Hydronics 101 Needed

[Nutinelse2do]

Good Day all,

In the preliminary investigation of a DP. Most of the coaches we have been looking at have the Hydronics systems for water heating and heat. ( 2005-2011 range )

Some it was an option others is standard.

Questions are as follows:

Having this system means no propane tank etc on the coach?

Was there option to have "aquahot" tankless water heater or is everyone calling the aquahot system just a earlier version of hydronics?

My apology for the simple question but reading brochures and talking to other people and salesman, there is confusion and poor information

Look forward to the replies.

Nutin

[dougrainer]

lj2654 wrote:
Hydro hot and aqua hot are the same, just different years. They have several models, some have one electric element, some have two.

Hydro Hot was the entry level system from Vehicle Systems. The better models were called Aqua Hot. They changed their name to Aqua Hot a few years ago and call ALL their products Aqua Hot now. You go by the model number to determine what is entry level and what is a higher line model now. Oasis is another brand of Hydronic heating. LP powered Hydronic heating is not as efficient as Diesel powered Heating. BUT, if the unit has NO Diesel, then you have to go with a LP/120 Hydronic heat system. LP powered systems use a lot of LP. Doug

[wa8yxm]

Hydroincs heaters are multi fuel multi function devices, they can burn Diesel, or other fuels (electric and in some cases propane) Propane is still sued for cooking by the way.

When driving the engine heat is run through a heat exchanger to provide hot water thus you arrive with HOT water in the water heater.. Diesel or electric (Usually) can be burned to heat the water on site,, When you are ready to leave a pump circulates the coolant so now the hot water heats the engine coolant, which becomes a block heater, thus reducing emmissions and making it easier to start even if the outside temps are... COLD!!!!!!.

Basically I would recommend such a system

Aquahot is a brand name for a specific Hydronic system. Like Band-Aid is a brand name for a self-aheadsive bandage... Or Kleen-X for facial tissue..

[lj2654]

Hydro hot and aqua hot are the same, just different years. They have several models, some have one electric element, some have two.

[DrewE]

"Hydronics" just means there's a hot water heating system for the living space (as opposed to, say, a hot air furnace or electrical convection heaters). It's not a brand name or specific system name.

The water used for heating could be heated by most any energy source. Typical for RVs would of course be propane, diesel fuel, electricity, and waste heat from the engine when underway, possibly in various permutations and combinations.

[Nutinelse2do]

Thanks so far. In the Allegro Bus it is the Aqua Hot 450d. In the Dutch Star, they said it is called an Oasis system.

[Chris_Bryant]

There may or may not be LP on a coach with hydronic heat. LP might still be used for cooking and refrigeration.
The Aquahot is a hydronic system, the Hydrohot a somewhat smaller system by the same people- I don't remember the differences off hand, and the names have changed so there may not be a difference now, but both use the Webasto burner.

[beemerphile1]

Nutinelse2do wrote:
Good Day all,

In the preliminary investigation of a DP. Most of the coaches we have been looking at have the Hydronics systems for water heating and heat. ( 2005-2011 range )

Some it was an option others is standard.

Questions are as follows:

Having this system means no propane tank etc on the coach?

Was there option to have "aquahot" tankless water heater or is everyone calling the aquahot system just a earlier version of hydronics?

My apology for the simple question but reading brochures and talking to other people and salesman, there is confusion and poor information

Look forward to the replies.

Nutin

The ALDE hydronic system operates on LPG or electric.