Alde Garbage Disposal Sounds

_JB_

Nucamper here! (get it?) 

Thank you all so much for the great info you share here. I've been able to get a number of questions answered and solve some problems with our 2020 400!

One issue haven't been able to solve: My Alde pump sounds a bit like a garbage disposal choking on it's own fluid.  Our family was out at Great Sand Dunes National Park last week, and overnight the heater was so loud that I had to shut it off so we could sleep. Thanks to this forum, I was able to determine that part of the problem was that the appropriate high altitude setting wasn't enabled, so I took care of that and tested again where we live in Monument Colorado (about 7100ft), and it fixed part of the problem, but now I am having trouble with the pump noise. Thanks again to info on this forum, I was able to locate the pump itself and make sure the speed was appropriately set, which it was, at about 1.5 setting. 

The best way to describe the sound we're hearing is that it sounds like the pump spools up and then gets bogged down - almost like constantly fluctuating RPMs. Imagine turning the garbage disposal on, then dumping some things down it that slow it down, then it spools back up again, if that makes sense. Fluid levels look ok when I check the tank in the wardrobe. Got some good bouncing around on Colorado BLM roads that I think would've "burped" the system. 

At any rate, I'm pretty confident after reading a number of other member's descriptions that it's not running correctly. 

Thoughts?

Best, 

JB

ColoradoJon

Sounds like there could be air in the system!  Might need to bleed it.

4ncar

...and or low on glycol, after topping off, a burping would be in order.

_JB_

One detail I forgot to mention - is it normal for the pump and heater (on propane) to cycle on and off before reaching the set temp? Perhaps the system shuts off in anticipation of reaching the set temp? ex. set thermostat to 85 and system cycles on and off with an indicated temp of 79. Does this give a clue? 

Is it pretty simply to bleed the system or to burp it in a 2020 400? Are those the same things? Should I try myself or ask the dealer to do it? 

ColoradoJon

Yes, that is normal.  The Alde will heat the glycol, shut off, then turn on the pump to circulate the hot glycol through the radiators.  When the glycol cools the Alde will keep repeating the cycle until the set temp is reached.

It is a fairly simple process.  You may want to read about it in the Alde manual and decide for yourself.

db_cooper

Where's @ericnliz to point out that the Alde is not a garbage disposal!  😜

Or is that a @Dalehelman mod I somehow missed?

_JB_

I knew I needed to name it something unique to get some views with all these Alde noise threads 

Ok- I've reviewed the manual and confirmed that my system is equipped with an automatic bleeder valve. There is not info on how to... "Use" it. I plugged in the trailer and cranked the heat and turned the pump up... Is that the ticket? Just let the heater run for a bit to bleed it?

Sharon_is_SAM

Yes yes and you can also turn up the Alde circulation pump to assist bleeding the air.

db_cooper

I think I remember raising the trailer tongue when auto bleeding the Alde last year after replacing glycol. 

_JB_

UPDATE: decided to run the heater on shore power tonight while troubleshooting. It is nearly dead silent. Heat by the bed, bathroom, kitchen window, and two dining windows (I believe that is all the register locations in my 400?). So, turns out the noise is not the pump. Switched back to propane, and it is entirely the propane system. It sounds like a pump or electrical motor running, but I guess it's just the propane heating element? Is this normal? 

sdenhof

Same here, when on propane it is so loud i turn it off at night. Is there a step by step fix i can follow?

COHiker06

Came across this today while watching Travels with Delany vid. While related to limited heat output, pumps don't like air pockets either and who knew there were two more fuses under the Alde service panel.
"...the Alde plumbing loops upward in the wet bath much higher than any other high points in the T@B 400 and is hidden behind an aluminum cover and vent on the shower head side. If you remove the top vented panel cover you will reveal a high point bleed port, a little turn by hand and I was able to remove the air that was trapped in the loop. Additionally, I turned up the Alde pump from 1 to 3 and voila I have heat!"  Finding new things every day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TyPHFo7hAQ  The above came from 22nd response posted