Help no Alde heat in convectors

MarkAl

Yesterday I completed my 1st 2 yr glycol change. I used the manual pump exchange & went thru at least 2 1/2 gallons (Rohmar). Only odd thing was I stopped both because I had put enough through and the glycol reserve tank started filling up. I figured the drain tube came loose & stopped draining thru the tubing. 

I then ran the pump continuously on high for 15 min & later more until the reserve stayed at the max level. I get no errors and the heat turns but the trailer is not getting up to temp. Now sitting here next to the open Alde, flame and pump came ON but I heard some odd popping noises. I assume I still have air in the lines.
1st will air in the lines cause no to limited heat without an error displayed?
2nd apparently the auto purge won't burb all the air?
3rd and most important as it will get into the upper 30s tonight where are the manual purge valves located for the 2021 320 S.
I haven't had these issues before. 

pthomas745

The "popping" could just be expansion of the tank or the convectors.  If you are sitting there at the Alde...you should feel warmth there at the Alde itself, and through the Auto Air Bleed valve, etc. 

The other things to check: did you turn the pump back to the "Therm" setting after setting it to "Continuous" to drive the glycol around? 

And: in the Tools  menu of the Alde, scroll all the way to the "Service" menu and you will find the screen that shows the glycol temp, etc. That will tell you whether or not your Alde is actually heating.

And, you will be asked: are you on shore power?  Using propane? 

MarkAl

Yep glycol is hot as is water, have gone back and forth on temp & Cont w/o much difference. Have raised &  lowered nose. Opened up back access panels and felt around rear convector and front bathroom one. I haven't seen any manual air purge valves.

Prefer not to open the auto purge at the campground w/o doing it w/ cold glycol and lots of rags.

I'm pretty sure it's air I just don't know to burp it. This is the 1st time I've really had to play with the system. Good thing is checking the convector couplings I haven't seen any bulges.... 

pthomas745

You have to have the Alde on "Therm" for the Alde to work along with the "thermostat" in the Alde. 

Most of the owners who have done the glycol change have not has any issue with the air being driven from the Alde by using the "continuous" pump setting method.  I would discount the "air in the glycol" issue and have a good look through the rest of the Alde settings, such as timers and "automations". In that same "Service" menu there is a "Reset" button that will clear those items out and you can start over with the Alde.

MarkAl

I hear a lot of gurgles when the pump runs so I'm sure it is air. I've gone through all the extra glycol I brought filling the tank. Will learn more today talking with the factory. I doubt it's a setting. 

pthomas745

When the Alde is cold, what is the level in the tank?  If there isn't enough glycol in the system, it will be driving around the glycol loop faster, and "gurgle" a bit in the expansion tank. If the glycol pump is set too high (it should be set somewhere near 2) it will also "gurgle" into the tank.

Yoshi_TAB

Hi,

You may know this already and not sure if it will help, but in this video, the bleeder valve is located behind the triangle cutout to the left of the speaker.  About 2 min. into this video. I also have a '21S, but have never looked to see if it's actual there.

Reviewing Bleeder Valve Locations (youtube.com)

MarkAl

Yes I saw that also and expected to find it but didn't. I have a call to NuCamp we'll see thanks. 

MarkAl

@pthomas745 sorry just saw this, the setting is 2 & are between 1/2 and full (between MAX-MIN). I'm missing something but what! 

Yoshi_TAB

Hi,


I was just at the NE Rally and Marvin from NuCamp gave a short talk on the Alde.  He gave some troubleshooting tips, but in the end, he said to always try the reset button to get everything back to factory  settings if nothing esle works...never know.  Good luck.

Sharon_is_SAM

@MarkAl - take the trailer out for a spin and see if it doesn’t help move some air bubbles.

ToonJay

Hi, I also have a 2021 320 S, I can't find a manual bleeder valve either.. After fixing a leak and topping up glycol I had same issue of no heat and lots of gurgling noises. I live off a small gravel road with some fairly steep hills, driving slowly up and down hills (stopping briefly halfway up or down), with the alde pump running.. this seemed to help the auto bleeder purge the system of air..

MarkAl

Update, on my issues removing air. After returning home. The reserve tank was empty (presumably had a lot of air. I refilled the tank lowered the nose ran circulation pump @ max for 10 min (no heat). Added a bit more glycol and raised nose and repeated. No more glycol needed then leveled trailer and turned on propane. Heated w/o problem for 7 hrs. Moral to this story verify system gets to temp and runs for a few hrs B4 camping in cold weather... Duh.  I feel very comfortable now changing the fluid. Not a big deal. 

Factory never returned calls and never found a manual bleed valve.

Basil48192

@MarkAl
Thanks for the update!  I'm sure it will help others.

MarkAl

Got info back on the manual bleed from NuCamp. Sure enough there is one as others have said. I found a 4 inch tall flexible tube with the valve connected to the main fluid path. It is accessible thru the driver side triangle wood panel where the old fluid tank was in back. I can't see it but shoving my arm in and down I can touch it and turn the valve to get fluid out. So no excuses not to get all the air out. It certainly not as accessible as the video showed.