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Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Yahoo Message Number: 65836
Enjoying our maiden voyage on the good ship Intrigue Ovation, but don't have antifreeze in the Hydro Hot, so no hot water. Anyone have brands of this boiler antifreeze that they know and trust and that are generally available?

Ron 2004 Intrique 11799

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65839
Google Roger Berke's RV parts company. He sells the right stuff.

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Lee Zaborowski

07 Intrigue 12153, Cat C-13

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65840
Ron,

You must use one which has an ethylene glycol base. Do NOT use the non-toxic type. Since most anti-freezes are very similar in contents other than some patented additives, it likely doesn't make much difference. Actually, your system came with anti-freeze in it, and since it is a closed system, you shouldn't need to add much to it if you haven't added water. You might want to check the specific gravity of the liquid in the system to determine what amount of anti-freeze is present.

Martin

2006 Affinity
#6543

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65846
Martin,

I'm a little confused on your advice for Aqua-Hot anti-freeze. Prior to 04, they were using regular automotive anti-freeze, the green stuff and then changed to boiler anti-freeze because of concerns of contamination if the coils leaked, allowing toxic anti-freeze to mix with the fresh water.
Unless something has changed, boiler anti-freeze, Propylene Glycol, must be used and is Non-Toxic.

Tom

01 Magna 5999

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65847
Martin,

That is correct for all hydronic heaters that supply domestic hot water using an exchanger coil immersed in the coolant mixture. That is also the correct reason. The most common boiler antifreeze is Camco -100 Do not use potable RV antifreeze (pink stuff) as it does not have the required anticorrosive agents added.
The interesting thing to me is that the original poster did not mention whether or not he has heat nor what lead him to believe he has no antifreeze in the HydroHot. Actually if it is a closed system as Martin mentioned then there is no reason that you can't use either as long as the unit does not provide the domestic hot water directly.

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65855
Tom,

This information came directly from Country Coach's on-site supervisor at Lazydays. I can only pass on what he said. Now, when he made this statement to me he was working on my 2004 Intrigue.

Martin

2006 Affinity
#6543

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65861
Thanks for the great information. You all are such great people to help out like this. Since this is our first trip in the coach we're pretty green, having moved up from a 30' travel trailer.
We don't have heat, at least not from the hydronic heating system. Our diesel tank is 1/4 full, which may explain why the diesel burner in the Hydro-Hot will not operate. But, according to the manuals the 120 VAC element should be heating water. I turned off the "diesel" and "engine preheat" switches and turned on the "electric" switch on the Hydro-Hot controller. I checked and added to the coolant level (thus, my initial inquiry to the group). I got an email from a tech at Aqua-Hot who explained that for our model, an HHE200 08E, that the non-toxic boiler antifreeze is required. We bought some Camco -100 at an RV supply store and added it to the expansion tank, which was empty. (The expansion tank had fluid to the "cold" line when we first inspected the coach a week before delivery, but nothing when we checked it at our destination.)
I pushed the Low Voltage reset which made green Electric Heating Element Status and green Heating Status lights come on. (By the way, there are no other lights lit on the electronic contoller.) That was yesterday. Still no hot water today.
The three rooftop heat pumps and the radiant floor make the coach comfortable but my bride is getting tired of heating water in the microwave to wash dishes.
I'm running out of things to check. Thanks for any suggestions you might be able to offer!

Ron 2004 Intrigue 11799

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65862
Where are you located? Perhaps someone nearby can take look and lend a hand.

Jim 07 Allure #31570

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65863
Ron,

You mention checking the coolant level. Did you do this by only looking at the expansion tank or did you remover the radiator cap from the top of the unit and check the llevel in the coolant tank itself. It should be right up to the top. If not add a 50/50 mix of Camco -100 and distilled water to fill it up.
Beyond that I suggest that you join the Yahoo HydronicRVHeating group. The owner is a registered AquaHot tech and very helpful. His name is Roger Berke.

Don Seager

2004 Allure 31046

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65865
We're at the Pio Pico Thousand Trails campground east of Chula Vista, CA. We're going back to McMahon's RV in Irvine on Saturday to drop off the coach for the Norcold recall so I'm thinking we can limp along until then, although it would be nice if it were just something simple that we could solve before then. Thanks!

Ron 2004 Intrigue 11799

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65866
OK Ron, the 1st thing I would do is turn off all 3 switches on the control panel and let the system cool down. After it's cool remove the radiator cap and check to be sure you have coolant in the box not just the overflow tank. Remember the Camco 100 is a concentrate and should be mixed 50/50 with distilled water.
Next use a screwdriver handle, or somthing similar, and rap on the temperature control valve on the side of the box, the side all the hoses are on.
Then turn on the electric element switch on the control panel, make sure the 110V breaker is closed and wait for the system to heat up. You'll be able to feel the radiator cap to check and see if it's heating.
If you only have 1/4 of a tank of fuel the diesel side may not fire.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Jim 07 Allure #31570

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65867
Hi Don,

I checked coolant level only by looking at the expansion tank. I just now checked the coolant level at the main tank and it's down about two inches from the cap level. The tech at the dealership had said to add coolant to the expansion tank so that's what I had done.
The Electric Heating Element Status and green Heating Status lights are still on which is weird because there's nothing of a heating nature happening.
Thanks for the great suggestion to join the other group! That looks like the perfect answer. My bride and I are grateful.

Ron 2004 Intrigue 11799

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65868
Thanks, Jim.

The system wasn't warm at all - anywhere. I did rap on the temperature control valve, which gave my bride the satisfaction of saying "I told you so." (Rapping something sharply on the left side is her technical solution to any mechanical or electronic problem.)
I have shut everything off and will hit the switch "on" after an appropriately respectful period of time.

Thanks, again!

Ron 2004 Intrigue 11799
 

Re: Hydro Hot antifreeze?

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 65871
Check the 110V breaker and tap on the small relays mounted near the box.
Rapping and tapping is good, if all else fails "Get a Bigger Hammer"!

Jim