I agree.
2014 Roadtrek CS Adventurous - after 4500 Miles
- Thread starter davidmbecker
- Start date
davidmbecker
Member
I have not gotten the heater to work right. I read here that it might have not been installed correctly : http://roadtreking.com/forum/troubles-with-new-cs-2014-t1737.html
I will probably have to get mine looked at, but that is a low priority for me since it is the summer and I am not going to have it sit in the repair shop during the prime camping season!
I will probably have to get mine looked at, but that is a low priority for me since it is the summer and I am not going to have it sit in the repair shop during the prime camping season!
Russ61
Member
Re the CS's Alde system, you'll need to be a little more specific re "different options on the controller"....there's a ton of them! Leave your Cont (continuous pumping)/Therm (set to thermostat control) on THERM. CONT is for when you're purging your system...but I just crank up the thermostat. Get your manual out, set in front of the display, and try things out.
Re getting the heater to work, referencing the Roadtreking.com blog posts, I'll assume that you're referring to proper filling/purging of the glycol system. Check the fluid level WHEN PUMPING in the expansion reservoir in the corner of the pantry cabinet. If its only moderately moving, that indicative of most/all air having been purged. If the liquid level is jumping around, that evidence of pumping against air pockets and your system will need to be bled. You can request warranty work at a dealer or you can do it yourself. Locate the purge valves on each of the 5 convection radiators (except the one in the sliding doorway) AND the one atop the heat exchanger under the passenger seat. They're behind the driver seat, bathroom wall to right of sink, passenger side ottoman (under tv, against aisle wall, remove cover), and underneath the sofa (access thru rear doors). Turn on Alde pump (raise thermostat well above ambient temp) for 3-4 minutes, turn off, sequentially cautiously bleed each purge valve until it ceases "spitting" air entrained liquid and starts pure liquid into a paper towel, repeat (ie pump on, pump off, purge) until liquid level remains fairly calm and no air "spits" out of purge valves. You may need to tilt sideways (passenger side higher) or raise back end. You're trying to get air bubbles to migrate to a high point, ie purge valves. Took me 9-10 cycles. Hopefully RT is now more aware of the consequences of improperly filling Alde with glycol and is bleeding the system (using an automated device) at the factory. You might need some additional glycol to replace the air purged out to satisfy expansion reservoir Min/Max levels.
Re getting the heater to work, referencing the Roadtreking.com blog posts, I'll assume that you're referring to proper filling/purging of the glycol system. Check the fluid level WHEN PUMPING in the expansion reservoir in the corner of the pantry cabinet. If its only moderately moving, that indicative of most/all air having been purged. If the liquid level is jumping around, that evidence of pumping against air pockets and your system will need to be bled. You can request warranty work at a dealer or you can do it yourself. Locate the purge valves on each of the 5 convection radiators (except the one in the sliding doorway) AND the one atop the heat exchanger under the passenger seat. They're behind the driver seat, bathroom wall to right of sink, passenger side ottoman (under tv, against aisle wall, remove cover), and underneath the sofa (access thru rear doors). Turn on Alde pump (raise thermostat well above ambient temp) for 3-4 minutes, turn off, sequentially cautiously bleed each purge valve until it ceases "spitting" air entrained liquid and starts pure liquid into a paper towel, repeat (ie pump on, pump off, purge) until liquid level remains fairly calm and no air "spits" out of purge valves. You may need to tilt sideways (passenger side higher) or raise back end. You're trying to get air bubbles to migrate to a high point, ie purge valves. Took me 9-10 cycles. Hopefully RT is now more aware of the consequences of improperly filling Alde with glycol and is bleeding the system (using an automated device) at the factory. You might need some additional glycol to replace the air purged out to satisfy expansion reservoir Min/Max levels.
davidmbecker
Member
Russ, that is super helpful. I am going to do that, maybe this weekend. Not having to drive it 40 miles away to the dealer is just enough of an incentive for me to work on this on my own.
Russ61
Member
I just realized that you're in Portland. Alde's USA headquarters is across the river in Vancouver, WA. Call them. They are SUPER cooperative, but sometimes hard to get ahold of (busy!). Talk to VP Joe Elwell.
Im new to the forum and trying to glean some info on roadtrecks. My wife and I are considering a used Agile purchase and I wanted to see how owners like their machines. I must admit that after this post I think I will look to another manufacturer. The author seems to say that the kitchen, bathroom and sleeping arrangements are awful. It makes me wonder why he still concludes that he likes his machine. Is there something Im missing?
Joe M
Joe M
Arloshmarlo
New member
Welcome, Jay. It is rare for someone to post that everything is working fine. People tend to post complaints when they are frustrated due to problems. Don't base your decision on posts like this. There are lots of happy Roadtrek owners out there.
We have a 2011 Roadtrek SS Ideal on a 2010 Sprinter chassis. It is very similar to the same year's Agile model except it has an unusual rear slide out and fold out sofa/bed. We've had it for four years and are very pleased with it. We have no fault with sleeping, kitchen or bath arrangement, in fact we purchased this unit because it has a bigger bath and the refrigerator is positioned well above the floor compared to other similar units. We like the short length for ease of maneuvering "downtown" and parking. Those who say the Adventurous model and others that are 2 1/2 to 3 ft longer can be parked almost anywhere must be talking about anywhere with spaces that are 3 ft longer than standard in most towns and cities.
We had one cupboard problem with a joint that had separated a wee bit that was replaced under warranty. We do have occasional "rattling" of cupboards but it is usually resolved by properly closing the door. Yes, we did need to replace some cupboard latches to assure they stay closed while travelling.
We wouldn't recommend this size unit for extended stays in one place but as we tend to move most every night we find it suits our needs very well.
Our Sprinter chassis has had on-going Check Engine Light issues which I hope may be fully resolved later this week under warranty. That said, we've had 67,000 km or about 40,000 miles of trouble free driving back and forth across N America three times, something friends with other brands seem to envy.
Hope my experience is helpful to you and that if you do purchase a RoadTrek that you are happy with it.
We had one cupboard problem with a joint that had separated a wee bit that was replaced under warranty. We do have occasional "rattling" of cupboards but it is usually resolved by properly closing the door. Yes, we did need to replace some cupboard latches to assure they stay closed while travelling.
We wouldn't recommend this size unit for extended stays in one place but as we tend to move most every night we find it suits our needs very well.
Our Sprinter chassis has had on-going Check Engine Light issues which I hope may be fully resolved later this week under warranty. That said, we've had 67,000 km or about 40,000 miles of trouble free driving back and forth across N America three times, something friends with other brands seem to envy.
Hope my experience is helpful to you and that if you do purchase a RoadTrek that you are happy with it.
We have a 2008 RS with 70,000 miles and over 200 nights camping/touring and while we have had a few issues here and there, we love it. I believe any RV will have something one can complain about but considering the roads we drive on they do very well. I would not shy away from Roadtrek or any other based on our experiences. They are mechanical beasts and they do break now and then. If the Agile fits and the unit is in good shape it will probably be fine. Having an RS I would be more concerned about the space. We have plenty of room but on a long trip it gets full. My two cents
Interesting thread! It would appear that RT was listening; it seems there have been a number of changes since the beginning of this thread, relative to current models. Ours is a 2015, picked up on April 30. We took it on an extended cross-country, leaving May 28 and returning Aug 1, covering 11,108 miles.
1. Averge MPG, by calculation, was 19.66 (3.0L OM-642 V6 diesel). I figured that was pretty darned good; we were carrying about 8200 lbs. Power was great.
2. I agree, the Agile is small for extended staying, but we generally either stayed only overnight or with friends & relatives. It's a great way to travel, but yeah, I probably wouldn't want to spend an extended time in it. It was just wife & myself, which was plenty. The Agile will, however, fit in any parking spot (other than for compacts, I suppose) just fine. Even with the spare on the back, its footprint is the same as a 4-door long bed pickup. That proved handy on a number of occasions.
3. The shower door-- they apparently changed that; mine has a cute little "magazine rack," I guess, at the base, which supports a locking rod at the bottom. Many of the slats and screws were loose on the rack, so I just tightened it up a bit. It seems to work well to hold the bathroom doors shut & quiet. It drops behind the inner surface of the shower floor tray.
4. The awning-- it looks like they DID add a slightly higher frame beneath it-- mine will open fine, even when the sliding door's open.
5. We also had some issues with the cabinet door latches. One in particular just about required a crowbar to get it open. While at the RT factory in Ontario on the way back, they filed it and now it's better, but still very tight. I'll have to try that Chapstick idea!
6. Did they change the cushion material? My wife & I found the bed to be very comfortable, actually.
7. We also have the Becker GPS unit; if anyone has specific instructions on how to access altitude, that would be a great addition; often wished I had that info.
8. That's not to say we had no problems: our "under-hood generator" began overcharging --heavily-- in WA state, and eventually fried 3 of the 4 coach batteries. Again, RT changed everything- all 4 batteries, the alternator, and the wiring harness. (Even gave us a car to use for the day!) It may have been that the wiring harness suffered from improperly crimped leads on one of the plugs. All seems good now. Incidentally, it was Johnson RV in Sandy, OR that helped us convince RT that there was, in fact, a real problem. Hats off to Brian in service there! Unfortunately, we had to keep moving, so we just stopped at the RT factory on the way back to NH. For the remainder of the trip, we either "plugged in" somewhere or became VERY frugal with electric usage. The 300 watts of solar panel really saved us.
So-- so far, we really like the SS Agile!
1. Averge MPG, by calculation, was 19.66 (3.0L OM-642 V6 diesel). I figured that was pretty darned good; we were carrying about 8200 lbs. Power was great.
2. I agree, the Agile is small for extended staying, but we generally either stayed only overnight or with friends & relatives. It's a great way to travel, but yeah, I probably wouldn't want to spend an extended time in it. It was just wife & myself, which was plenty. The Agile will, however, fit in any parking spot (other than for compacts, I suppose) just fine. Even with the spare on the back, its footprint is the same as a 4-door long bed pickup. That proved handy on a number of occasions.
3. The shower door-- they apparently changed that; mine has a cute little "magazine rack," I guess, at the base, which supports a locking rod at the bottom. Many of the slats and screws were loose on the rack, so I just tightened it up a bit. It seems to work well to hold the bathroom doors shut & quiet. It drops behind the inner surface of the shower floor tray.
4. The awning-- it looks like they DID add a slightly higher frame beneath it-- mine will open fine, even when the sliding door's open.
5. We also had some issues with the cabinet door latches. One in particular just about required a crowbar to get it open. While at the RT factory in Ontario on the way back, they filed it and now it's better, but still very tight. I'll have to try that Chapstick idea!
6. Did they change the cushion material? My wife & I found the bed to be very comfortable, actually.
7. We also have the Becker GPS unit; if anyone has specific instructions on how to access altitude, that would be a great addition; often wished I had that info.
8. That's not to say we had no problems: our "under-hood generator" began overcharging --heavily-- in WA state, and eventually fried 3 of the 4 coach batteries. Again, RT changed everything- all 4 batteries, the alternator, and the wiring harness. (Even gave us a car to use for the day!) It may have been that the wiring harness suffered from improperly crimped leads on one of the plugs. All seems good now. Incidentally, it was Johnson RV in Sandy, OR that helped us convince RT that there was, in fact, a real problem. Hats off to Brian in service there! Unfortunately, we had to keep moving, so we just stopped at the RT factory on the way back to NH. For the remainder of the trip, we either "plugged in" somewhere or became VERY frugal with electric usage. The 300 watts of solar panel really saved us.
So-- so far, we really like the SS Agile!
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Irvingj, that shower door arrangement is the standard CS door. They're probably just trying to standardize across the products.
Nix on the Becker. I run with my Garmin up on the dash, and the Becker sometimes in the cities just because the screen is bigger. Otherwise it's junk.
Nix on the Becker. I run with my Garmin up on the dash, and the Becker sometimes in the cities just because the screen is bigger. Otherwise it's junk.
I have a 2014 CS Adveturous. The Becker is a standard Mercedes Sprinter GPS. I have had no issue and like it. Easy to pop out cartridge and connect to my computer to update. It has been working for the last year and I always find where I am going. I like the display.Why would you want altitude?
I like to know how high I am. Out here in the West it's sometimes relevant.
The bigger issue is that I've yet to see a way to program in a planned route except by clicking along at the actual screen, and then only when the vehicle is stopped (copilot cannot do it). Yes the cartridge comes out and connects nicely, but you can't do anything at the computer except install the updates.
I purchased a 2015 CS Adventurous last month and it's been plagued with problems. I'm hoping that someone with the Alde system can provide some first hand experience. I'm trying to run the heat off of all electric using both heating elements of the Alde boiler. This should provide 1,900 watts of heating. After almost 1 1/2 hours the interior of the coach went from 51° to 53°. The outdoor temperature is 36°. I had the temperature set to 74°. That's only 2° in 1 1/2 hours! At that rate it would take days to get to temperature. I was just in for service today and they bled all of the lines so it shouldn't be an air pocket. The radiators do feel warm to the touch but I'm just not getting much heat output. I do have propane and I'm sure it will get me to temperature a lot quicker, but shouldn't I be able to use the batteries that I paid so much for to heat the coach?
Can anyone share their real world experience with the Alde system and the time it takes to get to a comfortable temperature? Thanks!
Can anyone share their real world experience with the Alde system and the time it takes to get to a comfortable temperature? Thanks!
I have a 2014 CS Adventurous with the Alde radiant heating in floor system. Spent some time in NH and Vermont last winter. While in Vermont the temperature got near 0 deg F. Even though we were in a house I kept the electric both elements on. The AM temperature was around 55 deg F with 0 outside. It seems to work well. I have used the propane in other times for a short period to get the system hot and then stayed on electric. Also I have a switch on the side of the passenger seat which allows the engine coolant to warm the Alde system if you are driving or engine running. This allows quick heating when you stop and turn on electric.
Finally the thermostat is not accurate. You may need to set for a much higher temperature than you think.
Finally the thermostat is not accurate. You may need to set for a much higher temperature than you think.
gregmchugh
Member
If you want to get help from a larger group of Alde users then I recommend joining the Roadtrek Owners Group in Facebook where these types of Alde issues are regularly discussed.
Thanks for your input Lenfagan. After a couple nights of testing in the driveway I think she may be going back to the dealership... again. After the night of electric only testing, we spent 3 hours in the RV and used propane only to heat and we couldn't get the temp above about 65°. Again the radiators felt warm and the floors felt just slightly warm but I would think in 3 hours time I should be able to get some god heat. Forgot to mention before that the dealership added a remote sensor on the thermostat and located it in the side panel between the rear windows on the drivers side. Before we had to adjust the temp. offset by about 10° since it was reading the inside cabinet temp. Now unfortunately I think it's reading the temp. in the unconditioned space in the side panel because we had to adjust in the opposite direction but 8°. My biggest concern was when I woke up the following morning the CO alarm was sounding on the low wheel well detector. I let the coach air out for a few minutes and reset the alarm. I'm going to give this one more try tonight before I take ANOTHER 4 hour round trip excursion to the dealership.
davidmbecker
Member
I had the same issues. Ask them to bleed the air out of the system. That is a common issue.
davidmbecker
Member
So, after 9000 miles, I had a whole slew of new repairs that needed to be done. While i like the Roadtrek, this is getting a bit ridiculous.
1. Solar controller replaced
2. Aide Heater serviced / bled to increase heat efficiency
3. Toilet was not properly installed. Seal / gasket broke - dealer replaced
4. Cup Holders broke, twice.
5. Cupboard locks - replaced 70% of them. Roadtrek was super cool to send me some extras.
6. Refrigerator regulator was broken. Food always froze.
7. The guard in front of the solar panel, the bracket was rubbing against the roof of the van. Dealer had to repaint and add a rubber grommet to keep it from doing it again.
New items just discovered!
1. Inverter will not switch over to shore power. I am on my second inverter.
2. Van Slider Door door panel - popped off in a couple places
3. Entry step cut off - never worked
4. Sometimes, the awning needs a bit of help to engage and close.
So, whats the lesson folks? ALWAYS BUY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I am soooooo glad I did.
1. Solar controller replaced
2. Aide Heater serviced / bled to increase heat efficiency
3. Toilet was not properly installed. Seal / gasket broke - dealer replaced
4. Cup Holders broke, twice.
5. Cupboard locks - replaced 70% of them. Roadtrek was super cool to send me some extras.
6. Refrigerator regulator was broken. Food always froze.
7. The guard in front of the solar panel, the bracket was rubbing against the roof of the van. Dealer had to repaint and add a rubber grommet to keep it from doing it again.
New items just discovered!
1. Inverter will not switch over to shore power. I am on my second inverter.
2. Van Slider Door door panel - popped off in a couple places
3. Entry step cut off - never worked
4. Sometimes, the awning needs a bit of help to engage and close.
So, whats the lesson folks? ALWAYS BUY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I am soooooo glad I did.
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