Aqua Hot won't heat water on electric

[F117plt]

After one and a half years of working, my aqua hot will not heat water on electric. Works well using the burner. Anything I can check/reset? I suspect the heating element has failed and will probably need to be replaced. Anyone ever done this job themselves? How difficult? Itasca Ellipse 42QD. Thanks.
Jerry

[garykk]

They come out pretty easy, that is if you can get to it with no problem. Before you remove it you can check it with an ohm meter. Remove the wires from the element after disconnecting AC power,and check with ohm meter. If you get no reading , the element is burned thru.

[F117plt]

Originally Posted by garykk

They come out pretty easy, that is if you can get to it with no problem. Before you remove it you can check it with an ohm meter. Remove the wires from the element after disconnecting AC power,and check with ohm meter. If you get no reading , the element is burned thru.

Thanks, Gary. Any idea what the average life of an Aqua Hot electrical element is?

[garykk]

No idea, I imagine it would depend on the water quality etc. and if the element was turned on with low water in the heater they will burn out almost instantly.

[Steve Ownby]

Originally Posted by F117plt

After one and a half years of working, my aqua hot will not heat water on electric. Works well using the burner. Anything I can check/reset? I suspect the heating element has failed and will probably need to be replaced. Anyone ever done this job themselves? How difficult? Itasca Ellipse 42QD. Thanks.
Jerry

You need to get in where you have some access to the thermostats and check with a volt/ ohm meter to isolate the problem. There are separate control and high temp cut off thermostats for the 120 vac electric element.

If it turns out to be the element then the burner has to come out to access the element and you have to drain the boiler fluid out of the tank. The element is a screw in type so you will have to have a big socket and long enough extension to get a leverage with a ratchet or breaker bar.

Here is Roger Burke's forum:

http://forum.rvhydronicheaterrepair.com/forum.php

Join this forum and ask questions of Roger. He can give you specific troubleshooting steps and save you some money if you need parts.

[LEHAFER]

I changed one a couple of years ago but didn't have to remove the heater since I had access to the back where the element screwed in. See if the back of the heater is accessable in a cabinet or under the dinette seats. Usually there is sterofoam over the element connections.

[Steve Ownby]

Originally Posted by LEHAFER

I changed one a couple of years ago but didn't have to remove the heater since I had access to the back where the element screwed in. See if the back of the heater is accessable in a cabinet or under the dinette seats. Usually there is sterofoam over the element connections.

I think you are describing an LP/electric hot water heater.the AquaHot doesn't have any access to the main unit from inside the living area.

[F117plt]

Thanks to all for your/suggestions. The biggest problem working on the Aqua Hot is getting to it. It is tucked in a very small space on my Ellipse.

[LEHAFER]

Steve is correct; It was not an Aqua Hot that I changed the electric element on.

[BigSkyBob]

The incoming domestic water quality has no bearing on the life of the electric heating element as it runs in the antifreeze/boiler solution. My Aqua-Hot electric element has been in use coming up on 7 years with no problems. I would suspect either a high temp or low temp thermostat to be the problem as opposed to the element itself. There should be a wiring schematic on the inside cover of the unit.

[F117plt]

Originally Posted by BigSkyBob

The incoming domestic water quality has no bearing on the life of the electric heating element as it runs in the antifreeze/boiler solution. My Aqua-Hot electric element has been in use coming up on 7 years with no problems. I would suspect either a high temp or low temp thermostat to be the problem as opposed to the element itself. There should be a wiring schematic on the inside cover of the unit.

Sky Bob,
You might be correct. I talked to Aqua Hot tech support today and they said to check the high limit thermostat to see if it has tripped. If it hasn't tripped I need to check it for continuity (ohm meter). If no continuity then it needs to be replaced. I know where it is located in the unit. Getting to it is another matter, Winnebago hasn't made it easy.
Thanks.
Jerry