Fleetwood Heritage 640 CB Alde drainage point for wet water heating system

[Sunshine35114]

Hi, we bought this caravan earlier in the year and would like to drain the heating system so we can add new anti freeze (preferably before the really bad weather hits). However, we cannot find any drainage pipe, lever, bung etc. We have located the yellow lever for the boiler, but have followed the heating pipes all round the caravan, looked underneath the caravan for signs of a drainage tube and consulted the manual and still can't work it out. We have also been on lots of websites but haven't managed to find the answer. If anyone can shed any light on how to do this, we would be extremely grateful. The caravan year is 2003. Thanks.

 

[Brum1]

Hi Sunshine 35114.
Cannot be sure about your 2003 model but on my 2007 model, the drain down is at the very back of the caravan. It is a tee peice from the main pipework inside the cabinet under the bathroom basin. It is clearly visible from the back outside of the van.

Are you really sure that you are doing the right thing by draining it down. The solution should be in good order for many years? You could test it with a car type antifreeze / coolant tester.

Brum

 

[xtrailman]

Hi Sunshine 35114.
Cannot be sure about your 2003 model but on my 2007 model, the drain down is at the very back of the caravan. It is a tee peice from the main pipework inside the cabinet under the bathroom basin. It is clearly visible from the back outside of the van.

Are you really sure that you are doing the right thing by draining it down. The solution should be in good order for many years? You could test it with a car type antifreeze / coolant tester.

Brum

The drain on the Unicorn Valencia is in the same place.
Bailey recommend the antifreeze mixture is changed every two years.
Although i have read posts were you could use a 5 year rated antifreeze.

 

[RogerL]

The drain on the Unicorn Valencia is in the same place.
Bailey recommend the antifreeze mixture is changed every two years.
Although i have read posts were you could use a 5 year rated antifreeze.

For "normal" anti- freeze it's 2 years but for "long-life" anti-freeze it's 5 years - as the OP's caravan is a 2003 it's long overdue if it's still original.

 

[xtrailman]

The drain on the Unicorn Valencia is in the same place.
Bailey recommend the antifreeze mixture is changed every two years.
Although i have read posts were you could use a 5 year rated antifreeze.

For "normal" anti- freeze it's 2 years but for "long-life" anti-freeze it's 5 years - as the OP's caravan is a 2003 it's long overdue if it's still original.

I'm not sure what your point is?
Stop press.
Reads say that the antifreeze should be good for three years? according to the ADLE training course.

 

[RogerL]

The drain on the Unicorn Valencia is in the same place.
Bailey recommend the antifreeze mixture is changed every two years.
Although i have read posts were you could use a 5 year rated antifreeze.

For "normal" anti- freeze it's 2 years but for "long-life" anti-freeze it's 5 years - as the OP's caravan is a 2003 it's long overdue if it's still original.

I'm not sure what your point is?
Stop press.
Reads say that the antifreeze should be good for three years? according to the ADLE training course.

My point is that there are multiple types of anti-freeze - either normal 2-year or longlife 5-year antifreeze can be used - the important thing being to change it at the appropriate time.
I presume that Alde are taking into account that the occasional use of caravan heating is less frequent than car use and extend 2-year antifreeze out to 3 years..

 

[Damian]

Taken from the Alde Users Manual for the Compact 3010

The glycol mixture should be changed
every second year, since its ability to
protect against corrosion, for example, will
deteriorate.

 

[Gafferbill]

......I do not use the Alde heating system but I understand the importance of corrosion inhibitors/antifreeze in all hot water systems.
This is whether they are on vehicles, domestic systems and now in caravans.
If you neglect this regular maintenance of renewing the corrosion inhibitors at the specified date and maintaining the correct dilution of the Glycol antifreeze...... it will cost you or the next owner big money.
I sure we will see posts soon cataloguing failures due to neglect along these lines!

 

[RogerL]

Taken from the Alde Users Manual for the Compact 3010

The glycol mixture should be changed
every second year, since its ability to
protect against corrosion, for example, will
deteriorate.

Does the Alde manual state whether they use normal-life or long-life coolant/inhibitor as factory fill?

 

[Damian]

The manual says the following:

The heating system shall be filled with
a liquid mixture consisting of water and
glycol Preferably use ready-mixed glycol
of high quality (with inhibitor) intended for
aluminium heating systems. When using
concentrated glycol, the mixture shall be
60% water and 40% glycol. If the heating
installation is subjected to lower temperatures
than -25°C, the glycol content
should be increased, however, not more
than 50%.
The tank for handling the liquid must be
absolutely clean, and the pipes in the
heating system must be free from contamination.
This is to prevent the growth
of bacteria in the system.

It makes no mention of whether long life anti freeze should be used or not.

 

[Damian]

The definitive answer to the location of th edrain plug for the central heating circuit is:
Under the van, look for a 20mm Black pipe with a spring clip around the end and a brass plug inserted into the end,
That is the drain. If I can find out how to post a pic I will do.

The definitive answer to Anti Freeze is as follows:
Regarding antifreeze, it is something of a minefield but it basically comes down to the EPDM rubber in the Alde system only being tested with ethylene glycol antifreeze.

So what long term effect other antifreeze types will have in the system we simply don't know.

We have the thumbs up to use Comma Super Longlife Red antifreeze with 5 year protection. That's an ethylene glycol antifreeze with organic acid inhibitors.

 

[xtrailman]

The definitive answer to the location of th edrain plug for the central heating circuit is:
Under the van, look for a 20mm Black pipe with a spring clip around the end and a brass plug inserted into the end,
That is the drain. If I can find out how to post a pic I will do.

The definitive answer to Anti Freeze is as follows:
Regarding antifreeze, it is something of a minefield but it basically comes down to the EPDM rubber in the Alde system only being tested with ethylene glycol antifreeze.

So what long term effect other antifreeze types will have in the system we simply don't know.

We have the thumbs up to use Comma Super Longlife Red antifreeze with 5 year protection. That's an ethylene glycol antifreeze with organic acid inhibitors.

Well i think that's sorted out the confusion. Thread book marked, for future ref.

 

[Sunshine35114]

Thank you all so much for your replies. As we don't know how long the anti freeze has been in the van, we really want to change it to be on the safe side. Brum, thanks for letting us know where yours is, we will check it out.

Thanks again everyone