Aqua hot diesel

[jfasano88]

Just inquiring about my aqua hot diesel burner. I don’t use my diesel burner because my electric is sufficient. Do I need to use it to exercise the diesel burner. If I don’t need to use it, is it ok not to fire it up, should I exercise it 

John 2009 Camelot kfq 

[DavidL]

Many diesels are left in the fields for months / years and start right up.

but personally, I would fire it up just to keep the fuel fresh in the system and not gummy that might clog the nozzle.

But that's just me.

[96 EVO]

Basically the same nozzle as an old oil furnace.

Back when they were popular, lot's and lot's of furnace repair service calls at the start of the heating season due to plugged nozzles!

I run my AH through at least one cycle every 3 weeks or so!

[Old Dog]

.This is what happens to a nozzle that sits for two years. The dirty one only had a couple hours on it but wouldn't even fire up.

[Ivan K]

I had good luck unscrewing that dirty filter part of the nozzle, soaking it in carb cleaner and blowing out. Have been rotating the few old nozzles for a while now instead of buying potentially counterfeit nozzles elsewhere and it works for me so far. Same for my used oil heater in the shop.

[Doug and Nicki]

Yes. Run it on diesel once each month for ten minutes. It keeps the nozzle clear.

[zmotorsports]

I would recommend running the diesel burner occasionally to keep the fuel fresh in the system as well as nozzle clean.  Yes, you can remove them and clean them, but letting it run for a few minutes every so often is so much easier.  Also, the diesel burner IS the primary heat source for the Aqua-Hot, electrical is the secondary.

When we arrive at a campground, after checking in and getting to our site I turn the diesel burner on to let it run through a cycle, and then turn the electric element on.  I keep both switches on throughout our trip(s) and seldom does the diesel burner come on during the warmer months unless the wife and I shower back to back with no recovery time for the boiler tank.  In the spring and fall trips when running the heat registers the diesel burner will come on in the AM when I bump the T-stat up a bit but I still keep both the diesel and electric switches on whenever we use the coach on vacation.

[96 EVO]

1 hour ago, zmotorsports said:

I would recommend running the diesel burner occasionally to keep the fuel fresh in the system as well as nozzle clean.  Yes, you can remove them and clean them, but letting it run for a few minutes every so often is so much easier.  Also, the diesel burner IS the primary heat source for the Aqua-Hot, electrical is the secondary.

When we arrive at a campground, after checking in and getting to our site I turn the diesel burner on to let it run through a cycle, and then turn the electric element on.  I keep both switches on throughout our trip(s) and seldom does the diesel burner come on during the warmer months unless the wife and I shower back to back with no recovery time for the boiler tank.  In the spring and fall trips when running the heat registers the diesel burner will come on in the AM when I bump the T-stat up a bit but I still keep both the diesel and electric switches on whenever we use the coach on vacation.

Mike, your lucky your system is old enough to work that way 👍!

The newer 450 (and possibly 600D) models, the electric side, and burner side, share the same thermostats!

Leave both switches on, the electric element, and, diesel burner, fire simultaneously ☹️!! 

[zmotorsports]

24 minutes ago, 96 EVO said:

Mike, your lucky your system is old enough to work that way 👍!

The newer 450 (and possibly 600D) models, the electric side, and burner side, share the same thermostats!

Leave both switches on, the electric element, and, diesel burner, fire simultaneously ☹️!! 

 

Sorry, I should have looked at the year of the OP's coach.

 

Yes, this is definitely a plus of the older units.   I guess just another reason I'll keep our ole' girl as I haven't seen anything that I'd trade her for lately.

Edited January 29, 2024 by zmotorsports

[Jetjockey]

I was of the understanding the control thermostat cycles both the diesel and electric side simultaneously. The high limit thermostats for diesel and electric are separate

[96 EVO]

25 minutes ago, Jetjockey said:

I was of the understanding the control thermostat cycles both the diesel and electric side simultaneously. The high limit thermostats for diesel and electric are separate

On the older models they were.

Electric would start first. If it couldn't keep up to demand, diesel would fire! Good setup, that someone in the company decided to mess with!

Edited January 29, 2024 by 96 EVO

[Ivylog]

On 1/28/2024 at 11:26 AM, Old Dog said:

.This is what happens to a nozzle that sits for two years. The dirty one only had a couple hours on it but wouldn't even fire up.

Send me the dirty one and I’ll soak it in lacquer thinner and then use it.

I’m at 5 years on the current nozzle in my 600D as the electric provides the majority on my heat needs. I do run the diesel briefly every 2-3 months.

Edited January 29, 2024 by Ivylog

[zmotorsports]

15 hours ago, Ivylog said:

Send me the dirty one and I’ll soak it in lacquer thinner and then use it.

I’m at 5 years on the current nozzle in my 600D as the electric provides the majority on my heat needs. I do run the diesel briefly every 2-3 months.

 

Same here Dick, I'm at about the 5-6 year mark on mine but I'd have to look at my notes to be sure.  I think I replaced it soon after my new shop was completed in late 2017 and although the exhaust is still clean as can be, I think I'll replace my nozzle and filter this spring before our travel season starts.  Ours doesn't get run all too often on diesel either being part timers but I think I will still change mine as a precautionary measure.

[Dr4Film]

I posted last summertime the observations I had made with the sequence of operation of the Aqua-Hot model I now have in my 06 dynasty, 100-04 versus the older 431/12 I had in my previous 02 Windsor.

I had discovered that with the 100-04 when parked for an extended time and hooked to 50 amp shore power, the diesel would fire up routinely even though I had the Electric Assist on. I found out that they share the same control thermostat. Whereas, I was accustomed to having both the diesel and electric assist switches on all the time with the 431/12.

Needless to say, I now manage the Aqua-Hot switches differently with the 100-04 knowing what I know now.

[bryan browne]

AHE-100-04S -in my 2007 dynasty, how do you remove and replace the boiler fluid. dont see a drain for it in the service diagram. need to change electric element and will replace fluid at this time. is there a certain hose to remove that is better. I had read prior that you need to pump fluid in from drain as to not trap air?

[Dr4Film]

Bryan,

Look at your service manual on page 1 which has a diagram of the 100-04. It shows the location of the boiler drain valve.

Edited January 31, 2024 by Dr4Film

[bryan browne]

2 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

Bryan,

Look at your service manual on page 1 which has a diagram of the 100-04. It shows the location of the boiler drain valve.

I see that but isnt the boiler drain the fresh water and not the boiler fluid? opened my valve on it and it is empty from winterization. my A/H currently works on diesel just not electric.

[Dr4Film]

AFAIK, the hot and cold fresh water drains should be at a different location normally close to the floor and the drains go through the floor. You should be able to see the drains from under the coach.

[bryan browne]

56 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

AFAIK, the hot and cold fresh water drains should be at a different location normally close to the floor and the drains go through the floor. You should be able to see the drains from under the coach.

you are correct. i had to open another line and it started to drain. I figure have the cap off the expansion tank would have allowed the fluid to drain out. I even blew into the drain line and it gurgled like it was empty.

Edited January 31, 2024 by bryan browne

[radioman]

Yes start at least once a month. A Webasto DBW2010 has a nozzle with one of the smallest hole over made. They only use a 1/3 of a gallon an hour, plus they have to produce a perfect cone shaped pattern.Most oil fired nozzle use 2 to 10 gallons an hour or more. They plug up easy.