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Alde/Truma changing glycol brand in new models. (NOT A RECALL)

VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
edited April 2021 in Service/Maintenance & Recall Notices
Announcement from nüCamp:

“I have attached a bulletin regarding a transition Alde/Truma has made in the glycol they suggest to use.  We have not made the switch at the build level, and we need to get this important message out there due to the fact you do not want the mix the old fluid with the new fluid.”

(Please note:  the glycol has changed to the Rhomar brand RG-RTU-50 (RhoGuard-Ready to Use - 50/50 Mix.  The Ultra as pictured in the announcement is the concentrated version.  Sorry for any confusion.  Moderator)
Verna, Columbus, IN
2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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Comments

  • RadcatRadcat Member Posts: 20
    Last week, I bought a new '21 model 320S that was built in '20. I realize this is not a recall, but would it be beneficial to flush the system and switch to the new product? 
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  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    No, keep whatever type you have. If you read the various threads on flushing on the forum, you will find that the tool needed is very expensive and without the tool, you will not get all of the old glycol out. The best for your Alde is to keep the original type. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • gbellgbell Member Posts: 88
    Is this a light blue color? Does it give 2 yrs of usage?  My dealer just changed mine in the 2016 tab320s and used a different color than the yellow glycol they said it was correct and I checked with tech@nucamprv.com and my dealer did it correctly.  Fluid was expensive. 
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    edited April 2021
    According to the Safety sheet the RhoGard RTU is clear blue.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • gbellgbell Member Posts: 88
    The safety procedures regarding that product sound terrible. Sure will this product work well. The yellow glycol did.can you tell if we still get out 2 yrs with it? 
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    The Alde recommended glycol exchange is 2 years with both glycol brands.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • gbellgbell Member Posts: 88
    Through my rv dealer who has the pumps and experience, 2 hrs to pump out,  clean out , refill with new fluid was almost 500.00. a lot for every 2 years. 
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    edited April 2021
    That seems a bit high, ours was around $250-300 at the dealer.  Think of it as a tune up for the Alde, and so it along with the axle bearings and brake adjustments.  Once every two years, depending on how much you use the TaB, not bad...
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • tybladesmithtybladesmith Member Posts: 178
    NuCamp, why are you changing from Century TF-1, a "GRAS" (Generally Recognized As Safe) transfer fluid, to Rhomar RhoGuard Ultra, which is not "GRAS". The Alde Manual recommends using a "GRAS" transfer fluid with their single walled boiler. Please explain!
    Kay and Tom - SW Wisconsin - Silver T@bernacle - 2018 T@B 320S Boondock Silver/Black trim TV, 2018 Chevy Colorado, Silver/Black trim, Duramax, TowHaul, IntelliHaul
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    edited April 2021
    It is not nuCamp, it is Alde that has changed their recommended glycol for the US market.
    It is not clear to me that they expect everyone to change to the RhoGuard.  It is specific to new units for warranty coverage.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • tybladesmithtybladesmith Member Posts: 178
    Thanks @Sharon_is_SAM for the clarification. 
    Kay and Tom - SW Wisconsin - Silver T@bernacle - 2018 T@B 320S Boondock Silver/Black trim TV, 2018 Chevy Colorado, Silver/Black trim, Duramax, TowHaul, IntelliHaul
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  • gbellgbell Member Posts: 88
    RhoGuRd Ultra is all my rv dealer had to replace old yellow brand glycol, if i would have know I would have bought the century fluids online and brought it to them.  It took 5 gal to complete, seems like a .
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    @gbell - hopefully they thoroughly flushed the Alde with distilled water before just adding the Rhoguard.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • berggerbergger Moderator Posts: 1,078
    Yeah I didn't think you could put the new stuff in as a replacement for the century brand as they may mix and cause a problem. I plan on keeping century in mine.
    2021 T@b 400 BD  "Vixen Gail" 
    2018 Nissan Titan Pro 4X "Big Bird"
    Leadville Colorado
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  • gbellgbell Member Posts: 88
    That is correct. They did.
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  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,942
    Would it be possible to get this file in any format other than 'docx"? .doc?  or .pdf?  Anything but "docx?"

    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,548
    Hear ya' go! (I'm curious what your issue is with .docx, however.)
    2015 T@B S

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  • fstop32fstop32 Member Posts: 384
    I've been looking online on where to purchase the RhoGard Ultra and right now it doesn't look like the usual places, plus what I could find comes in $130/ea 5 gallon buckets.  Will the unused in the bucket still be any good 2 years later???  I guess if you go to a dealer for the change you won't care what was left over, but for the DIY peeps getting it 5 gallons at a time might be a large waste.
    DaveR middleTN - 2015 320S  /  TV 2003 Tundra 4x4
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    edited April 2021
    If you recant the left over glycol in a plastic jug with a tight lid and minimal air inside, it should have a long shelf life.  It is when heated and in contact with aluminum that it starts breaking down, and the clock begins to tick.  From reading the Airstream and Alde tech bulletins, it only comes in a five gallon bucket, used to pump the fluid back into the Alde system.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • trimtabtrimtab Member Posts: 237
    Talked to the dealer we bought our 2020 320-s boondock from in Portland area.  Service said we don't need to change our glycol to the new water based version.  He also said we don't  need to change it for 3 years...considering we only use the camper 12 to 16 trips a year.  
    Sounded very vague.....he did say it is about a $250 job to do.
    2020 320-S boondock, solar, 2020 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    edited April 2021
    Yes, that is what We paid, $250 labor plus the cost of the nüCamp provided glycol.  We went about 2.5 years with light use after the first year, which had moderate use in a coup,e,of long trips.  Alde/nüCamp recommends changing the glycol every two years.  Seems is does not matter how much use, more of a how long the glycol is in contact with the aluminum.  Once ph changes from 7.5-8.5, the level corrosion protection starts to deteriorate.

    We changed our Jan 2018 TaB40 with original factory glycol in July 2020, and labor was around $250..  Next time round we will change it our for the new recommend Rhomar glycol mix in the spring of 2022 or later that fall, depending on dealer schedule.
    cheers  
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • N7SHG_HamN7SHG_Ham Member Posts: 1,261
    @trimtab, Portland, OR, is that Apache? Seems cheap. Alde USA told me today a five gallon bucket of the new fluid is retail $188. Also had a Central Oregon RV place quote two hours labor @ $140/hr plus parts, so thinking really around $500. A Eugene dealer didn't give a hard quote but guessed $800+

    Alde USA has always said change every two years and I don't think there was any exceptions for light or heavy use. They also told me today, still two years even with new fluid.
    2019 T@B 400 Boondock Lite
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  • Denny16Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    Yes, that is what I understand to be the schedule.  Europe had a pink 3-year glycol they used in the UK, but not here in the US/North America, change recommendation was every two years.  How much use the Alde got didn’t matter.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • trimtabtrimtab Member Posts: 237
    Yes,Apache in Happy Valley,Or.  Service said about a two hour job. Maybe the 320 has a smaller capacity? Just stabbing in the dark on that..doubt it. He did say around $250..maybe I should get that in writing..( fat chance)
    2020 320-S boondock, solar, 2020 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E
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  • trimtabtrimtab Member Posts: 237
    If I could find the actual procedure I would try changing it myself..and where to buy the glycol? if not the RV dealer..can't imagine their markup..
    2020 320-S boondock, solar, 2020 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    @trimtab - your quote was to change out the Century fluid?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,548
    trimtab said:
    If I could find the actual procedure I would try changing it myself..and where to buy the glycol? if not the RV dealer..can't imagine their markup..
    @trimtab, various approaches to a DIY glycol change are described here. The process I described on April 11 (Page 6) closely duplicates the actual Alde procedure and is about as simple and economical as it gets.

    As for procuring the Rhomar Water, I'm not sure if a reliable source has been identified yet. The older Century TF-1 was readily available from Amazon for ~$25/gallon.
    2015 T@B S

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  • trimtabtrimtab Member Posts: 237
     your quote was to change out the Century fluid?"  I was told by Apache RV (Portland,Or. ) that Century fluid is what is in our 2020 320-s.
    2020 320-S boondock, solar, 2020 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    Yes.  Just making sure that your quote was for Century as @N7SHG_Ham noted a higher price for an exchange to Rhomar.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • trimtabtrimtab Member Posts: 237
    Thanks ScottG!!
    2020 320-S boondock, solar, 2020 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E
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