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Filling the Alde hot water tank

scaupscaup Member Posts: 82
in Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing
Is the Alde hot water tank automatically filled when the potable water tank is filled? I've always opened the hot water faucet while filling the potable water tank but I'm not sure that is necessary.

When on city water, is the potable water tank bypassed but the Alde hot water tank automatically filled and replenished as hot water is used?

Thanks


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  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,557
    No.

    Yes.

    Water enters the plumbing distribution system (including the Alde tank) from either the city water connection or the fresh water tank (via the pump).
    2015 T@B S

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  • scaupscaup Member Posts: 82
    ScottG, thanks for the response. A few more questions then.

    By the pump, I'm assuming you mean the pump that is activated by the switch to the left of the sink.......which is used when drawing water from the potable water tank but not used when connected to city water. Correct?

    Are you saying that whether you are on city water or using the potable water tank, the only way to fill the Alde tank is by using the pump? or are you saying...

    When using city water, that constant pressure forces the filling of the Alde tank but when you are using the  potable water tank, that pressure must be provided by the pump?

    Thanks



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  • wizard1880wizard1880 Member Posts: 442
    Yup-- both city water pressure and/or pump will fill your Alde.  If you don't open hot water while it's coming up to pressure, you'll get a blast of air next time you use hot water.  No biggie either way.
    T@@bulous
    2014 T@B CS Maxx
    TV: 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 V6 TDI (diesel)
    Martha Lake, WA
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  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,557
    edited April 2017
    You're welcome, scaup. To answer your additional questions...

    Yes. Correct.

    No. The pump is not needed when on city water.
     
    Yes and yes. You got it!
    2015 T@B S

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  • RuntarootiRuntarooti Member Posts: 76
    @ScottG as long as we are talking Alde, and what is needed to work, you mentioned in another post that 12v is needed for the Alde to work. So if I am on shore power, and propane is hooked up, but battery is disconnected, will the Alde work?
    2015 T@B Max CS-S Silver and Black
    Goes where it's towed to by 2017 Subaru Outback
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  • Michigan_MikeMichigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,861
    edited April 2017



    Runtarooti said:



    @ScottG as long as we are talking Alde, and what is needed to work, you mentioned in another post that 12v is needed for the Alde to work. So if I am on shore power, and propane is hooked up, but battery is disconnected, will the Alde work?






    Yes,  when you're plugged into shore power the electric converter provides 12 V to the 12 V system in the trailer  (and will run anything inside the trailer such as LED lights, water pump, TV/DVD system, etc. ) and the Alde system will run off of the 110 V power from your trailers 30 amp power cord plugged into shore power.  When you Boondock and are off of shore power the Aldie will run from propane and battery power.  

     If you open up the Aldie bench area and look at the system you will see that there is a 110 V electric receptacle in the bench area (for shore power) and the Alde unit us plugged into it.  The Alde units are wonderful units and Airstream has been using  them in their trailers for quite some time too.  

     Look in the video and resource area of the forum as we recently posted a PDF file that covers the entire operation and functionality of the Aldie unit  and the digital thermostat. 
    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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  • RuntarootiRuntarooti Member Posts: 76
    Great, thanks @Michigan_Mike. Will go download pdf right now. Go Blue!
    2015 T@B Max CS-S Silver and Black
    Goes where it's towed to by 2017 Subaru Outback
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,760
    edited August 2018
    Here is a question and a comment that I have not yet seen:  

    How do you know when the Alde tank is actually filled to capacity?

    My DH interprets the following statement from the Alde manual differently.

    "To make hot water with the boiler:  
    Fill the boiler with clean, fresh water. If the boiler has not been used for some time, flush it out with fresh water by opening any hot water tap in the RV and allowing approximately 3 gallons to run through the tap."

    He thinks that the Alde fills automatically regardless of opening a tap and that the directions above are meant to simply flush out the water that has been sitting there for awhile.  Maybe it should read:  "Water enters the Alde boiler only when a hot water tap is opened.  Heat only fresh water, so, if the tank is already full and has been sitting and not used for some time, open the hot tap to replace the old water with fresh water."

    So, I know the tank fills when the hot tap is open, but I can't tell if it is full.  We opened the hot tap for a long time yesterday and only emptied a half gallon out of the Alde tank.  After purging air via a city water connection, only then were we able to fill the tank (measured by later emptying the tank) by leaving the hot tap open for a long time.  We get a very low flow out of the hot tap (Alde resistance?) until we heat the water.  

    How do you know it is filled and do you also have low flow before heating?


    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • dsfdogsdsfdogs Member Posts: 605
    I always thought the Alde was full when the hot water flow stopped sputtering and flowed continuously. Early in the season, while flushing the fresh tank and lines, I filled the fresh tank and ran cold water until I had even flow. Then I turned on the hot faucet and kept it running until sputtering stopped. I know the fresh tank level dropped, but I didn't then drain the Alde to test how full it was. 
    Debbie in Oregon
    2023 Tab 400 / 2022 F150 XLT Sport 3.5EB
    Traded in - 2018 T@B 320 S/2019 Toyota 4Runner SR5

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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,760
    So, maybe there was an air lock somewhere, because the hot tap water did stop sputtering, but the Alde tank was only partially filled.  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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