To Alde or not? (1 Viewer)

[jako999]

Hi all
We are about to order our new motorhome soon and not sure which way to go with the heating?
Our previous van had Truma blow air and it was very good, our current van has Alde which is also very good.

Truma.
Heats up quickly, far more controllable, far less gas used but a little noisy, no real servicing, no real on/ off timed programs, even with the extra electric element it’s not great if on electric.

Alde
Slow to warm up, hard to reduce heat quickly (end up opening windows and doors), uses lots of gas, very complex, a nightmare to fix if it leaks ( I always worry about that one), totally programable timer, even on electric it’s pretty good, has to be serviced.

I know what most people will say but I’m just not sure?
The van will be a high end A class just under 8m at around 140k the price of either won’t make a difference.

Thanks

 

[stevewagner]

My Truma has timer programming

 

[paddymcc]

I haven't had Alde but reading your post makes it sound as if Truma is the winner...
I believe Alde use less power but I imagine that you will have lithium at the price bracket you are going for so maybe irrelevant.

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[jonasw19]

Alde for us
Underfloor heating toasty, very very toasty
Engine heat exchanger, speeds warmup
Can be used without any fans, better for my eyes.
Have had both and despite it seeming to use more gas we would not go back to Truma

 

[lorger]

We bought our new van last year which is our 4th van but first with Alde heating, yes it gives the impression it takes longer to heat up as you don't get that blast of hot air. In reality I think it heats up the whole van evenly so gives the impression it's taking longer, its a lot quieter if having on overnight. As for using more gas I've never monitored it that closely, although this would only be a concern if you stayed off-grid more than on a site with EHU as I'd assume you'd use the electric to heat the van.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Hi,

We had an Alde system and it was okay noice wise, pump whined a bit, even the new ones.

Our Alde was very unreliable though. 2 x Pump Failures, non-return valve broke apart and left us with no heating in the Pyrenees at Christmas. Loss of fluid, air locks and a program failure.

On a big van, they are slow to heat up from cold too.

But the three MH's Truma Blown air have never failed, so far!

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[EuroTrotters]

I am not saying the Alde heating is a bad system, I am just saying there are upsides and downsides to both. The only reason I would be swayed by the Alde system is the fact you can fit an engine waste heat exchanger.

When we had our Frankia with Alde. The Mercedes Chassis came ex factory with an Eberspacher diesel engine boost/add heater. The eberspacher would only run with the engine running. So I rewired it to a Mercedes double switch and paid a Mercedes dealer to re-program the system.

This way, I could fire the Eberspacher up without the engine running and heat by Diesel, should we run out of gas for example.

This way, the Alde ran on.......

*Gas
*Electricity
*Diesel or
*Waste Engine heat.

This way, we could turn up to an aire or freecamp in Winter. With a nicely heated habitation heater and a tank of hot water for washing/showers.

 

[Steve and Denise]

The heat exchanger is a must with Alde it’s free heat when driving nice and warm when you arrive, that must save on gas not having to start from scratch.

 

[EuroTrotters]

I have seen Hymers and Frankias with both systems fitted to the same vehicle.

I think there is a Mercedes Alko Tag Axle Catharhgo for sale with dual systems

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[bigtwin]

Alde, no question.

Ian

 

[Steve and Denise]

I think Theonlysue has both diesel and Alde on her Hymer

 

[denisejoe]

We have a Truma heating system but also a engine heat exchanger that works with different vents to the Truma and a different truma system to heat just the front and screen

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[M-J]

Love our Alde and will want it on the next MH.

 

[Lenny HB]

Never had an Alde but everyone I know who has them say they would never go back.
As for noise with the Truma Combi ours once its up to temperature you wouldn't know it was on unless you put a hand in front of one of the vents can't hear it. Can't comment on mains as every van we have had the Combi has been gas only.

 

[jako999]

I did think you could program the Truma for on and off’s times selecting between heat and water.
As for the batteries they’re only gel unless you buy the upgrade which includes solar at another 7k

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[Lenny HB]

Timer is very limited on the Truma only one on/off period a day.

 

[Ditcha]

I just use the iNet to turn the heating on when walking back from the pub to heat the van up or turn the aircon on to cool the van down, so full control from were ever you are

PS that's if I remember

 

[Ditcha]

I have had both systems and there is pluses and minuses with both systems, I do like the vent function on the truma for circulating the air around the van on warmer days.

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[Lenny HB]

I have had both systems and there is pluses and minuses with both systems, I do like the vent function on the truma for circulating the air around the van on warmer days.

I did until I found out it draws 6 amps and doesn't a lot, the Fantastic vent shifts far more air for a cost of less than 1 amp.

 

[Ditcha]

I did until I found out it draws 6 amps and doesn't a lot, the Fantastic vent shifts far more air for a cost of less than 1 amp.

I don't like it now then another strike for truma.

I don't mind the noise of the fan, I often turn it on full blast it gives me a break from the missus she's well known to talk a glass eye to sleep

Don't tell her I said that mind

 

[funflair]

Alde for us although we didn't even have a choice as you will find that the next rung on the price ladder you get Alde as standard and the option is additional diesel heating, as others have said the engine heat exchanger is a luxury for driving in the winter and arriving with a warm van and a tank of hot water.

We had Alde on our last van for 8 years and it had a circulation pump and I changed the fluid and that was it.

Yes it's slow to heat up but the latest programmers have a timer function so just set it to come on in the morning before you get up, and it can now be controlled from the iNet.

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[CazPaul]

I have seen Hymers and Frankias with both systems fitted to the same vehicle.

I think there is a Mercedes Alko Tag Axle Catharhgo for sale with dual systems

Ours has Alde and a Truma system, all factory fit although the truma is for the front of the van only but it certainly chucks heat out and spreads to the whole van quickly.

 

[Ditcha]

If you head north alot = Alde

If you head South alot=
Anything

 

[two]

Either system is fine. They are different but you soon get used to them. The main difference is that Alde will consume a bit more payload and cost more to buy.
In a "high-end" vehicle, I'd get Alde because that's the norm.

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[sallylillian]

The Alde control has many features with options. The temperature control allows for a night and day setting so we have ours to maintain different and of course start on day around 6am so nice and comfortable when we get up. Load Monitor for ehu control, iNet comms, quiet running, managed dual fuel, no smells are just some of the benefits. So Alde is an only choice of the 2 you present.

 

[cliffanger]

Never had an Alde but everyone I know who has them say they would never go back.
As for noise with the Truma Combi ours once its up to temperature you wouldn't know it was on unless you put a hand in front of one of the vents can't hear it. Can't comment on mains as every van we have had the Combi has been gas only.

We’re the same. We wouldn’t know ours is on, it’s silent. It heats our 8m van no problem from front to back.

It’s our second hot air system (third if you count the one in our Caravan, pre Motorhome), and we would go for it every time.

Edit:

I only take benefit from the system, and know nothing of payload, gas usage, etc etc, so mine may not be the best advice to take!

 

[TinaLes]

Once you have had an Alde is hard to accept a blown air Truma system.
We miss the Alde system that we had in our Caravan, now we have the Truma 6E which works as it should but does not heat the van the way an Alde would.
With an Alde system, the reason it takes slightly longer to warm up is that its radiators radiate heat from behind the furnishings, which results in the heat being transferred to the fabric/structure of the van, walls, furnishings, bed mattresses, even inside cupboards it warms up the contents.
Blown air provides direct heat to the areas where its vented, but not inside cupboards and behind the furnishings.
We are lucky in that we have a double floor in the van, so even the Truma warms up under the floor with underfloor vents, and alongside the bed mattresses, inside garage etc, but give me an Alde System everyday, if you get the upgraded in line pump instead of the little one that sits in then header tank, then it works even better. The heat exchanger from the engine just makes sense, why not use that heat to warm as you drive the van, less work for the dash heaters, and quieter also.
LES

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[lorger]

I see a few of you use the inet on your ALDE heating, we have this but never used it.
Do I need to purchase a SIM card and if so what one would you recommend?

 

[Ditcha]

I use 1p mobile SIM in my iNet

 

[Clarky]

Back in our tugging days we had a caravan with Truma then one with Alde.
Alde system was omuch, much better.
On to motorhomes and our first two had Truma (no option for anything else) our present one had an option for Alde so we jumped at it.
Again, much, much better.
Much more even heat throughout the van without the hot and cold spots we always had with the blown air system. I also found that the blown air often gave me sore eyes, because of the dryer air I presume.
The Alde U.K. HQ also give excellent service if you need it.
If there is an option I would always go for the Alde.

Richard.

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