New to Alde

shawnevansagency

i have a 2016 320CS.   I purchased this unit about a month ago and the previous owner had never used the hot water tank or heater.  

I have the 3010 old display (not digital).   I cannot get the unit to warm the water at all.  

I feel confident that I have the propane and gas settings selected.  I feel like it’s something simple but I simply cannot figure it out.    

Any troubleshooting help help would be greatly appreciated.  

shawnevansagency

Wow I should have proof read before I post.   That’s painful to read.  

Sharon_is_SAM

Do you have the manual?  Check out page 17.  https://www.alde.us/documents/3/v-3010-60-rev-1487-us-can.pdf

First, is your propane tank full, can you light the stove?  Important indicator of propane flow.

What power source are you running?  If using shorepower, open the driver side bench and make sure the Alde is plugged in.  Very common that plug shakes loose.  Do the lights work?  Overhead fan?  Alde runs on 12v either via the shorepower converter or via the battery.

It sounds like you managed to fill the Alde tank, so that’s good.

shawnevansagency

Manual, check

Propane, check

plugged in, check

its on shore power ( 110 in the driveway)

Sharon_is_SAM

   On shorepower, do the lights and Fantastic fan work?  
If you plug something into the GFCI outlet, does it work?  If not, reset the GFCI.  And see if it works.

If you plug something into the 12 volt outlet does it work?
Is your battery charging while on 110?

shawnevansagency

Answers to all questions above is yes.  

shawnevansagency

Where is this typically located I the camper?

Sharon_is_SAM

That is the glycol expansion tank behind the hatch over the toilet in the CS -S.  I see you don't have the bathroom, so not sure where they would mount that tank, but it needs to be higher than the Alde.  If you have a closet next to the bench, check the wall in the back of the closet.  Maybe in the galley somewhere? It is for cabin heat and hot glycol in the Alde will also contribute to the heat generated to heat the water. 

Let us know if you have glycol in your tank.

Thought of something else, is the Alde round thermostat knob turned all the way down?  That stops the pump from circulating and should allow water to heat.

Does the Alde itself feel warm?  

shawnevansagency

Good stuff. I actually do have the bathroom.  Is that what’s inside the hatch?

Sharon_is_SAM

Oh, you DO have a CSS.  Yes, the tank is there, plus maybe the gray/black vent, etc.  I don't have my Tab with me to see, just trying to recall.  I keep a basket in there with other stuff (TP).  

ScottG

shawnevansagency said:

...
I feel confident that I have the propane and gas settings selected.  I feel like it’s something simple but I simply cannot figure it out.    
...

Sorry in advance if this is stating the obvious...

Did you also set the appropriate slider to either "heat and hot water" (one click up) or "just hot water" (two clicks up)?

If you leave this switch off the unit will not operate, regardless of whether you have selected one or both heat sources.

Sharon_is_SAM

Good point Scott.  

shawnevansagency

I have no experience with this so the obvious could be the answer.  However, I did have it set correctly.   

I went by at lunch and looked at a couple things.  I remember the previous owner saying he had trouble with the heater and when he had it serviced at the dealer they replaced a fuse.   I pulled the top of the heater and a new fuse was wrapped around the wires (I’m assuming for the future). I’ll post a pic 

I also tried to look at the alde glycol container and couldn’t tell if there was any in it or not.  It’s a very small area I may have to create a dipstick and measure it.  

shawnevansagency

Type you......

Sharon_is_SAM

That Alde reservoir looks pretty empty to me.  If you wait until dark, hold a flashlight against the side and look in from the open top.  It is easier to read if you mark the minimum and maximum lines with permanent marker.  We also glued a mirror across from the reservoir so we can see the level.  

It is very easy to blow an Alde fuse if you have the Alde turned on and then disconnect or connect shorepower.  It does not like any surges.  I would wait until after you get ahold of some glycol before you change the fuse though, as you don't want to run the Alde without glycol.

Also, pick up some more of those fuses and when you change that one, make sure you have a piece of cardboard under it to catch it if it drops.  Lots of fuses lost to the Alde.

shawnevansagency

Where do you replace the fuse?  Where the blue butt connection is or at the wire harness.  I’m clueless obviously 

ScottG

I don't have a photo handy, but if you look near where your found those spares, you should see the wiring harness entering near a green cover. Under that cover are two glass fuses--one protects the + leg of the 12V supply, the other the - leg. If either of those are blown, the unit will not receive 12V power, and 12V power is required to run the Alde circuitry.

I agree the glycol seems low, though I'm not sure if that would cause the system to not work at all. It's possible there is some sort of low glycol safety disconnect. Either way, I agree with Sharon that you should top up the glycol before continuing with your troubleshooting.

ColoradoJon

Do *NOT* top off the glycol to the MAX line.  Just add until the level is just barely above the MIN line.  This is the recommended glycol level.  Based on your image it shouldn't take much at all.

shawnevansagency

I’m beyond frustrated with this.  I came home removed the cover, plugged it in, and hooked up the water.  I looked in the glycol holder and it actually had plenty.....    

i set set the thermostat and left for an hour.   Came back and nothing.....  I’m either the biggest igmo ever or this thing is just not getting power.   

I even unplugged it and plugged it into the gcfi outlet, Nothing.    Not ever using it before I have no idea what to expect.  Does it make a noise will the motor warm up?

I checked the fuses after Scott explained where they were. To top it off I dropped the dang green holder with one of the fuses behind the alde into nowhere land.   Don’t even know where to start to order the holder.  

Im about ready to take it to the dealer.  Im sure it’s something simple. 

shawnevansagency

Anyone see a problem with this setting?  Propane is on, shore power is connected  

Sharon_is_SAM

@shawnevansagency,  if you are plugged in, you can turn off the propane as when on Hot Water only (slide 3 to the top) only the electrical heating elements will heat up.  Just for kicks, turn the far left slide all the way up and it will use both electrical heating elements.  I would turn the thermostat knob to 1.  You currently have heat turned to about 72 degrees and in summer it should be turned down so it does not try to turn on the cabin heat and compete with the A/C.  The thermostat does not control water temperature, only cabin heat.  

How long have you left the Tab plugged in while trying to heat the water?  Also, do you turn your Alde controls completely off BEFORE you unplug or plug in?  If not, you may continue to blow fuses.  

ColoradoJon

There are two electrical elements, one or both might not be functional.  The way you have it set, the propane will not heat the hot water, only the electrical elements will.  For control panel control descriptions check out page 17 of the Alde 3010 user manual.

Try testing using propane only - slide the left switch to the bottom 0 position to disable the electrical heating elements.  Leave the other sliders where they are at.  If it is quiet enough you should hear the Alde burner fire up and begin heating the glycol, which then heats the water.  If you can't hear it, wait about an hour and see if you have hot water.  If not I would guess that there is a problem with the control panel itself.

The red LED light on the panel should not turn on or flash.  If it flashes you have low battery voltage, and if it is on solid then you have blockage or overheating issue.

It is also possible that the control panel is not getting any power.  Make sure that all of the breakers are turned on, especially the 12v circuits.

Sharon_is_SAM

It appears all the other electricals are working on shorepower - fan, lights, Sharon_is_SAM said:

   On shorepower, do the lights and Fantastic fan work?  
If you plug something into the GFCI outlet, does it work?  If not, reset the GFCI.  And see if it works.

If you plug something into the 12 volt outlet does it work?
Is your battery charging while on 110?

shawnevansagency said:

Answers to all questions above is yes.  

Have you checked the circuit breaker box and confirmed that the AC breaker to the Alde is not tripped AND the 12 v fuse for the Alde in the DC area is not blown?  There is a dull light next to the DC fuses that lights up when fuse is blown - hard to see.  Sometimes best to change it out anyway.



After you confirm the circuits and fuses in the box are intact I would put all your sliders to the bottom, disconnect from shorepower, change out both Alde fuses, have your battery switch to on, then try propane only to start.  If it runs on propane, you know your 12 v is working.  So your slides for hot water only on propane will be left to right:  0, flame, top of slide.

Sharon_is_SAM

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/3512/fuses-for-newbies

shawnevansagency

Great advice. I’ll try this as soon as I receive replacement fuses from parts.  

ColoradoJon

Go ahead and see if it will run on propane before replacing any fuses.  If you just slide the left slider to 0 the burner should fire up after a moment or two.  If you listen carefully you can hear it, and you will be able to feel warm gas coming from the vent on the outside of the trailer.  If it doesn't fire up on propane then I would guess, like others, a blown fuse.

shawnevansagency

Jon, fuses are ordered but haven’t come in.  I slid the left slider to 0 and the burner never came on

shawnevansagency

Correct?   Gas Is turned on.  

Sharon_is_SAM

That is correct @shawnevansagency .
  
So, now I think it may be fuse related.  When we had work done on our Tab this summer, the workers used our air conditioning and they had the Alde control panel on to see the temperature in the Tab.  They inadvertently left the air conditioner turned on when he unplugged from shorepower.  We then hauled our Tab to the campground and plugged in and realized the A/C was on without our touching it and the Alde panel would not light up.  We changed out both Alde fuses and the DC fuse corresponding to the Alde and VOILA!  We knew the importance of always turning everything off before unplugging to prevent this all from happening, but I guess not everybody knew that!!  Easy fix.

Also, are you using a surge protector/EMS?  If so, use it continuously and at home too.  Some folks think of surge protectors as voltage testers and they check the circuit and then plug in the Tab directly to the pedestal.  That won't help when there are surges.

ColoradoJon

Well... darn!  Ok, hopefully your fuses will come in soon.  Please report back once you get them installed and test it again!

OpenSky

I've seen no mention of the mixing valve ("tempering valve" as I've known them in the past.)  This is the three port continuous rotation valve which connects to the Alde inlet and outlet and to the hot-water side of the T@B plumbing.  This combines hot and cold water to set the outlet water temperature.  I believe this can be set such that the Alde hot outlet is completely isolated, and no hot water will be delivered to the T@B hot water lines.