Aqua Hot Common Questions

• This switch activates a circulation pump on the Aqua-Hot unit to heat the engine coolant as it flows through a separate double walled copper coil loop inside the Aqua-Hot boiler tank. This acts as an additional engine block heater and aids in cold weather starting. Caution: Do not leave this switch on when driving.

• This switch turns on the diesel burner which is the main heating source for providing heat to the interior, the domestic hot water and the engine aide system. This system will provide 50,000 to 65,000 BTUs (system dependent) for all your needs continuously. You should allow 10-20 minutes for the Aqua-Hot system to reach operating temperature.

• Yes. The system is designed to operate and keep your coach warm while traveling.

• The VAC electric heating element is wired directly into your motorhome's 120 VAC electrical system and is operational whenever VAC power is available. This switch turns on a 1650 watt 120 volt heating element in the Aqua-Hot tank that will adequately provide all your heating needs ONLY for low heating demand situations, such as when moderate ambient temperatures exist and/or when there is a low demand for domestic hot water. It is thermostatically controlled and you should allow 1-2 hours for the electric system to reach operating temperature. The electric heating element only provides 5600 BTUs, about 1/10 of the diesel burner, so don't expect the AC element to heat your coach and provide domestic hot water anywhere close to what the diesel burner will do.

• Yes. Each system has its own control thermostats to maintain the coolant temperature. The 120 VAC heating element will only maintain the heat and will not respond to high demands of heat and hot water as fast as the diesel burner. When both switches are on and the water temperature gets low, the diesel burner will turn on to meet the higher demand of hot water. This is a good way to conserve diesel fuel.

• Fuel consumption will vary according to thermostat settings, outside temperatures, and hot water usage. The best way to answer this question is to tell you the maximum amount of fuel the unit will consume if operating correctly. If the Aqua-hot unit burner runs continuously for one hour without shutting off, it will use approximately 0.35-0.41 gallons. Remember, extreme cold temperatures will increase fuel use.
  • AVG Fuel Usage /Day Dry Camping 1-4 Gallons
  • AVG Fuel Usage/Day Shore Power 1-2 Gallons

• It is normal for both the Aqua-Hot and Hydro-Hot to produce smoke for a few seconds whenever the diesel burner comes on. However. if either white or black smoke is present beyond 30 seconds. this could indicate a bad fuel nozzle, a partially plugged fuel filter, or a low voltage (VDC) situation. Please contact our Service Department at 1-800-685-4298 for additional assistance, or e-mail us directly by going to the ''Technical Support“ button on the left-hand side of the page on our website.

• It is ideal to have your Aqua-Hot tuned up yearly. A tune-up should consist of a fuel nozzle and fuel filter replacement and a thorough cleaning of the combustion chamber, if necessary. This simple tune-up will keep your Aqua-Hot running smoothly throughout the year. It will also allow service personnel to inspect for wear and tear of other components.

Antifreeze and Boiler antifreeze. These two are very different.

Boiler anti-freeze is intended for use in boiler systems and has a different chemical composition than antifreeze intended for RVs, automobiles and trucks. Camco has pink RV plumbing and RV freeze ban antifreeze in addition to their pink boiler antifreeze; be sure to use the boiler antifreeze in your Aqua-Hot system.

Starting with 2003 year model coaches, Foretravel started using Propylene Glycol based antifreeze, manufactured by Camco Manufacturing Inc. All Aqua-Hot systems manufactured after 2002 must use Propylene Glycol antifreeze. Aqua-Hot heating systems use boiler-designated antifreeze that is rated GRAS — Generally Regarded As Safe.

• 2000 year model thru 2002 model used the Red Shell/Texaco antifreeze (Ethylene glycol).
• 1999 and prior year models used the conventional Green antifreeze (Ethylene glycol).

Ethylene glycol antifreeze is toxic, does not have the GRAS label and is not suitable for an Aqua-Hot system manufactured after 2002. Ethylene glycol was used in pre-2002 Aqua-Hot systems with the exterior domestic hot water loop design. Ethylene glycol can be used in these pre-2002 systems, as well as GRAS-labeled propylene glycol boiler antifreeze. The color your system has depends on the model year of your motorhome.

Aqua-Hot Coolant Information