Glycol dripping from under our T@B...any help would be great

Rlethbri

We just picked up out T@B last week and we noticed a leak of glycol under the back driver's side.  There is no leak inside of the trailer, so that's good.  Not sure if this is right because it seems like a lot of glycol and now, our overflow tank doesn't even have any glycol left.  Please help me out!! 
We had a problem with the overflow tank last fall.  The couplers on the bottom of the tank failed and was replaced with a new tank.  That doesn't seem to be the problem this time.  

ScottG

That looks like that might be the drain for the Alde's closed glycol loop. It's certainly in the right spot.

I've never opened it, but I think it's just a plug of some sort. Since you don't have glycol leaking in the trailer, I'm guessing that plug-thingy-whatever just needs to be tightened or perhaps replaced.

Rlethbri

The expansion tank was replaced already.  

Thanks Scott, I'll look into that. 

skwhee

Looks like the same issue we had a couple of months ago. We traced it back to the auto air vent (has a brass top) in the main glycol heat line. Contact Ed Kauffman at the factory for a replacement. Installing the new vent is not too difficult if you are a little handy with tools but you do need to drain the ALDE first. In fact you might just want to get some replacement glycol from the factory also.

Rlethbri

Spoke with the Dealer and he wasn't to positive about the situation i.e. looks like they need to take the T@B in and check it out.  The dealer is 2 1/5 hours away and the time and gas spent is too much to handle after the expansion leak we had at the Grand Canyon last fall right after we bought the T@B.  I'm hoping they will work this out efficiently and monetarily in our favor. We are NOT happy and hope to get this fixed ASAP. 

jdargis

If that photo is of the Alde drain hose, where is the brass plug and clamp that I thought should be inserted in the end of the drain hose?

Rlethbri

jdargis said:

If that photo is of the Alde drain hose, where is the brass plug and clamp that I thought should be inserted in the end of the drain hose?

Good question....what does yours look like?

jdargis

I am not good at directing you to a site location on the forum, enter "unknown drain" in search and there is a picture.

RZRBUG

Perhaps this is what you're looking for.

http://www.tab-rv.com/forum#/discussion/2116/one-unknown-drain-on-the-2015-max-s/p1

Rlethbri

RZRBUG said:

Perhaps this is what you're looking for.

http://www.tab-rv.com/forum#/discussion/2116/one-unknown-drain-on-the-2015-max-s/p1

 I don't think it's that. Here's the whole picture of everything that's down there. The "open" tube is where the glycol was coming thru

jdargis

It looks like "skwhee" has got the answer, most of the venting tubes collect in that drain.

ChanW

Yeah that looks like the spot where the three? 'overflow' tubes come together and drain through the floor. Rubber plug inside the Alde compartment with three little hoses stuck in it.

Tabaz

Cindy B noticed a puddle of glycol on the ground. Turns out her resivour tank was over filled by accident and the puddle came from the overflow tube from the top of the tank. Maybe check the tank level to see if it's in the normal range of fluid. Just a thought. Verna helped her with this.

ChanW

The OP said the glycol tank is now empty, and the tank was already replaced due to the problem with its elbow cracking.

It sounds like the pressure relief (air bleeder?) brass thingy in the glycol line might be leaking.

You could check those three hoses that stick into that rubber plug I referred to to see which one is wet with glycol, and trace it back.

skwhee

This was the air vent that we replaced recently. We verified the problem by tracing the tube (the black tubing in the illustration below) leaking the glycol back to this Automatic Air Vent  in the ALDE compartment. We contacted Ed Kauffman and he sent us a warranty replacement. We drained the ALDE through the drain shown in the far right of the photo you posted. Then we replaced the part (just two clamps) and refilled the system at the reservoir tank. Since you have lost so much glycol already, be sure to get a supply of glycol shipped out to you along with the part. Hopefully this will be a workable solution in your situation.
Happy Trails!
Steve & Karen

Michigan_Mike

I would speak to Ed Kauffman at the factory and discuss it with him.  Many times they will suggest a local repair shop if you have travel or other issues, but you will need to clarify and clear things through him first and see what he recommends and get the necessary repairs made.  

Rlethbri

Thanks everyone. We are getting that part from the factory and glycol too. 

Sharon_is_SAM

So, this spring we took the TaB out of storage and noted the glycol was a little low, so we added some to the expansion tank.  Then we noticed some dried glycol residue around the brass Alde auto air vent.  So, at uCamp 2019,  we asked Spencer the Alde rep about it and he reported that it was not uncommon and nothing to be worried about.  Then earlier this month, we brought the TaB home from storage and found the expansion tank empty.  Thought that strange and did not connect the spot on the driveway with our low tank - thought it was water from the clear tubing!  Added a lot of glycol to the expansion tank.  So, we have another spot on the driveway and the Alde tank level dropped again, and we confirmed that it was glycol.

We called Spencer who said that the air vent has a float valve that sometimes sticks open and that allows glycol to leak out.  He said a very low tech repair method is to just whack it with a flip- flop or whatever you have available to try to release the float!  So, I will report back to see if we can stop the leak.  Gotta dig out my flip flops.

Sharon_is_SAM

Still dripping.  Will need to replace the auto air vent after all☹️

BrianZ

Trying to understand what's happening there, @Sharon_is_SAM.. Does the leakage come out of the brass air vent, or does the stuck air vent cause he glycol to be pushed out of the expansion tank overflow tube?
Also wondering if something similar could happen if the glycol pump was turned up too high.

Sharon_is_SAM

The real leak is actually coming through the black tube connected to the air vent - not leaking from the expansion tank overflow at all.  I am not sure how the glycol actually leaks from the brass air vent leaving the residue.

T@Balong

Just discovered my Alde glycol reservoir is pretty much empty.   I do recall last winter in Arizona, that I would get a drip spot underneath the trailer in the area mentioned here.   I just filled my reservoir and we'll see what happens.   Do the leaks mentioned only happen when the Alde is being used?  Does it also leak when the Alde is not turned on?

Sharon_is_SAM

Leaks when the Alde is on or off.  That is why the reservoir was empty when we brought it out of storage.