Hydronic Heat - ALDE

[chr_]

Does anyone here run an ALDE heating system in the USA? As far as I can tell, only some Roadtrek Vans and T@B trailers have them. They are quite common in the EU and UK, however. I cannot believe these are not more common here in higher level coaches and 5ers. I'd pay the extra $3K for this.

I finally had some time to test the "damaged" (only the case was dented) ALDE boiler I got on fleabay. It works!. It is very quiet, just a low hum from the pump and the growl from the burner is practically nil, Sounds about like a stovetop burner on high. Once this thing is in a cabinet, I probably won't even know it's running. The exhaust is the same diameter as 1 7/8 Auto exhaust pipe, so I'm set there. I can fab it to the existing escution on the Attwood Blast Furnace and wake you up all night long noise maker. That Attwood is going on the junkpile.

I am testing with a Hayden Transmission cooler, since I cannot use Copper in the system, I am not able to use the low cost Slant Fin type baseboard heaters. I will be putting a coil of tubing under the bed for radiant heating.

Awesome unit! It will probably run from a regular wall thermostat, as I am sitting here typing, it is cycling on and off with an internal thermostat on the boiler, I presume.The boiler shuts off, but the pump stays running to keep the stored heat moving through the system. I really do want to get one of the ALDE controllers, however, as they give you different BTU levels and will also allow heating on AC Mains voltage instead of, or in addition to propane, as well if it's present.

Here are some pics of my test setup before I install it in the coach. It's going into my 2010 25' Nomad TT.

[toddb]

I built one out of a 6gal water heater, solar pump, and a large PC case fan. It'll draw 1.1A and is very quiet. We've dry camped to 33*f and it had no problem holding 60* in the 25' trailer. It's one of the best mods I did.

[chr_]

You can. I'll post a link if I can find it. You can find 12V pumps for $15 on fleabay. I was going to do that when I found this thing. You'll need to add some check valves that can take the heat, and the inefficiency of the Suburban water heater will burn a lot more LPG then this thing.

On the trans cooler, this thing put out a lot of heat, of course, It was the only one in the loop, and the loop was about 6 ft total, But It will work.

Heat will also radiate from the hoses. I had an engine heat loop on the water heater on my GMC motorhome, and it heated up the bathroom while driving, too much, actually.

I'm not sure how much radiator/convector area you can add, but the UK and EU caravans seem to have it all down both sides of 20-ish foot units. This thing heated up the gallon of 50-50 glycol and water I put in it really quickly.

I'll measure the Amp Draw when I get home next week and play with it some more, but IIRC it was less than 2A total for the whole unit. Less than 5-7A for the blower types.

My next test will be plumbing some PEX around the bed frame to warm the bedroom radiantly from under the bed.

[Jframpey]

My do-it-myself mindset has me wandering why I can't do this with my water heater and a circulating pump!

[BurbMan]

I just saw an ad for these in the new issue of RV Business and assumed they came on high end A's with hydronic tubing in the floor. While you are testing, I would be curious to see how much 12v power the circulating pump draws vs. the blower on the Attwood. If it's quieter AND uses less power that would be a double win!!!

Absolutely agree about the standard noise maker forced air furnaces.

[Caveman_Charlie]

I wonder how much power they draw?

[westend]

The Alde is one slick system. Does Alde have a recommendation as to how many heat plates or length of tubing that can be supported by the heater? I'd like to look into this some more for my own rig but the price is probably going to be a deal breaker.
FWIW, I scrapped the forced air unit in the Hilton, replacing it with an older tin can stove heater (Sportsman brand). This is the third RV that the Sportsman is servicing.

[opnspaces]

Another question CHR$? I noticed you sourced a fin and tube transmission cooler. I've heard that the fin and tube is not recommended anymore for trans cooling because only the fluid on the outer wall gets cooled and the fluid in the middle just rushes by and doesn't get very much cooling. I think the more recent transmission cooler is the stacked plate model which acts more like a automotive radiator. If that is actually true about the fin and tube type it seems that it would not transfer heat to the interior of the RV very well. Maybe you could get more efficient heating from the newer style.

Stacked Plate
Fin and Tube

[rexlion]

A new trailer being developed in Oregon, called the Nest, will have the Alde system. The TT will have a compact, molded fiberglass body with rear entry.
Nest Caravans
It's taking them longer than expected to complete the design phase; the exterior molds have been build but the interior still has a ways to go.

[chr_]

It states in the manual that no copper to prevent corrosion in the boiler. It is all cast/machined aluminum. I was kinda bummed. I probably could use it, I'd bet it isn't a big deal, but the Trans cooler will be ideal behind the throne, and Rolling up a coil of plastic hydronic tubing under the bed or around the bed frame, plus a couple more trans coolers behind the couch should be fine. I tested it with Asian Car spec glycol as it has no sulphates and such, and formulated for alum engines...

[opnspaces]

What no link? :? Actually I'm kidding on the link. But I do have a question, why no copper?