Alde 3020 - Hot Water Management

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Did I Ruin My Alde/Hot Water Heater? T@B 400.

jimcenname

If both cabin heat and hot water use the same heat source (hot glycol) why is there a way to turn each of them on/off separately? @ScottG, if i turn on heat I get hot water whether I want it or not.

Sharon_is_SAM

@jimcenname The Alde is designed with a water tank that wraps around a core glycol tank.  The water heats secondary to the glycol - it doesn’t have a choice!  Here is a diagram.

Sharon_is_SAM

@jimcenname - I hope this helps.  All things Alde are best in small bites🙂

The Alde 3020 controls operate a bit differently than the 3010 model that nuCamp installed when starting out with the Alde.

When the water temperature control (shower symbol) is in the unshaded position, although it appears to eliminate the hot water option, if there is water in the Alde tank, it will still heat if you turn on the Alde for cabin heat - just like the 3010 model.  You can’t actually prevent heating water unless you don’t fill the water tank, such as with winter camping.  So, when camping without water in your tank, you can choose the unshaded position.  The semi-shaded position uses a temperature sensor and the fully shaded (Boost) gives a 30 min. temperature boost.

If the Alde pump is set to Continuous (Cont.) circulation vs Thermostat (Therm.) driven, you can not choose the partial shaded option.  In the Continuous pump mode, you can choose the Boost which stops the glycol circulation for 30 minutes and allows the water to get extra hot for that long shower!  So, if you just keep the pump setting in the Therm mode, you can adjust your water temperature to partial shade AND use the Boost.  

ScottG

jimcenname said:

If both cabin heat and hot water use the same heat source (hot glycol) why is there a way to turn each of them on/off separately? @ScottG, if i turn on heat I get hot water whether I want it or not.

@jimcenname, as Sharon implied, you don't really turn the two functions on and off separately. Turning on the hot water only activates the heaters. Turning on heat and hot water activates both the heaters and the circulator pump (which is tied to the cabin thermostat). hat is why when you turn the heat on you get hot water whether you want it or not.

With the older analog (slider) control the way this works is fairly obvious. The newer digital control panels offer a different (and perhaps more intuitive) interface, but the basic functioning of the boiler itself hasn't changed.

jimcenname

@Sharon_is_SAM @ScottG
Thank you both for those clarifying comments and the diagram. The diagram infers the electric element is in the same chamber as where the propane burns and it is not in direct contact with the glycol. Do you agree? I am considering a water softener to reduce mineral build up in the heater. These facts help me make the "water softener decision".

ScottG

My understanding is that none of the heating units are in direct contact with the water in the HW tank. Ergo, while it might help to reduce scale buildup inside the tank or elsewhere in the system, I don't believe a water softener would make any difference as far as your Alde heaters are concerned.

Sharon_is_SAM

To me, it looks like there are electric elements in an inner-most core AND in the glycol chamber, but not in the water chamber. 

Please refer to  https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/1920/soft-water-for-my-t-b#latest For discussion of a water softener.