Visit our Popular Forums

pcskier · 10-14-2018, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padawan

pcskier: Thanks for the diagram! Like mentioned earlier, a lot of different configurations. The diagram is really different than the valve setup in my '17. I think someone mentioned that the mixer valve was added in the '17s and made our configuration "unique".

Indeed. That diagram was from the 2018 manual.

paiceman · 10-15-2018, 04:32 AM

Just going to let it be. We are seriously considering a change as after 45 years and owning two places one north one south travel has lost its thrill. Thanks for the postings

lukeysh714 · 10-15-2018, 12:24 PM

Alde dead

An update on Alde system shutting down.

Have 12v to boiler. All connections to panel and boiler were good. All fuses good.

Talked to Spencer, Alde tech support. He ran me through a couple of more troubleshooting items. He said it was either a bad control panel or a problem with the boiler circuit board itself. Based on my limited troubleshooting, It appears that it the problem is the thermal overload diode on the main circuit board on the boiler. I checked continuity across the diode and got OL. This is not a fixable or replaceable item and requires replacement of the entire circuit board. The diode protects the system from getting above a certain temp. Possible items that could cause high temp are low glycol, air in system or just fluke failure of the diode. I’ve checked the system for glycol level and the expansion tank is proper level. Also bled air,,,there was none.

Spencer said that I could possibly replace the board myself, but said that access to the bottom right 3 connectors on the circuit board were hard to get to, hard to get off and had seen many techs rip the wires out of the connectors. I took the plastic cover off and I physically can’t get my hand in that area.

So off to Airstream on Oct 30. Will deal with heat using heat pumps and space heater. Only one night predicted go get below 32.

paiceman · 10-15-2018, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lukeysh714

Alde dead

An update on Alde system shutting down.

Have 12v to boiler. All connections to panel and boiler were good. All fuses good.

Talked to Spencer, Alde tech support. He ran me through a couple of more troubleshooting items. He said it was either a bad control panel or a problem with the boiler circuit board itself. Based on my limited troubleshooting, It appears that it the problem is the thermal overload diode on the main circuit board on the boiler. I checked continuity across the diode and got OL. This is not a fixable or replaceable item and requires replacement of the entire circuit board. The diode protects the system from getting above a certain temp. Possible items that could cause high temp are low glycol, air in system or just fluke failure of the diode. I’ve checked the system for glycol level and the expansion tank is proper level. Also bled air,,,there was none.

Spencer said that I could possibly replace the board myself, but said that access to the bottom right 3 connectors on the circuit board were hard to get to, hard to get off and had seen many techs rip the wires out of the connectors. I took the plastic cover off and I physically can’t get my hand in that area.

So off to Airstream on Oct 30. Will deal with heat using heat pumps and space heater. Only one night predicted go get below 32.

Sorry to hear. The issue with Alde is either fix it yourself or like in your case off to AS. Which is one reason after four airstream we are starting to look for a product I can fix or any road tech has seen many times. Good luck

uncle_bob · 10-16-2018, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padawan

OK...so there was a side discussion regarding how to bypass the hot water side of the Alde system for winterizing (antifreeze). Yesterday I winterized "Elsa" and did some playing around with the valves under the dinette seat. I left the boiler drain valve open and then turned each valve to see the effect. A couple of combinations antifreeze ran out of the drain and one combination shut off the hot water to the camper so....in my 2017 30' Classic here is what I found:
Looking at the Alde system from left to right the 3 top valves in use mode were set: open-closed-open. To bypass I set the valves to closed-open-closed. I have attached a photo showing the valves in the bypass configuration. Last year it took 6 gallons to winterize; this year 2.5 gallons.

All of us following this thread know that there are many different configurations so your mileage may vary.

This worked for me and I hope it helps.
Padawan

Hi

One thing to note - the brass mixing valve either needs anti-freeze in it or it needs to get well blown out. In the "standard" approach, it's locked out from getting anti-freeze. The magic red line valve at the bottom (when open) in combination with the red line valve to the left (when open) let you do a pretty good job of blowing it clear.

=======

If you go crazy and break a valve, these are not insane things to replace. They are a standard plumbing fittings and so are the rest of the bits and pieces. A decent local plumbing supply store likely has them in stock.

Bob

KJRitchie · 10-23-2018, 12:36 PM

What is your experience with the Alde system boondocking? Can you run the heat over night without running your batteries down, say keeping the inside 62F if the outside is 32F? Or is it treated like the forced air furnace where you can run it much with the standard 200ah worth of batteries.

Thanks

mikeinca · 10-23-2018, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

What is your experience with the Alde system boondocking? Can you run the heat over night without running your batteries down, say keeping the inside 62F if the outside is 32F? Or is it treated like the forced air furnace where you can run it much with the standard 200ah worth of batteries.

Thanks

We've been able to run the Alde overnight when boondocking in exactly the conditions you describe without putting undue strain on the house batteries. A major current draw in a regular forced air furnace is the air circulating fan and since the Alde system operates without having to blow air through a duct system it seems to be easier on the batteries.

uncle_bob · 10-23-2018, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

What is your experience with the Alde system boondocking? Can you run the heat over night without running your batteries down, say keeping the inside 62F if the outside is 32F? Or is it treated like the forced air furnace where you can run it much with the standard 200ah worth of batteries.

Thanks

Hi

The *big* reason you want the Alde is so you can run on batteries in the winter. It uses much less battery power than the old style furnace. The reason is pretty simple, the pump pulls less power than that great big circulating fan in the furnace.

Bob

kendrick.l.j · 10-23-2018, 06:32 PM

I’m trying to remember but I think I went about 70 hours without being plugged in before the battery died. I don’t intentionally boondock, there was tornado that knocked the power out and blocked the road out of the campground so I was forced into it. The Alde ran perfectly in the same temps as you are describing.

uncle_bob · 10-24-2018, 07:43 AM

Hi

Since the system cycles *and* there are multiple settings on the pump speed (faster = more power) there likely is no single answer to the "how many hours?" question. Toss in solar and it gets even murkier.

Some math:

Say the system pulls 3A when running at your settings. Say it runs about half the time at whatever temperature you are at. You are pulling 36AH a day to run the furnace. Your batteries are good for about 80 to 100 AH so you have at least two days. At a 25% duty cycle you have at least four days (all assuming only the furnace is running).

If you get 6 hours of full sun into your two panel solar (so 10A for 6 hours), you will make up 60AH a day. That will run the furnace under any of the above scenarios (plus the fridge) forever and ever.

Keep in mind that in a typical Classic, the fridge and furnace are not the only things dumping your batteries. There is about an amp or so of current running all of the other nonsense (Firefly .... USB LED's ... ) in the trailer. That's another 24AH out of the batteries every day.

You can easily get to a "batteries dead in 24 hours" sort of situation if you are not careful. 24AH fridge + 24AH other + 30AH furnace + no solar at all + 10AH into lighting + 5 AH into inverter + 2AH water pump + 5AH jack / stabilizers / awning = battery dead. This is what leads some of us to put lithium battery upgrades into our shiny new Classics.

Next up is that it may be cold out

Battery capacity drops when it gets cold and a stock charger (or any charger without a temperature probe) does not fully charge the batteries in cold weather. You may only *have* half the capacity you think you do. Worse yet, on a cold battery (below freezing) the "stop using" voltage is likely above 12.6V. Simply working out when the battery is in trouble ... not so easy.

Bob

KJRitchie · 11-14-2018, 07:42 AM

What experience is with the Alde system in heating a Classic twin model. I notice on the queen bed version there are radiators along the bedroom walls and behind the bed. Where are the radiators in the twin bedroom? If there is only one along the back window does the twin bedroom warm up sufficiently compared to the queen bed floorpan?

Thanks

Kelvin

james.mileur · 11-14-2018, 08:05 AM

Side radiators are still there with mouse fur panels to create an air slot along the mattresses. My preference is to level the trailer just so the bathroom door hangs open across the hall, so the bedroom drops a bit cooler than the kitchen & living room, while sleeping. Love that long hall between the beds; like a whole 'nother room. More bulkhead closets also.

I've got a well - tested tweaked - in '17, simple Alde system twin bunk model to pass along for the right price. Could even include delivery and training. All the accessories included to start glamping next weekend.

BigSxyWhtGuy · 11-15-2018, 07:23 AM

Just got airstream out of service, asked them to look at alde system as I felt it wasn’t heating on electric 2 without gas and on shore power. Run heat pumps as well to save on propane cost. Woke up this morning to a bit of snow and 32 outside so heat pump isn’t kicking on and it is 53 in the trailer. So alde isn’t keeping up with just electrical selected. Can someone explain this to me? Is the system operating okay or do I need to just keep gas and electric selected and deal with propane usage?

james.mileur · 11-15-2018, 07:29 AM

That's been my experience also. The heaters are 120v, can't do without shore power, but down lower (teens) still needs gas.

james.mileur · 11-15-2018, 07:32 AM

I can see the amp draw on the EMS readout, so I knew they were working.

james.mileur · 11-15-2018, 07:42 AM

Post 139 & 148 have some test and test data for reference.

uncle_bob · 11-15-2018, 08:17 AM

Hi

Basically the propane delivers *way* more BTU's to the Alde than the electric heaters. Just how far you can go on electric only is very much a "that depends" sort of thing. Since the controller will start out on electric if both are selected, there is no real downside to turning on the gas "just incase".

Bob

BigSxyWhtGuy · 11-15-2018, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Basically the propane delivers *way* more BTU's to the Alde than the electric heaters. Just how far you can go on electric only is very much a "that depends" sort of thing. Since the controller will start out on electric if both are selected, there is no real downside to turning on the gas "just incase".

Bob

Perfect. Thanks. Sounds like the electrical can help maintain temps while the gas is what is used to boost temps? I’ll just keep an eye on gas usage. Was going to bring this up to Airstream when we visit the mothership but it sounds like this is normal.

uncle_bob · 11-15-2018, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigSxyWhtGuy

Perfect. Thanks. Sounds like the electrical can help maintain temps while the gas is what is used to boost temps? I’ll just keep an eye on gas usage. Was going to bring this up to Airstream when we visit the mothership but it sounds like this is normal.

Hi

From what I've seen, once you get below a certain point the electric is on full time and the gas cuts in and out. Is that 35F or 53F? A lot depends on how much wind there is, how much solar gain, how often the dogs get walked, and how hot you keep the trailer. When it goes below freezing at night, it will get quite chilly in the trailer if the propane is not on ...

Bob

ajwbarnard · 11-16-2018, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

From what I've seen, once you get below a certain point the electric is on full time and the gas cuts in and out. Is that 35F or 53F? A lot depends on how much wind there is, how much solar gain, how often the dogs get walked, and how hot you keep the trailer. When it goes below freezing at night, it will get quite chilly in the trailer if the propane is not on ...

Bob

In my experience, I always use propane to get the temperature up and electric to maintain it. And even with gas, it is not the instant blast of hot air of a hot air furnace. Discussed this with the Alde rep at the Hershey RV show who confirmed that the warmup (I think I get 10 degrees an hr) was normal. Would I like it to be faster, sure. But I love the quiet heat that it supplies.