My Favourite Things With The Alde System
I am often asked what it is that makes the Alde system so special and why we like it so much. There isn’t a quick answer because there are lots of reasons.
The heating system
I’ll start with the heating system itself. Alde heating has the reputation for being a high-quality product and for giving a consistent heat throughout the vehicle (caravans in our case) and I’m happy to confirm this in my personal experience.
I’ve used many caravans and motorhome over the years, and whilst I would never criticise a competitor’s system, I’ve often found that there are “cold spots”, areas that are much cooler than others. That’s probably to do with where the heat outlets are placed as much as anything, but as Alde works with manufacturers from the design stage through to final construction, having the convectors in just the right place eliminates those “cold spots”.
It makes the whole vehicle feel so cosy during the colder times of the year.
The silence
Then there’s the silence. I have very keen hearing, too keen at times, but I cannot hear the heating working at all in our caravan (it does work though, I assure you!). That means that it can be left on overnight without disturbing our sleep.
Smart settings
Being one for gadgets, I love the fact that Alde’s systems can have accessories added or that there’s so much that you can do with the control panels, especially the latest 3030. Kay must have a room really dark overnight (no stargazing through a rooflight for me then!), so we’ve found that when using the night-time setting, we can turn the screen display off (but the merest of touches temporarily illuminates it should there be a need).
That brings me onto various settings. Not only is the night-time setting very useful for turning off the screen, but temperatures and whether the water heater is on or off are all done automatically.
Then there’s the Delayed Start function. You can turn off the heating when you go out for the day and set it to start at a pre-determined hour so that energy isn’t being wasted, but the caravan is lovely and warm when you get back.
Endless accessories
Accessories wise, I’ve added a Back-Up Battery which maintains the clock setting on the control panel if the leisure battery is disconnected, so you don’t have to re-set it every time you arrive at a campsite, and I’ve also added an external temperature sensor which helps the system work more efficiently, and you can see how cold it is outside whilst you relax in the warmth inside.
Our caravan came with a Load Monitor, but I have fitted them in the past to previous caravans. These can be set to help avoiding tripping the site’s electrical supply should you inadvertently switch something on that ordinarily in conjunction with the Alde system would trip the power.
Attentive personnel
I could go on, but I think that by now you will get the message. However, I can’t end without mentioning Alde’s superb aftercare. It’s so reassuring to hear (and I do!) that someone has contacted Alde directly with an issue (it might be something as simple as a setting) and that the problem was resolved by a quick telephone call.
Alde truly is the “King of Comfort”!
Nigel Hutson
Nigel Hutson, a lifelong caravanner from Chesterfield, Derbyshire in England. Purchased his first caravan in 1984 and has since then toured the UK and Continent on a regular basis, alongside his wife Kay. In addition to being a husband, he is also a father and grandfather.
Since retiring from the police in 2011 Nigel has become a regular contributor to various caravan and motorhome publications, as “someone who enthusiastically writes about their hobby rather than a journalist”. Nigel is also a keen musician, enjoys travelling and has a great interest in all forms of transport… and he is a Manchester City fan.
