aqua hot

[oldallegro]

I have seen several comments about the Aqua Hot system.  My question is this:  Is the Aqua Hot only radiant (hydronic) heat or does it have blowers too?  Does it require lines be run under the floor or are there alternate ways of utilizing the system?  Finally, can the Aqua Hot system heat the entire RV on even the coldest winter days - even up in MN or MT?  Thanks in advance for your help on this.  (By the way, if any of you have better ideas for non propane heating when fultiming up North, I would love to hear them.

Kurt Mathews

[Stan]

Aqua Hot is a hot water syatem. You can take the heat from the hot water any way you like. You have a chioice of radiant finned tube, forced air automotive type heaters (usually flat style mounted under cupboards), or in floor heating o rany other method you can think of.

Heating a bus in cold weather is primarily dependent on insulation in walls, floor and roof and on how the windows are insulated. Living full time in a bus in temperatures of  -30 to -40 would be a lesson in survival and I would discourage anyone from  trying it.

[Jerry Liebler]

Kurt,
    The Aqua Hot itself is the 'boiler', pumps and controls of a hot water heating system.  It uses the Webasto boiler and can be used with a wide variety of heat exchangers, including fan coil units and radient floor tubing.  The plumbing to the various heat exchange elements is often 'heater hose' and can be run wherever one chooses. On my Webasto installation I ran the heat lines below my fresh water pipes along the base of my bus's outside walls, inside the insulation.  This past winter we had a few nights with 9 degree temperatures and I kept my bus at 70 inside and the 45,000 BTU Webasto ran about 1/3 of the time on the cooldest night.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120

[TomC]

Just remember that Diesel fuel can stop flowing when the temps get down low and when the fuel is not properly treated to keep the ice crystals in suspension.  With all the heat available from the Aquahot, if you are going to be in cold clims alot, I would install an Arctic Fox in the fuel tank.  It is a coolant loop that keeps the fuel warm.  There is a thermostatically operated option that I would use so the fuel doesn't get to hot.  Then wrap the fuel lines in foam insulation, and that should help.  This is the one area that the Aquahot works much better than propane, in cold weather since propane stops flowing (not sure the temp) when it gets very cold.  Course you could also heat the tank to avoid that problem.  Good Luck, TomC

[prevost82]

I have a Hydro Hot (Aqua Hot's little brother) and bought the complete kit, plex tubing, fittings and heat exchangers with fans. We have camped @ -15 without any problems, the bus stayed nice a toasty... my bus is well insulated R13 in walls, R20 in the ceiling and R7 in the floor

Ron

[DrivingMissLazy]

Do not forget a finned radiator in the compartments where water and waste tanks are. It takes very little heat to keep them from freezing. Mine were in line with the forward heat exchangers in the lounge area.
Richard

I have a Hydro Hot (Aqua Hot's little brother) and bought the complete kit, plex tubing, fittings and heat exchangers with fans. We have camped @ -15 without any problems, the bus stayed nice a toasty... my bus is well insulated R13 in walls, R20 in the ceiling and R7 in the floor

Ron