Alde panel

Tommy

ScottG said:

If you weren't plugged into shore power, the electrical elements were not running. I can't say for sure, but it's possible those settings left something on the 12 volt circuitry of the Alde running, and that could contribute to a slow drain on the battery. Regardless, I'm skeptical that the Alde was the sole source of your problem.

Note that even with the Alde completely off, there are several other gizmos (bathroom nightlight, stereo display, smoke and LP detectors, etc.) that will run down your battery to nothing. Do that few times and you will be shopping for a new battery. (Don't ask me how I know--ha ha.) The only solution to preventing this phantom drain is to disconnect your battery when the trailer is not in use.

If your third slider was on "hot water only" the circulator would not run. The "heat and hot water" setting activates the the circulator, which will then cycle on and off as needed based on your thermostat (dial) setting.

What led me to believe that the Alde drained the battery is that the light on the panel was glowing red which according to the instructions indicates a low battery state ... which means it was using the battery for something ... until it became too low...

Are you saying we have to switch off the smoke and LP detectors??

Photomom

If you are unplugged and have turned off the battery and propane, there really is nothing to set off those alarms, right? Unless you smoke in the T@B, which is a bad idea for many reasons.

ScottG

Tommy said:

What led me to believe that the Alde drained the battery is that the light on the panel was glowing red which according to the instructions indicates a low battery state ... which means it was using the battery for something ... until it became too low...

Are you saying we have to switch off the smoke and LP detectors??

Sorry, that's getting  little out of my pay grade--I've always turned the Alde completely off when breaking camp, and have never experienced the red light.

You cannot "switch off" the detectors or other items I mentioned. The easiest way to prevent them from using up your battery between trips is to disconnect the battery by detaching a cable, pulling a fuse, or installing a cut-off switch. Now that's another topic all together...

Nomad

Could be wrong but...I believe the red light comes on (flashing or solid) even if you don't have the alde switches on - It's just pre-warning that you will not be able to use it because of either low battery or propane.

ChanW

Nope. I got the latest n greatest in optical aids.

Them little European symbols still don't seem intuitive.

PXLated said:

Huh - impossible to see?
Sounds like bifocals or trifocals are in your future :-)

ericnliz

Thanks ScottG!

ScottG

I feel a whole bunch of new Alde experiments coming on. MAD SCIENCE--bwahahahahaha!!! (With apologies to @Ratkity...)   :-)

ericnliz

Don't apologize, she loves it! On another note, still working on my misting experiment with the keeder rail. MAD SCIENCE, naw, just wanna stay cool!

Tommy

ericnliz said:

On another note, still working on my misting experiment with the keeder rail. MAD SCIENCE, naw, just wanna stay cool!

After you posted the idea I started working on it too haha. I built one out of 1/4" irrigation line and it works really well. I'm going for a little different approach though - I want to figure out how to install it around the outer edge of the XL visor ... the problem is we don't have our XL visor yet. For now I have 6 heads spaced 18" apart with a 10' leader from the faucet hookup. We are leaving in four days on a nine day trip and we've given up hope of having the visor in time so we will lug the big Coleman 10 x 10 again. Should be able to create a nice little mist curtain around it.

Tommy

BTW, thanks @ScottG and everyone who participated in this thread - I came away with a completely new understanding how the panel works and it doesn't scare me or annoy me anymore 

ericnliz

Tommy, First of all, good for you hanging in there with the Alde panel issue! On the issue of the misting, I'm going with the Orbitz, available at Lowes. For your visor idea, have you tried alligator clips with nylon loops?

Ratkity

Brain: "Pinky, what are you talking about? An experiment with a what rail?"
Pinky: "You know, Brain.... the beater rail that you catch your tail on when you are in a hurry trying to put out picnic table fires!"
Brain: "Pinky, sometimes, I can't believe you can stand up and breathe at the same time" *disgusted look*