Changing out the Alde fluid.

jdargis

This topic came up and was not resolved.  Can it be done by aT@B owner or not?  Here are some thoughts to ponder- 

1. Can an owner do it and how?
2. Is a T@B dealer versed in how to do it with instructions from LG?
3. Can it be scheduled and done at the factory?
4. Looking on the Alde certified repair facilities-  WI centers are Roadtrek RV dealers.  Hopefully, they we'll work on our units.  Haven't contacted them yet.

Per Alde recommendations, should replace alcohol every 2 years, when Alde alcohol is not used.  The information from this forum, tells us LG is not using their alcohol.

The 2 year time frame is coming up on a lot of these trailers and just curious what other owners have found or done to resolve this question?

jdargis

Once again, who is going to do it?  Are there any owners out there that had it done and who did it?

jkjenn

You could always call an Alde service center and ask them: http://www.alde.se/usa/support/alde-service-locations/

jdargis

ST Bob- did you see the other video with the removal of the brass plug, drained, then reinserted.  You are then told to remove the reservoir tank, hook up the special drain hose attachment and fill hose attachment, pump new glycol through the system out through the waste hose, then reattach the reservoir tank, then use the special fitting to top off the glycol and bleed the air out using the pump system.  I wonder how easily that reservoir tank is going to be removed in that confined space, all the special fittings attached and then reinstalled.  This is all done easily when there is no outer panels attached to the T@B, when being built at the factory.  I hope this can be performed, without any major disassembly of the trailer.

skwhee

It's an easy procedure an owner to do. We had to drain our system in order to replace the auto air vent. Removed the brass plug under the floor (low point drain). After replacing the air vent added new glycol to the reservoir tank, ran unit, added more glycol to the system as air was bleed out of the reservoir tank.  Per US Alde manual "All units sold in North America come with automatic air vents".

jkjenn

skwhee said:

It's an easy procedure an owner to do. We had to drain our system in order to replace the auto air vent. Removed the brass plug under the floor (low point drain). After replacing the air vent added new glycol to the reservoir tank, ran unit, added more glycol to the system as air was bleed out of the reservoir tank.  Per US Alde manual "All units sold in North America come with automatic air vents".

Thanks, that is what I thought.

Hans111

We just returned from our first trip of the season--gorgeous days but barely a hair above freezing at night. The Alde wasn't keeping up and the pump began to squeal. Ooops--the glycol reservoir was bone dry. Either the CW guy who winterized didn't understand the system or we twisted the wrong valve when we dewinterized. (I'm quite sure we don't fully understand the system!)
On to the solution. It sounds as though restoring the glycol is pretty straightforward--add the solution, run the system, add more solution as needed.
So is this the right stuff for me to use? 
http://www.amazon.com/Camco-35116-Boiler-Antifreeze-Concentrate/dp/B004804N7E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463401613&sr=8-1&keywords=boiler+antifreeze+concentrate

Nomad

Hans111 - Never seen that recommended.
There was this one in a previous thread...



And a LowTox from Sierra as well as a private label antifreeze directly from Alde or ordering directly from LG.

jkjenn

skwhee said:

It's an easy procedure an owner to do. We had to drain our system in order to replace the auto air vent. Removed the brass plug under the floor (low point drain). After replacing the air vent added new glycol to the reservoir tank, ran unit, added more glycol to the system as air was bleed out of the reservoir tank.  Per US Alde manual "All units sold in North America come with automatic air vents".

Has anyone else done this. I am thinking about undertaking this task, soon.

Sebastian

My Alde wasn't heating.  It was faultless for a year, and after reading a whole bunch about Alde and this forum, I checked the reservoir....yep, almost bone dry.  Then the thing confusing me was "is all gycol the same".  I need to stop reading ingredients.  Anyway, the end of the story is "Prestone.." as shown in PXlated's post.  Thanks much.  Obviously, I'm new and learning....
Sebastian

Ratkity

@Sebastian, I don't remember if you said what year T@B you have. If it's only a year or two old and you were out of glycol, you might want to look for a leak (hairline crack?). It could be that it was never up to the right level to begin with - just something to look for around the reservoir tank (flashlight in hand and possibly a mirror, depending on the location of the tank).

Sebastian

Ratkity, Thanks much. My T@B is 2015 model.  I'll check as you suggested. 

Nomad

Pit-Pat was having trouble with a glycol leak - Was a bad clamp on one of the register hoses as I recall. On my 2015 I've had to add some once in awhile - If it's never been checked, I could see the reservoir looking dry.

wizard1880

Ditto.  I think it evaporates through the reservoir as its vented.

My T@B spent 2 months at my parents place during the holidays, where the night low temp was -5F often.  I left the heat on low the entire time just so it wouldn't stay frozen solid, and I noticed the reservoir dropped from 2/3 full to 1/3 during this time.  I think the pump was on the entire duration!  ( It was only 37 in there, using only 1 heating element.)

TulsaTime

I checked Amazon.com for Sierra glycol and found the right one but cost over $100 to buy a case.  I tried a couple of automotive places but they didn't have it.  I did find two hardware stores that sold it but they had to order it for me.  It is only about 12 per gallon.

I can look it up but does anybody know how much to dilute it (I think 50-50) and how much I need to buy?

In my CS-S the tank is behind the toilet in the little access hole.  I have to change it because one of the connectors broke off the bottom of the tank.  Its easily removable by using a square #2 screw tip. (I had to buy a 20 piece set to get the one I needed)  The best (maybe the only) way to get the hoses off the bottom was to follow the hoses back to the Aldi system under the seat and disconnect the spring clamps, then push slack to the tank in order to pull the tank up to access the hose clamps under the tank.  That is where I am now.  Next I'll gently attach the hoses to the bottom of the tank and pull the slack back out so the mounting screws can be reinstalled.  Then under the seat, reconnect the lines, reinstall the plug, and refill the tank. Hopefully it will self purge and not cavatate.  We'll see.

Keep in mind I'm changing the tank, not only changing the fluid in it.  The minimum line in the tank (if you can not see it) is around an inch from the bottom, and the max line is just below half full.

Nomad

50/50 - Should say on the container.

wizard1880

It may be cheaper to buy it from camping world.  Camco sells it in concentrate.  Worth a look.

Nomad

$12 isn't bad - It's a concentrate also.

Ratkity

Good luck TulsaTime! I'm hoping your tank fix goes as planned without leaving too much of your DNA in your camper. I seem to end up doing that more than I'd like.

I took a Sharpie to the tank lines like Verna did so I could see them. Not sure if that'll help to do before you re-install the new tank. At least your lines will be much straighter than mine were!!! Looked like a 3 yo got ahold of a red Sharpie - either that or I bled on the glycol level lines. 

db_cooper

I just did the glycol replacement at the 2 year mark. Not difficult at all.  Found the Sierra low tox stuff at a NAPA store.

Pulled the brass plug to drain, once it slowed, I turned on the Alde and got a fair bit more out and then shut it off.

The expansion tank is under the rear shelf which makes it awkward to fill.  I put paper towels all around the tank to catch spillage.  I did the recommended 60/40 distilled water to glycol mix. Ended up putting too much in thinking it would go down during the bleeding, but it didn't.  Used a wine thief to pull a cup of of the tank.  

Auto bleeder seems to have worked great.  I replaced the clamp holding the brass plug with a hose clamp.  Need to reseal  the foam around the drain hose, the factory stuff fell right out.

Deltaboy59

Awesome... how much total fluid did it require...???

db_cooper

About 3/4 gallon total fluid.  Used less than a half gallon of distilled water so must have used even less antifreeze.  I didn't pre mix, I used 16 oz. of water followed by 10 oz. of antifreeze using a clean pyrex measuring cup.  It appears to be mixed well in the expansion tank after running a bit.   There were bubbles in the tank for 5 minutes or so then it settled down. Heat is working fine, so I call it a success.

TerryV6

Well, just to be on the safe side, when I called PV to order the AC cover, I asked them to send a gallon of glycol. Now I thought I saw here somewhere here that it came mixed.  Can't find that.  I could call... but hate to look more stupid than I am... grin... So... 5050 mixed already right.?  
My gallon came like this... 

TulsaTime

Yes, its easy.  If it is fully drained it will take 2 gallons.  I found the Sierra brand at NAPA.  Preston Lo-Tox and Sierra are known to be correct.  You can buy G.R.A.S. (Generally Recognized As Safe) glycol at RV dealers, used for hydronic systems, but be sure it is approved for Aluminum systems.

Verna

The factory's gallon jug of glycol is pre-mixed @TerryV6

TerryV6

Thanks Verna.

db_cooper

I knew it was about time to replace our Alde glycol, so I thought I'd do some google research to what people have learned recently.  So I came upon this thread where I described how easy it was to replace the one time I did it, which I forgot that I posted.  

Not many helpful videos out there, but I did see that to do a "proper" flush and fill takes a LOT of glycol and either making a pump or having Alde hook up a very expensive piece of equipment.  Lot's of UK people complaining about a $300 or more cost to have done.   Also, it seems you need to use a different color, so you can tell when you've flushed the other coolant out.

So of course I did the only rational thing, and replaced it the same way I did last time, as detailed above.  I figure I got at least 80% or more of the glycol out.  I figure as long as I'm good about doing this every 1.5 to 2 years,  and use the same glycol, what could go wrong?

I could see if I was replacing the 2 year with the 5 year glycol, I'd need to get all of the old out, as they don't mix.  Other than that, the 2 purposes of the glycol is 1) to not freeze when left winterized, and 2) protect system from corrosion.  Can't imagine leaving a little bit will lead to corrosion.

Am I missing something?

DougH

You can also get a glycol refractometer and just test the liquid every once in a while, so you know when it needs replacing.

Sharon_is_SAM

@db_cooper, we had nuCamp drain and replace ours.  I suspect that draining via gravity leaves some old glycol behind that just mixes with the new glycol.  I don’t think the dilution is significant.  NuCamp does not use the pump - just gravity drain.  

db_cooper

Thanks @Sharon_is_SAM , good to know.   I don't trust the RV service departments around here to do anything different than what I did.  Looking at how few radiators we have in a 320, and short runs,  seems overkill to pump it out to me.

Sharon_is_SAM

How hard is it to get all the air out after you refill it?  How much glycol did it take?