Author Topic: Hydrohot maintenance  (Read 3896 times)

Lawrence Tarnoff

  • Guest
Hydrohot maintenance
« on: March 15, 2019, 08:20:17 PM »
Getting ready for the annual spring maintenance, assuming we actually get spring in Wisconsin.  I use a Cummings Coach-Care shop nearby.  They will do the routine oil change, lube, filters on the coach and routine maintenance on the genny.  I'd also like them to do routine maintenance on the Hydrohot as the nearest factory-authorized shop is about 90 miles away.  The Cummings guy says they can do this if they can get the parts.  My question: what parts are generally required for routine maintenance and is there a convenient source?

Thanks,

Larry

Steve Huber Co-Admin

  • Administrator Group
  • *
  • Posts: 3503
  • Thanked: 2689 times
Re: Hydrohot maintenance
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2019, 08:45:09 PM »
Larry,
Fuel filter and fuel nozzle are the normal annual replacement items. The fuel filter is available on Amazon (WIX 33109) on my 200-09 unit for $14.62 https://www.amazon.com/WIX-Filters-33109-Spin-Filter/dp/B000CSIO4Y/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=102M20AJAL6DJ&keywords=wix+33109+fuel+filter&qid=1552678812&s=gateway&sprefix=wix+33109%2Caps%2C397&sr=8-1-fkmrnull.
The nozzle can be purchased at Aqua Hot but I'd recommend Roger Berke's site http://www.rvhydronicheaterrepair.com/Index.htm
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Gerald Farris

  • Guest
Re: Hydrohot maintenance
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2019, 03:26:25 AM »
Larry,
I buy my nozzles from a seller on eBay, but you can also get them from Amazon for about a dollar more which is half the price of one from Aqua Hot.      https://www.amazon.com/s?k=danfoss+nozzle+.35+60&ref=nb_sb_noss 

Gerald

Bill Sprague

  • Guest
Re: Hydrohot maintenance
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2019, 04:29:45 AM »
We owned a Monterey for a dozen years.  The HydroHot was the most expensive part.  I came to the conclusion that scheduled maintenance was not the best approach.  It is too complex with too many variables.  If it is burning clean, there is no smoke, you get hot water and heat, leave it alone.  The risk is that if a less than experienced expert "services it", it will be worse not better. 

Instead, leave it alone if it is working.  When you are at a rally, event or near a seasoned HydroHot technician is when you should do preventative or "check up" maintenance.

Let Cummings people work on Cummins stuff.  A clue here is that they don't stock the parts!   
The following users thanked this post: Jim Nichols

Doug Allman

  • Guest
Re: Hydrohot maintenance
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2019, 04:03:42 PM »
IMHO if you have experience with running and maintaining a hot water boiler at your residence or shop then you can probably work on your Aqua Hot or Hydro Hot successfully. I would as said by Bill not let anyone that is not a boiler technician work on a boiler. In 2013 an Aqua Hot was quoted to us direct by Aqua Hot in Colorado as new for $10,000 and rebuilt as $7500. Letting an unqualified tech work on yours is a roll of the dice just like in Las Vegas - your chances of winning are remote.
Gerald and Bill give very good advice - if it is running well - leave it alone. Filter and nozzle are almost the only thing needs changing and those only in close concert when it starts smoking. If you wait too long after it starts smoking you may have to remove the burner and clean that and the burner housing from a lot of soot.
Annual maintenance is a period that has a lot of different meanings in a coach - if you are full timers, if you use it two weeks a year, if, if, if. If it works, let it work.

William Jordan

  • Guest
Re: Hydrohot maintenance
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2019, 05:20:51 PM »
I’ll also add my “leave it alone” if it works... mine failed shortly after having John Carrillo service it , no fault of his. The tank began leaking The  cost , by a knowledgeable service guy near Palm Springs was $7500 to pull and rebuild mine with a new tank and copper tubing using my old burner ( he rebuilt it new bearings etc)  , pumps etc
The recomended service is to replace the jet nozzle , check the spark gap ( tool is mounted on side of the burner) wire brush the soot off the interior burner tube and change the fuel filter. I was hands on involved in the rebuild and while I feel much more comfortable with it now, there are lots of things you can mess up.For example  The burner hold down tabs can break off with too much torque or maybe “just because” they are weak  ... the less times you disassemble the better IMO.
I bought and keep a service kit handy and will wait for it to need service, normally by starting to smoke. Like many things things that sit unused, the  part time user  may need more frequent care. We full time and the burner is on 24/7 . almost 1 1/2 years and still going strong and is smoke free still with no strong odor. I love hydronic boilers but hate the expensive repairs.

Lawrence Tarnoff

  • Guest
Re: Hydrohot maintenance
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2019, 05:33:24 PM »
Thanks, guys.  The coach is in storage a few hours away and is pretty much inaccessible to me.  I'm retrieving it on April 27 and will fire up the Hydrohot and see how it operates.  If all is good, I think I will pass on letting the Cummings guys futz with it.