Alde System Air Vent Valve

pcaddy

the valve is leaking (dripping) all the glycol out.  I cannot find where to adjust the flow to stop the leak.  the valve is a 10Bar 115.c Galleffi -- made in Italy.

Sharon_is_SAM

Not sure which valve you are describing on which Alde (3010 or 3020).  TaB 320 or 400?  There is a reservoir overflow tube that  expells through the floor and under the TaB.  What is your Alde pump speed set at?  If too high, it can cause excess gurgling, churning and potentially loss of fluid.  Picture?

falcon1970

How do you set the circulating pump speed?  Is that set at the factory or is there some user adjustable setting on the panel?

Sharon_is_SAM

For the 3010 Alde, the glycol pump setting is manual (probably is for the 3020 model also) and it looks like this: and is found here:

falcon1970

@Sharon_is_SAM
OK, thanks, found it.  Mine is set on 3 so I guess that is what either Alde or nuCamp feels is the proper setting. I don't remember anything in the Alde manual that referenced the pump speed.

pcaddy

I have a T@B 320 with Alde system 3010 and the speed is set at #1.  I tried turning the system on and setting the speed at 5 but nothing happens.  Usually in the past, this causes the glycol to "gurgle" and heat up but currently, nothing at all happens.  All the glycol dripped out through the air vent valve.  I have tried adjusting the valve but nothing "turns" to turn the valve off.  the glycol just drips out until the reservoir is empty.  I had refilled the glycol and turned the system on, setting the speed at #5 to try to make it gurgle and heat up, but nothing happens.

Sharon_is_SAM

@pcaddy, was it on “5” when you lost the glycol?

falcon1970

@pcaddy
Hmmm,  It seems to me that a faster pump speed would circulate the glycol faster (well, duh!) giving it less time in contact with the heating elements within the Alde.  Conversely, a slower speed would allow a longer time in contact with the elements.  Sharon's thought that a higher speed might also cause the glycol to have more turbulence as it moves through various valves and fittings--including the expansion tank (and thus the overflow tube on the tank) as well as any expansion area within the Alde piping.  I'm still unclear as to what valve is dripping.  The pump housing itself?  The automatic air bleed valve ("A" in Sharon's photo above) is in the heated water line from the Alde.  I don't see how that could have glycol in it.

pcaddy

trying to get the system to turn on -- I do not have a digital read out -- I have the control panel set at heat and water, the propane turned on, the electric set at 2 lightening bolts (also tried this at three lightning bolts), the circulation pump set at 5, nothing happens.  there is no gurgling, nothing.  there was glycol in the reservoir when I did this.  the glycol level was between min and max.

Sharon_is_SAM

Have you blown your Alde fuses?  Turn everything in the cabin off, then check your fuses in the breaker box and the hidden fuses under the top of the Alde.  Do you have glycol in your tank now?

Sharon_is_SAM

Is the Alde plugged in under the bench?

Sharon_is_SAM

@pcaddy, you had issues with bleeding air from your Alde several years back.  Nomad (see quote below) directed you to the location of your air bleeder screw which you reported finding and using.  Is it possible it is too loose, hence the leak?  When is the last time you used the Alde successfully?  

Nomad Posts: 7,215Member

 December 2016 174.238.1.160

I've never needed to bleed mine but looked for the bleed valves whe I first got it - My recolection is the main one is to the left of the main back radiator as you're facing to the back - under the back shelf.
A solid red light means you're out of propane or the Alde isn't getting any. That's what I get at 3:00 am :-(   If it's flashing, I think that has to do with electric.
You running on propane, elect, both? What are your sliders set at?

pcaddy

the fuses are good,  the system is not bleeding from the valve of the main back radiator  -- the bleeding is coming from the air vent valve.  the valve at main back appears to be tight.  I don't know how - or if it is possible to tighten the air vent valve.

manny

@pcaddy, I just replaced the Flow asm. from the pic above...   might was leaking from the bleeder valve black hose to the ground..   I tired to bang it a couple of times no help ..  called Alde  got part number ..  I talked to Mandy..    my alde was working put was leaking...  Is yours not running at all.   I have a 3010 with digital control...    

pcaddy

The alde is not working well, the radiator under the bench is not heating up.  The leaking is coming from the bleeder valve black hose to the ground.  Looks like I should replace the Flow assembly as you did and maybe everything will be ok.  Was the Flow Assembly hard to replace?

pcaddy

I also have the 3010 but the analog readout not the digital.

pcaddy

Sharon -- the alde system was working last winter -- like in February and March.  I had to bleed it a lot in order for it to keep working which seems wrong.  Then it would work for awhile and then not heat up again,, so I would bleed it and then it worked intermittently.  Now the flow assembly is dripping glycol through the black tube onto the ground.  The other nipple in the back radiator is tight and not dripping glycol.  Perhaps the flow assembly has been going bad for awhile?  I do not know the symptoms of that.

Sharon_is_SAM

I think I would follow Manny’s lead!

manny

@pcaddy.. if you call Alde ask to speak with there tech ..  I had to add at least 1qt. of glycol to the system. after install..    I did by a pinch- off pliers …  it was a little hard, by I was a appl. tech for 37 yrs.  good luck..