Aqua Hot won't fire on diesel setting

[smagown]

Hello all:
On my last outing the Aqua Hot wouldn't work on diesel but would on ac. When I got home I pulled the trouble shooting manual out (available online also). When you flip the switch over the sink the red light would come on but go out after twenty seconds, indicating I had no ignition. I pulled the return fuel line and ran a hose off the nipple to a jar ( but first I ran the hose to a jar and hit the start button, not a good move. The return nipple shot diesel for about a minute before i got a hose on it!) I was looking to make sure I had no air bubbles in the fuel. I didn't. Next, I undid the two 7/16" eyebolts on either side of the burner and pulled it out where I could see the business end of it. With the wires still hooked up I had plenty of slack. There you find the fuel nozzle that atomizes the spray, the two igniter prongs, the fuel solenoid, and the flame sensor (photo electric cell). DON"T hit the start button inside without undoing one of the two wires to the fuel solenoid. If you do and it does fire you will have a beautiful military grade flame thower pointed at you. There are only four wires, two to the fuel solenoid and two to the photo cell. Undo one to the solenoid and one to the photo cell. Hit the start button and if the photo cell is bad the electrodes will spark. I then had spark so I knew the cell was bad. It "sees" the flame and allows fuel to be supplied to the burner.
If you still don't have spark you remove the cover off the coil and undo it's two wires and apply 12v to the yellow & ground to the brown, attach both photo cell wires back and hit start. If you then have spark the coil is bad.
The photo cell was $162 & the coil is $400+. Ordered from Newell, installed and it now works.
Any questions? (Call Tom, he knows everything!!)
Thanks,

[encantotom]

very good job and description steve. i really liked the part about a military grade flame thrower.

just shows that most of these things are fixible if you are patient and follow logical troublehsooting flows.

nicely done.

tom

[tuga]

Steve,

If I could I would like to list my yearly preventive maintenance on my Aqua Hot.

1. Unplug the white electrical plug that connects to the unit
2. Using a 7/16" socket with a 10" extension I loosen the 2 nuts that hold the burner assembly
3. Carefully remove the burner unit from the housing
4. Remove the old fuel nozzle and replace with a new one ($18) be careful not to move the electro-probes.
5. Clean photo cell with alcohol and a cotton swab. Re-assemble unit being careful not to pinch any wires.
6. Remove/replace the spin on fuel filter


This is the annual procedure that Newell recommends for the Aqua Hot. Doing the above will solve/prevent about 80% of the problems that you will have with your Aqua Hot.

Good Luck.

[smagown]

Tuga:

I've been following those guidelines and also fire the diesel burner at least once a month. I also use the supplied gauge to check the prong clearance. I guess my photo cell just failed because it's so clean the swab has nothing on it. I had a small diesel leak a few weeks ago and I tightened the hoses but it didn't completely stop. When it quit firing and I pulled the burner I found the leak at one of the copper rings sealing the inlet nipple. I'm wondering if the diesel could have damaged the photo cell, it's sealed very well tho.

Tom:

Thanks,

[tuga]

Steve,

I agree with you, the leaking diesel probably ruined your photo cell. Replacing it seems to have corrected the problem so I'm sure you did the right thing.

I just wanted to let the other readers know what Newell does annually to maintain the Aqua Hot. Good post!

[express1]

Originally Posted by tuga

Steve,

If I could I would like to list my yearly preventive maintenance on my Aqua Hot.

1. Unplug the white electrical plug that connects to the unit
2. Using a 7/16" socket with a 10" extension I loosen the 2 nuts that hold the burner assembly
3. Carefully remove the burner unit from the housing
4. Remove the old fuel nozzle and replace with a new one ($18) be careful not to move the electro-probes.
5. Clean photo cell with alcohol and a cotton swab. Re-assemble unit being careful not to pinch any wires.
6. Remove/replace the spin on fuel filter


This is the annual procedure that Newell recommends for the Aqua Hot. Doing the above will solve/prevent about 80% of the problems that you will have with your Aqua Hot.

Good Luck.

Thanks to Tuga, he showed me step by step this procedure. About a half hour job.
Works as good a new!
I had no problems before, I just wanted to change filter and nozzle.
matt russo

[NewellCrazy]

Great Aqua Hot yearly maintenance step by step Steve and Tuga, Appreciate it.

[NewellCrazy]

I've attached some pictures so people can reference what an Aquahot.