Just inquiring

[jfasano88]

Just want to get some input on 2 questions 

1  does most people who have aqua hot system keep the diesel burner on with electric on all the time or only use diesel when needed?

2  if I leave the electric status on when not plugged in to 50 amp service does the inverter supply electric to the aqua hot and drain my batteries?

3 (one more) do most people use the back light system at night or day  does it drain batteries when not plug into shore power  

just wondering?

John 2009 Camelot kfq 

 

[Dr4Film]

John,

Since my Aqua-Hot model only has one electric assist element I have both the Diesel and the Electric Assist switches on ALL the time. That way when the demand increases or the ground water is extremely cold the Diesel burner will keep the boiler fluid hot enough to supply plenty of hot fresh water for showers and sinks. The Electric Assist will always contribute to heating the boiler fluid as long as the switch is on and you are hooked to shore power or have the generator running.

However, the Diesel burner is the MAIN source for heating the Aqua-Hot boiler fluid and the Electric Assist is the secondary source for heating the Aqua-Hot boiler fluid.

Your Inverter is NOT hooked to the Aqua-Hot Electric Assist. If it was it would drain your house batteries quickly.

What is the "back-light" system that you are referring to? I really don't know what it is.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Dr4Film

[Ivylog]

Even with only one elect element I rarely had to use the diesel unless dry camping resulting in doing the @annual” maintenance every 3-4 years.

All lights are 12V...off batteries if not plugged in.

[jfasano88]

The back light is at all light switches. If on it illuminates all the switch until you turn it off. If you go into a dark room the light switches are illuminated and it is easer to see them. Mine are labeled back light 

 

[Dr4Film]

Thanks, John, for the explanation of the back light on all of your switches. My coach doesn't use any back light switches. They are all normal Carling Technology switches that can be either large or small depending on where it is used or its function.

[Guest Ray Davis]

When not on shore power or running the gen anything that lights up or runs is running the batteries down to some extent

Actually when your not charging you are discharging,  yeah,  your pretty much charging or discharging, the trick is to keep the discharge at a minimum until you can charge up again

Even though the aqua hot elect element won't work off of the inverter the aqua hot diesel will still work but the burner and fans use 12v so there goes the batteries

That's why we move from one hook up to the next , I sort of like my comfort  LOL 

Only on a rare occasion do we dry camp, but that's just us,  others prefer being able to dry camp as long as possible.   

I have run the gen all night before at casinos etc when it was too hot or cold.  Of course you can't do that in many places because of the noise.

BTW I don't have those back lit switches either but I like the idea,  sure beats a flash light  LOL

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by Ray Davis

[Bill C]

My system has a backlit light for the diesel switch that turns the aqua hot on. I really like that because my Aqua-Hot Shuts off sometimes. When it does the back light turns off as well. If I didn’t have the backlit light on the switch I would not know that Aqua-Hot Shut off on me. It is extremely useful for me, but that’s me and I have problems with my acquired it seems like

[Guest Ray Davis]

I have that sw lit too and a few others, I forgot.     I thought he was referring to something different that is lit whether it's on or off so you can find it in the dark.

[Dennis H]

We leave the electric on all the time while we are hooked up to 50amp service. That said, the electric will only provide you with X amount of heated water. It's ok for military showers or washing dishes but we turn on the diesel for showers and doing the laundry.  My wife likes 15 min showers in the morning and I like the stand up jacuzzi type showers so the diesel is necessary. The diesel burner is also necessary for the furnace if you're running that.

As for the back lit switches...our AH has lighted switches to tell you they are on. If I turn on the rope light switch ALL the switches on that panel light up allowing you to see what each switch is for. This is especially handy in the bedroom which only lights up the panel. The window rope lights have their own switch as do the other lights including the mirrored ceiling ropes.  It does makes a nice night light if necessary.  While any electric usage will draw down your batteries, those lamps are milliamp lamps which IIRC draw less than 1 amp. Hope this helps.....Dennis

Edited January 29, 2021 by Dennis H

[John Haggard]

Concerning the aquahot 

I let the thermostat 's do the work.

 

I keep the electric and diesel switch on 24/7

Have for 15 years now of F.T. 

[Dr4Film]

4 hours ago, John Haggard said:

Concerning the aquahot I let the thermostat 's do the work.

I keep the electric and diesel switch on 24/7

Have for 15 years now of F.T. 

I do the same John ever since owning the coach which is now over 17 years, 13 of those were Full-Time Rving.

[John Haggard]

8 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

I do the same John ever since owning the coach which is now over 17 years, 13 of those were Full-Time Rving.

We were over your way yesterday Richard. 

Publix and Chyropractor visit.

We then had lunch at the Bantum Cheff.

Bunnell. 

Wife had fish

I cant pass on the Oyster sandwich 😩 😫 

Setting out on the pick nick tables.

 

[Dr4Film]

14 minutes ago, John Haggard said:

We then had lunch at the Bantam Chef.

Bunnell. 

Wife had fish

I cant pass on the Oyster sandwich 😩 😫 

Setting out on the pick nick tables.

They have the very BEST Fish Sandwich on the entire eastern seaboard of Florida. Great food!

[John Haggard]

4 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

They have the very BEST Fish Sandwich on the entire eastern seaboard of Florida. Great food!

Yes

Its a favorite of our grandchildren when they visit.

About 30 Harleys visiting from Jacksonville yesterday. 

 

[granvillebarker]

I leave the diesel switch off most of the time, unless we need allot of hot water or we are using the furnace heat.  
 

I don’t like the smell of the diesel exhaust, and don’t want to subject neighbors to it  at a campground unless necessary.

[Guest Ray Davis]

 I leave both aqua hot switches on most of the time too.  Except when we might be on 30 amp then other appliances get preference.

 Earlier models have separate thermostats for elect and diesel, the elect will come on before the diesel, so you might go all day without the diesel   ever coming on.    These are thermostats inside the unit attached to the water tank, not the thermostat where you adjust room temp.

 The diesel comes on when demand exceeds what the elect can deliver.  To me that's obviously as it should operate but I suppose the cost   cutting bean counters   won again.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Ray Davis

[John Haggard]

1 hour ago, granvillebarker said:

I leave the diesel switch off most of the time, unless we need allot of hot water or we are using the furnace heat.  
 

I don’t like the smell of the diesel exhaust, and don’t want to subject neighbors to it  at a campground unless necessary.

You might need to service the burner and nozzle 

There should be little diesel odor and little if any smoke.

The Most furnace noise that I hear in campground s 😳 🤣 come from the propane 

Furnase equiped rv's 

[96 EVO]

On shore power I leave only the electric element on. Turn on burner for showers, and coach heat if it's too cold for the electric to keep the coach comfortable.

If it's 40 or above, and I'm on 50A shore, I'll often use the heat pumps for heat.

Backlights on light switches I only turn on occasionally in the evening. Don't imagine they draw much power, but why put hours on the bulbs during the daylight.

[96 EVO]

15 hours ago, Ray Davis said:

I have that sw lit too and a few others, I forgot.     I thought he was referring to something different that is lit whether it's on or off so you can find it in the dark.

That's exactly what it does Ray.

It's part of the Multiplex lighting system. I have 8 wallplates throughout the coach, and 5 of them have the 'backlight' button, which will turn on / off the backlighting to all 8 wallplates. Works great for getting into bed without disturbing your sleeping better half, without stumbling around, stubbing your toe on something, then accidentally turning on the bedroom overhead lights once your in bed!

[Guest Ray Davis]

 Ben,  if it wasn't for stumbling around, I wouldn't be getting around.      👨🏻‍🦯 

 I'm glad I don't have multiplex but I would like to have those back lit switches. 

 I don't suppose they would only work with multiplex would they?  As long as you supplied 12v to the back light.   Sounds like a lot of work to         locate and replace all those switches.  I'll probably just keep stumbling around in the dark.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Ray Davis

[96 EVO]

Think you would need the multiplex in order for them all come on from any of the wall plates.

Knock on wood, my multiplex has been trouble free so far, but it's not as complex as the higher up models.

It only controls lights, fans, and water pump.

[woodylmiller]

We hardly use the electric at all, 95% on diesel.  There should not be any smoke or smell if it's running right.  I saw a little puff of white smoke once at start up.  Otherwise we never smell it, and I can assure you my DW would be able to smell it.

[amphi_sc]

As to AH, electric is always on when parked on shore power.  Diesel rarely used, but will turn it on for a cycle once a month if it hasn't been used for boondockoing or below freezing reasons for comfort heat.  When on 30 amp, AH electric load shares with front A/C Heat pump (i.e. when front penguin draws >2A, intellitec drops the AH electric element.  Same principle as washer load shares the BR penguin dropping the penguin when the washer is running. When on 50A, the AH is independent of the front penguin.).  If traveling and just overnight boondock, engine loop heated AH enough all day so sitting overnight still has hot water in AM for 5-7 minute showers using onboard water. I don't consider that a "navy shower" using just left over heat, but is less than the 15 minute showers others mentioned.  However, if on shore power, I can easily take 15 minute shower using only electric.  Then again, I don't like a scalding hot shower either.  YMMV

Backlight set to time out after usage.  Any tap on the panel lights it up so I can see the switch labels. i.e. picture below shows one panel that has backlighting on due to tap (right) while adjacent panel on the left is still off.  The other light spots on the switches indicates the switch status. One switch (ceiling rope) is on even though that panel's backlighting us off.  The other indicators are just flash reflections.  I forget exactly how backlighting was set in the "brain", but I think by holding the master off switch for multiple seconds.  We prefer the switches dark at night.

Coaches are different ('07 PT) so what works for me may not be ideal for you.

 

Extending my thoughts a little more, another method I sometimes use when on only 30a and needing a couple of penguins running for cooling is to turn off the two main panel breakers feeding the inverter thus the subpanel feeding the fridge, satellite, tv, microwave, outlets, etc is running off solar and batteries.  Then at night, flip breakers back on to top off the batteries overnight.

 

 

Edited January 30, 2021 by amphi_sc
Changed photo to show "switch on" status as well as backlighting off vs on

[96 EVO]

Al, sounds like you have the big 600 series AH?

[amphi_sc]

31 minutes ago, 96 EVO said:

Al, sounds like you have the big 600 series AH?

It's not a 600 per se, but close to it with 16 gallons of antifreeze, which if hot at 180 to 195 would raise 30+ gallons of fresh tank water from 60 to 100 for my shower, or 20 gallons from close to freezing to my shower temp without any input heat.  The tank also seems well insulated.  As I recall, the 600 has two electric elements where as I only have one, but when it kicks in, I can take a very long shower to come out even more wrinkled. 😃. I asked Lloyd De Gerald (south central AH guy) about adding the second element, but he said the tank wasn't tapped for it.