Hurricane Winter/Summer valves

[Bill Borden]

Hi,

The Hurricane is giving me fits.

First I have a No Heat condition inside (cold registers, fans run).

In checking everything is working as it should but the registers are cold (lines).  Plenty of coolant, pump, and furnace runs, no errors.

The Manual says there are winter/summer valves in the Hurricane compartment but I do not see any.

Are there other valves or solenoids or relay controlled check valves that I should check?

Does anyone know where they are located, I am wondering if someone removed them.

If they were removed, where should they have been? 

Any help would be great.  Thanks

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Bill,
Access to the valves on my 2000 Marquis was via the engine compartment cover in the bedroom. If memory serves me, they were located forward of the opening on the driver side. BTW, mine were mislabeled (winter was summer and vice versa) so try them in both directions.
Steve

[Bill Borden]

Thanks Steve, I will take a look.  What I can not figure why in the 8 years of owning this coach that I need to change the position of the valves.

Everything worked before, the valves haven't been touched to my knowledge.

I thought there might be something else blocking or stopping the coolant flow.

Thanks again, I will check it out this weekend and let you know.

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Bill,
Some things to check;
-Are you sure the fluid lines are cold? The registers have aquastats installed that won't turn the fans on until the fluid temp reaches 120 degrees to prevent them from blowing cold air.
-Check the fluid level. If low an air lock could be preventing fluid from reaching the registers.
-Is the water cirulation pump running? If so, it should be running quietly with no evidence of cavitations. If it is runnign noisily or making cavitation sounds. you may be low on water and fighting an air lock.
- Do you have hot water when the Hurricane is running and the water heater turned off? If not, there is a shut-off valve between the Hurricane and the water heater and registers.
-Is the remote switch on? If so, turning Off and back On will clear any faults.
-Are you getting any diagnostic codes on the control box?
Steve

[Bill Borden]

Steve,

Good suggestions, this what I have found.

-Are you sure the fluid lines are cold? The registers have aquastats installed that won't turn the fans on until the fluid temp reaches 120 degrees to prevent them from blowing cold air.  Yes Cold lines, the fan runs.

-Check the fluid level. If low an airlock could be preventing fluid from reaching the registers.  Yes, thought of that, the expansion tank has fluid and it is Hot when running.
 
-Is the water circulation pump running? If so, it should be running quietly with no evidence of cavitations. If it is running noisily or making cavitation sounds. you may be low on water and fighting an airlock.  Since we have water running thru the expansion tank and the Heat transfer coils for the Hot Water tank, both Hot, can I assume the pump is running? No Codes or lights, the pump hums no noise.

- Do you have hot water when the Hurricane is running and the water heater turned off? If not, there is a shut-off valve between the Hurricane and the water heater and registers.  Yes, I have Hot water.

-Is the remote switch on? If so, turning Off and back On will clear any faults.  Yes the Remote is on.
-Are you getting any diagnostic codes on the control box?   No Codes! or lights.

I have the cover off and the thermostat is sending 12.5 volts to the Hurricane to run heat into the Coach on both Zones.

According to what I have read in the Forum and the Manuals it should be heating the coach.

And I can attest that right now at 7500' it is cold enough for the one who is in charge to complain about how cold it is!

But now we are home, so I need to figure this puzzle out before our next trip.

Thanks for your help,

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Bill,
Got me stumped, especially the fans running w/ cold lines. (Control board??). When I reached my limit on my Hurricane I found that Rixens was super in talking me through an issue. May want to consider giving them call.
http://rixens.com/
Steve

[Keith Moffett]

Bill
Our Hurricane was located in the small bay passanger side all the way forward.  Just inside the bay door were the hoses and a heat exchanger that warmed the engine.  there were two handles that operated valves and it was one up one down.  oposite for winter.
I would bet that the high temp aquastat is bad.  One is AC one is DC for high and again for low.  If stuck it may be sending the control board bad info.
Also a possible idea is the main board is bad.  We had to replace ours.
Good luck and Jim Rixon is a great guy.

[Bill Borden]

Partial success!  I found the Winter/Summer valve by opening the Engine hatch in the bedroom.  And it was set to Winter, so it is in the correct position.  Thanks, Steve!

So next I will call Rixen to ask for help.  I have spoken to ITR Hurricane, but it was not fruitful.

Thanks for the input, more later.

[Bill Borden]

Update: Success!

I spoke with Rixen Friday and we started focusing on the Summer/Winter valve area.  We then narrowed it down to an air gap or blockage in the lines to the house.  The Hurricane was operating correctly. 

In checking for a second valve, (I could only find the one, is there another one?).  I realize the whole assembly was loose, just laying there.

It turned out the Valve and Expansion tank assembly had broken off the mounts, I had never seen it in its correct position, it had broken off the mounts long before we bought the Coach. 

The valve assembly had fallen over the back of the motor.  This had eventually caused a low point in the hose so there wasn't enough push back 'uphill' to flow the coolant to the house registries.

Once I replace the broken mounts and re-attached the Winter/Summer assembly including an expansion tank back where it belongs, the heat returned.  The system is now working as it should.

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.