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25/1/2016 at 7:45pm
Location: nuneaton
Outfit: Coachman Pastiche 560
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Hi all,
Just in the process of buying a new van, which has the Alde wet heating system.
My question is, has anyone got any good/ bad experiences of using this system?
Cheers
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25/1/2016 at 8:07pm
Location: Hampshire
Outfit: Hymer Nova S
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Joined: 01/11/2005 Diamond Member 
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Yes and any van without it would have to have a whole host of exceptional features to even get a consideration.
It needs first to be properly specified in radiator location, amount, etc by the van builder, it can be really wrong if put in on a budget just to get the word Alde into the brochure. There needs to be enough rads to put the heat into the van and furniture designed to allow air to pick up that heat.
It also needs a dealer capable of doing a proper PDI, to ensure it is bled of any air that can cause it to cease operating in early life. No issue re-bleeding it, but reports on forums are full of issues related to incompetent dealers. Hopefully with many more Alde systems being purchased the dealers are getting up to speed.
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25/1/2016 at 8:37pm
Location: Cambridgeshire
Outfit: Outfitless!!!Vauxhal
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We are very pleased with it. It gets the van nice and warm and keeps it warm. I found with blown air that as soon as the blower stopped the temperature dropped really quickly. I love a nice warm towel off the bathroom radiator in the morning.
So far, touch wood, we haven't had any operational issues.
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Started with a motorbike and tent.......my gallery, my life.
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25/1/2016 at 9:03pm
Location: West Lothian
Outfit: 20 XC60 B5 18 Elegance 580
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Best thing ever .... Wouldn't be without it now.
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2020 Volvo XC60 B5 R Design Geartronic / 2018 Swift Elegance 580
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Iain
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26/1/2016 at 1:08am
Location: Nottingham
Outfit: Lunar Solaris 524
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I bought my first new caravan almost a year ago, a Bailey Unicorn Valencia and looked forward to trying out the Alde heating system.
I store the caravan in France, so I have to wait until the annual service for the mobile engineer to put things right.
There were chilly evenings in Brittany last September, so the heating went on.
It was fantastic in the evening and we didn't notice anything while music was paying or the television on.
The thermostat was set for when we went to bed, just to keep the chill off and this was when things got annoying.
Every time the heating kicked in, the gurgling noise woke my wife up.
I think it's purely air in the system, but this should have been sorted in the factory or the pre delivery inspection by the dealer.
The other annoying feature is the fact that there is a three year and a five year central heating fluid available for this system.
So it won't surprise anyone to know that when you fork out over 21 grand for your caravan, you only get the three year fluid.
After three years you have to fork out close to 200 quid to replace the fluid.
Apart from the niggles, anything has to be better than the old blown air system which resulted in people buying oil filled electric radiators for their caravans.
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jjg
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26/1/2016 at 7:08am
Location: Hampshire
Outfit: Hymer Nova S
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I mentioned poor PDIs; leaving boiler side circulating pumps at their air purging speed rather than resetting down to a more suitable speed for normal use is one aspect frequently overlooked. This can result in gurgling noises as mentioned above. In Baileys, reportedly the pump is best set to speed "two".
There does seem some dealers exploiting their clients with excessive prices to change the antifreeze/inhibitor solution. On most new builds this is usually recommended at two years, but can be changed to a product offering 5 years "life" [it is degredation over time of the corrosion inhibitor that is the reason]. I changed mine DIY the cost of the 5 years product was about £5 from a local motor factor. It is one of the "antifreezes" sold for your car, ideally one meeting VW specification G12++ or G13, as these are 5 year life products and mix without issues with traces of resididual old product left after draining out. Note, not all products intermix without causing issues. I used water from a tumble drier, pre boiled to kill bacteria, but buying deionised water again from a motor factor is a good idea adding about £5. A 5 litre can od antifreeze concentrate and one of water will be plenty for most vans; mix 40/60 to 50/50 ratio. Easiest one and one giving the higher 50/50, but don't go any higher, that is not a good idea.
Typically £80>£120 is IMO a fair dealer charge for the work involved and supply of the product. £200 is a rip off and tells you all you need to know about the company.
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27/1/2016 at 7:17pm
Location: Lancashire
Outfit: None Entered
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Best thing ever! Wouldn't buy a caravan without it now,
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30/1/2016 at 3:54pm
Location: Shropshire
Outfit: Bailey Phoenix GT 75
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Its excellent!
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30/1/2016 at 10:33pm
Location: nuneaton
Outfit: Coachman Pastiche 560
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Great,
thanks to all of you for your feedback, much appreciated.
Carl
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Topic: Alde wet heating
