Alde V Blown air consumption (1 Viewer)

[CazPaul]

It also depends on how you use your van, working full time and having a few weeks holiday and weekends away, we liked instant, immediate heat.

If retired, more time, more money, then a case maybe for Alde.

The wet system was Truma Aquatherm, underfloor was lovely but it took a fortnight to heat up.

 

[peterc10]

It also depends on how you use your van, working full time and having a few weeks holiday and weekends away, we liked instant, immediate heat.

If retired, more time, more money, then a case maybe for Alde.

The wet system was Truma Aquatherm, underfloor was lovely but it took a fortnight to heat up.

In that case you are not comparing like with like. Our Alde is very different to an underfloor system and does not take long to warm up the whole motorhome. In fact the time to reach the set temperature is probably as quick if not quicker than the Truma hot air. The difference is with the Truma you can put your hands or feet in front of the one of the hot air blowers to get them warmed up quicker.

 

[Camdoon]

Night and Day as far as I am concerned. Alde is just so much cosier, heating the whole van and not just the area immediately in front of a vent. Another never going back.

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[stewartwebr]

Alde appear to be fitting an automatic valve for the engine heat exchanger now. I can open and close it from the MORELO panel without actually going near the exchanger.
Whilst on the subject of Alde, I thought I had really scored when it only took me 20 minutes to run the cable from the 240Volt incomer to the Alde control panel to fit the Load Protector. I was gutted to discover that the new 3020HE system no longer connects the load monitor to the control panel, it goes direct to the boiler. I have no way of getting from one side of the van to the other. Arghhhh

 

[Theonlysue]

Bearing in mind you'r an all weather camper @haganap i think the alde will suit you much better.
If there's a heat exchanger you'll ve cisy warm when you get to your destination.
Think it uses more gas but a more comfortable heat. Better to leave ticking over than keep on adjusting the temp.

 

[funflair]

Alde appear to be fitting an automatic valve for the engine heat exchanger now. I can open and close it from the MORELO panel without actually going near the exchanger.

Hi Stewart

It might be Morelo that have fitted something as on the later N+B vans I believe that there was no valve at all and in the summer the rads could still give heat which could become quite uncomfortable so the factory had to retrofit a valve.

Martin

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[stewartwebr]

Hi Stewart

It might be Morelo that have fitted something as on the later N+B vans I believe that there was no valve at all and in the summer the rads could still give heat which could become quite uncomfortable so the factory had to retrofit a valve.

Martin

You be right Martin, thinking logically, if it was an Alde control valve it would be functioned from the Aldi panel. In the Morelo it is operated from the main control panel fitted by Morelo. At the end of the day its nothing more than a remotely operated control valve so nothing fancy. My 2014 N&B Flair did not have a remote valve. The heat exchanger was accessed from the side locker and had to be manually opened and closed

 

[peterc10]

Hi Stewart

It might be Morelo that have fitted something as on the later N+B vans I believe that there was no valve at all and in the summer the rads could still give heat which could become quite uncomfortable so the factory had to retrofit a valve.

Martin

Our valve is difficult to access and is on all the time. But the rads only get hot if the pump is on and that is controlled by the thermostat. If the inside of the moho is too warm the pump does not switch on.

 

[icantremember]

Our valve is difficult to access and is on all the time. But the rads only get hot if the pump is on and that is controlled by the thermostat. If the inside of the moho is too warm the pump does not switch on.

Ours just the same Peter, leave the valve open all the time.

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[funflair]

Ours just the same Peter, leave the valve open all the time.

Sometimes when our valve is left on in the summer it can gravity circulate and gets a bit warm. Not all the time but certainly now and again, the pump is not a positive displacement so water can circulate through it if it feels like it.

Martin

 

[funflair]

You be right Martin, thinking logically, if it was an Alde control valve it would be functioned from the Aldi panel. In the Morelo it is operated from the main control panel fitted by Morelo. At the end of the day its nothing more than a remotely operated control valve so nothing fancy. My 2014 N&B Flair did not have a remote valve. The heat exchanger was accessed from the side locker and had to be manually opened and closed

Stewart ours is manual as well bit in a locker between the front seats, you should also have a switch on your Morelo control panel to turn a little pump on in the engine water circuit, you only need to use this when you want to pre-warm the engine from the heat in the habitation.

Martin

 

[icantremember]

Sometimes when our valve is left on in the summer it can gravity circulate and gets a bit warm. Not all the time but certainly now and again, the pump is not a positive displacement so water can circulate through it if it feels like it.

Martin

We've not had that problem so far Martin but the valve under driver seat is not too difficult to reach if necessary

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[peterc10]

Sometimes when our valve is left on in the summer it can gravity circulate and gets a bit warm. Not all the time but certainly now and again, the pump is not a positive displacement so water can circulate through it if it feels like it.

Martin

Interesting point Martin, but AFAIK that has never happened to us. What circulation pump do you have? I understand you can get one on the boiler (like mine) or one in the header tank. Wonder if that makes a difference.

 

[canopus]

The Alde 3010 and 3020 are fitted with this type of pump, which is adjustable, and is located on the boiler itself.

http://www.alde.co.uk/itemdetails.php?itemId=150


The earlier model Alde 3000 is fitted with this type of circulator, located in the header/top up tank and is a fixed speed.

http://www.alde.co.uk/itemdetails.php?itemId=14

 

[funflair]

Interesting point Martin, but AFAIK that has never happened to us. What circulation pump do you have? I understand you can get one on the boiler (like mine) or one in the header tank. Wonder if that makes a difference.

Header tank.

Martin

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[peterc10]

Header tank.

Martin

Ahhh that may be the difference.

 

[canopus]

Ive been recently told by Tim Matthews (KT Engineering) also, an approved Alde Engineer that its possible to retrofit the newer pump to the older 3000 type boiler and divert the wiring from the old circulating pump to the new one. The header tank becomes just that i.e. for topping up.

I was tempted, but Id just bought a new circulator pump as our original was coming up 12 years old. The motor is the new circulator is slightly more powerful than our original and soon gets the van up to temperature.

 

[funflair]

Ive been recently told by Tim Matthews (KT Engineering) also, an approved Alde Engineer that its possible to retrofit the newer pump to the older 3000 type boiler and divert the wiring from the old circulating pump to the new one. The header tank becomes just that i.e. for topping up.

I was tempted, but Id just bought a new circulator pump as our original was coming up 12 years old. The motor is the new circulator is slightly more powerful than our original and soon gets the van up to temperature.

Hi Ken

I think that we possibly have the newer more powerful pump from when I changed ours 6 years ago unless there is another new more powerful that the old more powerful one.

What difference is it suggested that changing to the newer style pump would make?

Martin

EDIT you have done well at 12 years on your old pump.

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[funflair]

Ahhh that may be the difference.

You say that but somebody with a New Flair had the same issue and that would be the newer inline pump.

Martin

 

[canopus]

I wrongly thought that our pump was on the blink, when it transpired that I only had an air lock in a place where I didn't realise there was a bleed point (under the slats of one of the beds in a really awkward spot to get to). Id already bought an new circulator prior to discovering the air lock. The physical size of the new circulator is slightly bigger than the one we had, suggesting a slightly more powerful motor. This was confirmed by Tim Matthews who has replaced Graham Cutmoore, whom Id known from our narrow boating days, who has now retired but still sells Alde spares.

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[tjay]

We have the Alde heating in our van, we use it all year round and have found it to be super warm, IMO does not use anymore gas that the blown air did and a bonus for me that the dry throat comes from blown air use has gone so no more sore throats !
Been away at -10c (gets cold up here) and we were very pleased with it being on over night, second bonus (although not used is the underfloor fans that can be put on if required !
Would not go back to anything else.

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[bigtwin]

What difference is it suggested that changing to the newer style pump would make?

I doubt that it would make any difference. I’d be very surprised if the pumps were positive displacement pumps. They’re generally used where high pressures are required and would likely be too noisy in any case.

Ian

 

[JaG]

We were away over New Year (5 nights) and we had a few very cold nights when we left the Alde heating on low over night. The heating was on every day in our A class which is 7.9 Mts long - we used 14 ltrs of gas for heating, hot water and fridge over the 5 days which equates to less than £10.00 on our refillable Gaslow system.

We did exactly the same as you Ken for the same number of nights and we used 28 ltrs of gas for heating, water and fridge. Needless to say the caravn is currently in the dealers being checked over to see why it used so much. It may well be a trip to Alde in Wellingborough as the gas valve on the main Alde unit is far too loud when it clicks in and out. Having said that, our van is 6.5Mtrs and we certainly do like the heating as it keeps the van evenly heated throughout. The thermostat, when located correctly and compensated for is quite accurate too.

 

[kevinktwo]

Has anyone /can you, fit a heat exchanger Alde heat exchanger aftermarket? If so how much £ including fitting?

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[Kim H]

Has anyone /can you, fit a heat exchanger Alde heat exchanger aftermarket? If so how much £ including fitting?

We imported our van from Durrwang late last year and asked the same question. They were adamant that it's not possible to retrofit.

 

[funflair]

We imported our van from Durrwang earlier this year and asked the same question. They were adamant that it's not possible to retrofit.

I can't see why it would not be possible as it's just a lump of metal with the heating loop going through it and then a couple of pipes off the engine cooling circuit, possibly a fiddle but?

Martin

 

[Kim H]

can't see why it would not be possible as it's just a lump of metal with the heating loop going through it and then a couple of pipes off the engine cooling circuit, possibly a fiddle but?

That's what we thought too, so when we were at Alde in Wellingborough, we asked the same question. They said it is possible, but they're unwilling to take on the work as they are concerned that it may invalidate warranties. It's not a huge deal for us, as we keep the van at home and use hook-up to warm it prior to setting off........it would have been a 'nice to have' though.

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[Bobby22]

@haganap this might answer you op.