Cirrus and the Alde Central Heating System

Are you familiar with Alde Central Heating System? If not, you’re not alone. Here at nüCamp RV we want our customers to have the best experience with our truck campers and teardrop camper trailers. Alde systems have been used in Europe for decades, though they are relatively novel here in the United States—partly because of their perceived higher cost, and partly because the RV industry has not been very innovative. Here at nüCamp RV, we don’t believe in racing to the bottom when it comes to quality, and we are always on the lookout for innovative new systems that will make our campers more enjoyable for our discriminating customers.

What is the Alde Central Heating System?

Alde’s Central Heating System provides your camper with hydronic heating, which simply means that your camper has more even temperature and all-around heating. The best part? It’s completely silent – no more loud heating systems keeping you awake at night. This system also provides a constant source of hot water for your shower and kitchen area.

How Does the Alde Central Heating System Work?

Think of it as a boiler in your home. The Alde Heating System is made up of three cylindrical chambers: the center one contains a propane burner, the second one contains the glycol fluid and electric heat elements, and the last one contains the domestic water (see the figure to the left). Contrary to what most people would think, if the system is full of glycol, you can still use the system for heat, despite there not being any water in the system.

Alde uses convectors, a combination of under-floor heating and radiators, along the walls of the Cirrus Truck Campers. These convectors heat the air. Remember eighth grade science class – how your teacher always said, “hot air rises”? That comes into effect and is the explanation for how Alde’s heating system works.

The heat from the convectors rises, which creates a boundary of air in front of the windows. This keeps out the cold air. Once the warm air reaches the top of your camper it circulates back down to the floor where it is heated again by the convectors and repeats this cycle (the diagram below should help you understand). Sounds pretty cool, right?

Things to Keep in Mind about the Alde Central Heating System

As a new owner of a Cirrus Truck Camper, you may not know how to properly care for your Alde Heating System. For that reason, we’re here to help. A few tips to properly care for your Alde Heating System are:

• Change your glycol every two years
• When changing your glycol, we recommend visiting a professional
• If your system doesn’t work, check the top compartment (it contains a black fuse box; see figure below, as shown by the yellow arrow). The fuse box contains three fuses. If one of the three is blown, replace it with one of the two spare fuses.

What Now?

By now, you know exactly what an Alde Heating System provides, what’s next? If you want to take advantage of this technology and have the best heating and water tank for your camper, there’s only one thing left to do… visit your nearest dealership and take home a Cirrus Truck Camper today!

If you’re unaware of dealers closest to you, you can locate a dealer here. Or, if you already own a Cirrus Truck Camper, let us know what you think of the Alde Heating System!