Install Time - We Have a New Aqua Hot - We have Hot water and heat

Monday

The big day has arrived, hopefully we will have hot water and heat in the coach by the end of the day.  I have friends coming to help and I think we are ready.

Well its evening its been a long day and I am beat.  The install went well today.  The only thing that delayed us was pondering where and how to install the new Expansion tank.  I still need to run the overflow hose but thats pretty minor.

I started around 9am getting things set up and ready to go by 10.

Tools and Parts ready

Farris pulled in just after 9:30 and we started right in.  First order was to put the coach up on the ramps.

The home mad ramps worked good and I added another bottom board.  Then we got right to it.

Farris underneath 

Time to drop the exhaust

Farris had three things going for him today, shortest, smallest, and youngest.  So he took the underneath the coach work as he could sit up under there.  Bob slipped in under there to help and see what was going on.

Bob said he would be the supervisor

He was a good supervisor he brought coffee and donuts.  He also came up with so great ideas for the way to do things.  He also took some nice pictures to document the job.  So an hour later we had the broken unit out on the ground.

Out with the old

Then we pondered how and where to put the expansion tank, we even ran over to ACE in Attica for some fittings that did not work, so we had Chet the parts deliverer bring some more and they were to big.  Farris finally figured out how to do it after we slipped in the new unit.

Pondering where the tank should go

We grabbed some subs in Attica and ate them on the go.  Mine got baked in the sun so it ended up in the trash, no problem I really was not hungry.  I cleaned out the space for the new unit and mounted the base plate that I modified the other day.

Cleaning out the space

New mounting plate all mounted

The new mounting plate is a nice feature.  The Aqua Hot slides in, two tabs hold it in the rear and one bolt up front.  We slid in the new unit and made up all the connections.  We were ready to fill the boiler with new coolant.

All ready to fill

So we ended up mixing up 7 gallons of coolant and pumped 6 gallons in from the drain to fill the boiler.

Mixing coolant with distilled water 50/50

Once the boiler was full we "burned" the air out of the heating loops that run through the coach.  Then we added the rest of the coolant.  Then we purged the air out of the diesel lines and the burner fired right up just like it was supposed to.  We checked the electric element and it worked after I remembered to turn on the circuit breaker I had turned off.  The unit is much quieter than the old one and no visible smoke.  Then we added the engine coolant that had drained out and burned the air out of that.  We checked for leaks and all looks good.

All closed up and ready to go

We are tired but Happy

All done except for cleaning up and putting the tools away.  They guys left and I took my time putting the tools away.  I gave Roger Burke a call and let him know all went well.  He will arrange for the old unit to be picked up.

I want to thank all theta prayed for a good safe install to day.  We had a great day.  I am tired and sore but happy all went so well.  We also saved $1500 which is what it would have cost to have an RV place put it in.   Heading to bed early tonight.

Tuesday

Up early at 6am.  Today we are headed into the City Mission.  We had to drop Alexus off in East Aurora.  Then to TOPS so Elizabeth could drop off Redbox movies.  Then I went into Valu to get some parts to fix one of our Toilets and a couple elbows for the overflow on the coach project.  Then a quick stop at Tim Hortons (or is it Burger King) and we were headed downtown.

We had lots to do today and kept busy all day.  Bonnie made a lot of calls and I caught up on the statistics.  It was a long day for me as I am sore, my head a bit sunburned, and I am tired.  But we made it and am now home and relaxing a little.  I took out all the trash as tomorrow is pickup day and we missed last week.  Thats it for today.

Wednesday

A very little rain overnight did not even register on the rain gauge.  Bonnie was up and headed back into the mission today to help in the Medical Clinic.  I have my annual eye appointment today.  Plus I need to ready the old HydroHot for shipment.

I went out and got the old unit ready to ship and let Roger know it was ready for pickup.

Drained and blown out

Screwed down to the pallet

Covered with Plastic

Ready to ship

Now its off to Warsaw for the eye Dr.  It was overcast until I got to Warsaw and then the bright sun came out.  My exam went good and all was well except she told me that I have the start of a cataract in each eye.  She said it was completely normal and would probably be 30 years before it needed treatment.  No change to my RX and with the ugly dark lens that you slid behind your glasses because my eyes were dilated,  I left for home.  I made a quick stop at ACE to pick up a little length of tubing.  Then back through the detour and finally home.

Then I packed up all the extra parts and tools Roger had sent in to the Priority Flat Rate box I had picked up at the post office and sealed it up.

All packed and shipped

The brightness was bothering my eyes so I headed into the house for a couple hours to let them recover from being dilated.  They just before the Post Office closed I drove down and mailed the package.

Still too bright out but it is getting cooler.  So I relaxed and worked on the computer.  Bonnie came home from her day at the mission clinic and made supper.  Thats about it for today so I will get this posted

Thanks For Checking In!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” 
― Albert Einstein