[Gem930]

I just completed the rebuild of the aqua hot in my coach (#639).  Not for the fate of heart!!!!….but I am happy with the outcome. My domestic water appears to get hotter faster and I was able to add a High voltage (48v) DC element to serve as a solar load dump for my solar system. All in all I’mpretty happy with the outcome. However, the exhaust on both the generator and the aqua hot is pretty beat up and I have decided to replace it all. The Y between the generator and the aqua hot is in particularly bad shape. I’m thinking about being lazy and just run the aqua hot out the side next to where the “y” is (exiting on the drivers side).  I can never foresee a situation where I would want it to go up top. I don’t plan on spending any time crowded in an infield at a NASCAR race. I do, however, like having the generator run up high through the stack as I feel like it quiets it down even more. So my question is…is there any benefit to running a shorter exhaust out the side? is it more efficient? I’m hoping someone will say yes so that I can justify my lazyness!

[RussWhite]

Well that’s exactly the path I took after my AH rebuild. No regrets.

Russ

[arcticdude]

Gregg,

The genny does typically produce more soot than you might imagine. The shorter run blows it out, while the roof outlet tends to collect it at the bottom (in my experience). Having the ability to “blow it out” on occasion is a desirable ability.

On the Wanderlodges, the short “ground” run was capped with a 2” screw cap and was just a very short run from the vertical elbow to go up through the body and out the roof. If I ran the genny for any length of time through the roof exhaust, when I got out on the road and opened the lower outlet there was always a good blow of soot that came out. After the first time, I learned to open the lower outlet, THEN start the genny!

[Richard]

Having been there done that on the Y junction. At least on mine, the Y was a custom fabricated piece made from 2 90 degree exhaust elbows, I had to slice one of them with the grinder, and weld it onto the other to duplicate the the orig.

All that to support your alternate plan. That thing was a pain, plus you have to be creative on how to get the existing pipe that exits the roof removed.

[hypoxia]

I have thought about running a snake from the generator exhaust to the back to loosen it up and then a leaf blower to blow it out.

[Gem930]

Interesting! Thx for the reply’s. Strangely enough the “y” is really only beat up on the side the aqua hot connects to (weird, because it on the back side!) There is enough material there that I think I might try to weld a cap on it as a clean out (though I have never noticed any soot issues) and go ahead fabricate a dedicated aqua hot exhaust out the side back a little further to avoid the sewer and water hook ups.

[Jack Houpe]

I agree plumb it out the side just be careful not to burn your legs.

Where did you manage to find a 48v heating element? Thats a cool idea. I have friend in the Bahamas that use a standard 220 hot water heater and just hook 3 panels in series to it and it works perfect when the sun shines you have hot water when it doesn't shine they use inverter and battery bank to heat another hot water heater.

[Gem930]

It a Dernord element I got off Amazon. I also sourced a 2500w 120v element there. I was a little concerned because the bases on these appear to be a plastic material, but the original 1500 W element that came with my tank fromHeat My RV was the same material. I believe I even talked to John about it although I cannot remember for sure. Either way I now have one 2500 W 120 element and one 48 V DC element installed in the tank. The AC wire ran to my aqua hot is 12 gauge so the 20 amp 2500 W AC element will be fine. As far as the 48 V element goes, I am installing a 5000w/48v Victron inverter with 2400 watts of solar, so I will use the element as a load dump controlled by the victron equipment once the solar has the batteries charged. Additionally the 48 V element is ran through its own snap disk safety so it can’t get the tank too hot.