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Aqua-Hot vs. Wabasto
Hello Folks,
As some of you know, I’ve been researching a converter to have a new bus built. Some of them offer Aqua-Hot and some offer Wabasto. I’m aware that Aqua-Hot has a Wabasto inside.
We currently have an Aqua-Hot and have been extremely pleased with it’s operation. We have the Aqua-Hot that has the two stage electric feature (110 and HI). It allows me to use the Aqua-Hot system electrically if the temps are above 40-45 degrees to heat the coach. We also have the engine recirculating button to heat the engine by the AH.
The AH and Wabasto are SO similiar and it seems to me the only real difference is that the AH uses it’s own antifreeze and not the antifreeze from the engine like the Wasbasto.
I’m leaning towards wanting another AH system and here’s why. Recently, I had a coolant box start leaking attached to my Cummins. If I needed heat through a Wabasto, it would worsen the problem causing it to leak while parked.
Now, if my AH developed a leak, it would not effect the engine operation of the coach, just the AH and vice-versa.
Am I correct that a coolant leak in the engine system would make the Wabasto useless in a situation like that?
Thank you,
MM.
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7 Replies
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The way that Liberty does it you could just turn off the gate valves and stop the coolant from flowing.The cost of installing a AH or Webasto is very different,the AH is a self contained unit that I see just like a roof air,the Webasto requires hard copper pipe and valves for the installation.I often hear of AH being replaced but only hear of Webasto being serviced.
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The heart of a AH is a Webasto. Then AH builds their unit with pumps and controls around the Webasto and creates their own heat exchange system within the unit to circulate their fluid. I think as a self contained unit it is easier for converters. I have never heard a reasonable explaination as to why either one is better than the other.
But I have heard a whole lot of problems and unit replacements being discussed on this site and others regarding the AH.
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Let’s use this senairo.
I buy a bus with the Wabasto and I find out that I have developed a severe leak in a coolant hose to the radiator.
I pull into a RV resort before I have any damage to the engine from the leak. Lets say the night is very cold and I need to heat the bus and I need hot water.
Are you saying that there is a valve to cut the engine circulation to the Webasto so that I won’t lose more coolant, but I can use the Webasto for heating?
I just want to make sure I understand.
Thanks,
Mark
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You understand it. My Webasto can heat the engine only, the house only (which includes the HW tank) or both.
You can open or close valves to do whatever you need.
But what is the difference between a Webasto or an AH? Both have coolant lines going to the Webasto or the AH heat exchanger. It is just the AH fluid heating the engine coolant via a heat exchange between the two as opposed ot the Webasto heating coolant directly.
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I had a treat today, I ran into my neighbor at the storage facility where I store my Dynasty. He has a 2007 Marathon H3, 2 slide, webasto heat. I’ve never seen him there before but he was there this morning when I was checking the Dynasty. It had been sitting for two months as we’ve been ‘back home’ for the holidays and now in sunny southern California to enjoy the winter!
Anyway, I ask the guy about his coach he said that his current coach is his 4th Prevost. He said he likes Aqua-Hot better than Webasto (his opinion). He was trying to explain to me that he has 20 gallons of extra capacity vs. the Aqua-Hot.
His explaination just didn’t click with me. Since Aqua-Hot has continous hot water, how can the Webasto have more capacity? I just couldn’t follow his explaination.
In his opinion, he said there is no way to have a four slide coach and not be over weight on the front axle.
What am I missing with the ‘extra’ capacity thing?
Thanks,
Mark
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Webasto is using the engine coolant and maybe that’s what he’s talking about, but didn’t make any sense to me. Either one will give you endless hot water, assuming the Aqua-Hot is on diesel and not just electric.
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This entire issue can be reduced to performance numbers.
First, to address the AH electric heat capability. AH has an electric element to heat it’s fluid. It’s ability to heat the coach is directly comparable to a Webasto system that uses external toe space heaters and a HW tank with its own internal electric heating element.
If the AH has a 1000 or 1500 watt internal electric element that is the total capacity for heating both hot water and the coach interior. Since a Webasto does not have an electric heating element in its system, the converter(s) typically have one or more toe space heaters of 1000 or 1500 watts, plus they use a 1000 watt dedicated heater for the HW tank.
To say an AH works better on shore or generator power compared to the Webasto ignores how the converter(s) equip their coaches to provide the same alternative performance to diesel heat.
In my opinion I lean towards the system simplicity and reliability of the Webasto. The AH has engine coolant plumbed into it but then it also runs a parallel system using its own fluid for heat transfer. From reading years of posts on this forum and several others my concerns stem from the fact that not only can a Webasto require service on either system, but the AH has its own rather complex control system which has the potential to need service, but there have been multiple reports of leaks within its system, failure of it’s tank and heat exchanger look, and separation of the loop from the tank. If a portion of my Webasto system fails I can isolate it. If the AH fails within the unit itself the entire system is down.
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