Unidentified Device

[Bob Stone]

i'm sure someone can tell me the purpose of the metal container/sensor just below my solar controller in the attached photo. Thanks in advance.

[Gerald Farris]

Bob,
It is very difficult to tell you what you are referring to without more information, but it looks like a temperature sensor like the one used for the basement heater.

Gerald

[Dan Murphy]

I believe Gerald is correct. I also have the same sensor located next to my solar controller in the wet bay.

[Fred Brooks]

                   Bob,   It's a thermostat for an aquahot if it is located in a compartment. Fred

[Bob Stone]

Thank you Gerald, Dan and Fred. You have confirmed my suspicions. It is located just at the end of my reach in the tank bay preventing a close examination.

[Joel Ashley]

Interesting.  Our Monterey is only a year away from Bob's, but I have not seen a sensor like that, certainly not around the solar control module.  In the tank bay where the solar controller is, the only obvious thermosensor is the black pencil-like one (similar to one on the battery tray) fastened to the special frame in the bay front used for the Aladdin compass/bay temp module.

Apparently the Hydronics use a separate one for the bay zone, not relying on the Aladdin's.  I'll have to do a check of our adjacent large storage bay, since that's where the heat exchange unit is, on its ceiling, and I didn't see that safety-flasher-shaped device in the tank bay, like Bob's.

I appreciate the question and the responses.

Speaking of the tank bay, my black tank's Aladdin volume sensor finally went down... well up actually - 270% at the moment.  Probably some gunk that didn't flush out originally dried in it over 3 years storage, and I'd like to get at it to see if I can remove and resurrect its diaphragm, replace it, or convert to the newer strip sensor type, SeeLevel or whatever it is called (did you ever get around to that, Joel Weiss?).   I've yet to try detergent and the ice techniques, or a thorough nozzle Sani-flush, but should that fail, can I presume the device is at the bottom of a tank wall at the water bay end?  It's sure not obvious on the tank's curbside end.

I'm hoping if push comes to shove, and recalling Ed's experience, that I can get at it by just removing a few screws holding the stainless dump valve cover at the bottom of the white water bay panel, rather than having to unfasten and decaulk the entire panel for access.

Joel

[Stan Simpson]

Bob,

I think the picture below is the same as yours. Mine is in the bay where the Aladdin wiring is, and the black and gray water tanks. Its on a wall on the side of that bay. I asked what it was on this forum a long time ago, and was told it was the controller for the solar panel.

Stan

[Joel Ashley]

Stan, Bob was asking about the cylindrical device in his photo under the controller module.

[Bob Stone]

Stan, as Joel suggests, it is the little metal canister to which I was referring. Interestingly the slight depression in the top and the way the clip is configured it would suggest that it should/could be attached to a hose. Prior to my quirey I had Googled images of thermistors and temperature devices and found none that resembled this little 'can'.


Joel could it be that the basement heat has to be separate from the Aladdin because the Hydrohot can be operated independent of the Aladdin. I.e. No heat in the basement if Aladdin is off but Hydrohot is on?


Also Joel, my basement heat exchanger is on the ceiling of the tank bay. Last year, in mid November, I drove for three days in extreme cold (20 below zero Centigrade) and had to supplement the heat in the tank bay with an electric ceramic heater. Also one in the cockpit, as the heater, defroster and Hydrohot could barely keep the chill off. Why did I travel? I'd rather drive in the cold than a blizzard which usually happens in warmer weather. Each hour of driving I knew I was sixty miles closer to the palm trees and the temperature slowly improved.
🌴🌴🌴

[Fred Brooks]

       Hi Bob,

      The device I think you are referring to was first used by Dometic on their refrigerators to protect the icemaker water solenoids from freezing. That device would activate when temps were around 35 to 40 degrees and send power to the heater wires that were wrapped around the icemaker water solenoid and surrounding water lines.
      If you want to prove if that thermostat is operational here is the way that I check them out. Get a can of aerosol dust cleaner for computer key boards. Turn your aquahot on and set your bath and bedroom zones to heat and bump the temperature setting up to 80 or 90 degrees. Take the aerosol can and invert it and spray a couple of shots of liquid on the thermostat in question to simulate a cold condition and see if the bay heat exchanger comes on. If you want to by-pass the thermostat, just get a jumper wire and connect both terminals together. (thermostat in a closed position) . Hope this helps, Fred

[Bob Stone]

Thank you Fred.
My understanding is that the bay heater is independent of either of the other two main floor thermostats. If the Hydrohot is on heat would always be available to attempt to maintain the basement temperature at 40 degrees regardless of main floor thermostat settings. Are you suggesting that if the bedroom thermostat is turned off that there would be no heat from the bay heater?

[Fred Brooks]

         Bob, not really sure if it is independent or not. It seems to me that the aqua-hot would have to know that you are calling for heat from any zone so it would turn on the respective circulation pump if there was a demand. Give it a try either way and let us know how it plays out. Regards, Fred

[Bob Stone]

Fred, I didn't have to chill the thermostat with the can of compressed air - ambient and tank bay were both 32 degrees F.
I just clicked the switch for the diesel burner for the Hydrohot which fired up immediately. When I returned an hour later the tank bay was at 43 degrees F. Both bedroom and living room thermostats are off. So, at least on my coach, the tank bay heater is independent of the main floor thermostats.