Re: Radiator Cap for Hydro-Hot.
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 116418
Dennis - Are you seeing leakage? If so, where from? Or are you seeing a loss of fluid in the expansion tank, and continuously topping off. And if so, how often and how much?
A few bits of info sharing:
-Radiator Caps going bad, can cause a loss of fluid. These are standard radiator caps, so no special cap needed, as long as it is the proper rated cap. (And, new caps can have problems:)!)
-Due to the silicone hoses used, water portions of the boiler fluid, will escape thru the silicone hoses over time.
-Also leakage could be from where the various hoses go. The Heat Register's inside the coach, have hose clamps, and those can loosen and slowly leak. My unit has a loop that goes to the engine for both pre heating the block, and reversely having hot water from the engine's loop when pulling off the road from traveling. So chasing down the loops of hoses thru these places, could reveal a source for fluid leakage.
-Topping of the expansion tank is pretty normal. Depending usage, this can be a few ounces a month, or a few ounces a week. I believe my need to top off the expansion tank is more frequent, when i'm heavily using the Diesel Burner for coach heating in cold weather. Vs say just having the Electric element on, to have hot water ready on demand.
-If you are seeing leakage, or smelling burning boiler fluid. Go to Roger Berkes Hydronic Site, and look for his tips on how to investigate leakage.
I'll share that in our 04 Allure, with 500 series single element HydroHot, we know we do have a new leak. I examined, for my era unit, the nylon threaded bushings that screw into the tank for leaks. (Temp sensor, and a fluid level sensor.) And I could not detect any leakage around them. Which is unfortunate, as that means the leak is deeper embedded into the unit. Could be cracked braze joint, if I'm lucky - or tank seam leak, which is more problematic/expensive to correct. On my unit, the exhaust pipe coming out of the bottom of the unit, and the 90 degree turns to get to exhaust out the side, is the lowest point of the unit. I do not drip to the ground, but I do see moisture around the exit point of the exhaust thru the bottom of the basement bay. When I run the HydroHot on Diesel Burner, more fluid is lost from the expansion tank then if it's only on Electric Element heating. We now minimize usage of the HydroHot, and get by with only the Electric Element when taking showers. This has greatly reduced the lossage of fluid. Early November we'll be in for our yearly maintenance, and I'll get a solid diagnostic of what is wrong with our unit at that time. And then we'll figure out what that means repair wise.
If you provide more of the symptoms your seeing, suspect you'd get good feedback on what to go look into:)!
Best of luck to you, and I'll follow the thread,
Smitty
04 Allure 31017
Topic: Radiator Cap for Hydro-Hot. (Read 1453 times)
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