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alde heating. draining system.


3003doc

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hi, new to the forum and new to narrowboats, or any boats!

i need to move a radiatorto the opposite wall  to fit a shower cubicle.  i guess it works off the heating system I've located, labelled 'alde comfort'. i guess its 30 years old as the boat is a 1990. cant find info on how to drain and refill the system, anyone have any experience or know where i can find the info please. 

 

 

 

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Right at the top of the heater is a plastic header tank behind the grey painted top cover. The tank cap also has the circulation motor mounted in it. This is where you fill the system.

 

Somewhere low down on the radiator supply pipes you shoudl find a drain cock usually with a hose tail on it. You fit a hose and probably a (drill) pump to drain from here.

 

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thats great thanks, really helpfull.

i guess i will find a fill level on it somewhere,  should i add to the system on refill ( anti freeze of some kind or the stuff you put in household rads to decrease rust) alternativly i wont be using it over winter should i leave it drained? 

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thanks for the reply, appreciate you finding that for me, checked the manual on the site but the 2921 / 0  seems its only available in swedish.  found a user manual on another site which seems to hold most manuals but it had no info on maintenance just controls.. 

 

?

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25 minutes ago, 3003doc said:

thats great thanks, really helpfull.

i guess i will find a fill level on it somewhere,  should i add to the system on refill ( anti freeze of some kind or the stuff you put in household rads to decrease rust) alternativly i wont be using it over winter should i leave it drained? 

The heater has a steel heat exchanger so corrosion inhibitor is vital. The usual recommendation is car style antifreeze at 30%. Unless you are living aboard 24/7/365 you need an antifreeze as well as corrosion inhibitor. Car type antifreeze contains both.

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I always find it a bu@@er to see the level in my header tank - take a small torch along with you and shine it from the back of the tank. If the water is mucky enough you'll be able to see where the light shines through/doesn't.

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13 hours ago, 3003doc said:

thanks for the reply, appreciate you finding that for me, checked the manual on the site but the 2921 / 0  seems its only available in swedish.  found a user manual on another site which seems to hold most manuals but it had no info on maintenance just controls.. 

 

?

Be very carefull, some of these sites are monthly subscription scam.

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8 hours ago, Opener said:

I always find it a bu@@er to see the level in my header tank - take a small torch along with you and shine it from the back of the tank. If the water is mucky enough you'll be able to see where the light shines through/doesn't.

I lift the pump out and dip my finger in. If I can't reach the water it isn't full.

14 hours ago, 3003doc said:

thanks for the reply, appreciate you finding that for me, checked the manual on the site but the 2921 / 0  seems its only available in swedish.  found a user manual on another site which seems to hold most manuals but it had no info on maintenance just controls.. 

 

?

I'm not certain, but I think the 2928 model is pretty similar. There are English manuals for that, which you could use as a guide.

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9 hours ago, David Mack said:

I lift the pump out and dip my finger in. If I can't reach the water it isn't full.

I'm not certain, but I think the 2928 model is pretty similar. There are English manuals for that, which you could use as a guide.

Filling and bleeding the system is much easier as a two man job. One to keep the header tank full and the other to vent the air. Filling is easier if you use some kind of manual pump. Mix antifreeze and water before it goes into the system.

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9 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

Filling and bleeding the system is much easier as a two man job. One to keep the header tank full and the other to vent the air. Filling is easier if you use some kind of manual pump. Mix antifreeze and water before it goes into the system.

Do I remember reading somewhere that 'special (=expensive) equipment' is required to drain and, particularly, refill the system with liquid. I could never work out why - maybe it is prone to developing air pockets or summat loike that. ? Equip is held by accredited service engineers ?. Your reference to a 'pump' reminded me.

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On 18/08/2020 at 08:41, 3003doc said:

hecked the manual on the site but the 2921 / 0  seems its only available in swedish.  

 

?

Just their little joke - go back to the Alde site and when you get the right manual, scroll down. English version follows the gobbledegook version for my model.

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52 minutes ago, Opener said:

Do I remember reading somewhere that 'special (=expensive) equipment' is required to drain and, particularly, refill the system with liquid. I could never work out why - maybe it is prone to developing air pockets or summat loike that. ? Equip is held by accredited service engineers ?. Your reference to a 'pump' reminded me.

Alde will sell you a filling pump but I have never used one. A bulb type syphon pump in a bucket of the roof has been fine for me. Maybe the the Alde thing might have a float valve in it but I doubt it.

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2 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Alde will sell you a filling pump but I have never used one. A bulb type syphon pump in a bucket of the roof has been fine for me. Maybe the the Alde thing might have a float valve in it but I doubt it.

So, what's the pump all about? Is it just the difficulty of hitting the hole in the top of the header tank (small jug used with care?)  or something else?

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6 minutes ago, Opener said:

So, what's the pump all about? Is it just the difficulty of hitting the hole in the top of the header tank (small jug used with care?)  or something else?

Belfast came with a catering size teapot, which is ideal for filling the header tank. I just filled until the tank was full, went round and bled all the radiators, refilled the header tank, then started the pump. There were a few gurgles as more air came out, topped up again and that was it.

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7 minutes ago, Opener said:

So, what's the pump all about? Is it just the difficulty of hitting the hole in the top of the header tank (small jug used with care?)  or something else?

Its a very tall boiler and often even a small jug can not have all its contents poured into the header tank. Remember you will be filling the while system, not just the header tank. It takes a lot of  time. its easier with a  syphon or pump. I suppose that you could also pump it full via the drain down port. But you still need to be in several place at once as you bleed the rads, tend the pump, and ensure the header tank does not overflow.

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13 hours ago, Opener said:

So, what's the pump all about? Is it just the difficulty of hitting the hole in the top of the header tank (small jug used with care?)  or something else?

 

I always found an old (used) beer bottle ideal.for topping up the header tank on an Alde boiler.

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