Alde Circ Pump Setting?

Sharon_is_SAM

Thanks Verna.  I remember we set ours st 2.  Thought our display went up to 5.

dsatwork

I messed with the pump circulation settings on the digital display for the Alde a few times and I never could tell that it was doing anything different when I increased it to 2. What is it suppose to do when you turn it up? Does it get it hot faster? Makes me wonder if I have the dial too? Something new to learn.

Sharon_is_SAM

Check it out dsatwork.  Do you have the pump with the manual setting?

dsatwork

I'll let you know as soon as I check it out.SAM said:

Check it out dsatwork.  Do you have the pump with the manual setting?

LSkrabut

Just got my 400 delivered today, checked out the Alde pump manual setting during the PDI, it was set to around 2 3/4 from the factory. The unit rolled off the production line 21 Nov 2017.

I am going to driveway stage the 400 for the next few days checking out the heat via electric tonight  (1 element) set for 74 temp and see what the morning brings. If ok, will stage via propane tomorrow. The high of the days is calling for mid 30's and night high teens - low 20's.

Ratkity

With the T@Bitha, it was manual. I cranked that sucker up to 5 to see what it would do. OMG... can you say bubbling in the reservoir???? It was sorta funny to watch. My reservoir was in the back corner, not in the bath. It hummed nicely at 1-1.5.

dsatwork

why does it churn? is it boiling?

ericnliz

@dsatwork, Had to laugh at that one! Probably just REAL fast movin' antifreeze! If you've ever turned that dial on the pump up, you'd be REALLY surprised how fast that little sucker goes!

dsatwork

@ericnliz oh yeah still don't understand how antifreeze helps with heating.

Ratkity

It's my cauldron that bubbles... it's my stomach that churns. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Dsatwork - the glycol value is it’s ability to easily absorb and transfer heat and it can be left in the system and trusted not to freeze.  

LSkrabut

Back to my factory settings on a newly built 400 (2 3/4)

First day @ temps around 35f, night temps around 20f, single electric, the 400 warmed to around 60 f inside, temp set for 74f.

1st night with setting on 2 electric only, the 400 got to 66f with temp still set for 74f.

2nd night with propane and electric inside temp got to 74f and rather quickly as expected on propane. The next morning I did raise the setting to 80 and inside got to 78f quickly.

3rd day/night, I cut and place reflected insulated foil in all of the windows, also with night shade up, single electric only, inside temps maintained a 68 with setting for 74. I feel those findings with better window insulation made a world of difference in inside temps being maintained, but the T@B became a dark cave for sure, LOL Maybe a good might time solution?

All of this testing is a driveway test with a new 400. I can hear the pump, but very quiet to me, nothing like a forced air in my class A. So should I move the manual pump speed down, does anyone think it will make a difference in either noise level or amount of heat produced? I will try a 2 setting to see what happens today
 
The Fantastic vent is closed and no one sleeping or in the 400, so those differences will have to be taken in account.

ericnliz

@LSkrabut, Sounds like you're gettin' things figured out! The driveway is a MUCH better place to figure them out, than the shivering cold when you're out & about. Playing with ALL the buttons, knobs & do-dads is a great way to familiarize yourself & become more familiar with the workings of everything. Good to know you'll be nice & comfy when you're out campin' in colder weather! Have fun & be safe out there!

Sharon_is_SAM

LSKrabut, just wondering if you validated the thermostat temperature reading using another method?  I know our CSS needed to have the temperature adjusted at the display.  

Verna

@LSkrabut, try opening the kitchen window to the first locking point of about 1/4” and open the Fantastic Fan about a 1/4”.  This will creat a natural air movement that will help circulate the air so that it will warm up quicker. Try different settings on the circulation pump, since you are experimenting anyway.

If I hadn’t had the seat cover off of the Alde area, I wouldn’t have noticed the sound of the pump. If it’s very quiet (no radio, no TV), sometimes I’ll hear a slight “humming” sound as the pump starts. Not noticeable with noise inside the T@B.  

Sharon_is_SAM

Since the 400 is a little bigger, it may require the higher pump setting to better distribute the glycol.  Not sure how long your radiator runs are in the unit.  Keep us posted.  

LSkrabut

@Sam, I do have the included thermostat in use checking other areas within the 400, a few degrees difference have been noted, 1-3f, not much or enough to worry about.

Guess I have to read the manual to match the sensed temp vs setting temp on the controller. Now that you mention this, I do remember it being suggest here on the forums which I have been reading almost daily while waiting for this 400 to be built and delivered. I have also been busy on other things, Who say you will have more time once one retires....

I will move the pump settings down to 2 as a test today.

@Verna, I was planning on the vent cover up a notch since that will be the planned ventilation for moisture as a starting point for testing the warmth mode of the 400. mostly here in Utah and surrounding states, pretty dry here, even when raining or snowing. Did not think a radiant heat system would move as much air as a forced air system that needed a lot of exhaust means.

Does anyone have a floor or unit plan of the routing of the heat system for a 400? All I seem to recall is what is under or near the boiler itself. I can see the radiator in the bath, and heat vents along the bed in back and near the kitchen window.

Verna

@LSkrabut, I’m heading for my 4th winter in AZ, and believe me, I keep the vent and a window cracked and that just starts a natural convection of heat moving. While the Alde boiler heats so well, some natural air movement helps spread the heat quicker. 

It’s also not healthy to not have a source of fresh air coming into your 400. While you do have a carbon monoxide detector, with your gas stove and Alde as propane users, it is a good thing to keep just a bit of fresh air coming in, even in the summer. 

LSkrabut

Being so cold outside, I looked in the closet and around the Alde. felt quite a bit of cold air there. Seen 2 areas, one small and one quite large considering where cold are was coming in the closet area and one area in the Alde.

The closet area was ground wire, at least a 1/2" hole for a 12 gauge wire, stuck some close cell foam in that one. The other area in the closet was where 2 hoses coming out one of the water tanks. Cut another section of close cell foam for that area. Both very easy to remove if needed. Figure if nothing else this is a way to cut down on road dust which I am sure to encounter on dispersed camps planned.

The Alde area was pretty sealed up but for a 1" tube running through with another 1/2" tube within it. Sealed the tube within the tube with some foam and gorilla tape around the 1" tube and floor, again easy to remove it needed.

From all of my RVing since the 80's, I do not like road dust coming into the living area.

LSkrabut

@Verna, I will have some fresh air vented when any living soul is within the RV (animals included ) , your insight is well understood. What I was looking at now for driveway testing is a consistently seal unit.

2019TaB400

I have 2 pumps. Can someone tell me which is for heat and which for hot water? 2019 400. 
The factory setting on the  one circled white was at 4 and the yellow at 2. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Sorry, but your picture needs to back off - hard to tell where your circles are located.  

Denny16

Both pumps are for circulating the glycol around.  The one on the Alde main unit gets the preheated glycol to the Flo (Red) tank where the second pump is located, to take the glycol from the Flo to circulate around the trailer heater cores, and back to the main Alde boiler where it get reheated.  I would think both pumps would need to be at the same setting, but check your Alde/Flo manual for details.  I just checked the circulation pump setting on our TaB400 (without the Flo tank) and it is set to 3 by the Dealer Service tech (who is nüCamp factory trained), after he flushed and replaced the glycol in our Alde unit.

Hot water is circulated by shore water connection pressure, or the TaB’s 12VDC water pump, which pressurized the water lines, including the hot water.  Cold water line from the water pump is connected to the Flo tank, where it gets preheated, then it goes to the main boiler where it gets additional heat, and then out to the hot water taps.

cheers

ChrisFix

@2019TaB400
Like @Denny16 mentioned, I'd set both circulation pumps to the same speed...
It's a closed loop system.

Denny16

Chris, what setting are your pumps set to?  I ran mine last night and 3 seems to be working just fine.  On the dual pump systems with the Flo, the two pumps must work together.  You do not want them fighting each other.
cheers