Hydro-Hot

[Dale Soule]

Need some advice, We have o6 Beaver with a Hydro-Hot (HHE 200-09E).  We have owned this M/H for 15 months, Works great, love. The last 2 weeks, slow to have furnace to come on and not real warm. But the exhaust has a very sour smell with some gray, purple color.  where in North East Calif. would you go for repairs. Reno, Redding, Oregon?  I do not know the last time it was serviced or where.  We appreciate everybody on the Forum for all of our hic ups.  Canyonville was great!!!

[Bryan Schmidt]

Dale

For Aquahot Factory Authorized Service Centers, you can go to http://www.aquahot.com/Service-Help.aspx.   It looks like there are locations in Reno, Carson City, northeast of Sacramento and Medford, OR...

[Dale Soule]

    Bryan:     Thank you I'm on it.

[Doug Allman]

From my experience a change in color or any smoke out exhaust pipe is telling you that your nozzle is in some way the culprit.

Once you decide to learn about the Aqua Hot or Hydro Hot, it is not as complex as any other part of the coach, just unfamiliar to most of us, you will find that servicing is fairly easy. Then the smoke signs or cooler water will tip you as to what may be going on.
Keeping the fluid level up is also necessary for either to heat the water.

If you are in your coach much and using it then jumping in feet first will be much less expensive in the long run and when it just shouldn't happen you can go out and get it going again and do necessary repairs when it is convenient. I remember when on way to Quartzsite from Michigan I had to get out and tap the brain box every morning to get hot water going. Got kinda cool at night but we did not freeze. Not a usual thing that a Beaver Owner likes to do either but it beats no hot water for days just knowing what to do.

I have also never found a repairman in a rest area on the interstate.

Here is a key item that if you travel with or are around another Beaver they most likely have the same brain box as you have so you can take theirs out and do a test to see if yours has failed. Least expensive way to get one is on the internet, if you can wait a few days.

[Dale Soule]

It is intimidating not being able to get into the bay and know what to do.  I will learn on this and do maintenance as necessary.  Thanks to all.

[Doug Allman]

Dale, You are very correct, it is intimidating. Now I say, it was. The word Aqua or Hydro Hot was very unfamiliar to me even though I have had a boiler for years in my house/shops.
Learning all started after first year blowing out system and finding in March getting ready to leave for Florida that water was running out underneath of coach. Short of it was because we are contractors I had sons remove Aqua Hot and we replaced the tubing that had multiple splits due to freezing.
Then had other leaks that wet down the control board and all the relays were corroded. So in Yuma I got on internet and found all the relays and their plug in boards and replaced all. Along with replacing brain box I now have a very good understanding of what an aqua hot is. It is now working without hiccups.
When Aqua Hot informed my son that they could ship us a rebuilt for $7500.00 or a new unit for $10,000.00 I figured I could damage a lot of items before I got it right and still save $9000.00. With replacing the copper coil twice and all the board items and brain box I am now a little over $1200.00 so I missed the savings by a little but now know what to do anytime it wants to take me on.
That for me is a sense of relief as I know it cannot pull my chain and have me in a panic anymore.
There are numerous other informative info I have found and posted a while back on this rework but you can call me at any time if you have any questions.  231-218-1119.
Last fall I used the Aqua Hot as a hot water source to heat the new total coach in floor heat system I installed under a new cork floor. Feet are now warm when getting up in morning and no fans running for noise when drinking a hot cup of coffee looking out window at sun coming up over mountains in Yuma, or Quartzsite or Lake Havasu or wherever.
Gerald or Dave helps me fix all else as they are the wizards of the club.

[Jim Houghton]

You can also go to http://forum.rvhydronicheaterrepair.com/forum.php and register for the site. Roger will offer any help via e mail and also provides all manuals for our heaters. I have downloaded and been able to repair my system a few times. He also has the parts available and any special tools for the repairs. If you feel that the repair may be beyond ones abilities he offers a repair and return option as well. The forum usually has someone who is experiencing our problems and by reading these has assisted as much as this forum has as well.

[Dale Soule]

Thanks everybody, I'll be going up to M/H mid week armed with my anti intimidation pills. 

[Joel Ashley]

Dale, should you need parts and owners manuals for your unit, they are available on the Club's Coach Assist part of the Private BAC Members Only section off the Home page.  Their troubleshooting areas don't discuss your symptoms, however.  For that you'll have to rely on the Company or Roger's site, or the BAC's resident AquaHot fellow, Orman Claxton.

Joel

[David Privitera]

I worked with Roger Berke, the fellow Jim Houghton mentions (http://www.rvhydronicheaterrepair.com/).   Roger coached me through some pretty significant issues so that I was able to do the work myself and get the system up and running with a few parts from him. 

[Dale Soule]

I have talked to Rodger and have a game plan, thanks to all and I will keep you posted.