Alde Not Heating - Need Bleeding?

pcaddy

Can anyone tell me -- better yet -- show me a picture of where the screws are to open to bleed the alde system.  My alde is not heating -- hot water is heating fine -- the glycol "gurgles" when pump is at position #2 -- all the fuses are good -- the battery is full -- I am hoping that the problem is that the system only needs to be bled.  When I turn the propane on, the red light comes on after about 2 minutes.  Any help is appreciated -- Thanks!

Moderator Not: Added from other Alde thread...And altered thread title
My Alde is not giving out heat.  The water heater is working fine.  I have checked all fuses and they are good.  The expansion tank needed some glycol which I poured in --the tank now "gurgles" -- I was told the system needs to be bled.  I took it to an RV dealer in California where I was at the time and they said they bled the system and everything was working -- well, it is NOT working.  I moved the pump gauge from 5 down to 2 and it is gurgling - the glycol obviously is not circulating -- PLEASE if someone has pictures or information as to where the bleed screws are on my 2015 MAX S, I would really appreciate it!  Thanks!

Nomad

I've never needed to bleed mine but looked for the bleed valves whe I first got it - My recolection is the main one is to the left of the main back radiator as you're facing to the back - under the back shelf.
A solid red light means you're out of propane or the Alde isn't getting any. That's what I get at 3:00 am :-(   If it's flashing, I think that has to do with electric.
You running on propane, elect, both? What are your sliders set at?

pcaddy

I did have propane -- maybe it is not travelling to the alde but my refrigerator and the burners worked -- using propane for refrigerator while boondocking.  (sorry about the 3 am ordeal!)  I set my slider for electric on 4 and thermostat at 4.  I am home now and do not have propane hooked up --( used the bottle to fry a turkey for Thanksgiving)....but I thought the alde should work on just the battery.  I just went out and turned the adjustment on the pump to 5 -- the gurgling stopped.. but no heat..I also thought the alde was equipped so we did not have to manually bleed it?  I am pulling at straws now as I do not want to haul it in to a repair shop.

pcaddy

Thanks PXlated -- I found the screw where you said at the back passenger side main radiator.  I will have to look at it more tomorrow when I have more light.

Nomad

I don't think the Alde will run strictly on battery - The first (left) slider is for when you have hookups. The pump will run off battery in the propane mode but almost positive you can't fire up the heating elements on battery - They'd kill your battery in no time flat if you could.

Verna

The Alde gets a spark to start from the battery while on propane. It is not set up to run on battery alone. PXLated is right that the Alde would kill your battery in no time. 

pcaddy

Okay will hook the propane back up tomorrow when I have light and try it again. Thanks.

Nomad

Here's my settings when I don't have a hookup and am running heat on propane...



Slider #1 is off - Slider #2 is on propane - Slider #3 is on heat/water

ScottG

The heating elements require 120V AC or propane to operate. The heaters can not run on 12V DC.

However, 12V DC (either from the battery or the converter) is required to run the Alde's operational circuitry, regardless of whether you are heating with 120V AC or propane. That's why those pesky little glass fuses leave the unit dead in the water when one of them blows!

pcaddy

Thanks everyone.  I just hooked up my propane tank and before I attached it, the rubber hose line coming from the T@B hissed out some propane.  I don't know if I have a leak in the line going into the T@B?  There must have been some propane left in the line after the tank was removed. I finished attaching the tank, turned the tank on and burners and refrigerator work fine.  I set the Alde as PXlated shows, no heat, then I placed slider #1 on the first arrow, leaving the other sliders the same, still nothing -- after a time, the solid red light came on.  The pump runs for a time and then shuts off.  I have to take the T@B in to check the recall on the refrigerator and I will have them check the propane line as perhaps there is no propane getting to the Alde?  It was working fine last winter!

Nomad

Sounds like a propane problem with that red light alright. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

Playc

need help ... first time trying alde. at 30amp
  slide 1 at 3 and 2 at 0, slide 3 on heat and water, knob on 2
red light not on.  what did I do wrong?

wizard1880

No red light?  That's a good thing.  Means you're not out of propane!

With these settings you should hear a faint whine from the circulation pump.  Try turning the propane up, and you should notice hot exhaust from the Alde vent outside.

If the whole system is silent, and no heat?  Try turning the heat temp knob to maximum.  Still nothing?  Check to ensure you're plugged in and powered up.  You can test your 120v by briefly turning the A/C on, and your 12v by turning the lights on inside the camper.  All checks out?  Check the fuses inside the top cover of the Alde unit.  This will require removing the cover under the bench to get to it.

Fuses good?  You can try resetting the Alde by disconnecting the power from the T@B and disconnecting the battery for about 5 minutes, and reconnecting.

Still no luck?  Either the main control board on your Alde is defective, or the control panel is broken, or the wire connecting the panel and the Alde is broken somewhere.

Let us know how far you get.

Nomad

If red light isn't on, that's good. The dial is like a thermostat setting. Unless it's really cold in the T@B, a 2 won't fire it up. Try a 4-5, that should fire the Alde even if it's 60-70 degrees in the T@B. You can slowly turn it down after it fires up and you'll eventually hear the Alde shut off.
My comfort zone is a 2 3/4-3 setting.

Photomom

Playc said:

need help ... first time trying alde. at 30amp
  slide 1 at 3 and 2 at 0, slide 3 on heat and water, knob on 2
red light not on.  what did I do wrong?

@Playc make sure the Alde's AC power cord is plugged in under the bench. Ours popped out once when driving over a very bumpy road. 

ericnliz

Photomom, Ours did the same thing [just not all the way out], and the road wasn't that bumpy. My guess was it was never plugged solidly in to begin with as it was very secure when I plugged it all the way in.

Ratkity

Mine did the same thing. The plug escaped from the outlet! Bad plug. 

Nomad

Hmmmm - Mine has stayed put thru 2+ years and lots of bumpy back roads.

Ratkity

Alas, the T@Bitha has not seen all the beautiful scenery yours has, PXL - but as you said, it comes with a price of some bumpy roads. No less loved, however.

Playc

Thanks Photomom.  You are right on the power cord.

pcaddy

Just an update as to my problems with the Alde -- I finally got the screw loose on the nipple and bled the air out of the system -- all works fine now!  No red lights and plenty of warm air!  Thank you everyone for your help!

Nomad

Cool - Glad you got it working.