Alde problems.

Jeanne

We are on our first trip. Heat worked fine last night. Tonight no heat or hot water. Plugged into 30 amp. Red light is blinking on control panel. Help. (2014 T@B S Max. Purchased used ( but hardly ))

Nomad

Do you have propane?
My red light comes on when I run out but can't remember if it flashes or is steady.
And, what do you have the three sliders set to?

ChanW

Jeanne, the red light can indicate the propane is out or battery got too low.

It might need to be reset before the Alde will start again. 

To reset it, first turn off everything electrical in the Tab, especially the Alde. Then take all power away from it, 12v and 120v, then reconnect and try it again.

(unplug the shore power first, then either disconnect the battery, or pull the Alde fuses.)

 If your bed is set up, it might be easier to disconnect the battery.

Nomad

Ya, low battery can do it also - have experienced the red light from both causes. I'd presume that since you're plugged into shore power that the latter wouldn't be the problem. I didn't have to do any Alde reset - except recycle the slider switches - just switched tanks or got the batter back up on the charg-o-meter.

Jeanne

We will check fuses and disconnect power today. The propane has never been used. We need to teach ourselves how to use it. Thanks for your suggestions. Will update after we figure it out. 

ChanW

Hate to ask the obvious but, is your shore power actually getting through? ie: are the 120v receptacles over the sink giving power? On our 30A connector, the one on the end of the cord that's plugged into the side of the Tab, there's a little LED that lights up red when the cord is live with shore power.

The reason I ask is that it sounds like perhaps your battery isn't being charged.

Nomad

The propane's pretty simple - turn it on, light a cooktop burner to verify and you're pretty much good to go until you run out :-)

Jeanne

We replaced a fuse and we have heat.  Not easy to find on the road, so will get and keep spare fuses.  We had checked to be certain we had power and also have the red lght on our plug.  Parked very late last night, so didn't try propane.  
When on shore power, what setting do you find best for the wall panel?  I know for house current it should only be set at the lowest.
And what about when using propane?
Thanks everybody for your help. We would feel totally lost without this forum.  
When we get home, I will properly introduce us.

ChanW

Jeanne, was it the Alde "hidden" fuses? Sorry I didn't mention those. There's a reference to them in the Alde folder on the Yahoo group.

 If you're on a good 30A pedestal at a campground, with a nice heavy cord connecting to the Tab, you can use the top position on the far left slider, the position with three lightning bolts. That sets "shore power", at 1800 watts, as your heat source.

On the U.S. Tab's version of the Alde, the other two positions on this slider are equivalent, and are a lower wattage setting, 960 watts, for times when you're connected to a lighter duty house outlet or you're using a lighter weight extension cord. The lower wattage setting heats your boiler less quickly.

If you switch the middle slider, with the flame symbol, to the up position, that turns on propane for the Alde.

If both of these sliders are on, the electricity is the priority, with propane 'boosting' until the boiler gets up to temperature. Otherwise, it's either shore power or propane as the energy source.

The third slider from the left must be switched also, to either the setting with the little radiator plus the little faucet, which turns on trailer-heat and hot water, or the top setting with just the little faucet, which heats only your hot water for your sink and shower. You'll get quicker hot water if you use the top setting.

The knob is the thermostat, and the little circle on the dial is around 70°, I think. The thermostat doesn't affect the hot water temperature at the spigots.

There are some Alde manuals in the Yahoo group Files also.

Michigan_Mike

Great info Chan and if you could add in some pics (as time permits) that would be extra helpful too.   This is good stuff for sure!

judymac

Jeanne, ignore this ? as I don't want to confuse you.  Chan, based on my manual and the revision done by one of the forum members, I was under the impression that the 3rd power setting  slider (first on the left with lightning bolts) was not for US power.  Is that correct?  We have never used that setting.

ChanW

No, Judy, the left hand slider works as I described. I was informed by Alde documentation (someplace), as well as checking the current draw on each of the three settings (because I never believe what I read, of course!)

The US Alde has only two 120v heating settings, rather than the three that the Alde has used in some European applications. I think it's a different coil inside, or maybe one less coil in there, for the US.

The two bottom settings, 1 and 2 lightning bolts, both measure 8A @ 115v, and the top setting, or 3 lightning bolts, measures 15A, using our handy dandy Progressive Industries surge protector (love that thing).

At least that's the case with our Tab (2014).

USWildflowers

Great info, Chan. I was under the same impression as Judy and Mike that the top setting in the far left slider was for European (220V) only; not used in the U.S. version, and the bottom two were different 110V settings. Thanks!

ChanW

Hmmm. I wonder where that info came from. Mine is an early LG Alde. Maybe they changed the configuration.

Perhaps someone with a later LG Alde (2015?) can check their Progressive Industries surge suppressor readout, and confirm.

Jeanne

Everything is working great with the Alde.  We picked up the T@B a week ago from previous owner.  Have now slept in it 7 nights, while sightseeing and returning home.  Used the propane last night as we were without any hookups.  We're refering to this as the Shakedown trip, learning quickly .  

Nomad

Shakedown trips are good - glad the first was successful.

judymac

We have the ALDE 3010 with manual controls.
I pulled up the manual but was u able to copy/paste.
As stated in manual:  
   1st setting (1 lighting bolt).    950W
   2nd setting (2 bolts).             950W
   3rd setting. (3 bolts).            1900W
I haven't searched for the earlier comments on why we don't use this in USA.  Bet you electrical folks can explain.
My challenge is to remember without dragging out the manual each trip.

judymac

Chan, what setting do you use if you want HEAT only?  I was refreshing my memory with the Alde controls and the manual stated I was for hot water and heat.  There have been times when we needed heat and not hot water.
Thanks.

jkjenn

I just found the US Alde manual, which seems easier to read. http://www.alde.se/usa/support/manuals-downloads/manuals/

judymac

True. Same I have.

ChanW

Judy, that's not available. If you want heat, you get hot water too.

I think it's the nature of the beast. I think it's the way it's made, it heats the whole system together.

The reason you can choose to select 'only hot water' is because you can turn off the circulating pump that's used to heat the cabin. When you turn off the circulating pump, all the boiler heat can be directed to the hot water system. 

Dunno if that's very clear.

judymac

Thanks, Chan.  I got it now!