Alde hot water only with no fluid for the heating?

[DangerMousy]

We're due to go away next weekend and have just found a leak in our Alde system

Not sure we're going to be able to get it fixed before we're due to go away....is it possible to run the Alde for hot water only without having gycol in the system? We're going to be on hook up so we'd use an oil filled radiator for temporary heating, but we need hot water as the campsite has no facilities.

 

[Al n Val]

My Alde boiler is also leaking with no glycol in it so no heating for the 2nd winter, i’ve only owned it for 2 winters so i’m not happy

I’m pretty sure you can use the boiler to heat the water though but stand corrected if i’m wrong

 

[funflair]

DangerMousy No you can not heat the domestic hot water in Alde without glycol in the heating system, you can do it the other way round but the glycol surrounds the burner and heats up first then the domestic hot water is in a jacket around the glycol.

Is that photograph showing the exhaust ?, yes I can see drips on it so presumably the Alde glycol but you need to check the pipes or cables that have been melted before you have another problem.

 

[Al n Val]

DangerMousy No you can not heat the domestic hot water in ALDE without glycol in the heating system, you can do it the other way round but the glycol surrounds the burner and heats up first then the domestic hot water is in a jacket around the glycol.

Ah yes

your correct, I’m 100% wrong (as usual)

 

[Googlebot]

As others have said, no glycol, no water with Alde. You can keep topping up if you are desperate but it’s a big risk.

I am with funflair here, I would be more worried about all that melted conduit. :-(

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[tonyidle]

Interesting bit of pipe. There should be no copper in the Alde heating circuit

 

[Ditcha]

Really bad routing of the pipework looks like they are lying on top of the exhaust pipe and silencer one plus point is there looks like plenty of slack so you might be able to cut the affected area out and rejoin the hose and re route the pipework.

 

[DangerMousy]

DangerMousy No you can not heat the domestic hot water in Alde without glycol in the heating system, you can do it the other way round but the glycol surrounds the burner and heats up first then the domestic hot water is in a jacket around the glycol.

That's what I suspected, but thought I'd check here on the off-chance I was wrong

Is that photograph showing the exhaust ?, yes I can see drips on it so presumably the Alde glycol but you need to check the pipes or cables that have been melted before you have another problem.

Yeah not sure what else is damaged....luckily its still under warranty, but unfortunately they're up in Cannock and we're down in Hampshire. Might be cheaper to just get it fixed locally.

Looks like next weekend's trip is going to be cancelled.

 

[rb62]

The Alde system runs through aluminium piping inside the van,that looks like your exhaust which would explain the melted conduit. If you suspect a leak you can keep checking the header tank.

 

[funflair]

That's what I suspected, but thought I'd check here on the off-chance I was wrong


Yeah not sure what else is damaged....luckily its still under warranty, but unfortunately they're up in Cannock and we're down in Hampshire. Might be cheaper to just get it fixed locally.

Looks like next weekend's trip is going to be cancelled.

Do you know where the Alde leak is ? the system is not under much pressure so may be possible to "bodge it"

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ditcha]

You haven't had jacks fitted recently have you? They look more like hydraulic lines or have the jack fitters not fastened the lines back up correctly?

 

[funflair]

The Alde system runs through aluminium piping inside the van,that looks like your exhaust which would explain the melted conduit. If you suspect a leak you can keep checking the header tank.

You can see drips on the exhaust Richard so my guess is that is the Alde glycol but where is it coming from is the question as there should not be pipes outside the van as far as I know.

 

[rb62]

You can see drips on the exhaust Richard so my guess is that is the Alde glycol but where is it coming from is the question as there should not be pipes outside the van as far as I know.

Maybe from the heat exchanger? if he's got one.

 

[Ditcha]

We're due to go away next weekend and have just found a leak in our Alde system

View attachment 842589

Not sure we're going to be able to get it fixed before we're due to go away....is it possible to run the Alde for hot water only without having gycol in the system? We're going to be on hook up so we'd use an oil filled radiator for temporary heating, but we need hot water as the campsite has no facilities.

The more you look at this Alde wouldn't run pipes external they are normally all internal I think these are defo hydraulic lines for ep jacks or the likes.

 

[AdrianChen]

How much is the level in the Header tank reducing? If it still full, fire it up and see if the leak increases and header tank level drops - Pipes should get pretty hot since the fluid gets up to over 70degrees at times. If the damaged ones don't heat up, it's something else.....

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[funflair]

The more you look at this Alde wouldn't run pipes external they are normally all internal I think these are defo hydraulic lines for ep jacks or the likes.

As you say they are certainly not Alde pipes and whatever they are they should not be sat on the exhaust, I think we need a bit more input from the OP,

 

[AdrianChen]

As you say they are certainly not Alde pipes and whatever they are they should not be sat on the exhaust, I think we need a bit more input from the OP,

Yes kind of looks like the burning is one problem, and their is a leak following the conduit of something else, can only be - Coolant, Brake/clutch fluid,Fuel, or gunk from grey tank etc. What is the shiny black tank like thing in the photo?

 

[funflair]

The more you look at this Alde wouldn't run pipes external they are normally all internal I think these are defo hydraulic lines for ep jacks or the likes.

A quick search reveals E+P fitted in Feb this year, post #50

E & P Self Levelling

I use mine 5 months a year - all over Europe and beyond mostly off grid. Maybe you have a far more patient partner :smiley:

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[DangerMousy]

We think it's Alde fluid.....when we fire the engine up it spurts out, but that stopped when we turned off the heat exchanger.

The header tank is boxed in so I can't see the min and max levels....unfortunately I can't remember how full it was before, but this is what it looks like now:

We did have jacks fitted last February, so I suppose it could be hydraulic fluid for those (and turning off the heat exchanger is just a coincidence).

How do we check if its the jacks?

 

[Ditcha]

A quick search reveals E+P fitted in Feb this year, post #50

E & P Self Levelling

I use mine 5 months a year - all over Europe and beyond mostly off grid. Maybe you have a far more patient partner :smiley:

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

My money is on that

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ditcha]

We're think it's Alde fluid.....when we fire the engine up it spurts out, but that stopped when we turned off the heat exchanger.

The header tank is boxed in so I can't see the min and max levels....unfortunately I can't remember how full it was before, but this is what it looks like now:

View attachment 842634


We did have jacks fitted last February, so I suppose it could be hydraulic fluid for those (and turning off the heat exchanger is just a coincidence).

How do we check if its the jacks?

Hydraulic oil smells really oily if that makes sense and will be greasy to the touch Alde fluid will have more of a watery feel and little smell.

 

[WESTY66]

You could just try lowering the jacks to see if fluid comes out

 

[Googlebot]

I doubt it’s the Alde too.

Get some of the leak on white paper and see what the colour is.

While you are at it, find out who installed that conduit and tell them they are idiots!

Sloppy and dangerous work that is.

 

[WESTY66]

We think it's Alde fluid.....when we fire the engine up it spurts out, but that stopped when we turned off the heat exchanger.

The header tank is boxed in so I can't see the min and max levels....unfortunately I can't remember how full it was before, but this is what it looks like now:

View attachment 842634


We did have jacks fitted last February, so I suppose it could be hydraulic fluid for those (and turning off the heat exchanger is just a coincidence).

How do we check if its the jacks?

That looks a normal level to me

 

[Ditcha]

That looks a normal level to me

Yeah no loss from the header tank looks about right.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[WESTY66]

If you do drop the jacks get someone to look at the leak, if oil comes out put em back up straight away or they could be stuck down till you repair the pipe and refill the tank

 

[DangerMousy]

I doubt it’s the Alde too.

Get some of the leak on white paper and see what the colour is.

It's definitely bright pink/red and has a slight oily sheen

While you are at it, find out who installed that conduit and tell them they are idiots!

Sloppy and dangerous work that is.

If its the E&P hydraulics then it was fitted by Rosmia.

 

[WESTY66]

It's definitely bright pink/red and has a slight oily sheen
View attachment 842651


If its the E&P hydraulics then it was fitted by Rosmia.

It looks about in the right place for the heat exchanger to be fair

 

[DangerMousy]

OK, plan for tomorrow...

• Turn the heat exchanger back on, fire up the engine and check if the leak resumes
• Try to trace where the conduit goes....if the other ends are at the rear jacks then it would be a strong indication that these are the hydraulic pipes for jacks
• Turn the heating on.....I assume the Alde control panel will show an error if the fluid level is too low

 

[WESTY66]

OK, plan for tomorrow...

• Turn the heat exchanger back on, fire up the engine and check if the leak resumes
• Try to trace where the conduit goes....if the other ends are at the rear jacks then it would be a strong indication that these are the hydraulic pipes for jacks
• Turn the heating on.....I assume the Alde control panel will show an error if the fluid level is too low

Just a thought, our pipes to the heat exchanger on the alde system remain inside the moho in the double floor, they don’t go on the underneath