Alde heating looses fluid

Oct 30, 2020
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Hi there I hope some one can help with our alde heating system. We have had the camper since June and I have put over 3litres of fluid in the tank up to now but I can’t find a leak?
 

JTQ

May 7, 2005
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How "topped up" were you making it?
I say this because there is a significant expansion of the fluid from the cold to the various in use hot states. However, it being a camper as opposed to something with a longer fluid circuit, your case will not be as extreme.
Anyway, in relative terms the header tank has a smallish capacity, enough in many cases that if you top up to the upper mark, then when encountering a high heat output with resulting very hot fluid temperatures there is every chance that some fluid will be decanted via the overflow which ought pass unnoticed under the van. Some also might get "spat" from the breather as well. The result is on cooling the level will be below what it had been.
In the early days post a system fluid fill, new or on its 2 or 5 yearly service it is not unexpected some fluid is apparently lost even if not due to the above issue. Entrained air and even some dissolved air, on the fluid getting hot, will be lost via the vent resulting in the cold level dropping. This effect ought to be short lived and once got rid of, not be continuously reoccurring.
There will also be a trace of fluid loss due to evaporation as it is a vented as opposed to a sealed system, but here we are talking very small losses only noticeable over months.
The "over topping up" issue aside, losing 3 litres is massive in the scale of things expected and must indicate a leak somewhere.
On topping up, try only to go a centimetre over the lower limit mark. If you keep alert to having some visible fluid level in the header everything will be "safe". and you will learn quickly if you have a leak, or the issue was overfilling.
Leaks don't typically just occur when things are hot, are you losing fluid in store, doing that, itself would be very telling.

The only other thought is if the system is some years old and the owners have not been changing fluid as they should, there could just possibly be a corrosion caused internal leak.
 
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Oct 30, 2020
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How "topped up" where you making it?
I say this because there is a significant expansion of the fluid from the cold to the various in use hot sates. However, it being a camper as opposed to something with a longer fluid circuit, your case will not be as extreme.
Anyway, in relative terms the header tank has a smallish capacity, enough in many cases that if you top up to the upper mark, then when encountering a high heat output with resulting very hot fluid temperatures there is every chance that some fluid will be decanted via the overflow which ought pass unnoticed under the van. Some also might get "spat" from the breather as well. The result is on cooling the level will be below what it had been.
In the early days post a system fluid fill, new or on its 2 or 5 yearly service it is not unexpected some fluid is apparently lost even if not due to the above issue. Entrained air and even some dissolved air, on the fluid getting hot, will be lost via the vent resulting in the cold level dropping. This effect ought to be short lived and once got rid of, not be continuously reoccurring.
There will also be a trace of fluid loss due to evaporation as it is a vented as opposed to a sealed system, but here we are talking very small losses only noticeable over months.
The "over topping up" issue aside, losing 3 litres is massive in the scale of things expected and must indicate a leak somewhere.
On topping up, try only to go a centimetre over the lower limit mark. If you keep alert to having some visible fluid level in the header everything will be "safe". and you will learn quickly if you have a leak, or the issue was overfilling.
Leaks don't typically just occur when things are hot, are you losing fluid in store, doing that, itself would be very telling.

The only other thought is if the system is some years old and the owners have not been changing fluid as they should, there could just possibly be a corrosion caused internal leak.
Thank you for your response. The camper is only one year old so I would like to think it’s not corrosion. I only fill the tank up to the maximum level which is what I always did with our other caravan but the fluid levels don’t seem to go up much,maybe an inch or so but within a couple of days the level starts to fall until it can’t be seen. I have checked the bleed points (5) that I can find and checked as much of the pipe as possible in cupboards and under beds and everything seems dry?
 

JTQ

May 7, 2005
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I would concur that corrosion is not going to be the issue at one year old, at least if the fluid has a hint of colour.
Another thought: Check the "auto-vent valve" the brass thing on the hot fluid outlet at the "boiler", is not "weeping". Put its vent pipe into a pot to catch anything it might lose. Its behaviour could be different cold to hot, so watch it.

I would not be topping up to the upper mark myself, but as it is falling below the visible that issue is not the problem here.
 
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Oct 30, 2020
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Hi there John.
Fully appreciate your comments and you are definitely right but they had the camper 13/10 for habitation service and were told of the problems and we took back receipt of the van 10 hours later to be told they had bled the system and we should keep an eye on it lol. Not forgetting that it took a full day to empty the camper of every little item before they would enter due to Covid. They didn’t do half of the jobs on the sheet as well due to not enough time lol. So I’m trying to sort the problems out myself until there’s a vaccine?
 
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The maximum it should be filled to is the minimum mark. Filling to the maximum is never a good idea. 3litres is a lot of fluid and it should go back to the dealer.
 
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The maximum it should be filled to is the minimum mark. Filling to the maximum is never a good idea. 3litres is a lot of fluid and it should go back to the dealer.
Thank you for that but it’s already been back to the dealer and believe me that was not easy!! So I’m hoping to sort it myself ( I think it will be a lot less stressful ) thanks again
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Think carefully about attempting to anything more than what might be defined as user maintenance, as something you might do might void your manufacturers warranty.

You should also be aware that working on any gas appliance should only carried out in accordance with the regulations, and having competence to complete all the regulatory testing for safety.
 
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Damian

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Mar 14, 2005
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Your best bet , bearing in mind your reluctance to go to your dealer is to ring Alde and ask their advice.

However, bear in mind that once you start "fixing" things under warranty you will invalidate that warranty.
 
Oct 30, 2020
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Think carefully about attempting to anything more than what might be defined as user maintenance, as something you might do might void your manufacturers warranty.

You should also be aware that working on any gas appliance should only carried out in accordance with the regulations, and having competence to complete all the regulatory testing for safety.
Hi John
I’m not planning on doing anything other than finding a leak. If that’s not possible it will go back to the dealer when that’s possible (again) until then I’ll just keep topping up. Thanks
 
Oct 30, 2020
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Your best bet , bearing in mind your reluctance to go to your dealer is to ring Alde and ask their advice.

However, bear in mind that once you start "fixing" things under warranty you will invalidate that warranty.
Don’t worry I’m not planning on getting any spanner’s out. But I will try and speak to alde thank you for the advice 👍
 
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Thank you for that but it’s already been back to the dealer and believe me that was not easy!! So I’m hoping to sort it myself ( I think it will be a lot less stressful ) thanks again
It is the responsibility of the dealer tor esolve the issue. If the issue was reported within the first 6 months after delivery and is still not resolved under CRA 2015 you may be able to legally reject the vehicle. That would be a big wake call call for the dealership!
 
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