Alde “Gas Failure” After Much Trials and Errors...HELP!

DigPolo

After I posted this picture I started wondering if the green liquid is actually the glycol. Anyone?

Tampakayaker

Something to think about

Propane vapors are heavier than air. For this reason, propane vapors may accumulate in low-lying areas such as basements, crawl spaces and ditches or along floors.

So it's possible you have a leak at the ALDE and the vapors are sinking below the T@B and that's why you smell it outside.  Or like others have said a pinhole underneath or loose connection anywhere.

Bayliss

@DigPolo, the yellowish-green fluid is glycol.  That particular tube is an overflow tube that is connected to the Alde expansion tank.  The proper glycol level for that tank is approximately 1/2" inch above the minimum level marker.  Normally, the overflow tube will be clear/empty, so you might want to check the glycol expansion tank to make sure it is not overfilled.  You don't want to overfill the tank, because it needs the room inside the tank for the glycol to expand as it heats up.

The glycol that is currently visible in the tube would indicate to me that at some point the glycol level in the tank was too high and overflowed into the tube.  However, if it has not moved, and you have not seen any evidence of it exiting that tube and onto the ground outside the trailer, then it is presumably not currently overflowing.  Also, since your Alde system is currently working while connected to electric power, it would appear that the glycol level in the expansion is not connected with the current issue you are trying to resolve.  I could not find anything in the Alde manual that discusses the presence of glycol in the overflow tube.

pthomas745

That clear plastic tube connects to the glycol reservoir tank.  Variously described as "The other is the glycol reservoir overflow. This is a clear plastic tube that threads from the top of the reservoir out through a hole in the floor. Over time, glycol can splash out of the overflow and trickle away."

So, that is pretty normal.

DigPolo

The level of glycol is exactly 1/2” above the minimum line. So it sounds like no big deal for now. Hopefully I can find the loose connections or leak. 

TCretro

DigPolo said:

After a great weekend at San Clemente State Beach, with the temps reaching a brisk mid 40’s ( 40? Really Diggy?...I know...it is Southern California...hehe), we realized it would be nice to take a bit of the bite out of the air and run the Alde Heating System on our next trip. Upon returning, I spent days on end reading articles here, watching videos all over youtube, finding my fluid tank, reading the user manual several times and starting the heating system. 

I keep getting the same “Gas Failure” reading a minute into heating. I can hear the heat (fan) start up and everything looks and sounds great, then the red light pops up with the error reading. I have unscrewed the tank, lit the burner (from users on this site) and even yelled out loud a few times...with no avail. 

What now? It would be nice to have some heat for those 1 or 2 days a year we need it. Hehe. 

Diggy 

Diggy, This is Paul at TCretro. I got an email that someone mentioned my name in reference to the gas failure notice you are getting.  I no longer have the tab outback but I can say that I had the same problem.  It would work on shore power but not on propane.  And I could not understand why if my stove would light the boiler would not light.  After extensive testing currents, fuses etc, I decided to just change the propane regulator on the front of the trailer.  I had an outback, 2017 so it was inside the container where the propane tank is.  It was very easy to change.  It fixed the problem so evidently the pressure required for the boiler is different than requirded to light the stove.  At another time I also had the pigtail fail from the tank to the regulator.  If you PM me at pfetter@chartermi.net I can send you pictures and a link on amazon where I purchased the regulator.  The other problem I had with the Tab Outback was the refriderator would not light on propane which required me to remove the fridge.  After that I sold the trailer and purchased a cargo trailer that im converting to a toy hauler.  The lady I sold the Tab to in florida loves it, as I did also.  Let me know if I can help further.

Sharon_is_SAM

@DigPolo - If that tube is hooked to the Alde auto air bleeder, then sometimes when air exhausts, a little glycol escapes.  So, if there is no air to escape, then the fluid column may remain stationary.  There may also be a tube that allows for overflow from the Alde expansion tank.  I can’t tell from your picture which one it is.  Just make sure your have adequate glycol in your tank.

DigPolo

@TCretro That has to be it! I will PM you later tonight. But i did want to show one more thing to this thread just in case. I mentioned the smell of gas at the exterior. This time when I started the heat, I stuck my nose down into the box where the Alde Heater is. No Odor at all. Then I ran the heater again, only this time I exited the T@B. The odor was coming from one area (See the picture). It was blowing out from it. I immediately shut it down and turned off the propane. 

Sharon_is_SAM

That is your Alde exhaust.  So, it may not have enough pressure to light the boiler and it just exhausts out.

DigPolo

@Sharon_is_SAM Thank you. I am going to take @TCretro ‘s advice and PM him. I think at this stage since my burners and fridge both work on propane, it just might be a faulty regulator. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Should be an easy fix.  Good luck!

HuCamp

@TCretro Paul, thanks very much for coming back to the forum to provide detail on the issue - appreciate the insights.

TCretro

HuCamp, you are welcome. Its my way of trying to pay it forward.

Michigan_Mike

@DigPolo - Did you get your issue resolved?

I experienced the “ gas failure” issue this AM at about 4250’ elevation here in New Mexico.  My glycol level was fine, battery voltage at around 12.67V but after several failed attempts, seeing the pump start up (went to the “Service” screen via the Alde digital control), etc. I turned the Alde off, went out and turned the battery off, turned the propane off, unhooked the propane tank, checked the trailer level and went in and had another cup of coffee.  Plenty of propane in the tank.... Went back out about 10 minutes later, flipped battery switch back on, hooked up propane, sloooowly turned tank on and went back and tried the Alde again.  Initially it seemed to go back through the steps to start, can rotation speed increased but it appeared to be acting similarly.  I backed away, sat down and enjoyed a few more sips of coffee.  All of a sudden I heard the distinct bump if you will, checked the service screen and the Alde had fired up and the glycol temperature started to rise, along with the water temperature.

So as things panned out, the Alde is fine now.  I guess the problem was that I didn’t have enough coffee in the system.  Life is good now!  ☕️👍🏻🤠

PNWtabber

I really appreciate this thread.  I was camping this weekend for the first time in several months.  I turned the Alde on before bed and heard it cycle on and off several times and after an hour or two of that, the "gas failure" error came on the control panel.  Harrumphhh.  Fortunately, it wasn't too cold overnight, and I just turned off the Alde at the control panel.  Now I am home and trying to figure how to troubleshoot the problem.  This thread should help!!    

TCretro

PNWtabber said:

I really appreciate this thread.  I was camping this weekend for the first time in several months.  I turned the Alde on before bed and heard it cycle on and off several times and after an hour or two of that, the "gas failure" error came on the control panel.  Harrumphhh.  Fortunately, it wasn't too cold overnight, and I just turned off the Alde at the control panel.  Now I am home and trying to figure how to troubleshoot the problem.  This thread should help!!    

This is Paul @ TCretro, I have not had my TAB for a few years but if you read my earlier replies you will find I had the same issue and found the solution was to replace the regulator. Any questions let me know. You can PM me. I had a 2017 Tab Outback.

Michigan_Mike

Well this is interesting!  I’m on round two with a repeat of the above issue.  I was up in Northern Michigan over the weekend and got the dreaded yellow “gas failure” triangle in my 2019 T@B 400 and did everything under the book but the Alde wouldn’t light.  I even consulted with Sharon_is_Sam and still could not get it to fire up.  I can hear the boiler going through the start-up phase and kept a close eye on the service screen but did not get the distinctive groan or growl if you will when the Alde ignites the propane and is running.  I know when things are rolling as the fan motor is turning and you can watch the pump RPM’s holding at or above 3K and the water and glycol begin to heat up.  No hot water on this trip, the cup of coffee didn’t do the trick but I have removed the gas regulator and will install a new regulator this evening to see if my luck changes. From there I will move on to the circuit board.  

And with the above stated, can anyone tell me (IF you have changed out the circuit board) what your determination was or what factor made you change out the circuit board?  I’m guessing this is an expensive fix but would like some direction/tips before ordering a new board.  

Thanks in advance!  

Denny16

Mike, I assume you did check to see if your stove lights, and you have at least a 1/2 tank of gas.  I had this warning when my propane tank dropped below 1/4 full, stove worked, Alde did not, got the Gas Failed warning.  Refilled the tank, and everything worked.

Also Check to make sure the draft vent on the side of the TaB is not obstructed, another TaBer discovered a nest in their vent, which gave the Gas Failure warning.  Also look in the Alde compartment to make sure nothing is blocking the Alde boiler area where the vent is connected.
 Cheers 

warbler_road

And with the above stated, can anyone tell me (IF you have changed out the circuit board) what your determination was or what factor made you change out the circuit board?  I’m guessing this is an expensive fix but would like some direction/tips before ordering a new board.  

Thanks in advance!  

Hi Mike -- please see my thread on this, as I have been dealing with it since September of 2021. I had the unsolvable Gas Failure and the dealer was just finally able to replace the board a few weeks ago (Southwest Virginia).

Truma (new owner/partner of Alde) would not sell me a board to install. They wanted a dealer to do it.

I am currently waiting to hear from NuCamp whether the $500 repair bill will be covered, as the board crapped out two months before the Alde's warranty was up.

Michigan_Mike

Thanks Denny!  I had plenty of propane as I had a new tank when I left New Mexico.  I do have a new propane regulator being delivered today and will be removing the bed today and inspecting the Alde compartment this morning.  I believe the Alde exhaust area is fine as the airflow volume coming out seemed adequate.  I store the trailer inside our barn so I doubt their is insect material inside but will check that out.  👍🏻

And thanks Virginia!  If the regulator change out doesn’t help remedy the problem I will contact nuCamp about the board as I have some inside contacts that might be able to wade through the bureaucracy.  I will let you know how things go and did read your earlier post. 

Michigan_Mike

Checking back in…. I changed out the propane regulator on the front of the trailer, fired up the Alde and continued to get the propane failure triangle for two or three attempts.  I did notice that the gas for the stove was much better (quicker to light) and that was not an issue. I also turned off the battery power after shutting down the Alde and attempted to relight the unit on propane again, but got the infamous yellow triangle. So I plugged the trailer into shore power, fired up the Alde and let it run for about two hours to get the trailer and glycol heated up.  

I decided to disconnect from shore power and attempted to relight the Aldi on propane and low and behold the unit fired up!  I let the trailer run for about 10 minutes on propane and then decided to shut the trailer off and power down the Alde prior to that. I came back later in the evening, turned on the battery power to the trailer and attempted to light the Aldi again. It fired right up! I really don’t know what is going on here and maybe this is some type of an anomaly but I’m hoping that things have returned back to normal. 

I’m wondering if it could be dust or some type of contamination? Are there any suggestion so far is using a compressor to clean the unit out?  

Denny16

Mike, it could have been some air in the propane line (from the old refulator) that caused the issue and took some time to bleed out through the burner.  Having the glycol preheated on electric is going to effect how the gas burner works.  Glad you got it sorted.  Enjoy the rest of your trip, and stay safe.
 Cheers 

ChrisFix

A YouTube video was just posted by nuCamp regarding a few things to check when you get the Gas Failure error:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nAx6yzbITs
The High Altitude setting is something I wasn't aware of...

PNWtabber

@ChrisFix thanks for sharing this video.  I wonder if the 3010 has that "high altitude" setting.  My trailer is out with my sons this weekend, I'll definitely be checking when it returns.

Sharon_is_SAM

No, the 3010 does not have the high altitude setting.  NuCamp does have a LPG plumbing fix that prevents the Alde from running too rich at high elevations.

Here is the fix:

https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/m7/ojevc266y6bj.pdf

Here is the 3010 manual:

https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/iz/x9ylh4kf7fz5.pdf