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Re: Understanding Alde hot water - new owner
qhumberd makes sense since you're only using 1 of the heating elements vs 2 when you're on 30 amp service. They also have to do with how fast it happens too. I've always thought of it as kind of Low Med and High or Slow, Average and Fast when it comes to heat and hot water depending on whether you have it set for 1KW, 2kW or propane. 
Re: Understanding Alde hot water - new owner
And another twist in the Alde hot water world we have noted: The baseline temp of the hot water (as checked in the Service menu of our Alde 3020) is not as hot when you select 1K versus 2K on the electric side of the heating. This with cabin heating set to not come on. The 1K makes the water around 120 and the 2K makes the water closer to 150 deg.pthomas745 said:@AnOldUR If the Alde is not "on" with either electric or propane, there will be no hot water. Your comment above about making hot water is correct. If you have the Alde "requested heat" setting lower than the "ambient" temperature inside the trailer, the Alde heats the hot water, but does not move the glycol around to heat up the trailer, also.When you ask for "Extra Hot" water, the water is heated to around 149 degrees. In my 2017, this has always worked for me in the summer.
Just what we have noticed.
Re: Understanding Alde hot water - new owner
The Alde manuals have always been completely hilarious in various ways, and as far as the hot water instructions, they are completely funny and confusing.
In the Alde 3020 manual, see paragraph 2.4: "Hot water is always available when the furnace is on and running on LP Gas and/or electricity."
Very next paragraph, 2.5, attempting to describe the little "triangle" settings for the water: "No hot water. If hot water is not needed, press the ”-” button. (the symbol is empty).
But, refer to paragraph 2.4, and the other comments describing the Alde tank in this thread. There is no way to turn "off" hot water.
What the little triangle can control is the making of "hotter hot water", or what the Alde calls "Extra Hot Water". This doesn't suddenly increase the size of the Alde hot water tank, it just give the Alde a chance to make "hotter" hot water, which will give a longer session of hot water when mixed with cold water. The Alde does this by turning off the glycol pump, so all the available heating of glycol stays right there inside the Alde unit. After 30 minutes, the glycol pump will go back to "normal" and operate when the thermostat calls for heat.
Re: Dealers are so frustrating.
Both electric and propane heating depends on having fluid in the glycol chamber inside the furnace to regulate the heat. The electric elements should be submersed in the glycol. They will burn out if there's no glycol to distribute the heat away from the element. The propane heating has the same problem. Without glycol, the walls of the propane combustion chamber will overheat.
If, as they said, it's only the expansion tank that's empty, and there is glycol in the hoses and furnace, the Alde should be fine, but you need to verify that this is true.
If, as they said, it's only the expansion tank that's empty, and there is glycol in the hoses and furnace, the Alde should be fine, but you need to verify that this is true.
Re: Dealers are so frustrating.
@Mountaintrails, again, based on what you have shared, I really feel that you need to cancel the deal and be forceful about it.
I agree with @Marceline that switching out an Alde from another trailer is a BIG deal, especially when a dealer that obviously does not know what they are doing, is "doing" it. Beyond that, it is not the way to run a business and you should expect (demand) that nuCamp assist you in cancelling the sale contract and convincing the dealer to refund your money (or at least replace the trailer with one sent from the factory; not from the dealer's lot). If that is not feasible, you should strongly consider making the purchase from a different dealer.
The dealer's plan to resolve the situation makes me wonder what they are going to do with the Alde that they are apparently (allegedly) pulling out of the trailer you purchased...........put it in another trailer and sell it to some unsuspecting customer? You don't even have any guarantee that they actually have changed it out (or plan to), unless you took photos of (or recorded) the serial number for the original Alde. Considering how they have handled things to this point, for all you know they simply added some Alde fluid and fired it up. The Service Manager says they had the heater up an running, but has he demonstrated that for you?
Ughhh. I feel for you. I went through something like this several years back when I purchased a 5th wheel (the exterior was delaminating - - I discovered it the day after I took it home). I had to be very forceful with the dealer, but they replaced the trailer. In situations like this, you need to go with your gut. If it doesn't feel right, and you are getting bad vibes, you need to get out of the deal. You have plenty of justifiable reasons to do so.
Best of luck to you!! I truly hope it all works out well for you, and I'm guessing everyone else on this Forum feels the same way.
I agree with @Marceline that switching out an Alde from another trailer is a BIG deal, especially when a dealer that obviously does not know what they are doing, is "doing" it. Beyond that, it is not the way to run a business and you should expect (demand) that nuCamp assist you in cancelling the sale contract and convincing the dealer to refund your money (or at least replace the trailer with one sent from the factory; not from the dealer's lot). If that is not feasible, you should strongly consider making the purchase from a different dealer.
The dealer's plan to resolve the situation makes me wonder what they are going to do with the Alde that they are apparently (allegedly) pulling out of the trailer you purchased...........put it in another trailer and sell it to some unsuspecting customer? You don't even have any guarantee that they actually have changed it out (or plan to), unless you took photos of (or recorded) the serial number for the original Alde. Considering how they have handled things to this point, for all you know they simply added some Alde fluid and fired it up. The Service Manager says they had the heater up an running, but has he demonstrated that for you?
Ughhh. I feel for you. I went through something like this several years back when I purchased a 5th wheel (the exterior was delaminating - - I discovered it the day after I took it home). I had to be very forceful with the dealer, but they replaced the trailer. In situations like this, you need to go with your gut. If it doesn't feel right, and you are getting bad vibes, you need to get out of the deal. You have plenty of justifiable reasons to do so.
Best of luck to you!! I truly hope it all works out well for you, and I'm guessing everyone else on this Forum feels the same way.
Re: Dealers are so frustrating.
I hate to be a Debbie downer but I'm not sure I'd accept that on a brand new trailer. I think that swapping the Alde system is actually pretty big deal.Mountaintrails said:Small update. It’s Monday. I called the dealer as soon as they opened. I couldn’t get ahold of the managers. It seemed I was being ghosted. I drove to the dealer and demanded to talk to the store manager. I had a long talk with him. He seemed to be listening. Tonight I received a phone call.they will have my trailer ready to go at the end of the week. I understand I will have the top technicians and people working on it. It sounds like they will be swapping the Alde system out with one from another trailer. I will let you know the end result. I know people are just people and people make mistakes. It’s how the person fixes their mistakes is what matters to me. I will give them a little wrope and see what they do with it.
This whole situation seems very odd. As someone else pointed out, the trailers ship from Ohio with the glycol in the system. So where the heck did the glycol go? At the very least you might want to bring NuCamp corporate into the conversation.
Re: How Long do LPG Regulators Typical Last
Wondering if there is something different in the manufacture of these RV LPG regulators?
My grill LPG and my home large tank LPG regulator are much older and never have caused concern.
My grill LPG and my home large tank LPG regulator are much older and never have caused concern.
Re: recommendation for cover T@B 320S
It's interesting that the Camping World link shows different covers (with different part #s) for the Boondock vs "regular" 320. Exactly how they are different--or why the difference justifies a $20 price difference--is not at all clear given that the bodies on these campers are the same. Maybe the Boondock versions are cut a little more generously to accommodate the extra bolted on gee-gaw like the top mounted rack on non-CSS models?
Regardless, the Paha-Que covers are a tight fit. If they haven't changed them since 2015 (when I got mine) I expect it will cover the utility box but not the front-mounted spare tire.
Re: Dealers are so frustrating.
Please confirm that there was no glycol in the system. If that is true, Truma/Alde warns against operating the Alde without glycol. There is a risk of damage.
From the Alde manual:
From the Alde manual:
“The boiler comes installed with glycol heating fluid.
If the fluid is drained for any reason, you must
replace it before restarting the heating system.
Damage to the heating system and voiding of your
warranty could result if you attempt to start it with
no or low level of glycol heating fluid.”
Re: Propane use
I wouldn’t go below 10%, as the order additives(LPG is naturally odorless) ratio to LPG increases and the volume level in the tank drops. I have been told by our propane provider, not to let our tanks get below 10%, as you will have a very noticeable smell in the trailer, as the odor causing additives do not burn. This may also make lighting burners more problematic.
Cheers
