ALDE 3020 COACHMAN 560 VIP ALDE WET SYSTEM HEATING FAILURE.

[Slowtow]

Hi all, as title. Maybe someone can shed some light on this; the heating is failing to come on. Hot water is fine, plenty of water in the 50L Hog and Glycol level around 10mm higher than the 'min' mark as per instruction in the Alde manual. When I set the temperature for the heating to come on I can see the circulation ring on the Alde LCD.
By the way we have had the 'van for three years and the heating has been fine and came on without fail.
But noticeably something is preventing the pump in the waldrobe from running.
I have checked the 12v connector and is plugged in and looks good. (I haven't used my meter to confirm 12v yet). I have checked the LCD error log and it does not show any fault codes between 1-20? This is not a major issue as we have a back up letter box heater and hot water is running fine.
Just to note; I haven't ever changed the Glycol mixture (just always kept an eye on the level) and I haven't bled the system either but if there was air in the system then I know the pump would still run and there'd be gurgling sounds coming from the expansion tank. Any pointers please?
If these things didn't happen I wouldn't learn anything lol!!
Many thanks for reading. ST.

 

[JTQ]

First thing IMO to move forward is to check the pump is receiving 12 volts when it should be on.

 

[Buckman]

I would go into "Settings" and then select "reset" before doing anything else as that cures a number of issues.

 

[Slowtow]

First thing IMO to move forward is to check the pump is receiving 12 volts when it should be on.

Yes will do.
Btw the 5a 12v Boiler fuse is good. Thanks.

 

[Slowtow]

I would go into "Settings" and then select "reset" before doing anything else as that cures a number of issues.

Thanks, yes I have considered that but rather not 'risk it for a biscuit'. I'm certain its a pump issue and may be just stuck in position or something daft like that.

 

[Buckman]

Thanks, yes I have considered that but rather not 'risk it for a biscuit'. I'm certain its a pump issue and may be just stuck in position or something daft like that.

There is no risk using the reset as all it does is restore the system to the default factory settings. You may need to set up the time and temperature afterwards.

What i have come across is people using the 3kw instead of 2kw. If using the 3kw, chance of heating is probably zero as at 3kw it draws over 12amp leaving vey little for anything else to operate. System shuts down if you exceed the set amp in the system i.e. if you have set the load monitor to a maximum load to 10amp, no heating. Check that first in case it is set too low.

 

[JTQ]

We have been told there is hot water, therefore unless that is residual heat from an early time the system has not shut down.

 

[Buckman]

We have been told there is hot water, therefore unless that is residual heat from an early time the system has not shut down.

What happens if you exceed the load limit is that the hot water heats up and then shuts down, heats up and shuts down etc. as it is controlled by the load monitor. Only offering a suggestion based on our experiences and is worth checking as it seems to be a man made issue.

 

[JTQ]

The pump will run if instructed to do so, whether the fluid is hot or otherwise.
As the pump is not running then the logical diagnostic approach is to check if it is receiving power to do so, when it should.

"Resetting" is just blindly trying things, as opposed to logically diagnosing the cause. Here as the fluid is hot, we know heating or not heating the fluid is not the fundamental cause.

 

[GUMPY]

I would take the pump out of the tank and check it spins by hand and hasn't seized.
Also as said earlier check 12v to the pump.

 

[JTQ]

The 3020 ought to have the boiler area located inline pump, not the alignment critical so can be troublesome header pump.

I believe from what I read this is a brushless motor unit so has its integrate electronics, so its issues could lay there or mechanically. If its not powered then quite simply its not going to run, pointing a need to look to why its not being powered.

 

[GUMPY]

The 3020 ought to have the boiler area located inline pump, not the alignment critical so can be troublesome header pump

Mines a 3020 and has the tank pump😟
Hence my comment

 

[JTQ]

I stand correct there, thanks.