Help, please - Alde unit not heating!

solowmn

I was preparing to make my maiden voyage this weekend.  Admittedly, I am not a mechanical whiz.  Prior to leaving yesterday I had the T@B plugged into my vehicle, the propane turned on,the heat switch turned onto propane, and the trailer did not heat up overnight. I definitely have propane in the tank.  Any ideas?  My trailer is a 2015 Outback model.

ScottG

With a 2015, I assume you have the analog controller. In addition to turning the propane on (second slider), did you also turn the heat on (third slider) and turn up the cabin thermostat (round knob)?

All those settings need to be correct for the cabin heat to work.

Michigan_Mike

One thing I am religious about when using the Alde unit is to NEVER forget to turn the Alde off (via the digital thermostat) after using it (whether you have used it on shore power or propane).  When you are packing up to leave a campsite for home or another location ALWAYS turn the Alde off via the thermostat (by pressing the left hand button) as otherwise you can blow one of the small/sensitive fuses on top of the Alde unit when the trailer is plugged in at your next stop because the fuses are very voltage sensitive and a small uptick or spike in voltage (even something that occurs via a change in the incoming power from a storm or power outage) will result in a blown fuse on the Alde unit.  

This means that prior to using the Alde or plugging the trailer into a 30 amp service pedestal in a campground (or plugging into a 20 amp receptacle at home) and flipping the pedestal breakers on, the Alde should be turned off completely.  If the Alde unit is left on and you send voltage into the trailer it can easily blow one of the small fuses (inside the green cartridge located on top of the unit and beneath the black plastic cover) and you won't be able to use the unit until the blown fuse is replaced.  

Check these fuses as noted in the photo below and you will probably find that one of them is blown.   



When you activate the Alde unit via your digital thermostat (if you have one) you should be able to hear the pump working and liquid (glycol) flowing through the lines.  You can also check the reservoir to see if the glycol holding tank has enough glycol as this could create an issue too if it is low on fluid.  You can add a small amount of distilled water to the system if you don't have glycol available and the tank should be located in the back (driver's side) corner of the trailer, beneath the shelf.  There is a set screw in the middle and after removing it you should be able to lift the wood panel up and see what the level of the glycol reservoir is at.   

ericnliz

@Michigan_Mike, It says the video has been disabled for use on other sites. Absolutely agree with shutting the Alde unit off when not in use though!

Michigan_Mike

ericnliz said:

@Michigan_Mike, It says the video has been disabled for use on other sites. Absolutely agree with shutting the Alde unit off when not in use though!

FIXED!  

ericnliz

And thank you sir!

ChanW

@solowmn, I PM'd you about this on March 22nd.... You must have missed it.

What year is your Tab? Which Alde control panel? Is the pump running when you turn it on? Have you checked your fuses and breakers? 

I'm really only 'versed' in the earlier analog Alde control panel, pictured here:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FzJ8-IVJI4w/VlRtsCP7OII/AAAAAAAAR0M/H8-hlE4HZQw/s2048-Ic42/Alde%2520Control.png 

For the Alde to even start, the switches should (minimally) be at (referring to the picture):
B or F - selects a power source, electric or propane, you must select one or the other, or both
I or J - selects either (I):hot tap water _and_ heat, or (J):only hot tap water
Turn the temperature knob (K) all the way clockwise (the 'L' position is @ 70°F)

When you select the 'Heat' function, you'll hear the Alde circulator pump go on (very quiet).

Depending on the outdoor temp, it might take 20-30 minutes til you start feeling heat on the radiators (inside the seat-boxes, and behind the couch).
There's a discussion here:
http://tab-rv.vanillaforums.com/discussion/2177/what-have-i-done-wrong-alde-not-heating-properly/p1

The digital control panel is a different beast. There've been some threads about it. I would search through discussion-threads for it. Or paste this following line into your Google search box:
site:http://tab-rv.vanillaforums.com Alde " digital control panel"

Sometimes it's useful if you post a photo here, of the control panel settings you're using. 

solowmn

Thank you all so much for your help!  I did check the fuses and they were ok.  I just confess to not getting the sliders right.  I did hear the Alde come on ever so quietly.  Now thinking all is right with the world.  I will plow through the posts to further educate myself. 

Michigan_Mike

solowmn said:Thank you all so much for your help!  I did check the fuses and they were ok.  I just confess to not getting the sliders right.  I did hear the Alde come on ever so quietly.  Now thinking all is right with the world.  I will plow through the posts to further educate myself. 

Glad you resolved your issue!  I too had an analog setup but upgraded mine to the digital thermostat (simple install/unplug old analog/install/plug-in new digital unit) and have never regretted the move as it simplifies the above process, is just like home, you control the temperature much easier and it's just like home.  You do have to cut the opening a bit larger to accommodate the thermostat unit (it also comes with a wood frame) but it's a worthwhile upgrade, eliminates the guess work and it allows you to conveniently control and program heat in the trailer and actually know what the temperature is.    

ChanW

Yep, your settings look good now.
Note that the left slider selects 120v 'shore power' electricity as the energy source, and the second slider selects propane as the energy source.
When you have both the electricity and propane sliders turned on, the Alde will use both sources for power, until the system is up to temperature, and then it will use electricity to maintain the heat. Electricity is the primary source and the propane is a booster in this case, heating the system more quickly than either one by itself.
Have fun!

jkjenn

Michigan_Mike said:

solowmn said:Thank you all so much for your help!  I did check the fuses and they were ok.  I just confess to not getting the sliders right.  I did hear the Alde come on ever so quietly.  Now thinking all is right with the world.  I will plow through the posts to further educate myself. 

Glad you resolved your issue!  I too had an analog setup but upgraded mine to the digital thermostat (simple install/unplug old analog/install/plug-in new digital unit) and have never regretted the move as it simplifies the above process, is just like home, you control the temperature much easier and it's just like home.  You do have to cut the opening a bit larger to accommodate the thermostat unit (it also comes with a wood frame) but it's a worthwhile upgrade, eliminates the guess work and it allows you to conveniently control and program heat in the trailer and actually know what the temperature is.    

If I have read correctly, the digital version allows you to use a boost mode to heatt hot water quicker. I have not upgraded to the digital unit, yet, because the analog has worked fine, but I believe the digital would also give you more explicit error codes, versus just the red light.

On a side note, I wonset if you can request enough if the wallpaper to cover the plate so that it blends, better? I don't love the look of the wood in that spot.

Ratkity

Jenn, the hole is completely different and the wallboard is sooooo thin, it even splintered when I used a small dremel tool to cut it with when I installed mine. That piece of wood (the one I got) barely covered the edges of the original hole. You could always wallpaper the wood? You could also get a thinner piece of wood and wallpaper that. Then there's the V-style scrolling that could be done with a larger, thinner piece of solid wood. 

jkjenn

Ratkity said:

Jenn, the hole is completely different and the wallboard is sooooo thin, it even splintered when I used a small dremel tool to cut it with when I installed mine. That piece of wood (the one I got) barely covered the edges of the original hole. You could always wallpaper the wood? You could also get a thinner piece of wood and wallpaper that. Then there's the V-style scrolling that could be done with a larger, thinner piece of solid wood. 

Yeah, that's what I meant - wallpaper the wood.

Ratkity

jkjenn said:

Ratkity said:

Jenn, the hole is completely different and the wallboard is sooooo thin, it even splintered when I used a small dremel tool to cut it with when I installed mine. That piece of wood (the one I got) barely covered the edges of the original hole. You could always wallpaper the wood? You could also get a thinner piece of wood and wallpaper that. Then there's the V-style scrolling that could be done with a larger, thinner piece of solid wood. 

Yeah, that's what I meant - wallpaper the wood.

Ohhhhh... hrm... If they don't have any extra wallpaper from your T@B series you could always paint it a very similar color (really, no scraps? Did their Moms not teach them to keep everything? lol).

jkjenn

Ratkity said:

jkjenn said:

Ratkity said:

Jenn, the hole is completely different and the wallboard is sooooo thin, it even splintered when I used a small dremel tool to cut it with when I installed mine. That piece of wood (the one I got) barely covered the edges of the original hole. You could always wallpaper the wood? You could also get a thinner piece of wood and wallpaper that. Then there's the V-style scrolling that could be done with a larger, thinner piece of solid wood. 

Yeah, that's what I meant - wallpaper the wood.

Ohhhhh... hrm... If they don't have any extra wallpaper from your T@B series you could always paint it a very similar color (really, no scraps? Did their Moms not teach them to keep everything? lol).

I wasn't sure if they had a system that really didn't provide the scraps, like maybe the I sides came pre-papered from another provider. If I ever decide to go digital, I will ask.