Alde Heating (1 Viewer)

Jul 3, 2008
1,098
943
Lincolnshire
Funster No
3,154
MH
Autotrail Apache 700
Exp
since 1998
Has anyone experience with ALde Water Heating ifso could you please answer the following

1 Is it better than warm air
2 Does it use a lot of battery power like warm air (blower on)
3 Does it need to be drained during the winter
Cheers
Bill :Smile:
 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,106
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
Has anyone experience with ALde Water Heating ifso could you please answer the following

1 Is it better than warm air
2 Does it use a lot of battery power like warm air (blower on)
3 Does it need to be drained during the winter
Cheers
Bill :Smile:

In the spirit of a forum, I have NO such experience but I'll take a guess that would have me rejecting the idea....

1. Heat is heat but blown warm air should be circulated better.
2. Take your pick, pump air or pump water.
3. Almost certainly, unless it can be filled with antifreeze.

4. Extra weight - loads of it.
 

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
hi, works quite succesfully . a friend of mine had it in a coachbuilt that got damaged ,we fitted it in his new truck camper works fine easy to fit near little radiators. think you will find it in remo catalogue. or try a boat yard its used on boats. i just use a gas ctalitic heater from thermx, try to be somewhere warm when ever possible.

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GIBLA53

Free Member
Jul 26, 2009
267
25
Powys/Spain
Funster No
7,659
MH
Adria Coral Compact
Exp
since 2002
I HAD THAT "WET" SYSTEM ON A VAN OF MINE AND IT IS FILLED WITH A SIMILAR FLUID TO ANTIFREEZE AS TO EFFICIENCY -EXCELLENT I COULD RUN THIS ON A 6 AMP CAMPSITE ON ITS LOWEST SETTING AND WAS MOST EFFICIENT IN THE COLDEST OF WEATHER.:Smile: ALAN
 
May 23, 2008
2,480
3,479
Near Durham City
Funster No
2,787
MH
Carthago
Exp
Since 1984
Now have my second van with Alde heating and it is excellent.
It is the same principal as the water system on any vehicle and is filled with glycol so winter draining is not required.
Alde heating makes Truma as old fashioned as the gas mantle (that's showing my age).
Wiljoy:thumb:
 

thefman

Free Member
Sep 4, 2007
407
81
notts
Funster No
224
MH
low profile
Exp
since 2000
hi ours has the alde system and it is excellent much better than
the blown air on our old van.


mark.

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vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
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since a child
nothing wrong with a gas mantle . i have three gaslights in my trailer n am the envy of everyone who visits on a chilly night. keeps midgeys away as well. much pleasanter than tubes or lcd lights.
 
Aug 21, 2008
689
1,344
skegness
Funster No
3,766
MH
Autosleeper Symbol
Exp
Van Conversion
Hi Bill We had alde wet central heating in our last van its very efficient when up to temperature but we found it took a long time for the van to heat up. personal preferance we prefer blown heating.Alan and julie+2GSDs from Benicassim:thumb:
 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,003
8,575
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
With the Alde system you can have a heat exchanger installed between the heating circuit and the engine cooling system. With the engine running, the circulation pump in the heating circuit is switched on and fluid flows through the engine heat exchanger. As it does, it is heated by the engine during your journey so that when you arrive you already have warm water for washing and showering! Can't do that with blown air !

Alde Engine Heat Exchanger - Alde UK

can also work backwards

With the additional Alde 2755-000 circulation pump installed in the engine cooling system, you can run engine heat exchanger backwards, using the central heating system to warm up the engine in cold weather.

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pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
43,171
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Since 2005
Quote:
With the additional Alde 2755-000 circulation pump installed in the engine cooling system, you can run engine heat exchanger backwards, using the central heating system to warm up the engine in cold weather.

is that a modern version of a burning oilrag? :winky:
 

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
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4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
used to be available in most camper mags ,a similar system for hot water on arrival . lots trucks have it on them .just plumb in to radiator hoses then let the water pump on engine do the work .bit difficult with a 5er.
 

The Wallace

Free Member
Apr 3, 2009
367
5
Funster No
6,135
is that a modern version of a burning oilrag?
When I was an apprentice (many moons ago) if I missed the local bus I would bum a lift on one of the trucks in the local contractors - no oily rags there - just yesterdays newspaper, lit and held over the air intake - this meant lifting the engine cover in the cab and pulling off the air filter!!
It was bad enough to encourage me to NOT miss the bus very often.
Back on subject though - I would like to try the Alde system ( my folks had it in an Adria caravan years ago) and reckon the problem of heat lag can be overcome by turning it on an hour or so before you really need it.

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thefman

Free Member
Sep 4, 2007
407
81
notts
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224
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Exp
since 2000
With the Alde system you can have a heat exchanger installed between the heating circuit and the engine cooling system. With the engine running, the circulation pump in the heating circuit is switched on and fluid flows through the engine heat exchanger. As it does, it is heated by the engine during your journey so that when you arrive you already have warm water for washing and showering! Can't do that with blown air !

Alde*Engine Heat Exchanger - Alde UK

can also work backwards

that's it in a nutshell
this is the system we have and you cant beat it:Smile:
 
S

sinbad1

Deleted User
Aldi boilers are fine , had one on the boat, simple job to connect the boiler system to the engine, just a matter of connecting into the rad pipes..I had valves to separate the two systems.

The only drawback to the aldi system is it is expensive to run compared to other means of heating such as the deisel heaters maccuni and espacher.

However, a good heating system, allthough the one i had was only used to transfere heat from the engine to the living area.

regards
 

cater_racer

Free Member
Oct 15, 2008
46
0
Chester
Funster No
4,456
MH
C Class
Exp
10
We have Aldi on the Augusta, love it. Much better than blown warm air. It can use a bit of gas if left on overnight.

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Judge Mental

Funster
Deceased RIP
Sep 2, 2009
6,650
5,883
Sarth London
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8,272
MH
Possl 636 FR panel van
Exp
1994 and beyond...
ALDE for me everytime....I had it in last van and now have 6002 EH blown air and considerr it horrible in comparison. the wet system is more like domestic heating. why do you think all top of the range German vans tend to have the ALDE as standard........
 

Shore-is-Good

Free Member
Aug 26, 2008
46
1
Somewhere warm
Funster No
3,826
MH
A class
Exp
since 2007
I have Alde on the Concorde and would say it is a very good system.

On propane, it heats the rads up and gives running hot-water very quicky.
The heat is not that dry-heat I'm told you get from blown air, and it doesn't stir the dust around.
If so fitted, it will heat (albeit more slowly on 1 or 2Kw) on electric (EHU) and you have a choice on the control panel to choose 1, 2 or 3Kw input depending on how many amps you have available. It's pretty quick if you have, say, 16 amps available for the 3 Kw setting.

It's quiet; using only a small circulation pump when you're on 12 volts. When on hook-up there's a 220v pump in the main unit under the floor which you can't hear at all.

There's no need to drain the wet system. It's filled with a glycol mixture and can withstand the harshest temps. You have to drain the hot water tank when it might freeze, unless you are using the MH.

The wall controller (2007 vintage) takes a bit of getting used to but Alde have since brought out a newer version which I understand is simpler to use.

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big map

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 8, 2009
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A Class
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Since 2009
''is that a modern version of a burning oilrag? ''

That brings back memories of early starts on cold winter mornings.
 

ocsid

Free Member
Dec 20, 2008
54
0
Funster No
5,197
You have most of the answers, indicating its a much better system in most ways, a view I fully support.

The maximum 12 volt drain is quoted at 1 amp, this is for the blower, water pump and controls. In reality I have found any difference in battery drain unnoticeable.
It really can zap gas if on full canter as its rated at 6kw, but like to like its going to use no more gas than any other heating system achieving the same temperature in the same space. Obviously oil burners have a different price.

Now the downside: the fresh water on normal non heating role is a nice 50degC, but when on full blast heating until the room stats up to temperature the coolant goes up to 80degC. Unfortunately so does the fresh water during that time and this temperature is too great for the vans piping system an issue if you draw water. I have had a bit of a struggle keeping a couple of the Jubilee clipped pipes leak free as the temperature softens the plastic pipework. I have presently cured these with double clips and its working, but I have identified where I could source some silicone rubber hose to replace the plastic if it re occurs.
 
Jul 18, 2009
10,968
17,362
Manchester UK + Javea/Xabia Costa Blanca Spain
Funster No
7,543
MH
HYMER B644
Exp
2004
Alde

When I have finished fitting the Alde Heat exchanger and managed to get Mercedes to re-program our Eberspacher Diesel ADD heater to become a Pre-Heater, we should have the following benefits.

Ability to Heat the van (and pre-heat the engine if required)

On Gas, Electric or Diesel
Be able to heat the Habitation Space and water whilst on the move.

This means that if we not on hook-up and should we run low on gas, then we can switch to diesel!.

Perfect as we are off to Pyrenees, Andorra and Sierra Nevada for a month Soon!

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