Alde Drip Pan

mytabbys701

Okay, I gotta ask, does everyone else but me know about the Alde Drip Pan? The Alde sits in this pan.

My drip pan has water in it and I cannot figure out where it is coming from. I cannot find any leaks anywhere. After consultation with our RV dealer (I do have a call into nuCamp and waiting to hear back), the working theory at the moment is that humidity in the T@B and with the AC running, the coolness of the Alde’s outer metal surface resulted in condensation which ran down the side of the Alde into the drip pan and exited the pan’s drain hole very close to the propane burner's exhaust hose.

The pictures attached show the drain hole I am talking about (after the water was cleaned up) and a sample of the water I saw (sooner after noticing the problem). If you look carefully, you'll see the water in the pan along reflecting light back to the camera. Along the entire edge of the Alde's pan, I could see water reflecting back.

I know, it seems like a stretch. But there seems to be no other explanation. After seeing the water on the floor for the first time, we turned off the Alde, wiped all the water up and went about our evening. Checking back a bit later, the water returned—running from back to front along the edge of the Alde (where all the hoses are attached). This time, I shut the cold water inlet to the Alde and opened the hot water faucet to relieve pressure. Just before bed time, the water returned, wiped it up one more time. In the morning, no more water. Drove home – water returned (this time I figure the water in the drain pan sloshed about). 3 days later, today, I spent two hours trying to reproduce the problem; Alde pressurized, cold, hot, but to no avail! The difference this time, no AC – the T@B was at air temperature (85-89 degrees inside). When we were camping when this occurred, Texas humidity was at its cruelest, and our AC was working like a champ. Our vent was open, slightly and, no, the Fantastic Fan was not running.

Based on first look, i was sure the water was coming from the inlet, but on additional thought and inspection, the water (as shown in the picture) ran from the front where the cold water inlet is all the way back to the read of the Alde--BUT NOT PAST THE HOLE. Also the T@B has a slight nose down bias, that is the water could only go downhill from the back to the front.

So.. the ask, are there other ideas?

Sharon_is_SAM

It makes sense that the heated Alde surrounded by wet, warm air could result in condensation from conditioned air entering under the bench.  But, you would expect to see water running down the sides of the Alde, no?

Sharon_is_SAM

Maybe wrap some tissue paper around one side of the Alde and turn on the Alde and AC and see what happens.  Window AC units are not known for dehumidifying very well.

mytabbys701

Hi @SAM, I wish I had the theory in my head when I saw the problem--i was really thinking "leak", as such I did not look for water droplets or indications of such on the Alde unit at the time. I'd like to think I would have noticed such condensation at the time--but I did not.

I think your tissue paper idea is grand, and as you indicated, to work this through I am going to have to try to reproduce the conditions once more with AC on to see what happens. Now, if TX weather would only cooperate, I just need a hot day with humidity

Once I know more, I'll post back. 

Sharon_is_SAM

I lived in Houston in the early 80’s.  I remember the humidity.  Made me homesick for Cleveland😁. I would not be surprised if the entire Tab sweated in Texas!

ScottG

I'd never noticed the drip pan until I read this post. It looks like the Alde may be mounted such that there is a space between the bottom of the unit and the drip pan (and that would make sense...).

If the condensation was forming on the bottom of the unit, you would see it in the pan but not necessarily on the sides. It sounds like you have tried thoroughly to find a leak and have not been able to. I say don't worry and camp on!  :-)

mytabbys701

@ScottG: I like the idea, "Camp on!" -- and I agree.

I do have to believe this'll occur again. The "scary" thing is that the water at the time was precariously close to the WFCO power center (the bias for the camper was a slight back to front level), most specifically to the ground wire (going through the floor) and the hot "bus bar"/"distribution bar" not 5-7 inches away also mounted to the floor. If this is going to occur again, I would need to find away to ensure that water would not bridge those two points.

Ratkity

@mytabbys701, would a silicone dam work? Just curious.

mytabbys701

Anyone, Everyone following this post I finally have an update...

Bottom Line: It does appear that the condensation is coming from underneath the Alde, @ScottG, you called it! @Sharon_is_SAM, I did not see any condensation on any of the sides, or top, of the Alde. @Ratkity, at this moment, my approach is to keep the water off the floor altogether. The drain line I installed as a temporary fix, carried the water away from the drip pan into a "baggie" water catch. The three pictures below show what I did, with BEFORE and AFTER.

The setting, south Texas, 100 degrees and enough humidity that the internal temperature (about 75 degree) of the T@B appears to have recreated the conditions perfectly.

Here is the line inserted into the drip pan's drain hole with just enough electrical tape to make a tight seal



that line was snaked towards the front of the T@B emerging in the living area near the shower so I could easily observe it. After one night in the T@B (with the outside and inside temps), this is what I saw in the morning, The first picture shows the same line emerging from the drip pan BEFORE the trip and the other side shows the same line that morning.


if you look closely at the "AFTER" picture, you can see the water refracting the faux wood grain in the flooring, the line HAS WATER in it. Looking forward in the T@B, where the line terminates, you can see water in the catch baggie.


the closeup in the AFTER picture shows an air bubble in the line which has water in it. 

By the end of the camping trip, I gently raised and lowered the T@B to work the water out of the pan, down the line, and into the bag. This was a pain due the the gentle slope, but we figure we got approx 8 - 12 oz of water out of the pan. But not all of it, buy the time we got home what was remaining in the pan sloshed out and was caught by towels I placed around the Alde.

What does this mean?

1. another call to nuCamp... I directed them to this post, they have not gotten back to me about "drip pan" and condensation.

2. I think the "repair" would be a drip pan that drips from the bottom (like the Air Conditioner) and out the bottom of the T@B somewhere.  Draining from the side drip pan drain hole simply is too dependent on being level with a slight bias to the rear and to the driver's side - that is no fun.

3. The next "best thing" is a drain line that immediately makes a 90 degree turn down, again, through the floor, but again, this would rely on draining from the side.

4. To run the line through the existing point where the other overflow lines run would require a pump, it is too up hill. I thought about using the access point for the outside shower, but it too is up hill.

5. Living with the water on every trip is going to be a bit of a pain. Some of the 2x4's under the cushions already have watermarks. We have about 30 nights in our T@Bin since last October when we took delivery. We rarely unmake the bed into the U-Shape table, it was only when we did this, that we found the water on the floor. 8-12 oz. of water in just two nights is too much over time.

6. My workaround for now is to run the line to the outside shower and an inline hand pump to siphon the water in the line, out. Again, relies on the "Draining from the side" bias, but I figure before departure to avoid sloshing, just raise the tongue a bit, then siphon.

I am just befuddled that this no one else has seen this before.

jkjenn

I have never seen anything like this, which makes me wonder if there isn't more going on, here. 

BrianZ

Could there be a leak in the Alde's internal plumbing?

Sharon_is_SAM

The Alde is housed inside the metal cover.  The outside surface of the cover is cooled from the TaB AC and the inside is surrounded with warm moist air.  Just like the single pane windows of our old house, the condensation probably occurs on the inside walls of the cover.  Same result though, water still ends up in the pan.  
Why hasn’t anyone else noticed this?  We have folks using A/C in very humid Florida, Georgia and Texas. 

Anyone else using their A/C a lot and heating the Alde?

mytabbys701

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for being patient. I am happy to say that nuCamp and Alde are replacing the unit under warranty. It now is all coming down to synchronizing on a date. Both nuCamp and Alde were very very very responsive and helped to find the cause.

As suspected by many in this thread, including @BrianZ and @jkjenn, there WAS something more going on.

Alde suggested that I remove the service latch, pressurize the system (with everything being at the same ambient temperature--that meant do NOT energize the Alde and do NOT turn on the AC) and see if any water shows up. Sure enough, about 1 hour after pressurization, water began to appear within the unit.

Being able to see inside the unit helped and was the key.

Here are the pictures I took one hour after starting this final test



So, until the unit is replaced, we'll simple do without hot water while we camp in 90+ degree temps :-)

Best regards and thanks for all the discussion --- it helped!

ericnliz

Glad to hear you got the issue resolved, & thanks for sharing, you never know when it also helps someone else!

ScottG

Thanks for the followup, @mytabbys701. And for the pics--I think those are the first I've seen of the mysterious Alde innards!

jkjenn

Very rare to hear about an Alde needing to be replaced. Glad it is being handled so well!

Sharon_is_SAM

Oh and it so looked like condensation!  Good to know you have a diagnosis.

mytabbys701

Hi All,  the story is now concluded. The Alde has been successfully replaced under warranty thanks to Alde and nüCamp. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Thanks for reporting.  Another member appears to have a leak, but not sure if it is the Alde.  Stay tuned.

DavidQ

My Alde 3020HE sprang a leak - water leak from the drip tray hole.  Anyways, as I was in Africa, I had little option but to repair it.  The write up is here. Hope it is of use to anyone lese searching for a solution.

https://catch-the-wind.com/boiler-blues-our-alde-springs-a-leak/