A Happy Christmas and a leak free New Year to all my readers.
As a confirmed Christmas hater SWMBO says I should put some HO HO HO into my Christmas message so as you don't argue with a SWMBO, HO HO HO it is.
Ian
Friday 23 December 2016
Wednesday 21 December 2016
Alde External Temperature Sensor
After the success of the Alde remote interior temperature sensor I have decided to install the Alde external temperature sensor which gives a reading of the outside temperature to the Alde control panel.
I seemed to be getting confused messages as to where the end of the sensor wire plugged in,some seemed to say to the rear of the panel like the previous one or some said to the boiler.
Considering this I went to the horses mouth and asked Alde themselves who replied literally within a few minutes ( excellent firm to deal with incidentally ).
The external sensor plugs into the boiler which makes life easy as there is a gas dropout vent adjacent to it where the probe can pass to the outside and be attached to the underside of the floor.
This is where it plugs into the top of the boiler after removing the black plastic cover :-
This is the dropout adjacent to the boiler by the black pipe :-
So installation should be no problem.
Will write a blog post when I have done it.
Will probably buy the sensor at the Manchester Caravan Show in January so it won't be till after then.
Ian
I seemed to be getting confused messages as to where the end of the sensor wire plugged in,some seemed to say to the rear of the panel like the previous one or some said to the boiler.
Considering this I went to the horses mouth and asked Alde themselves who replied literally within a few minutes ( excellent firm to deal with incidentally ).
The external sensor plugs into the boiler which makes life easy as there is a gas dropout vent adjacent to it where the probe can pass to the outside and be attached to the underside of the floor.
This is where it plugs into the top of the boiler after removing the black plastic cover :-
This is the dropout adjacent to the boiler by the black pipe :-
So installation should be no problem.
Will write a blog post when I have done it.
Will probably buy the sensor at the Manchester Caravan Show in January so it won't be till after then.
Ian
Monday 12 December 2016
Condensation After Repair
A poster on Caravan Talk is suffering condensation on the plastic moulding that covers the roof join after it has been repaired.
No condensation anywhere else in the van.
We have not suffered any since our repair and I wondered if anyone else had ?
Ian
No condensation anywhere else in the van.
We have not suffered any since our repair and I wondered if anyone else had ?
Ian
Thursday 8 December 2016
Get Yer Skates On.
Bailey are introducing a 3.8% price increase from 12th.of December :
"Following
the post-Brexit economic uncertainty and associated turbulence in the
foreign currency markets we have come under increasing price pressure
from our European supplier partners and have therefore been forced to
undertake a review of our current product pricing structure.
"Consequently, I am writing to confirm that from Monday 12th December
2016 all models from our current Pegasus and Unicorn touring caravan
ranges will be subject to an average 3.8% price increase."
Wonder why the Pursuit is excluded ?
Anyway if you want the Cadiz before the rise better get a move on.
Ian
Wonder why the Pursuit is excluded ?
Anyway if you want the Cadiz before the rise better get a move on.
Ian
Tuesday 6 December 2016
Alde Panel : "Auto" or "Sofa"
Having thought about it my statement in the "Alde Sensor" blog was a bit blase as I ddn't really know what "Auto" meant so I asked Alde and got this reply:-
Hello,
I have installed the remote temperature sender in my Bailey
Unicorn 3 Cadiz. The control panel shows either "Auto" or"
Sofa" in the settings section.Could you tell me which setting to leave it
on please.
Thank You,
Ian Broadhead
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Ian,
Thank you for your enquiry.
In your case, either will do.
"Auto" selects the most recently connected sensor.
"Sofa" selects the sensor connected to the Sofa
pins.
In your case they're the same sensor.
Best regards,
Joakim Johansson
Customer Service Advisor
Alde UK Team
Ian
Friday 2 December 2016
Awning
Just a reminder for last minute Christmas presents for the wife,the Isabella Magnum and Futur Annex are still for sale ( see previous post ).
Just imagine her face when she unwraps it ( them ?? ) on Christmas morning.
Ian
Just imagine her face when she unwraps it ( them ?? ) on Christmas morning.
Ian
Winter
For any of my readers who are new to caravanning now that winter appears to have arrived don't forget to winterise your van by draining the water system ( I use a Floe device which removes the remaining dregs ),empty the toilet flush and remove any liquid foodstuffs so they don't freeze and cause a mess when they thaw.
Leave all taps half way across and in the open position,open the yellow lever on the Alde boiler and remove the shower head.
Make sure the gas is turned off and the Alde flue is covered to stop spiders etc. getting in ( see an earlier post for a home made flue cover,ooh er missus ).
Run the Alde and the fridge on gas for fifteen minutes or so a once or twice over the winter to keep the jets clear.
Give the toilet cassette blade a squirt of silicone spray to keep it supple.
Think about moving the van a few feet a couple of times over the winter to prevent tyre flat spots,some people don't bother and say no harm is caused by not doing so,so take your pick.
I always upend the cushions and mattresses and open all the cupboard and locker doors to enable good circulaton of air to avoid any dampness.
There is always a discussion on CT every winter about placing moisture absorbing crystals or bowls of salt in the van.
Proponents say they work whilst others say as long as there are vents in the van then you are trying to dehumidify the world so do what you feel is best.
One word of caution though,DO NOT spill the fluid that is produced either on woodwork or,worst of all,on upholstery you will NEVER get rid of it,do not ask how I know this.
Ian
Leave all taps half way across and in the open position,open the yellow lever on the Alde boiler and remove the shower head.
Make sure the gas is turned off and the Alde flue is covered to stop spiders etc. getting in ( see an earlier post for a home made flue cover,ooh er missus ).
Run the Alde and the fridge on gas for fifteen minutes or so a once or twice over the winter to keep the jets clear.
Give the toilet cassette blade a squirt of silicone spray to keep it supple.
Think about moving the van a few feet a couple of times over the winter to prevent tyre flat spots,some people don't bother and say no harm is caused by not doing so,so take your pick.
I always upend the cushions and mattresses and open all the cupboard and locker doors to enable good circulaton of air to avoid any dampness.
There is always a discussion on CT every winter about placing moisture absorbing crystals or bowls of salt in the van.
Proponents say they work whilst others say as long as there are vents in the van then you are trying to dehumidify the world so do what you feel is best.
One word of caution though,DO NOT spill the fluid that is produced either on woodwork or,worst of all,on upholstery you will NEVER get rid of it,do not ask how I know this.
Ian
Thursday 1 December 2016
Alde Remote Temperature Sender
As the experiment with drilling a hole in the Alde faceplate to get a more responsive and accurate temperature reading wasn't a spectacular success I decided to fit a remote temperature sender.
The first problem was where to locate it,bearing in mind that there are only two meters of cable.
My first choice was in the left wall of the compartment where the control panel is situated.
I posted this on CT and also e-mailed Alde who said that it wasn't a bad choice but didn't seem overwhelmed by it and various posters on CT also said it wasn't ideal mainly because it is not very far from the outlet for the radiator under the offside front window and the fact that the compartment isn't ventilated which might cause some heat build up.
After some thought I eventually decided on the panel above the cutlery drawer which was easy to get to and feeding the cable to it was very easy and it is well away from all sources of heat,also as my assistant Mr.Roscoe pointed out when the caravan door is opened and cold air comes in it will hit the sensor and perhaps turn the heating on if need be,well that is the theory anyway.
So first off switch off the 12v supply and remove the Alde control panel faceplate which is very easy to flick off with a fingernail and then unscrew the "works" via the four screws one at each corner,this gives access to the gubbins inside.
Then thread the sensor cable down the hole at the back of the compartment,along the back of the space under the worktop and through the hole at the far end which brings it out under the sink.
Next refer to the inside of the cover which has been removed from the rear of the control panel and you will see where to plug the cable in.
You will notice thet there are two options,"Bed" and "Sofa",I think this refers to motorhomes who may have multi-zone heating,anyway I plugged it into "Sofa" but I don't think it makes all that much difference.
Then simply drill a 10mm hole in your chosen location,press the sensor in,it is an easy fit,and connect the cables up at the back,to make it neat cable tie the sensor cable to the sink waste pipe.
The job would have been slightly easier if I had have been able to remove the cutlery drawer but I couldn't get it to shift,Mr.Roscoe kindly did the honours here by bending double under the sink,bless him.
Switch on the 12V and give it a test.
If you go through the panel menu to "Installed Acessories" it shows three states:-
Auto:-
Which I think is self explanatory.
Sofa:-
As explained previously,if you have connected it up to "Bed" then this will obviously show a bed.
The last one is "Panel" so if you wish you can revert to the panel sensor at any time.
And that is it,have fun.
Incidentally I purchased the sensor from Halesowen Caravan Centre which was the cheapest I could find at £20.87 with free postage.
Halesowen Caravan Centre : Alde Sensor
Ian
The first problem was where to locate it,bearing in mind that there are only two meters of cable.
My first choice was in the left wall of the compartment where the control panel is situated.
I posted this on CT and also e-mailed Alde who said that it wasn't a bad choice but didn't seem overwhelmed by it and various posters on CT also said it wasn't ideal mainly because it is not very far from the outlet for the radiator under the offside front window and the fact that the compartment isn't ventilated which might cause some heat build up.
After some thought I eventually decided on the panel above the cutlery drawer which was easy to get to and feeding the cable to it was very easy and it is well away from all sources of heat,also as my assistant Mr.Roscoe pointed out when the caravan door is opened and cold air comes in it will hit the sensor and perhaps turn the heating on if need be,well that is the theory anyway.
So first off switch off the 12v supply and remove the Alde control panel faceplate which is very easy to flick off with a fingernail and then unscrew the "works" via the four screws one at each corner,this gives access to the gubbins inside.
Then thread the sensor cable down the hole at the back of the compartment,along the back of the space under the worktop and through the hole at the far end which brings it out under the sink.
Next refer to the inside of the cover which has been removed from the rear of the control panel and you will see where to plug the cable in.
You will notice thet there are two options,"Bed" and "Sofa",I think this refers to motorhomes who may have multi-zone heating,anyway I plugged it into "Sofa" but I don't think it makes all that much difference.
Then simply drill a 10mm hole in your chosen location,press the sensor in,it is an easy fit,and connect the cables up at the back,to make it neat cable tie the sensor cable to the sink waste pipe.
The job would have been slightly easier if I had have been able to remove the cutlery drawer but I couldn't get it to shift,Mr.Roscoe kindly did the honours here by bending double under the sink,bless him.
Switch on the 12V and give it a test.
If you go through the panel menu to "Installed Acessories" it shows three states:-
Auto:-
Which I think is self explanatory.
Sofa:-
As explained previously,if you have connected it up to "Bed" then this will obviously show a bed.
The last one is "Panel" so if you wish you can revert to the panel sensor at any time.
And that is it,have fun.
Incidentally I purchased the sensor from Halesowen Caravan Centre which was the cheapest I could find at £20.87 with free postage.
Halesowen Caravan Centre : Alde Sensor
Ian
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