I have the Alde 3020HE system in my Swift Challenger 480 and love it. However I've recently noticed a 'ticking' noise coming from one of the joints near a bleed valve. It coincides with the system whiring into life when its already hot and has been running for a while, and sounds typically like the pipes expanding when the hot fluid is being pushed around the syytem. Anoyingly its right under my head (when in bed), and actually wakes me up. I'm now finding that I'm starting to listen out for it, which isn't difficult!! After about 7 'ticks' it stops and the system runs extremely quitely. There is no air in the system (not that sort of noise), and the fluid is at the correct level. Any ideas? Have you noticed this?
Alde ticking noise
- Thread starter Banus
- Start date
It may be just due to the expansion of pipework and fittings as the system warms up. That would explain why it stops after a while. As others don't regularly comment about such noises, there may some sort of solution by having the pipework fittings and joints in that area checked for correct installation and supports that allow for expansion creep.
I doubt its an indication of serious mechanical issue, But I know that doesn't reduce the annoyance it might cause you.
I doubt its an indication of serious mechanical issue, But I know that doesn't reduce the annoyance it might cause you.
It's possibly caused by the pipes trying to expand/contract when they're too rigidly attached to the caravan's structure - it may also be the caravan's structure expanding/contracting - my caravan does it when the Alde is cooling down and the caravan when it warms up or cools down.
Like the OP, the Alde is under my head when in bed - the loudest noise is when it starts up on gas but for us that's only once a year on our trip to Scotland.
Like the OP, the Alde is under my head when in bed - the loudest noise is when it starts up on gas but for us that's only once a year on our trip to Scotland.
We had the same issue in our caravan and it was definitely not anything to do with pipes contracting or expanding. The ticking is too regular almost like a clock ticking. Also bled the system, but that did not help.
In our caravan next to the boiler is the pump for the ALDE system. It was set to 5 so I altered it down to 2 and the ticking stopped. Not sure why, but could be worth a try.
In our caravan next to the boiler is the pump for the ALDE system. It was set to 5 so I altered it down to 2 and the ticking stopped. Not sure why, but could be worth a try.
5 is a maintenance setting. Service engineers should return the pump to 2 when returning to the customer.
We have had two caravans with Alde heating. Buth clicked on heating up, but mostly when on max input 7kw, setting trying to raise the temp by a substantial amount. Once the van was at temp, only smallish demand changes were asked for. From night to day to evening. The heating then generally running on 1 or 2 kw. Very realy heard it then.
I wonder if the OP was running on a high input setting.
John
Our caravan plus many other owners of the same caravan had the same issue with the pump being on 5. I can only assume they used that setting when adding the fluid to the ALDE system at the factory so not bothered with setting it back to 2?
Typical, I think my Bailey was the same. But Lunar had pre-programmed the system for the wrong pump. Alde worked it out and I could fix it in the settings, but it defaulted to the Lunar setting if it had to be re-booted.
John
Been to the show at the NEC and pinned down the technician on the ALDE stand. He smiled as I was explaining my symptoms and knew exactly what I was talking about and said that many users have this issue. He stated that the pipes / fixing brackets were possibly too rigidly attached to the caravan's structure and suggested that I either slackening them off or tightening them up to eliminate the ticking noise. Its a stress thing. He was 99.9% sure that this will cure the issue.
I will also check the pump speed is set on 2 although I'm pretty sure it is. I'll also spray some silicon spray in the area which fortunately is easily accessible.
Buckman - you described my issue perfectly. It is very regular, like a clocking ticking and sounds similar to a spanner being tapped on a metal pipe.
I'll make the adjustments as above, spray the area, check the pump is set to 2 and will report back.
In the meantime I would still be interested to hear if anyone else has had this issue as ALDE is very popular and widely installed.
I will also check the pump speed is set on 2 although I'm pretty sure it is. I'll also spray some silicon spray in the area which fortunately is easily accessible.
Buckman - you described my issue perfectly. It is very regular, like a clocking ticking and sounds similar to a spanner being tapped on a metal pipe.
I'll make the adjustments as above, spray the area, check the pump is set to 2 and will report back.
In the meantime I would still be interested to hear if anyone else has had this issue as ALDE is very popular and widely installed.
Not sure how the pump can default back to its Lunar settings as you need to physically move the dial on the pump?
We were told the same by ALDE and unfortunately it did not cure the ticking noise, but worth a try and each caravan is different.
Agree. Its like an anoying rattle / squeak in a car. You just have to tweek a few things in the area until it disappears. Although in my case I can easily access and identify the exact component which should make the elimation easier.
I actually visited the van in storeage yesterday in an attempt to sort this once and for all, and ran the heating on gas (no EHU available), but could not replicate the fault, but cannot see how running the system on gas might stop it ticking. Maybe I didn't let it get hot enough although the pipes were almost too hot to touch. When I run the ALDE on electric I always use the mid range 2kw setting.
I actually visited the van in storeage yesterday in an attempt to sort this once and for all, and ran the heating on gas (no EHU available), but could not replicate the fault, but cannot see how running the system on gas might stop it ticking. Maybe I didn't let it get hot enough although the pipes were almost too hot to touch. When I run the ALDE on electric I always use the mid range 2kw setting.
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Cracked it. I removed the screw fixing the bracket to the van wall (top right), and its completely stopped the ticking noise. The system now runs completely silent. There is another supporting bracket just out of view in the image so the pipework / system is still secure and not flopping around.
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