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Water pump and filling water tank.

gooddogs74gooddogs74 Member Posts: 76
in Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing
My understanding is that I turn the water pump on when I am not connected to city water.  Is that something I leave on all the time or just turn on and off if I want to shower or use the toilet?   If I want hot water, say for a shower, do I need to turn it on and leave on for a while or does the hot water immediately work?  

To fill the fresh water tank, do I just stick a hose into the hole?  How will I know if it is full (i.e can I overfill it or will it just come back out when it is full?)

Thank you!
2018 T@b 400
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    ColoradoJonColoradoJon Member Posts: 415
    edited December 2017
    I leave mine on but I have heard that others leave it off until they need it.

    The pump just pumps water - hot or cold.  It does not heat water.  You need your Alde for that.  When you get to your camp site turn on your pump (if not connected to city water) to fill the hot water tank and make sure that the Alde is turned on and functioning.  The Alde has an extra hot water setting that will give you more hot water for longer, like when taking a shower.  It takes about 30 minutes to heat a tank of water for shower use.

    Check out the Alde manual for more details :)

    For filling the fresh water tank use a hose, just like you say.  If you plan on drinking the water use a fresh water hose, not a garden hose.  When it is full water should squirt out the vent tube just above the main fill nozzle, or just splash out onto your feet :)
    Jon & Angela | Florissant Colorado | 2017 Outback S
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    Smullis7Smullis7 Member Posts: 221
    Also, if you are boondocking, i.e. not connected to shore (electrical) power, I would advise only turning on the water pump when you need to use it as it is a small drain on the battery. 
    Sheila and the Mullis Pups (Winston, Morgan, Leroy & Dakota)
    M@bel M@y, my 2017 T@B Outback Max S (silver w/black trim), towed by Maude Myrtle, my 2016 Jeep Rubicon Hardrock.



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    gooddogs74gooddogs74 Member Posts: 76
    edited December 2017
    OK, this is good.  So when I turn it on the fill the hot water tank, is that an immediate type of thing?  Like it just takes a couple of minutes?  I do have a fresh water hose, but it is not going to be near long enough to reach the camper from my  hose bib.  Perhaps I will need a longer one if I am not supposed to use the garden hose.  I have been trying to understand the Alde via the manual.  I am currently unable to use the control panel.  We've have a problem with the battery (it was not upgraded to the correct fuse prior to leaving the dealership) so I can't really look at the actual panel or play with it right now.  We hope to have it fixed in the next week, we have been sent the parts and are waiting until a repair place can get us in.  

    I understand the electricity is given priority for heating if I am plugged in.  If I need to use the propane, is it ok to just leave the valve open or should I keep it shut unless I need to use the heat?  (I am really quite scared of the propane).  

    I also don't understand the 1 and 2 on the electricity and the manual doesn't really explain the difference.  

    The thermostat above the alde that runs the a/c---I would just leave that completely off if I were just using the heat correct, no need for it to be on as they are totally separate is my understanding? 

    Sorry for all the questions, guys.  I am trying hard to learn!
    2018 T@b 400
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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,495
    Gooddogs74 - happy to answer questions, but be sure to peruse the categories at the left and read, read, read.  A lot of the TaB fundamentals are covered there. 

    Re the Alde:  it is one of those things you will need to study several times then it will make sense.  In a nutshell, when you arrive at a full hook up campsite, hook up your water hose to the city water connection and plug in your TaB.  Turn on the Alde at the display.  You will learn what settings need to be on for cabin heat and/or just hot water.  Open up a hot water faucet and that draws water into the Alde tank for heating.  It takes about 3 gallons to fill.  You can also do this at home (basically prime the tank) and you may want to do this before boondocking to clear air and save water in your fresh water tank.  When boondocking you will be using the propane to heat the cabin and water.

    Re the 1 and 2:  the Alde has 2 - 950 watt heating elements in addition to a boiler that uses propane.  If only on shorepower, the default for Alde is the #1 - meaning it is using only 1 heating element to heat the glycol for cabin heat and the water for the sink/shower.  In the hot weather when you may only want hot water, you turn the thermostat way down which stops the glycol pump from circulating and the heat is maintained to heat the water.  If you are heating the cabin in the winter and you want to heat the cabin faster, turn the Alde electric to “2” which now adds the second heating element and more heat output.  If you want a nice hot shower in the winter, by turning the shower icon all the way up, the glycol pump stops (delays the cabin heat), and the heat is retained in the Alde hot water tank to allow a more prolonged hot shower (extra hot water).

    I don’t know anything about the ac thermostat in the 400.

    Keep at it.  It is a lot to learn!
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    gooddogs74gooddogs74 Member Posts: 76
    @SAM thank you very much for that explanation of the Alde.  It was not really detailed in the manual I was given and that helps a lot.  I have copied that information into a folder I am compiling with information to carry with me.  I have also been reading through some of the information in the categories as well as on the FB group.   Some of it is a bit confusing as it pertains to other models, but I am trying to sort through it. Thanks again.  
    2018 T@b 400
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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,495
    Gooddogs74-I found the online Alde website helpful.  http://www.alde.se/usa/
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    JimEngelJimEngel Member Posts: 45

    You know, I have been drinking water out of garden hoses my entire life, seven decades, without even knowing there was such a thing as a "fresh water hose."
    This whole industry seems to be built on relabeling ordinary stuff and upping the price.

    As for filling the water tank at home, it is good to run the pump and run water through all lines, hot and cold, and flush the toilet a couple of times. This removes air pockets and makes the pump run much smoother and shut off promptly and reliably, and at home you have plenty of water. This flushes any stale, bacteria filled water out of the system. ( It makes sense to drain and blow out the system at the end of each trip so bacteria does not accumulate, but there are of course always a few drops of water for it to grow in.)

    When you need hot water, there is water already in the tank ready to heat.

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