Chats are lost after using them

Are you sure they are lost?
My experience is that if you make one post in the chatroom you will see the history of posts.

I'm having a similiar issue.

After creating a new chat room, then creating the chat. The chat disappears a few minutes later. The only way to re-enter that chat is by typing the chat node number in the URL bar.

Then... I cannot add any new chats to that room. I need to make an entire new chat room and then a new chat... and the process repeats itself.

The chats don't disappear unless you delete the room which held them but you cannot access the chat's in any traditional or interface method unless you create a menu link to a specific chat.