Winterizing if you are running the alde heater to warm the unit?

Gravens
Gravens Member Posts: 15
in Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing
I am using the alde system running of shore power to keep the inside of the 2021 TAB 400 above freezing.  Do I need to drain the alde hot water tank?

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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    edited February 2021
    If you are not using the water in the TaB, you should empty your tank and plumbing.  You don’t want water laying around in the pipes trying to grow something.  Alde recommends emptying the tank in between excursions.  

    Also, although you may not feel the need to fully winterize due to limited freezing temperatures, the Alde heat will not prevent other areas from freeze damage such as the fresh water tank outlet.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Gravens
    Gravens Member Posts: 15
    Thanks, I have drained and blown out the system from the nautilus system.  Put vodka in all the drains.  Just did not pull up the board to get at the Alde drains.

    What do you think?

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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    No benefit to vodka over antifreeze in the drains. Now vodka in a fresh water tank is a different story.

    You need to drain the Alde water tank.  If I am not mistaken, I think the cold water low point drain on the 2021 TaBs will drain the Alde.  I vaguely remember that being discussed.  Since you have probably already done that, don’t be surprised if little water comes out when you drain the Alde from under the bench.

    Can anyone with a 2021 Nautilus confirm?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • Denny16
    Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    The TaB 400 Alde drain is under the rear bunk, with a plywood cover screwed down in the 2021 model.  Not easy to access the yellow Alde drains, which are on the Alde Flo and main Alde boiler.
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • Gravens
    Gravens Member Posts: 15
    edited February 2021
    I was trying to avoid that.  What a pain.
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  • Denny16
    Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    You could always put a removable cut out access over the overflow drain valves, which could just lift off.  Then you would only need to lift the mattress and lift out the smaller cover.  Locate the drains, use a jig saw to cut out a part of the plywood cover, attach some 1x2 around the u deridof the hole to support the bit you cut out, and Bob’s your uncle... 
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • Gravens
    Gravens Member Posts: 15
    I can confirm that blowing out the water system as described my NuCamp and Nautilus does not empty the Alde hot water tank.  You have to open the Alde drains.
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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    Good to know @Gravens.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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