Heating tubes won't heat up

Glider11

T@B 320s - The boiler is hot, i have hot water.  The panel is working. I've re-leveled the trailer recently.  No heat in the heating tubes!  I checked the converter- those breakers and  fuses are fine.  I have not checked the fuses on the Alde boiler under the cushions in the chamber, as I figured the boiler is hot, etc. so those fuses must be fine. Correct assumption?  The heating tubes quit being heated after a huge wind/rain storm  shook the T@B hard, for about 3 days. I took the T@B in for a maintenance examination locally, but they didn't want to touch the Alde system (no experience with it).  I can't find a youtube video with this specific issue.  I'm thinking perhaps a wire came loose, or....?

B0atguy

Check the circulator pump adjustment. Perhaps the adjustment “knob” was disturbed for some reason and its all the way down ? At least it’s something to check .
I guess it’s possible the circulator pump went bad  ? Did you verify the circulator pump running icon is active on the alde display ?

Glider11

Thank you for your response, BOatguy.  Alde Rep called me, told me to check glycol container, and it's empty!  So now ordering the glycol from Amazon - figuring out if there is a leak - adding the stuff into that tiny chamber meant for gnomes to fill - and HOW TO FILL it!  She suggested a turkey baster! Ha.  

[Admin edit to remove offensive language.—Verna]

Glider11

By the way, for others ordering glycol, it is the florescent yellow color .

ScottG

@Glider11, you are correct that if the Alde is working at all the fuses on the unit itself are fine. Those fuses protect the 12V supply to the Alde circuitry that is essential regardless of what setting or heat source you are using.

If your glycol tank is empty it's possible you have air trapped in the glycol loop. This would cause exactly the symptoms you describe. Once you top it up (and assuming there is not a leak somewhere) you will probably need to bleed the system. Clear instructions for doing so can be found in the Alde 3020 Operators Manual--it should be just as easy as letting the automatic air bleeder do its job, but there is a protocol for using the manual bleed valve as well if needed.

If topping up and bleeding doesn't solve the problem, a malfunctioning circulator could be the culprit (as B0atguy suggested). If you haven't done so already you might try running it both on 120V shore power and on 12V battery and propane only. IIRC the circulator pump automatically switches between 120V and 12V depending upon what is available. You might find it runs on one but not the other, which would implicate one of the circuits rather than the pump mechanism itself.

Good luck and please let us know what you figure out. 

Glider11

I haven't checked this for a long time.  Update:  I was in a really bad windstorm in AZ.  From all the tossing about, the glycol bracket broke, damaging the glycol tank.  The fluid seeped out onto the bottom of the trailer. ugh.  It took a while in AZ to find an RV repair guy who replaced the tank - had to order. Fortunately, was still on warranty.   

ChrisK

Yup. We had the same problem recently. No heat in the convectors but warm tank. Checked and no fluid. Found when I had replaced the tank before (thought it had broken but it hadn't) I put one of the clamps too low and the fluid was leaking past it. Then found a leak in a hose by the Alde. Mine is one of the first Alde's NuCamp installed so things are starting to wear after 7 years of many miles. In the next couple months, I'm going to do a complete refurb on my Alde system. New hoses, clean up corrosion at a couple tube ends, and flush the system internally and switch to the new fluid.

Glider11

I have a 2018 T@B 320s.  I'm searching for info today, similar to some that you have had, such as leaking hoses near the glycol tank.  This just started recently - again (Had tank replaced under warranty in 2019 as  the bracket broke loose during a wind storm, which then cracked the tank. All glycol emptied out everywhere.  Now , I see that fixed bracket is loose and glycol is leaking from hoses.  Very frustrating as this is a 2018!  I won't/can't fix mine, and of course I just started a month long trip.  Will buy a portable small electric heater to take the chill off Pacific coast days.  Meanwhile, is there any solution at all to make it quit leaking?  I have no idea how to get that glycol out of the thank.  Thinking I'll just clean it up every day.  (it's not a flood).  

Verna

@Glider11, a Turkey baster can remove the glycol from the reservoir. 

RMo

There is a low-point drain on the underneath driver’s side rear of the camper that you can use to drain most of the tank.  It has either a copper or red plastic plug held on by a hose clamp.  If you drain fluid from it you should capture it and take to an automotive center for recycling.  Make sure the Alde system is kept off.

Glider11

RMo Thank you for this information.  I think I have the Alde system off now, but I'm puzzled by this system, i have to admit.  At the campsite now, I have electric only. So, I have to turn the Alde panel on for all the lights and outlets to work, correct? I adjusted some things in the panel so I think the Alde is not doing anything.   Strange that I didn't think of that last night/this morning while at the trailer.  I'm now 15 miles away at a local library using wifi.  

RMo

I would turn everything off on the main Alde control screen (nothing showing green) and then turn the Alde system off using the button on the front of the control box.  It should not affect your lights or anything else, just your heat and hot water.