Alde clarity or maybe confusion (1 Viewer)

Feb 24, 2013
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A couple of things have happened recently that I have either shared or commented on

Adding some specific detail now with another observation

we have an Alde Compact 3010

just before we went to France last month I noticed the reservoir level was only just above the minimum level although it had been running for a few days due to cold weather, so I topped it up to halfway between the two lines and observed during our trip it seemed to sit about there all trip

putting MH away today noticed level down again, and it had been running since we got back

my observation

did some investigation and wondered if the level changed if running on gas, it had been on electric only since return, so turned gas option on, left electric on and turned up thermostat

within 5 minutes the reservoir level was back close to mid level, so it would seem that on gas the reservoir level changes but not on electric?? seems odd

also confirmed that on ours at least, if gas and electric selected at same time, the gas definitely runs, confirmed by heat at vent outlet, I presume the electrics stayed on as well, I even increased the electrics from 2 to 3, which I think means 2Kw to 3Kw, the gas still ran

not sure how much this helps others, as the title says I am possibly more confused than have gained any clarity
 

pappajohn

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On mine the level fluctuated when the pump started and stopped.
Could be an indication the system had a small amount of trapped air and this was being compressed by the pump and resistance to flow in the pipework.
 

funflair

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Hi David, "confused" surely not.

Never really laboured too much on fluid levels in ours but the book says that the cold level should be just above minimum I think, yes the level increases as the temperature rises so I suppose it would make sense that if you add the gas to the electric or even gas on its own the level could well be higher as the gas is a higher rated heat source compared to electric.

On some controllers certainly not ours and not sure about yours but you can set the priority to gas or electric then it will use both when demand is high but then go down to the one that was prioritised. Again not sure about your van but I think that the 2 and 3 positions on ours are both wired as 2kw as we obviously can't be trusted not to trip site electrics;)(y)

Martin

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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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On mine the level fluctuated when the pump started and stopped.
Could be an indication the system had a small amount of trapped air and this was being compressed by the pump and resistance to flow in the pipework.


that makes good sense and is possibly an aspect I didnt wait to check, it did seem odd that on gas it fluctuated and not on electrics :)(y)
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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Hi David, "confused" surely not.

Again not sure about your van but I think that the 2 and 3 positions on ours are both wired as 2kw as we obviously can't be trusted not to trip site electrics;)(y)

Martin

Interesting, hard to test as well I guess

I have actually been reading our rules, we seem to have a very clever setting that I cant see how could work

you can set a value for available current and if exceeded the Alde will turn off or down, cant see how it can see it quick enough to stop it tripping the post but a great idea if it worked (y)
 

Kim H

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David,

This is the gubbins that does the work.

http://www.alde.co.uk/itemdetails.php?itemId=132

Whether we have one fitted as standard it is difficult to say without dismantling the wardrobe. Could just try setting the current when on a low amp connection and see if the post trips.

Plenty of threads on the load monitor.

Anthony

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Last edited:

sallylillian

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David,

This is the gubbins that does the work.

http://www.alde.co.uk/itemdetails.php?itemId=132

Whether we have one fitted as standard it is difficult to say without dismantling the wardrobe. Could just try setting the current when on a low amp connection and see if the post trips.

Plenty of threads on the load monitor.

Anthony
Thats the one its nothing money and a cinch to fit, not sure why all MH manufacturers that have Alde don't fit them as standard?
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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David,

This is the gubbins that does the work.

http://www.alde.co.uk/itemdetails.php?itemId=132

Whether we have one fitted as standard it is difficult to say without dismantling the wardrobe. Could just try setting the current when on a low amp connection and see if the post trips.

Plenty of threads on the load monitor.

Anthony

thanks Anthony

It sounds almost too good to be true

What's your take on the gas and electric at same time, I had thought that if gas is turned on and activated on Alde controller, but mains power available it would only draw on the electrics, this seems to not be the case on mine at least, could account for why I get through so much gas

we don't appear to have the optional outside temp sensor so unless the controller can detect slow reaction time maybe cant think why it use both fuels at same time, although when in Durness a few years back at -14C I turned them both on together hoping they would work together and they seemed to

just got to work round Martins theory now that we don't even have a 3Kw option on ours

and all this before I even start to look into a new sink cover and worktop o_O
 

Mikey RV

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We fun our Alde heating on the electric at 2 kw, if it’s really cold then we put it on the gas also. The gas will only click in if it has a lot to do as in if your heating is set at 15 and you turn the temp up to 18 the gas will click in to boost it up and then cut out and the electric will then hold the tempurture. That’s what we find anyway. Think the electric struggles being a big van to heat when it’s on a low temp to get to a higher tempurture. Hope that makes sense.

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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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We fun our Alde heating on the electric at 2 kw, if it’s really cold then we put it on the gas also. The gas will only click in if it has a lot to do as in if your heating is set at 15 and you turn the temp up to 18 the gas will click in to boost it up and then cut out and the electric will then hold the tempurture. That’s what we find anyway. Think the electric struggles being a big van to heat when it’s on a low temp to get to a higher tempurture. Hope that makes sense.


that makes sense, I did check the vent just after turning up the stat

but the other clue we got while using it in the very cold weather we have just had, there was a frozen trail down from the vent in normal use, but as you suggest that might still have only been in short bursts (y)
 

funflair

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You need to read the instructions David "sorry"

For the older slider system it says,

NB! If both the electrical cartridge and the LP gas boiler are ON, the electrical cartridge heats up first and the LP gas boiler only starts when the room temperature has gone down by 1-2°C.

Martin
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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You need to read the instructions David "sorry"

For the older slider system it says,

NB! If both the electrical cartridge and the LP gas boiler are ON, the electrical cartridge heats up first and the LP gas boiler only starts when the room temperature has gone down by 1-2°C.

Martin


Having literally only just 'read' my rule book this weekend I am fairly confident it doesn't say that in mine, but as ever am always open to learn, will look again

Mine isn't the slide system by the way, so I may have already read correctly (y)

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funflair

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Interesting, hard to test as well I guess

I have actually been reading our rules, we seem to have a very clever setting that I cant see how could work

you can set a value for available current and if exceeded the Alde will turn off or down, cant see how it can see it quick enough to stop it tripping the post but a great idea if it worked (y)
Hi David

You've got me reading "the book of rules" as well:LOL: and came up with this, which basically says that the function is in the controller but you need the hardware installed in the fuse box.

17. load monitor amp

This function is used if you do not want the 230V fuses to become overloaded. If the total power consumption of the vehicle, boat or building exceeds the set value, the power effect will be reduced automatically.
On account of voltage variations and tolerances, one can select various control levels (for example, for 6A fuse, one can choose either 5,6,7 Amp setting).
If the fuse does not hold, select a lower set value.

The function is disconnected in the factory setting. To use this function, a load monitor (3010246) must be installed in the 230V distribution box. To activate the function, you must first light up the lower row of functions (see item 12).

Martin
 

funflair

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Having literally only just 'read' my rule book this weekend I am fairly confident it doesn't say that in mine, but as ever am always open to learn, will look again

Mine isn't the slide system by the way, so I may have already read correctly (y)
David, you are right if I am reading your "rules" it doesn't say but my guess is that would actually be a function of the boiler rather than the controller as the simple slide controller would not be that clever in my view.

What number is your boiler and controller.

Martin

EDIT from the 3010 manual,

imPortant inFormation

  • The boiler must not be started if there is no glycol in the system.
  • The boiler always gives priority to the electrical heating cartridge.
  • The LPG boiler and heating cartridge may be operated in parallel.
 
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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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David, you are right if I am reading your "rules" it doesn't say but my guess is that would actually be a function of the boiler rather than the controller as the simple slide controller would not be that clever in my view.

What number is your boiler and controller.

Martin

:LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL:

like you expect me to know :LOL:

the system is 3010 if that answers part one, the controller is the digital not the touch screen but I don't know its number

It'll wait for Chester (y)

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Kim H

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David, I am currently on a 6 amp hook up, I set the power setting in the Alde controller to 6 amps, then fired the heating up on 3kw, the power trips off. We don't have a load monitor as standard .

Anthony
 

stewartwebr

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Thats the one its nothing money and a cinch to fit, not sure why all MH manufacturers that have Alde don't fit them as standard?
Just remember that the load monitor connections differ between models. Obviously, the current coil need to go where the electrics come into the van. The other end connects to the control panel on the 3010 and the 3020 and 3020HE connects direct to the boiler.
 

Mikey RV

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that makes sense, I did check the vent just after turning up the stat

but the other clue we got while using it in the very cold weather we have just had, there was a frozen trail down from the vent in normal use, but as you suggest that might still have only been in short bursts (y)

We had that frozen trail from the vent last week while in Le Mans but it was -5 outside, normally you would just see vapour coming out the vent but as it was so cold it froze. First time that has happened, prefer to be in the warm. I blame the beast from the east.

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DavidG58
Feb 24, 2013
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We had that frozen trail from the vent last week while in Le Mans but it was -5 outside, normally you would just see vapour coming out the vent but as it was so cold it froze. First time that has happened, prefer to be in the warm. I blame the beast from the east.

Coldest we had was Canterbury P & R -11C last Wednesday on gas only we had a good icicle

We were more or less following you round France last week on our way home

Looks like a useful location you found near Le Mans
 

dabhand

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The boiler always gives priority to the electrical heating cartridge.
Only if it’s turned on at the controller though isn’t it? I had a read of my manual last year as the fan or pump, kept running and wouldn’t switch off, there’s a myriad of things you can alter on the tiny bottom row options (if it# the same controller as David’s, I ( or most likely the wife) had overridden one of the settings without realising by setting the pump to constant. Now what I love about your posts Martin ( @funflair ) is not only that you RTFM, you understand it, keep it up my boy(y)
 

funflair

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Only if it’s turned on at the controller though isn’t it? I had a read of my manual last year as the fan or pump, kept running and wouldn’t switch off, there’s a myriad of things you can alter on the tiny bottom row options (if it# the same controller as David’s, I ( or most likely the wife) had overridden one of the settings without realising by setting the pump to constant. Now what I love about your posts Martin ( @funflair ) is not only that you RTFM, you understand it, keep it up my boy(y)
Hi Simon

On ours which is the 3000 model the boiler instructions say nothing about heat source priority but the 3010 system instructions say that electric has priority, both of these systems seem to use the same controller with the slides so my conclusion is that the function of priority must be in the boiler control electronics, to be honest I very rarely RTFM for myself it's usually to join in discussions like this(y)

Martin
 

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