Hymer, Alde Heating Service Problems

[Hymer 1961]

I would be interested if anyone has experienced problems when having their Alde heating fluid changed.

We have a 2013/14 A Class Hymer B544. Yesterday we had booked it in for an Alde fluid change as it was due. This is the first time we have had this done since owning the MH.
To my surprise the dealer told me they could not carry out the fluid change because Hymer hadn’t bothered to fit a drain valve. I was told this after the dealer had taken advice from Alde U.K.
Apparently there are some models that don’t have a drain valve fitted meaning your only option is to take it to Alde at Wellingborough who have to cut the pipe between the floor and fit a special piece of equipment to allow the fluid to be replaced.

I can’t believe any manufacturer would conceive such a ridiculous idea. Has anyone ever encountered this problem?

 

[Basildog]

HYMER quality
I have heard of others having the same problem

 

[Northernraider]

Why can't the just remove a hose connection let fluid run out refitt hose and refill ?

Don't see why it needs a specific valve

 

[maison]

Is the reputation of the mighty Hymer starting to take a knock?

Exploding headlights, soggy floors, bad design of heating system, poor costumer service from some dealers?

Always considered it a “quality” product and only avoided it because I didn’t see a layout I liked and could afford.

 

[funflair]

Would need to be low enough to drain but high enough to catch the fluid in a bucket so might not be that easy.

Seems a bit incompetent not fitting a drain is my view.

Martin

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[Northernraider]

Would need to be low enough to drain but high enough to catch the fluid in a bucket so might not be that easy.

Seems a bit incompetent not fitting a drain is my view.

Martin

The alde system in my Frankia ran through the storage lockers etc and were aluminium pipes joined by rubber corners and couplings. Surely one of these removed and a bit hose attached going in to a bucket could drain it. Then refill through the header tank and bleed via the various nipples.

Not ideal but it would have to be drained to fit a drain valve in anyway

 

[funflair]

The alde system in my Frankia ran through the storage lockers etc and were aluminium pipes joined by rubber corners and couplings. Surely one of these removed and a bit hose attached going in to a bucket could drain it. Then refill through the header tank and bleed via the various nipples.

Not ideal but it would have to be drained to fit a drain valve in anyway

Could be done but got to remember that the fluid will come out both ends when you split the pipe, might be quite simple to drop and pipe down thhe header and get a load out that way, either way it should not be beyond the capabilities of someone who claims to be a service engineer.

Martin

 

[rb62]

The problem seems to have arisen because Hymer and or Alde Gemany/Sweden designed the system with no drain valve and only one pipe going to the header tank so they can't use the flushing through method of replacing the fluid.

 

[myshell]

Would it be possible to siphon the fluid out of the header tank ? when I changed the anti freeze in my Eberspacher header tank I used an old 12v submersible pump (the type used for Aquarolls)
Phil

 

[Chipster]

Maybe a solution would be to insert a 4 way connection with bungs somewhere in the system. This would allow a clamp to be placed to isolate then the Alde pump system could be used for fluid change, minimal bleeding.
https://www.alde.co.uk/itemdetails-33.html
Or the standard drain could be fitted somewhere ?
https://www.alde.co.uk/itemdetails-36.html

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[maz]

To my surprise the dealer told me they could not carry out the fluid change because Hymer hadn’t bothered to fit a drain valve. I was told this after the dealer had taken advice from Alde U.K.
Apparently there are some models that don’t have a drain valve fitted meaning your only option is to take it to Alde at Wellingborough who have to cut the pipe between the floor and fit a special piece of equipment to allow the fluid to be replaced.

I don’t think this is correct as we had a fluid change done on our van recently and the mobile engineer used a complicated pump and tubing mechanism to drain the old fluid and replace with new simultaneously. As the old fluid was pumped out of the header tank, the new fluid was pumped in to take its place. There was no need to access any drain valve.

 

[rb62]

I don’t think this is correct as we had a fluid change done on our van recently and the mobile engineer used a complicated pump and tubing mechanism to drain the old fluid and replace with new simultaneously. As the old fluid was pumped out of the header tank, the new fluid was pumped in to take its place. There was no need to access any drain valve.

See post #8

 

[maz]

See post #8

Then that is very silly of Hymer to have designed it that way.

The problem is then not the lack of a drain valve, as the OP was told, but the lack of a return pipe.

 

[Steve and Denise]

I bought a pump that Alde provide to their engineers they are a bit expensive but I picked mine up secondhand.

 

[rb62]

I bought a pump that Alde provide to their engineers they are a bit expensive but I picked mine up secondhand.

But only if you have two pipes going to the header tank.

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[jdk62]

Is the reputation of the mighty Hymer starting to take a knock?

Exploding headlights, soggy floors, bad design of heating system, poor costumer service from some dealers?

Always considered it a “quality” product and only avoided it because I didn’t see a layout I liked and could afford.

Blimey.......careful.. The Hymer love mob will have you on their hit list... blasphomey!!!

 

[Steve and Denise]

But only if you have two pipes going to the header tank.

Yes seems rather a strange way to fit a system, maybe you could drain the majority down at one of the lowest bleed points then as someone else said you will have to cut into a pipe or remove one of the rubber connectors.

Or ask on the hog but at the risk of being SHOT!

 

[Hymer 1961]

Thanks for all the comments. I will be contacting Alde UK on Monday to discuss.
I would prefer to have the work done locally as I live in Essex, can anyone recommend a mobile Alde trained engineer who covers the South East.

 

[rb62]

You can stay overnight at their unit in Wellingborough,water and electric

 

[canopus]

TYP

https://www.alde.co.uk/service.shtml#east

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[pappajohn]

It's my understanding the Alde drain/fill machine performs the whole process in one go.
It drains AND refills via the pipes at the header tank forcing new fluid in one pipe and collecting old fluid as its ejected from the other and as no initial draining is needed no system bleeding is needed either because no air is admitted during the process.

 

[canopus]

If you have the Alde bleed kit (like@SteveandDenise mentioned) this shows how its done.

 

[pappajohn]

The problem seems to have arisen because Hymer and or Alde Gemany/Sweden designed the system with no drain valve and only one pipe going to the header tank so they can't use the flushing through method of replacing the fluid.

Then the circulator pump is the inline variety and not in the header tank, and is an expensive option.
The header tank pump is around £112 so I hate to think how much the inline pump is

 

[rb62]

Then the circulator pump is the inline variety and not in the header tank, and is an expensive option.
The header tank pump is around £112 so I hate to think how much the inline pump is

We have an inline pump and a two pipe header tank so the fluid change was an easy job, the in line pumps are 'supposed' to last a lot longer than the ones in the header tank making them cheaper in the long run....alledgedly!

 

[pappajohn]

The header tank pump is around £112 so I hate to think how much the inline pump is

. Between £200 and £300 depending on which retailer.

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[peterc10]

I suspect your dealer has not looked hard enough, or actually asked Hymer. In my 2015 B678 the drain is accessed by unscrewing the panel between the two floors on the right hand side in the garage.

Our system also had the 12v in line pump fitted as standard, not the one in the header tank.

 

[Basildog]

Thanks for all the comments. I will be contacting Alde UK on Monday to discuss.
I would prefer to have the work done locally as I live in Essex, can anyone recommend a mobile Alde trained engineer who covers the South East.

Personally I would just get it booked in at Alde HQ and get the job done properly the first time .
Got to get ours booked in as we have a couple of issues and want them sorted properly.

 

[Hymer 1961]

Personally I would just get it booked in at Alde HQ and get the job done properly the first time .
Got to get ours booked in as we have a couple of issues and want them sorted properly.

I think you are right. It looks like a trip to Wellingborough in the New Year.
I wish there were a few more experts locally.

 

[Theonlysue]

@Hymer 1961
Have just come back from Alde.
They said hymer built some vans without any drain points. Alde fitted some in mine free of charge and changed fluid to 5 year. I would suggest going to them if you need anything done.
Their knowledge and customer service is 5 star. Water and hook up available.