Alde Heating System

[Lappy]

Back from Cirencester and had no problems towing the van. The only problem that I encontered was using the new ALDE heating system. As we were on EHU everything was powered by electric and although it took some time for the van to warm up, I accept that it would have been quicker had we'd used gas. I just need to sort the warm water out for the shower, as my shower was fine on the first evening, however this was not so come the second. With the previous vans, we used to leave the hot water on contantly when on EHU and when required when on gas.
We are off the Vaux-sur-mer near Royan, France in June and have a few weekends booked in between to get to grips with everthing. Any feedback on the hot water system will be most welcome.
Best Regards, (happier) Lappy

 

[Clive-Cardiff]

We have the Alde system and ours can be a bit slow to heat the water if we are only on No.1 setting. Check that you have it on No.2 or No.3 if you have it.
One problem we have is that the "rads" are under the seating and beds and there is not enough flow of air through the back vents to bring the warm air to where you want it. After it's been on a while the van is still quite cool but under the beds and seat it's roasting. If we are going out in the evening I move the beds and seats away from the wall slightly to improver the air flow. This does the trick

 

[ProfJohnL]

I don't currently have and Alde heating system, but I have encountered them in other caravans and canal boats. I do concur the heating effect can be muted if the rads are under bed and seats, I did suggest to one house boat owner fitting a couple of computer type low noise fans to the ends of the lockers with a few smaller holes at low level and the other end to allow the air to circulate. This worked very well, and a bit like a storage radiator as the content of the locker soaked up the heat when the fans we turned off, but paid it back when the fans were on.

The same could work for caravans, though the tight weight limits and sorts of things kept in caravan lockers along with the short inhabitation cycles may preclude the effectiveness of the storage heater effect.

 

[RogerL]

For Alde finned convectors to work properly, then Alde's recommended minimum air circulation gaps need to be left behind furniture for the warm air to come out and at the bottom of the furniture for the "cool" air to go in.

Alde's recommended minimum is 40mm at the bottom for "cool" air - and 20/30mm at the top for warm air depending whether it's a single or double convector - in both cases along the full length of the convector.

I've never seen a UK-built caravan from any manufacturer which meets those minimums.

Having had both Truma Ultraheat blown-air and Alde Hydronic in successive caravans - give me Truma blown-air every time, especially in cold winter or hot summer temperatures.

 

[RONALD5555]

We have Alde heating and usually use EHU. The Alde heating is usually set to 2 Kilowatts, so as not to trip the site fuse when other electrical components are being used. There is also a separate switch which must be on for the hot water to heat up. Ours is on the opposite wall. The alde heating is left on continuously, and if heating is not required, set the thermostat below the current temperature. My wife uses the shower, and we have not encountered any problems. I have also had vans with blown air as well as alde, and used both in cold weather. My choice would be Alde. If you tap Alde heating into a search engine, you will find a demonstration by an Alde engineer explaining how to set up the system. Good luck, Ron

 

[xtrailman]

Back from Cirencester and had no problems towing the van. The only problem that I encontered was using the new ALDE heating system. As we were on EHU everything was powered by electric and although it took some time for the van to warm up, I accept that it would have been quicker had we'd used gas. I just need to sort the warm water out for the shower, as my shower was fine on the first evening, however this was not so come the second. With the previous vans, we used to leave the hot water on contantly when on EHU and when required when on gas.
We are off the Vaux-sur-mer near Royan, France in June and have a few weekends booked in between to get to grips with everthing. Any feedback on the hot water system will be most welcome.
Best Regards, (happier) Lappy

we always use the boost function to heat the water at a higher temperature, the action will stop the central heating pump for 30 mins, but we have never found it a problem.

Also use the boost before washing the pots. Obviously if you use the internal water tank the hot water will last longer before the mix goes cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lney_KInZvU

 

[MichaelE]

I have never used the boost switch for the washing up or for a single shower as found the water to be very hot already ? I have only ever used it when we had 2 showers in a row.

 

[xtrailman]

I work on the principle that you can't have too much hot water.

 

[MichaelE]

It doesnt give you anymore hotwater it just heats it up to 65 instead of 50

 

[xtrailman]

As the hot water is usually mixed with cold water the effect is to supply more hot water, but I think you knew that.

As the video says, "it will give you more mixed hot water at the shower head"

 

[MichaelE]

Mixed to approx 38 deg it gives you approx 15lts per tank instead of 12 lts so unless you have heaps of washing up or are having a exceedingly long shower it makes no sense switching the boost on apart from using more gas/electric?

 

[xtrailman]

Obviously I am wasting my breath.

 

[MichaelE]

Yeah me too! :lol
As you say "you cant have enough hot water" and if you use 15lts in one go well i cant argue with that?

 

[xtrailman]

Another advantage to using the boost function is ( for those interested ) I quote " This can also be used to kill Legionella bacteria if the system has been standing unused for a spell. (Legionella bacteria dies within 2 mins at 65 °C.) "

So you kill bacteria, and at the same time have 8.4L of water at 65 instead of 50, your choice.

 

[RogerL]

Another advantage to using the boost function is ( for those interested ) I quote " This can also be used to kill Legionella bacteria if the system has been standing unused for a spell. (Legionella bacteria dies within 2 mins at 65 °C.) "

So you kill bacteria, and at the same time have 8.4L of water at 65 instead of 50, your choice.

The basic water temperature is variable in practice, depending on the power setting and the amount of heat being taken out by the convectors - the boiler has a system temperature of 80 C which is a maximum but can be any temperature below that as there's no hot water control in normal use - just the 65 C used during the 30 mins when the circulation pump is shut down to boost the hot water. The reference to 50 C in the Control Panel Operating Instructions is misleading.

There is an automatic function for the Alde include a hot water override period at 2am where the water is heated to the 65 C specifically to minimise the risk of Legionella - this option isn't enabled by the factory settings but can be changed by the user.

 

[MichaelE]

The 2am temp increase will only work if you have the clock set.