If the Alde heating system detects a complete 230 VAC circuit it will show an electric plug icon on the Alde control panel.

So, if electric heating isn't working, first verify that the icon is present on the Alde control panel. If it's missing then the Alde Compact boiler has become disconnected from the 230 VAC power.

The 230 VAC power supply is separate to the 12 VDC power supply, and the boiler's power supply is separate to other appliances in the vehicle (which are probably working fine).

And don't forget that the MCB protecting the heating system must be up and any fused spurs or isolator switches on for the electric heating to work.

A voltage tester pen might even detect a live power cable into the boiler but that doesn't indicate a complete circuit. There could still be a break in Neutral somewhere along its length.

The next step is determining where the 230 VAC power has become disconnected but that confronts you with a potentially unsafe situation.

⚠️ WARNING! Electricity Can Kill!

Do not undertake work on an electrical system unless you are competent to do so!

The electrical system must be safely isolated before continuing. 230 VAC power must be unhooked, locked out and proven dead.

You can search for an Alde Service Partner on our global Service Finder.

Fault Finding

In most installations there are three points where a break is most likely to occur:

• Cable joint. Be it a junction box, flex connector or coupler, the 1 m power cable from the boiler must connect to the vehicle's wiring. Loose wires unacceptable!
• Fused spur or isolator switch. Not always present, but should be rated to 20 A to avoid burning out in the long term.
• PDU/Consumer unit. The applicable blade fuse should be at least 15 A and the connector in the rear should be fully plugged in, clasp engaged.

The fix often involves nothing more than resecuring a connection and perhaps adding strain relief on the cables.

Remember you might have a break in Neutral only, so don't expect to find a cable completely disconnected.

Causes

By far the most common cause of the boiler becoming disconnected from 230 VAC power is road vibration, shaking connections loose. It's not as if road surfaces are improving over time either.

Also stay alert for signs of rodent infestation, specifically mice. Their incisors grow continually throughout their life so they file them down by chewing on abrasives like electrical cables. Any mouse droppings, urine stains or fur in the vehicle and a disconnected electrical appliance will soon follow.

Alde Compact boilers are designed to prevent internal disconnects, so if the electric plug icon is missing on the Alde control panel the fault probably isn't in the boiler (even if a voltage tester pen detects a live cable).