Funny Alde noises in the night... (1 Viewer)

[PH104]

Last night during the night whilst lying in bed, whenever the boiler (Bailey 79-4) started up, I could hear water trickling noises coming from the expansion tank in the wardrobe. This morning I've had a look, no leaks, the fluid level is just above minimum, when the boiler starts up the fluid visible in the expansion tank 'window' appears to be bubbling around a bit. Is this normal? Never heard these trickling sounds before. Does it just need bleeding?
Thanks,
Ash

 

[Clarky]

Yes, ours does that too.
As the expansion tank is down the front of the van we only hear it when in the front and not at night.
I did read that it is because the fluid level is low or the system needs bleeding but after topping ours up it still gurgled.
The heating works just fine so I haven't looked any further.

Richard.

 

[icantremember]

Last night during the night whilst lying in bed, whenever the boiler (Bailey 79-4) started up, I could hear water trickling noises coming from the expansion tank in the wardrobe. This morning I've had a look, no leaks, the fluid level is just above minimum, when the boiler starts up the fluid visible in the expansion tank 'window' appears to be bubbling around a bit. Is this normal? Never heard these trickling sounds before. Does it just need bleeding?
Thanks,
Ash

It sounds like the system needs bleeding ... how old is the fluid?

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[Lenny HB]

Just asking, why would you have heating on at night at this time of year?

 

[Baycott]

I will be looking at the answers to this as ours makes the same gurgling noise. Our 'header' tank is also in the wardrobe.

 

[Dorset Diver]

I think it needs a little more fluid. The tank should be one quarter to one third full when cold. Kept like that ours does not make any noise.

I top up with: http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/c...MI-4-8nuzl1QIVR5EbCh2dqgGLEAQYAiABEgKR8vD_BwE

It may also now need bleeding.

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[dabhand]

Just make sure you don't have a burst at the outflow pipe on boiler! Twice it's happened to me!

 

[Clarky]

Just make sure you don't have a burst at the outflow pipe on boiler! Twice it's happened to me!

Were your bursts on the heating outlet or the hot water?
I ask that because we have also had two pipes burst at the hot water outlet.

Sorry OP, slightly off topic.................but not much.

Richard.

 

[magicsurfbus]

Ours burbles around a bit then settles down. As the system warms up the level of fluid will increase due to expansion, hence expansion tank. The fluid level appears to be within the limits on the tank markers so I'm leaving well alone and letting it burble.

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[pappajohn]

Just make sure you don't have a burst at the outflow pipe on boiler! Twice it's happened to me!

Stupid design.
Pipe exits boiler, drops down to floor level, tight U bend then back up.
At least the system isn't pressurised but
any crap settles in the U bend and rots the aluminium pipe from INSIDE.

Mine had a small hole and a temp fix was a pencil rubber over the hole and a jubilee clip round the pipe and rubber.
Saying temporary......it was still there a year later when I sold the caravan.

 

[PH104]

Thanks all for the replies. The MH is only 6 months old so I assume the fluid is too.

Heating was trying to kick in as it didn't feel like August on the Gower last night!

I'll ring the dealer in the morning and ask them to take a look.

 

[icantremember]

The MH is only 6 months old so I assume the fluid is too.

That shoulkd be fine then ... I still reckon it has air in the system and needs bleeding.

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[funflair]

Last night during the night whilst lying in bed, whenever the boiler (Bailey 79-4) started up, I could hear water trickling noises coming from the expansion tank in the wardrobe. This morning I've had a look, no leaks, the fluid level is just above minimum, when the boiler starts up the fluid visible in the expansion tank 'window' appears to be bubbling around a bit. Is this normal? Never heard these trickling sounds before. Does it just need bleeding?
Thanks,
Ash

Assuming that you have the pump that sits in the top of the expansion tank a bit of "bubbling about" is quite normal when the heating clicks on, if the level is just above minimum when its hot it could do with a touch more fluid in IMO.

Martin

 

[dabhand]

Were your bursts on the heating outlet or the hot water?
I ask that because we have also had two pipes burst at the hot water outlet.

Sorry OP, slightly off topic.................but not much.

Richard.

Hot water outlet, good pipe all the way around the van and crap rubber pipe around the boiler, has happened twice when I've left the hot water on, it fills pipes to appliances / taps and then gets so hot the pipe ruptures. I have ordered and am waiting on some John Guest 12mm pipe and some push fit fittings to renew all the pipe around the boiler.

 

[funflair]

This could be a good time to mention that you are supposed to drain and refill the hot water side of the Alde about every 6 weeks use as it should have an air cushion on top of the water to take up expansion and after a while it looses this and you need to re establish it.

Martin

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[Robert Clark]

This could be a good time to mention that you are supposed to drain and refill the hot water side of the Alde about every 6 weeks use as it should have an air cushion on top of the water to take up expansion and after a while it looses this and you need to re establish it.

Martin

Do you mean drain it in the same way as you would do for overwintering ?

 

[funflair]

Do you mean drain it in the same way as you would do for overwintering ?

Yes "ish" as you dont need to be so dilligent as you are filling it again straight away, just the hot side of the boiler and then re-fill, I never did ours but talking to the Alde guys at a show and asking about a pressure release valve dripping when hot they suggested it was because it needed the air back in and told me it should be done regularly.

Which reminds me I might do ours again although it doesn't drain easily without letting air into the top of the boiler with a little brass air release valve.

Martin

From Alde 3020 boiler instructions.

When the hot water cylinder is in continuous use, it should
be drained and refilled once a month. This recreates the air cushion in the
hot water cylinder that absorbs pressure surges.

 

[Clarky]

Do you mean drain it in the same way as you would do for overwintering ?

I understood that you just need to open the hot water drain (next to the boiler in our van) for 5 seconds or so to let some water out then switch the pump back on to refill.
Just takes moments and I try and remember to do it about once a week when we are in the van.

Richard.

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[Clarky]

Hot water outlet, good pipe all the way around the van and crap rubber pipe around the boiler, has happened twice when I've left the hot water on, it fills pipes to appliances / taps and then gets so hot the pipe ruptures. I have ordered and am waiting on some John Guest 12mm pipe and some push fit fittings to renew all the pipe around the boiler.

That's interesting as I thought it was just us that had that problem.
Like you it seemed as if the pipe (plastic I think) had melted.
The dealers have now put a larger bore length of pipe over the offending one to form a strong and thick tight fitting sleeve from the boiler to the next joint which is well away from the heat of the boiler.
Just hoping it makes a permanent fix as it is an absolute bugger to get to between the floors.

 

[funflair]

I understood that you just need to open the hot water drain (next to the boiler in our van) for 5 seconds or so to let some water out then switch the pump back on to refill.
Just takes moments and I try and remember to do it about once a week when we are in the van.

Richard.

I guess as long as you drain enough to let some air in it will be OK.

Martin

 

[dabhand]

That's interesting as I thought it was just us that had that problem.
Like you it seemed as if the pipe (plastic I think) had melted.
The dealers have now put a larger bore length of pipe over the offending one to form a strong and thick tight fitting sleeve from the boiler to the next joint which is well away from the heat of the boiler.
Just hoping it makes a permanent fix as it is an absolute bugger to get to between the floors.
View attachment 180930

That looks like John Guest pipe, is it? cos I'm just about to replace mine with it as it's supposed to be better!

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[Clarky]

That looks like John Guest pipe, is it? cos I'm just about to replace mine with it as it's supposed to be better!

No idea I'm afraid.
The burst pipe in the photo is OEM fit and just had the end cut off and replaced. The Spanish fitter then put a loose sleeve of waste pipe over it to protect it from external heat which he thought had caused the problem.
When we returned to the UK our dealer refitted the pipe, which was dripping from the refitted end, and put a tight sleeve of thick water pipe over it to give it extra strength.

Richard.

 

[Delboyarapaho]

Our fluid trickles whenever the system is on. When cold at night you hear it continuously. I don't think there is anything wrong

 

[PH104]

The dealer suggested that I try "turning down the pump". There is a dial on the pump on the boiler that has settings from 1 - 5. It was set to 5. Dealer said 2 was plenty. So far it seems to have worked albeit I only listened for a few minutes this morning with the boiler fired up after doing it.

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