Winterizing a 2014 T@b with Alde

PaulaK

mawebb, Thank you for sharing your knowledge. This is very much a learning experience for me. My understanding is that the Alde is an on-demand system and does not actually have a tank. However, 1 to 1-1/2 gallons of water are retained within the unit, and that seems to be the amount that drained below the trailer. I read in the Alde manual that this lever/valve should remain open while the Alde is out of service. It seems that this was missed on Ed's Winterizing a T@B document. The fact that LG is frequently making adjustments in their manufacturing process is good for the end product, but makes it hard to create end user documentation. The other photo I posted was Breakaway's photo. I am adding a photo from our actual T@B that I took prior to winterization. You're getting your new T@B in December? I hope you live in a warmer climate than Minnesota. I am sad that we are putting ours into storage at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on October 25th. It will be a long winter waiting to get it out again.

PaulaK

Oops. Here is that photo...

breakaway

MAWEBB Thanks for your input.  (we added 3 more photos - if they don't appear here, the "Save Draft" option in this forum doesn't save the uploaded photos).  We don't see any place the red and blue hoses are plumbed together.  Is the green fluid glycol, rather than antifreeze?  Maybe it's just a terminology issue.  Judging by your post time and the "colour" reference rather than "color", we believe you may be outside the U.S.  We assume "Antifreeze" is pink and is what we use when winterizing the water lines.  We assume "Glycol" is the yellow-green fluid that the Alde system uses to regulate the temperature of the heating element.

breakaway

MAWEBB - As I suspected, there is a bug in the "Save Draft" option in this forum.  Uploaded photos will not save with the "Save Draft" option and then moving to another page.  I'll refrain from submitting that as a bug - just remember it next time.

mawebb

Breakaway, thanks for the additional photos. They do help in clarifying your configuration. Yes is does appear that the ability to cross connect the cold and hot systems is not present. I am wondering if it is located in the adjacent compartment as the "Red" and "Blue" pipes continue through the partition. If not, you are missing this connection. That being said, it's not critical as it simply allows cold water to flow from the hot taps when the system is in "Winerize" mode. I am not seeing a valve on the hot "Red" pipe which can be turned 90 degrees. Again, is this in an adjacent compartment? This is only necessary if the cross connect is present. The white valve appears to open to the underside of the trailer. I am not sure if there is a pipe there, or if it is a drain. The yellow valve is a drain. So if what you see in the photos is it, turn the black valve on the "Blue" pipe so that it is across the flow (90 degrees) and open the white and yellow valves. Open your hot taps and let the system drain. Hopefully the hot lines will fully empty, since this will not allow you to run the potable antifreeze through the hot system. I did read the Alde manual and our systems don't seem to have a pressure relief valve on the hot supply as referenced in the manual. I am wondering if the red connection at the top of the tank with the clear hose attached will allow air behind water to allow the tank to drain. Another option would be to run potable antifreeze through the entire system, including the hot water tank, before draining. Alde says this will not harm the system, but they suggest you don't. They don't say why. If you do, do this, then close the black valve and open the white and yellow after doing so. Water mixed with potable antifreeze will drain out of the tank. After reading the Alde manual, I think the clear line with green / yellow fluid is the overflow line from the glycol reservoir. At this point, I don't know where then overflow tank with filler cap is located. Agreed that glycol antifreeze is usually green / yellow and potable antifreeze is usually pink. That being said OAT antifreeze is also pink, but is not to be used in either the heating system nor the potable water system. Hope it all works out.

mawebb

PaulaK I am located in the northwest, in British Columbia, Canada on Vancouver Island. Our weather is similar to Seattle so not too cold, but we will not likely get to use the T@B until late March next year. That will give us some time to get her ready for the season and check things out. I expect to receive it winterized and will leave it that way until next season. The latest photo is great. The annotation indicates you have a good understanding of the system and the flow of water through the system.

twocutes

I am hoping I can find a dealer or company in Minnesota to do my first winterizing and show me, like someone else posted.  The dealer I purchased the T@B from doesn't know much more than I do.  I will ask Elk River RV, since they also sell T@Bs, but does anyone know of any reputable places?

Nomad

There's only two in MN - Try Elk River, the other one didn't even set up my T@B, handed me the keys and manuals and that was pretty much it. Still hauling around the vent hood they got and didn't install.

twocutes

True, there are only 2 in Minnesota and it sounds like we purchased ours from the same dealer.  Nice people, but limited in knowledge.

Nomad

twocutes - Bet we did (city starts with an M?) - Agree, very nice guys and they got me the T@B I wanted (semi-custom) in a reasonable amount of time. But they have very little depth when it comes to T@B knowledge it seems. But, they were willing to do a custom order and the guy in Elk River wasn't too wild about the idea - wanted to sell what he had on the lot.