Alde or Truma ? (1 Viewer)

May 17, 2015
221
571
South Yorkshire
Funster No
36,393
MH
Bailey Alliance SE
Exp
I am a Newbie
I am looking to purchase my first motorhome, and have found two vehicles with more or less the same layout that suits my requirements. However one uses the Alde heating, the other has Truma heating. I know they are different systems, but would welcome advice as to which is the better and more efficient of the two systems.
Thanks in advance.
 
Jun 30, 2011
7,240
20,128
Barnard Castle, UK
Funster No
17,128
MH
Concorde Concerto
Exp
Since 2007
I was all for Truma until I tried a van with Alde now I'm all Alde, so is the wife
Much nicer heat, no cold spots, even heat, warmer. Water heats quicker.

We do have a separate Truma Heater for the front which was an optional extra but Alde all the way. Only downside is Alde takes longer to warm up and it's best to start it on gas to initially get going, if it's cold I just bang the instant Truma on until the Alde system warms up.
 
Last edited:

Two on Tour

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Sep 16, 2016
10,327
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45,145
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Elddis Autoquest 175
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Our first van had a Truma gas fire with a heat exchanger on the back and a fan to blast additional hot air out of various points around the van and it was lovely and toasty, but our next van and our present van just has a blown hot air system and on colder days and nights it's not up to the job.

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DuxDeluxe

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 10, 2008
14,658
72,775
Planet Zog
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3,243
MH
A woosh bang van
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since 2008
Alde every time - far superior system. Boost on gas to warmup and then electric to keep warm if on hook up. Mine has a heater exchanger with the engine coolant as well so the van arrives toasty after a journey
 

Bluemooner

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 30, 2012
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Ribble Valley
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Dreamseeker Fifth Wheel
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We have Truma which is ok but if i had a choice i would pick Alde

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Sep 29, 2019
3,058
7,070
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64,846
MH
Hymer Exsis
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20 years
Had both, Alde for me. Water heats up much quicker, heats more evenly, more powerful.

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Jul 18, 2009
11,186
17,827
Manchester UK + Javea/Xabia Spain + Abu Dhabi
Funster No
7,543
MH
HYMER B644
Exp
2004
I’ve had both .

I don’t why everyone raves about Alderley so much.

Only benefit is you can convert/adapt to run on waste engine heat and diesel. Giving you four options for heat source.

Truman is just as good at heating and faster, more directable
 
Jun 11, 2011
306
982
Derby
Funster No
16,833
MH
Autotrail Cheyenne 840 SE
Exp
2006
Like most of the posters I have had both systems and I too prefer the Alde system but I would not make a decision to purchase a M'home on which heating system was installed, I would buy the one I loved the most and felt comfortable in.

???
 
Oct 29, 2008
5,068
5,949
West Yorkshire
Funster No
4,712
MH
PVC
Exp
since 2008
The later truma with a cp+ control panel is far better than previous models. We have the smaller 4kw model and it heats far better on electric than older models, plus as you have a fan control you can really get the van hot in no time. From cold it's a lot faster than an Alde. Both systems fitted with the correct number of heat outlets/rads do a good job.
The benefits of the truma is they are lighter weight and dont need as much maintenance with no fluids to change and no bleeding required.

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Allanm

Free Member
Jun 30, 2013
5,431
9,192
Cotes d'armor, France
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26,730
MH
Burstner Harmony TI 736 G
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Since 1987
Can’t comment on Alde because I have never used it, but the later Truma units seem very efficient, as long as the system is planned properly by the habitation side designers.
Our van has a Truma 6 with CP+, running on gas only, with 15 outlets ( 2 in the garage, 4 underfloor) ) and heats up quickly making the van cosy everywhere.
However, from what I have read about the Alde system, it does appear to be a superior way to heat the whole van efficiently, barring leaks!
So, our next van will probably be Alde heated.
 

StephDeLux

Free Member
May 29, 2019
481
797
Funster No
61,262
MH
ML-T 560 built
Exp
Since 2010
We went for Truma mostly because of weight management. For driving legally with a B license, Alde is too much of a weight penalty to be worth it in my opinion.

We've had 2 successful experiences with Truma 4KW without CP+. The next van will have 6KW and CP+. I can't imagine it being a cold place.
 
Oct 30, 2010
4,256
20,707
Suffolk or France or ........
Funster No
14,290
MH
A Class Carthago Chic
Exp
Since 2008
On previous vans we found that warm air heating from Truma gave us stinging, dry eyes and the heat was very patchy. Some areas of the van would be chilly while others were roasting.
Alde does away with those problems and makes the heat much more even throughout the van.

Richard.

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Mr B

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Feb 1, 2015
990
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Rapido 7065ff Design Edit
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Since 2015.......
After having the Truma blown air, and then having to fork out over £500 to have new elements fitted (it doesn’t help where the boiler is fitted, with the Labour and time involved in its removal), I read reviews from fellow funsters, and decided that the ALDE system was a deffo must have on our next van. As others have said on here, the Truma does suffer from cold areas around the van, but furnace hot blasts from the vents(melting the soles of my shoes one night ?)
The ALDE system seems to be a more uniform heat in the van, and has the added bonus of having the heat exchanger fitted, enabling the heat from the engine to make the van nice and warm when you arrive on site.
So it’s a vote for the ALDE from MrB ?
 

Theonlysue

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 14, 2009
6,104
7,383
Essex
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8,456
MH
As Executive 50th an
Exp
Not long enough!
Most alde systems have a heat exchanger, so you can keep the mh warm while driving, then it's just ticking over.
Starting from scratch, it uses more gas than truma, but as mine has underfloor heating, warm feet all day long lol
In winter I found cold drafts with truma.
As for the fluid change, you can get a 2 year fluid, about £200 to get changed.
And noise free lol
 

Campervan_man

Free Member
Jun 24, 2019
997
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Dethleffs Globebus
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2000
I have an older Truma Combi-boiler with a thirsty 12V fan requirement in My Dethleff's Motorhome and have now fitted an 8KW chinese diesel air heater as it runs on diesel with a long lasting 12V fan.
Diesel can be bought any where so saves on gas when wild camping.
As a Flintshire Mobile Motorhome and Caravan Technician I can recommend the diesel heaters.
Alde have anti-freeze so less chance of freezing.
Truma usually have frost control dump valves but you will lose your water when they dump.
Alde are usually a more expensive system.
All systems have there Pro's and Con's.

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Portland

Free Member
Oct 31, 2013
923
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Conwy
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C class
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20 years
All these Aldi enthusiasts are nuts? Aldi is slow except for domestic water, MUCH greedier than Truma, I have had both over the years and have Aldi in our van at this time, however we carry a portable heater for quick heat.
 
Oct 20, 2010
2,248
37,617
Burry Port South Wales
Funster No
14,190
MH
A Class
Exp
Since 2003
We have had both systems in different vans and this nutter does prefer the Alde system.
Also the service folk at Wellingborough are excellent and very helpful.
Cheers
Ed

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OP
OP
Y
May 17, 2015
221
571
South Yorkshire
Funster No
36,393
MH
Bailey Alliance SE
Exp
I am a Newbie
Thanks guys and galls, seems like Alde has the vote. I really appreciate all your input.
All I have to do now is pluck up the courage to “part wi some brass” and buy a motorhome. Being a Yorkshire lad parting wi brass don’t come easy ! ?
 

ambulancekidd

Funster
Sep 23, 2014
10,367
28,389
Ayrshire Scotland
Funster No
33,478
MH
Swift Kon-Tiki 640
Exp
Since 1964 Gosh that makes me feel old.
ALDE every time, we currently have an older van with Truma blown air, we were wilding at the weekend & had our heating on, opened the door to let the dogs out & all of the heat went with them.
With the ALDE the very fabric of the van is heated & wow does it make a difference in terms of heat loss.
 

thebriars

Free Member
Oct 20, 2018
1,149
2,182
Teesside
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56,835
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 1990
I've had both and far prefer the latest Truma. Both heat up about the same, the Alde made a horrible clicking noise as it heated up, whereas with the fan on Eco, the Truma is almost silent. The Truma controller is far better, and you don't have to have the fluid changed every couple of years as with the Alde.

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Dec 17, 2016
958
966
Malvern
Funster No
46,488
MH
Hymer B525 2006 A cl
Exp
2012
I believe Alde uses less amps than the Truma which may be a consideration if not connected to EHU.
 
Oct 29, 2016
4,504
52,739
Surrey
Funster No
45,842
MH
Carthago C Tourer
Exp
Motor Homing 5 years, caravan previously
We have the new Truma 6E blown air boiler in our van, and thanks to it being German with a double floor, along with lots of attention to detail in the way its been ducted (even under the mattresses & rear garage...we are happy, the floor is warmed beneath your feet.(y)

However having had an Alde wet system in out last new caravan(2016), the way that, as has been said, that it warms up the fabric of the van, along with everything in the store cupboards etc, then its a no brainer for me.... Alde every time.(y)
sadly I even have a bottle of the Alde top up anti freeze in the garage ready for the next van if there is one, which will have to have the Alde System.
So Alde or Truma?
Always remember what a caravan dealer said to me at The NEC in 2015 and somehow its always stuck (not my words but here goes)
Prepare yourselves now:imoutahere:

"Truma blown air, is like a fan heater stuck in a tin biscuit box, compared to Alde which is proper heating like you have at home, its wet with radiators"
Les
 
Nov 25, 2013
1,119
1,761
kent
Funster No
29,170
MH
Swift Kontiki 669
Exp
Since April 2013
Had Both Adle for me, the blown hot air systems remind me of those used in houses years ago, Noisy and when the fan stops so does the heat! The outlets on my 8.5meter van never worked evenly, the only warm place was the toilet/shower!

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Jul 5, 2013
11,726
13,705
Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
Funster No
26,797
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2013
Our first van had Truma and we were happy with it. When I looked at the van we have now I was worried that it had the Alde system, so I asked a similar question to yours and got the same answers from Alde users. That gave us the courage to go for it and we have not regretted it at all.

Having used both we much prefer the Alde system. It heats the fabric of the motorhome rather than just the air and makes it so much cosier. It is the difference between having a proper radiator system to heat your house compared with a fan heater in each room. Both keep you warm but the radiators give a more even and consistent heat.

We also love the ability to use engine heat to warm the radiators when we are on the move. When we stop the van is warm all the way through, not just the cab.

We are not thinking of changing our Hymer but, if we were, Alde would be on the must have list.
 

Lenny HB

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 18, 2007
53,429
149,974
On the coast in West Sussex
Funster No
658
MH
Hymer B678 DL
Exp
Since 2008 & many years tugging
Our first van had a Truma gas fire with a heat exchanger on the back and a fan to blast additional hot air out of various points around the van and it was lovely and toasty, but our next van and our present van just has a blown hot air system and on colder days and nights it's not up to the job.
Could be down to poor installation, we have had 3 vans with Truma blow air first one a C6002 last 2 a C6 not had a problem with any of then. They do work much better with the CP Plus controller.

Alde is the better system does take a bit longer to warm up and uses a bit more gas.
 

M-J

Jan 15, 2019
2,609
6,272
Cambridgeshire, UK
Funster No
58,012
MH
Rapido 986F
Exp
Getting there!
How would I get my Alde system to warm on the move?

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