Has anyone swapped to the new glycol in their 2015 T@B?

TowingTipsy

I've been digging around for a while now and I'm not finding super clear answers.  Sorry for the additional post.  I have some specific questions.
1. does the new glycol change apply to ALL years? The Airstream bulletin referenced a few times only talks about 2018 - 2020. 
2. has anyone actually had corrosion happen and destroy their alde boiler system? Is this the reason for the change?
3. I think this may be too big of a DIY project for me, so the Apache dealer is quoting $860.  I went in about parts for the two leaks I have where the water lines connect to the Alde boiler (they were dripping).

I want to make sure this is indeed necessary as it's very expensive, and I really need to solve the connector leaks. The quote for the work is only to swap out the fluid and they seem to be hedging on clarity about the parts needed (if any) to fix the leaks where my hot and cold water hoses connect to the Alde itself.

sequimite

I don't know of any case where the boiler was destroyed. Quite a few of us, including me, have had corrosion at the rubber hose to aluminum convector (radiator) connections. In a few cases, the corrosion had eaten all the way through the pipe stub to which the rubber hose attaches. Fixing this is a big job, necessitating removal of the entire glycol loop.

Whether the new glycol (Rhomar RTU-50) will prevent the corrosion is undetermined at this time. In my case, the parts and supplies for the rebuild of the loop and the new glycol came to about $400, not including tools and discretionary replacements. The Rhomar alone was $111, but it seems I got one of the better deals on the glycol.

Apache quoted me a similar price for simply a flush and fill with new glycol, which seems excessive. Someone who has done the flush and fill a few times before could complete the job in a couple of hours. NuCamp techs recently did the same job for folks that attended uCamp for under $400.

lino

Looks like a great price at Ucamp
i paid more at the factory but hundreds less than $850
My T@B 2017 but we were due for change in fluid anyway so of course used new one

TowingTipsy

Thanks to you both.  I went in to buy parts for a leak (I have leaks where the hot and cold water connect to the alde - but zero corrosion). They seemed super unclear/uncertain about what parts I needed and will call NuCamp on Monday.  Then they said I absolutely needed to swap out the glycol but they haven't addressed the leak fix.......

pthomas745

@TowingTipsy show us a picture of what fittings are leaking and we can probably show you other examples of the issue and how to fix it.  A 2015 may be a bit harder of a fix, since that was around the first year of the Alde in the Tabs.

The glycol "issue" has been around for several years now.  This group has looked at it in every possible way.  Trying to get "simple" answers is practically impossible, since no one will give a simple answer.

There are many threads about the Alde corrosion, the glycol exchange process, the glycol itself.  To get up to speed, the only way is to wade through some major posts with many threads.  There is lots of bad information, half bad information, confusion, etc. Here is the "Changing out the Alde glycol" thread that has many explanations and a complete breakdown of the Alde. 

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/2665/changing-out-the-alde-fluid/p1

fstop32

@TowingTipsy, I have a 2015 that turned out to have a lot of corrosion, big job but I did it myself.  I wasn't thrilled about the $'s (around $400 total) but I love that sort of project.
As for the glycol I think the key might be more keeping it changed on a regular basis than going to the new type glycol, even with the new they recommend changing every 2 years.  At some year model you have to do it to keep the warranty valid but I didn't have that problem with a 2015.  I went with the new stuff only because I felt it might be slightly better than the Century brand and since I was replacing everything but the boiler all I had to do was flush the boiler really well.

Include some pics of the connections you are referring to.

krsmes

"2. has anyone actually had corrosion happen and destroy their alde boiler system? Is this the reason for the change?"

"I don't know of any case where the boiler was destroyed." -- @sequimite

Let me help you with that-- I'm in the middle of dealing with a leaking boiler right now on a 2021 and that is after two previous corrosion issues, one where the boiler was replaced.  More

GregChris

The new Alde fluid is for all Alde's regardless of year. Truma says it should be less than 1 hour labor. "They don't flush the system, the new pushes the old out. This eliminates air problems. It still needs done every 2 years. Water leaks are separate problem from corrosion or glycol leaks. This comes directly from Truma. 

fstop32

Interesting approach by Truma...note to self; keep changing your own glycol.

sequimite

@krsmes, I do now recall reading your thread. So far, my boiler is okay. I'm going to begin putting it all back together tomorrow.

GregChris

Do you know about the air gap? You should drain the hot water after camping, or in continuous use, it should be partially drained every 10 days. This maintains the air gap. Without the gap the boiler can crack or develop leaks. 

ScottG

A thorough flushing is absolutely required if you are changing glycol type.

If you are just replacing your glycol with the same thing, then pushing the old out with the new is acceptable, and is indeed the way the proprietary Alde service pump is designed to work. The method I suggest here was intended to mimic the action of the Alde pump.

krsmes

@GregChris my boiler is leaking glycol not water

GregChris

The boiler is a sealed/welded jacket, water in the middle, glycol surrounding it. If the air gap is missing, the whole thing builds up pressure and can fail anywhere there is a weakness, welds, hose connections, etc. This is from a Truma service tech. The glycol part is pressure regulated via the overflow tank, the water part is not.

mona

I have religiously changed the glycol every 2 years in my 2015. I still ended up with bulging hoses and corroding convectors right before the third change was due. Had convectors and hoses replaced. The system was flushed, Hydrosolve run through the system, and filled with the new Rhomar water instead of Century. So far, so good. Time will tell. 

Jeannie 

krsmes

@GregChris the water is pressure regulated via the release valve (which dumps out through the floor) on the hot water pipe. 

TowingTipsy

mona said:

I have religiously changed the glycol every 2 years in my 2015. I still ended up with bulging hoses and corroding convectors right before the third change was due. Had convectors and hoses replaced. The system was flushed, Hydrosolve run through the system, and filled with the new Rhomar water instead of Century. So far, so good. Time will tell. 

Jeannie 

Curious what you paid to have it replaced.  How long has it been since you made the switch?

TowingTipsy

TowingTipsy said:

Thanks to you both.  I went in to buy parts for a leak (I have leaks where the hot and cold water connect to the alde - but zero corrosion). They seemed super unclear/uncertain about what parts I needed and will call NuCamp on Monday.  Then they said I absolutely needed to swap out the glycol but they haven't addressed the leak fix.......

pthomas745 said:

@TowingTipsy show us a picture of what fittings are leaking and we can probably show you other examples of the issue and how to fix it.  A 2015 may be a bit harder of a fix, since that was around the first year of the Alde in the Tabs.

The glycol "issue" has been around for several years now.  This group has looked at it in every possible way.  Trying to get "simple" answers is practically impossible, since no one will give a simple answer.

There are many threads about the Alde corrosion, the glycol exchange process, the glycol itself.  To get up to speed, the only way is to wade through some major posts with many threads.  There is lots of bad information, half bad information, confusion, etc. Here is the "Changing out the Alde glycol" thread that has many explanations and a complete breakdown of the Alde. 

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/2665/changing-out-the-alde-fluid/p1

To close the loop here.  I needed two new parts, the hot water connector from the hoses to the alde (connecting at the brass fittings) and the cold water connector from the hoses to the alde.  These are the John Guest connectors and it was easiest to order via the dealer from NuCamp. Then I had a local RV repair replace them once I had the parts as the dealer, Apache, was booked way out.
He said there was a small bit of corrosion on the fittings but he felt that was quite normal and unlikely related to the glycol; he cleaned those spots up and put on the new fittings and all is good to go again.  He said the reason the parts were not sealing is due to the corrosion leaving a rough surface and thus the leaking.