Alde 3020 heating issues (1 Viewer)

Sep 7, 2010
840
4,561
cardiff
Funster No
13,594
MH
Frankia 7900 Platin plus
Exp
since 2010
i am presently in a valley near kitzbuhel. The aide 3020 heater is lovely with gas but I am getting through bottles too quickly. On electricity it reaches only around 18'c ( and costs a lotto).

Last year I remember being toasty warm with just electric.

Only fault recorded is "panel failure 2" which is condensation in panel - I have had that many times and this is actually a new control panel from smc with dehumidifying sachets of silica fixed behind.

And good ideas re fixes?

Frankia factory only suggestion was detour to Munich to truma factory! This is supposed to be a holiday.

I had a problem with the frost water dump dumping all water when in koblenz at -10'c - this was bodged/fixed by frankia after a detour to their factory near Bayreuth.

Would love to stay out for a good few weeks but can't risk running out of gas.

Will think about refillable gaslow tanks for future trips. A snip at £700 I'm told!!!


Trying to remain positive and KBO, but worried as future retirement plans were all about being comfy in a ski resort over winter.

Ta
 
Feb 24, 2013
12,990
101,150
Bolsover, Derbyshire
Funster No
24,833
MH
Hymer S800
Exp
not long enough
we can use both on our Alde, not sure what model we have

I was in Grantown on Spey this time last year at -15C overnight, really struggled to get up to 20C inside with both gas and electric

shut all vents if not already done, that might help

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Chipster

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 15, 2013
1,005
1,118
East Midlands
Funster No
28,588
MH
A Class
Exp
Getting there!
we can use both on our Alde, not sure what model we have

I was in Grantown on Spey this time last year at -15C overnight, really struggled to get up to 20C inside with both gas and electric

shut all vents if not already done, that might help

Wondering now if Maybe we should have stuck with Truma instead of ticking the Alde option for our new van!!
 
Feb 24, 2013
12,990
101,150
Bolsover, Derbyshire
Funster No
24,833
MH
Hymer S800
Exp
not long enough
Wondering now if Maybe we should have stuck with Truma instead of ticking the Alde option for our new van!!

I think most of my issues were wind chill effects, it was seriously cold and pretty windy

At anything down to 0C we can get toasty warm really quickly (y)
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,202
48,792
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
The aide 3020 heater is lovely with gas but I am getting through bottles too quickly
Gas consumption is a minimum of 245 grams/hour and a maximum of 405 grams/hour actual burn time on propane.

Near as makes no difference 2hrs 15mins per kg of gas.....or 29hrs constant to a full bottle.
Of course the actual time will be longer as the boiler wont be running 100% of the time.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Phillybarbour

Free Member
Feb 2, 2013
270
216
West Lancs
Funster No
24,523
MH
Globecar Campscout Revo.
Exp
Since 2010
Sorry can't help with the display fault, but you will use way to much gas to survive on gas alone in very low temps, and as you have said the Alde system is not brill in really low temps on electric only.

We found all the issues your having with our last van, solution which you could still do now (if you went out and bought one) was top up the Alde heating system with an oil filled radiator plugged in, we found by setting the temp higher on the radiator than the Alde the van was fine and electric consumption was still high but not as high. Radiator made it warm and Alde system made sure there we no cold spots in the background. Covert to refillables is a big help you would still need to fill every 4 days even with a 2 X 13kg system which we have.

Current can will run on electric gas or diesel so problem solved.
 
Last edited:

sallylillian

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 29, 2011
3,944
5,013
Falmouth, Cornwall
Funster No
18,670
MH
Palace Liner 90LO
Exp
2011
The panel failure log entry is spurious I was told by Alde in Sweden and they said ignore it? Mine is in a dry barn with a humidifier running at 50% so no way is it damp and I get tons of these log entries.
You could use a local cylinder with regulator back fed through the BBQ point if you have one?
 
OP
OP
bladerunner
Sep 7, 2010
840
4,561
cardiff
Funster No
13,594
MH
Frankia 7900 Platin plus
Exp
since 2010
Thanks guys. All very helpful ( as I knew motorhome fun would deliver!!).

SITREP
I had the foresight to have brought with me a small oil filled radiator from b n q for tuppence and it is delivering the goods right now. GOK what the 'lecccy Bill will be but hey ho!

Being a bear of very little brain, what I can't understand is that I can get up to 23'c at home on lecccy as a trial, but not here. It is not especially cold presently, only -2 ish.
The Alde underfloor heating is soooooo lovely when it does work!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
bladerunner
Sep 7, 2010
840
4,561
cardiff
Funster No
13,594
MH
Frankia 7900 Platin plus
Exp
since 2010
The panel failure log entry is spurious I was told by Alde in Sweden and they said ignore it? Mine is in a dry barn with a humidifier running at 50% so no way is it damp and I get tons of these log entries.
You could use a local cylinder with regulator back fed through the BBQ point if you have one?
Helpful indeed

I have run dehumidifier as well and still get the error message. Plus "new" control panel helpfully lifted from a new van in SMC show room came pre installed with about 15 of the error messages!

No external BBQ source..
 

ubuntu1

Free Member
Feb 13, 2008
155
44
Derbyshire
Funster No
1,503
MH
PVC
Exp
since 2006
You can buy a local gas cyclinder and gas pigtail. We have standardised gas pressure (30mbar) and fittings across the EU so its easy to replace your UK cylinder with a local one.
 

ceejayt

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 12, 2015
3,168
5,718
Stamford Bridge - Yorkshire
Funster No
37,605
MH
RS Elysian A Class
Exp
Since 2004
In our 9m van I opted to have a Webasto diesel heater in the hab area as well as the Alde system. Experience in our last vehicle was that the Alde could take a long time to get everywhere up to temp and used a lot of gas when in the mountains in Austria even when using electric and gas.

Have to say it was a good decision - instant quick blown heat and doesn't eat much diesel.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Violet1

Free Member
Jul 4, 2015
81
83
March, Cambs
Funster No
37,052
MH
semi-integrated
Exp
i'm a newbie
Have you checked your fluid levels as they may be at or below minimum and the efficiency will be affected
 
Dec 23, 2014
2,169
2,791
South Somerset
Funster No
34,546
MH
Carthago C-Line I 50
Exp
Since 2009
I don’t want to be the harbinger of bad news but what you describe and based on a similar experience I wonder if your gas regulator is in the early stages of failure.

Also as you are in Germany I would consider getting a pair of Alugas refillables fitted. They are cheaper and lighter than Gaslow and just as good.
 

jonandshell

Free Member
Dec 12, 2010
5,476
8,299
Norfolk
Funster No
14,648
MH
Not got one!
Exp
Since 2006
Most skiers seem to get through a 13kg bottle every 3 days.
Your consumption may not be exeptional at all.
Gaslow or a big fixed tank has to be the solution for you. Remember that the oil filled radiator will keep the living area warm, but your pipes in the double floor are vulnerable to frost without the Alde pipes radiating heat in that area.
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
It's also strange that you don't seem to be able to get it properly hot on electric. Ours works equally well on electric or gas. Something may not be working quite right.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Dec 23, 2014
2,169
2,791
South Somerset
Funster No
34,546
MH
Carthago C-Line I 50
Exp
Since 2009
Just another thought. Do you have cold weather gas regulator / cylinder heaters on your machine? If so are you using them?
 
OP
OP
bladerunner
Sep 7, 2010
840
4,561
cardiff
Funster No
13,594
MH
Frankia 7900 Platin plus
Exp
since 2010
I don't think the problem is on the gas side.
It may just be that the electric heater is not powerful enough to bring temp above 18 when it is under -2'c outside?
Gas works lovely and will heat easily and quickly. I shall probably get gaslow refillable, but their website suggests many French petrol stations will not allow filling if it involves opening a hatch.
Oddly, I was comfy warm at 22'c on just electric (I know the bill will be large) until I was "asked" to turn it down.
So down to 21'c and it seems to have upset Alde as returning now from skiing van was down to 13'c!
When using the small oil filled radiator, Alde seems to buck up her ideas and chucks out heat on just electric.

'Tis a mystery to me.


P.s. I suspect I was wrongly charged in kitzbuhel. 5 days, only electric in cold and they said 9 units, €9 please! No argument from me!
 
Dec 23, 2014
2,169
2,791
South Somerset
Funster No
34,546
MH
Carthago C-Line I 50
Exp
Since 2009
It is only recently that we have acquired a van with Alde heating and I working hard to understand all the quirks. Our previous van had a Truma blown air system and could put out 7.8kW (1800w electric and 6000w gas). The van was not well insulated and 1800w electric would not cope with really cold weather; the 6000w on gas worked well and combined we cooked nicely :). Our Alde system can provide 3000w electric and 4000w [I think) gas. The van is very well insulated and 3000w electric works well but I did make the mistake of forgetting to up the usage to 3kW on the control panel and I can assure you that 1kW is not up to much. Hopefully you have not fallen into the same trap. A pick of my Gaslow is included showing the neat connector ready to take an adaptor, however, I would have preferred Alugas as they are lighter and cheaper; also available in Germany :sneaky:.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Attachments

  • PC062629.JPG
    PC062629.JPG
    144.9 KB · Views: 17
Last edited:

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top