Dry camping with Alde system

Bill&Suze

My son is currently out on a short trip with our camper and reports that the Alde control panel is not turning on. He is essentially dry camping with no shore power or city water available. My question to the forum is, does the water pump keep the Alde boiler jacket filled if the water level in it drops? Logically it seems that it will, otherwise how would ongoing hot water usage be possible. I left water lines full, he has a full fresh tank and the Alde control worked fine shortly before he took the camper away two days ago. I ask the question because several days ago as I was setting the camper up and filling water lines and fresh water tank, I found that the Alde panel remained dead until I heard what I assumed was the boiler finishing filling from my city water hookup. Once what I assumed was pump noise stopped the control panel came alive. But as I said, this was with the city water hookup.

ScottG

Hi Bill&Suze. Yes, the water pump will keep the Alde's hot water tank filled. I'm not sure what's going on with your unit, but I can confirm that power to the Alde (including the control panel) is in no way related the the level of water in the hot water tank. 

Bill&Suze

Thanks @ScottG, that's confirmed then. I will be trying to get back in touch with my son to ask what the SOC is for the Battle Born battery. If they've run it low perhaps there's a chance that the Alde system doesn't have sufficient amperage to start, even though propane is available to it. Just my wild guess, I don't have the experience yet to pinpoint these things remotely.

pthomas745

If the Battleborn gets to 10V, the whole battery shuts down.  For the Alde to work in general, it needs at least 11V from the battery for it to work.

So: check to make sure the battery switch is on, and there is 12V power to the rest of the trailer.

If the control panel was acting wonky a few days ago, the communication between the Alde panel and the Alde may be having issues.  There is one cable to check on top of the Alde itself.  He would just have to open up the Alde box and have a look.  On the right side of the diagram, the "ethernet" looking cable marked in red.  It has happened the cable can get crimped or loose.

In this Fuses For Newbies file, there are pictures on how to get into the Alde "service hatch" to check these things.  Photos here are from an earlier model of the Alde, but the big cable to look for will be where the schematic above shows it.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/3512/fuses-for-newbies/p1

Bill&Suze

Thank you @pthomas745. I've passed along your information but unfortunately he and his family are attending an event that will keep them away from the camper all day. I'll have to wait to learn whether the battery is being solar charged sufficiently today and subsequently the Alde will be back on line. One thing he has going for him is that he has a Rivian that he can plug into and use as "shore power" to get the battery topped up if needed this evening.