Need for and how to add water to Alde boiler

Tea

I have been attempting to digest the valuable information on this forum but I feel pretty dumb so far.  If I understand correctly I need water in the Alde boiler to heat the cabin. Then, so it won’t freeze when I return from my trip I have to drain the water from the boiler. If that is correct, how do I put water in the boiler? 

DougH

You do not need water to heat the cabin.  Great feature!  Can be cozy even after winterizing.

Folks who winterize after each trip in late fall / early spring drain the Alde boiler as part of the process of getting as much water out as possible. 

Filling up the boiler is as simple as running the sink hot water tap for a minute or two until it flows smoothly. 

Tea

Thank you.  So if I don’t need water to heat the cabin. I must have another problem. I couldn’t get the heater to work this past weekend. Fuses good, breakers good.  I asked about another temp control thermostat in another question so maybe that was the problem.  

Sharon_is_SAM

Keep reading.  You’ll catch up.  We all do.

The Alde is made up of 3 cylinders.  The most internal cylinder houses the combustion elements, the middle chamber houses  glycol, and the outermost cylinder is for water.   Your TaB Alde comes prefilled with glycol which is an antifreeze that is heated and circulates to heat the cabin.  When water is supplied, it is heated also.  So, you can heat the cabin via the glycol without having any water in the Alde.  

But, if you want hot water, you need to fill the water cylinder of the Alde.  The easiest way is to use a hose and hook it up to the city water connection using a pressure regulator.  Turn on the water at the source, then you need to clear the air from the plumbing by flushing the toilet and opening the taps until no further air/sputtering occurs.  During this time, the water is also filling the Alde outer cylinder.  Once no further air is coming from the taps, your Alde water cylinder is filled.  Since the TaB plumbing is not fully protected from a freeze, it is not recommended to use the water supply during freezing temperatures.  

Instead of using a hose/city water connection to supply the water you can fill the TaB fresh water tank and use the pump to clear the plumbing and fill the Alde water cylinder.  

Your TaB has a glycol reservoir that allows you to monitor your Glycol level.  Have you found it yet?  What TaB model do you have?

DougH

Sounds like, from the other post, you didn't have the electric in the high setting.  If you set the temperature on the control panel to 10F higher than the current temperature, set electric to highest value ("2" on mine), and wait five minutes the black tubes leading into the radiator / convector under the front passenger side should be warm or hot to the touch.  After ten minutes the front of that passenger side bench should be warm too.

If after 15 minutes those tubes still aren't warm or hot then there's something else wrong.

But I'm guessing all is well with the world, and you just need to set the electric to the higher setting. 

Tea

Sharon, thank you for that information it is helpful.  I have a 2017 320-S (inside kitchen/shower/toilet).  Ues, I found the glycol resivior. It is in between min and max level. 

Tea

Doug thanks for sticking with me and helping.  I will go to level 2 next time I’m out to see if that works.  REALLY appreciate the helpful advice.