pump does not. But, when there isn't demand for cabin heat then the stir pump comes on when heat is needed to maintain water temperature.
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Old 12-01-2021, 01:01 PM   #9
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My memory of our LP aqua hot on our '13 is that there is no stir pump. Try running the hot water elsewhere (like the kitchen) prior to showering. Gets the fire started and runs the hot water out of the tank and starts the new water into it before you get it on your body Or...run the floor heat for a few minutes prior to showering
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Old 12-01-2021, 08:11 PM   #10
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Running hot water prior or the floor to get the burner going works well. Mine will still fluctuate as others mention if the ground water is cold. Guessing our ground water right now is near 40 degrees.
Best to use your “preheated” fresh water tank and you should have hot showers. We keep an almost full fresh water tank all the time. Never know.
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Old 12-01-2021, 09:24 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcosdad View Post
My memory of our LP aqua hot on our '13 is that there is no stir pump. Try running the hot water elsewhere (like the kitchen) prior to showering. Gets the fire started and runs the hot water out of the tank and starts the new water into it before you get it on your body Or...run the floor heat for a few minutes prior to showering


Agree, on our LP375, I always turn the floor on, even if not needed. Then wait 20 minutes and our showers are great. Also, we had one of the thermostats and regulator go out, that gave us the initial issue of the gas function of the AH to shutdown prematurely. Take the cover off, inspect the wiring on the black box (regulator) that has a few wires screwed to the top. Look for burnt or melted sheathing at the connection points.

Good Luck
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Old 12-02-2021, 05:06 AM   #12
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2015 Aspire - 400LP AH.
I had the same problem. While at the factory last July for the AIR, there was small hole or slice in a hose at the rear of the AH that was sucking air into to the system. Factory fixed it and no problem since. I always have electric and LP on when hooked up. Apologies for not being more specific as the coach is in winter slumber and all paperwork is in coach.
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Old 12-02-2021, 06:45 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Grape View Post
Good Morning,

I have a 2015 Aspire with the 400LP Aqua Hot system. I run out of hot water when I'm taking a shower after about 3 or 4 minutes (with LP burner on). Then it takes 4 or 5 minutes for it to start getting warm again. Is there any way to get the LP burner to kick on any quicker?


Galen… any news on your AH issue? Is it working? Are you still having issues? Please let us know how are things progressing.

Thanks
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Old 12-02-2021, 12:32 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcosdad View Post
My memory of our LP aqua hot on our '13 is that there is no stir pump. Try running the hot water elsewhere (like the kitchen) prior to showering. Gets the fire started and runs the hot water out of the tank and starts the new water into it before you get it on your body Or...run the floor heat for a few minutes prior to showering
I've never seen a hydronic heater of any brand that doesn't have a stir pump. Brands other than Aqua Hot may give it another name such as Oasis calling it a "summer pump". They're required for even distribution in the heat exchanger tank when the zone distribution pumps are not running. The result of the pump failing is exactly what the OP is experiencing i.e., a reduction in hot water delivery capacity.
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