2014 T@B 320 S: new to me and need help to figure out the Alde valves and pump

Mellow_Yellow · January 2021

Here's what happened: I filled the fresh water tank using the manual fill port (not the city water port) and then when I turned on the pump, all the water in the fresh water tank was pumped outside the trailer via the city water port. Is there some kind of 'reverse' setting on the pump? Why would this be happening?
Also, in case it's related, my Alde has 3 manual valves and I'm not sure what position they should be to allow fresh water into the boiler. One is unlabeled, and the other 2 are hand labeled C and H. They are all simple valves that turn 90 or more degrees, none of them flip up or down.
This is a very early, basic Alde. I've got the Alde heat working beautifully on electric or propane, just hoping for hot water soon!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/ct/y9tfgbsudmdj.jpg

pthomas745 · January 2021

There is a filter in your pump, on the inlet side of the pump, coming up from the tank. That might be the issue with your water acting that way....maybe. There may be another reason...but look for this filter near your pump and see if it needs to be cleaned up a bit.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/1604/water-pump-filter

Sharon_is_SAM · February 2021

@Mellow_Yellow - here is a plumbing diagram that ScottG made. It may be that you have a bad check valve at the city water connection. It should operate as a one way valve and prevent water from exiting the city water connection. Is this the first time you have used the fresh tank?

https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/dl/qfgpl3lmyfbz.pdf

Regarding your valves, we need a better picture to identify where the pipes are leading.

I bet the “C” is for “cold” and the “H” is for “hot”. Do the pipes with the C and H valves go through the floor? If so, I think those are your hot and cold water plumbing low point drains.

Show us a picture of the diagrams on the green tape on the floor.

Mellow_Yellow · February 2021

Thank you @Sharon_is_SAM - I think I know what happened... my RV dealer recently replaced the city water connection because the cap would not close. It sounds like they replaced it with the wrong part. Not impressed, but they don't know T@B's at all. Mine is the first they've ever seen.
I'll call them tomorrow. It's the first time I've used the pump, but it was definitely working when I picked up the T@B from the RV dealer in Nov 2020. I bet they used the wrong replacement part.
I was the one who added the green tape beside the Alde valves to show which position the valves were in when I took delivery of the used T@B. I'm pretty certain the original owners didn't touch a thing and so I assumed they were in 'working' mode.
I'll take some more close ups of the valves and describe which ones go through the floor.

ScottG · February 2021

I agree with your assessment, @Mellow_Yellow. If you look at that diagram Sharon linked to, you can see that the city water connection is just another opening in the plumbing system. If the check valve at that location is malfunctioning (or non-existent) water will shoot out of there when the system is pressurized.

A simple short term (or even long term) fix would be to put a threaded sealing cap or plug on the connector when you are using the onboard tank and pump.

Mellow_Yellow · February 2021

Thanks for confirming @ScottG! The RV dealer has ordered the correct part and will install it in a few days. It didn't sound like a desirable 'feature' to me

Mellow_Yellow · February 2021

Hi @VictoriaP, @ScottG and @Sharon_is_SAM - As requested, here are clearer photos of the 3 Alde valves in the 2014 T@B. My guess is that the Cold valve lets cold water into the Alde and the Hot valve lets hot water out of the Alde. I'm not sure what the 3rd valve does but it is on the same pipe as the cold water valve. Two of the pipes go through the floor: the one closest to the Hot valve and the 3rd unlabeled valve.
As soon as I get the city water check valve replaced, I'm willing fill the the tank, fire up the Alde, turn on the pump and play around with the valves to see which positions deliver hot water. But any educated guesses you might be able to offer would be great!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/sz/0pjq64xb8car.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/m6/sut91m2tfoft.jpg

Sharon_is_SAM · February 2021

Well, it appears that you do not have an Alde bypass arrangement. That has implications if you intend to winterize using antifreeze throughout your plumbing as you don’t want to heat up the Alde if it has antifreeze in it.

The hot and cold valves are just drain valves. The hot valve drains your hot water plumbing lines. The cold valve drains your cold water lines and the Alde water tank - works the same with the newer models.
Do you have a mixing valve? Where does the pipe with the third valve go to?

@ChanW - does your plumbing look like this 2014 TaB?

ChanW · February 2021

@Mellow_Yellow, the plastic tee-handle valves are indeed the drain cocks for the hot and cold. To operate them, you lift them.

The chrome valve is the cold supply to the Alde.

Sound like you figured it out, you don't have the bypass system that they use for winterizing using antifreeze, and until you get the check valve replaced on the city water connection, you won't have hot water! (Although per @ScottG, you could screw a plug into the city water connection, which would stop the exodus of your fresh water!)

Mellow_Yellow · February 2021

Thank you so much @Sharon_is_SAM and @ChanW!
@ChanW - So lifting the valves drains the lines?
When the valves are not lifted, does that mean they are functional for intake of cold water and output of hot water?
The valves also turn. I think the metal one turns 90 degrees and the plastic ones turn 360 degrees. Does turning the valve do anything?
I'll have the fresh water intake check valve in a couple of days and will do some experiments. Luckily, I did not put anti-freeze in the fresh water tank and have kept all the tanks empty over the winter, which is fortunately a mild one. Bit by bit, I'll get this figured out!

ChanW · February 2021

I'm not sure what you mean with your question about intake and output. When they're not lifted, they're simply closed, not allowing water to drain out of the system.

The plastic ones are only drain valves - they drain through a tube that goes through the floor. You'll see the tubes sticking out of the floor under the Tab. The plastic tee handle lifts straight up, about ¼"-⅜". When you press it back down to close it you will feel it 'click' into the closed position. Turning these does nothing except make it easier to grip perhaps.

Correct, the metal one turns 90° (I don't remember, are there two metal ones?). When the metal handle is crosswise to the pipe, the valve is closed, and when it's in line with the pipe it's open.

I'd guess this metal one is intended to shut the Tab's hot water off (by turning off the cold supply to the hot water heater), in case you need to service a spigot or something.

Sorry, I'm doing this from memory because our Tab is under a pile of snow!

Mellow_Yellow said:

Thank you so much @Sharon_is_SAM and @ChanW!
@ChanW - So lifting the valves drains the lines?
When the valves are not lifted, does that mean they are functional for intake of cold water and output of hot water?
The valves also turn. I think the metal one turns 90 degrees and the plastic ones turn 360 degrees. Does turning the valve do anything?
I'll have the fresh water intake check valve in a couple of days and will do some experiments. Luckily, I did not put anti-freeze in the fresh water tank and have kept all the tanks empty over the winter, which is fortunately a mild one. Bit by bit, I'll get this figured out!

ChanW · February 2021

@Mellow_Yellow, one more thing that I found about those plastic tee-handle valves...

They seal with a little rubber o-ring around the stem of the t-handle. This o-ring tends to dry out a little bit, making it sticky and difficult to close the valve completely. The 'click' you feel when you're closing the valve is the rubber o-ring going into its seat.

Our valve stopped closing properly because the o-ring got chewed up from sticking on its way to the seated position.

The o-ring can be replaced, and you should lubricate it with a dab of plumbers silicone grease before you reassemble it.

To disassemble it, you need to pull the tiny metal clip that holds the stem in the valve body. Be careful not to drop it, it's really tiny! The stem will then lift out of the valve body and you can replace the o-ring, then reverse for reassembly. Again, be careful not to drop the clip! BTDT!

Mellow_Yellow · February 2021

Thank you @ChanW. I will experiment with the new information you've provided and update this post.
There is so much to learn but then once you know it, you're all set! The Alde is such an interesting and brave choice for a boiler system. It's part of what makes the T@B feel like being in a little live-aboard boat!

2014 T@B 320 S: new to me and need help to figure out the Alde valves and pump

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