1998 Elddis Crusader Storm - on board cold water system

[ebod]

Only got my 1st van earlier this year, already been away twice.

My taps etc control an internal pump on an onboard tank. To charge it up however it still has a traditional outside Crystal submersible pump with a 40ltr aquaroll.

The internal tank is atmospheric as it has an overflow pipe coming out of it as well as a drain. It has a level sender unit that sends a signal to a guage on the main control panel.

What I dislike however is there seems to be no way of stopping the external Crystal pump as the power supply to it is permanently live. So waht happens is I plug it in to the socket and it fills up the internal tank, then proceeds to continue pushing water right out of the overflow pipe.....so I have to stand outside and watch it fill up, then wait for water to start pouring out of the overflow, after which I quickly have to rip the pump out of the socket whilst still running.

...surely there is a better way that this!!!

Does anyone familiar with ~98 big twin axle vans have any idea like eg there is a magic device plugged into the level gauge which 'should' trip off the Crystal pump ????

If it turns out that there is no mechanism to trip the Cyrstal pump I may consider installing a standard pressure switch in the line and blank off the overflow pipe to make a closed system.

Please help

Thanks

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Ian,

A closed system is not a good ide as it will begine to creay a vacumn when you start to use the water.

I do have an idea, though I do not know how feasable it is. For only a few pounds you can obtain a modern float valve as used in side entry toilet systerns. If this could be fitted to your tank it would allow water to flow until the preset level is reach at which point the flow stops.

If you also had a pressure switch on the Crystal then that would operate to save the pump. It also means you could leave your aquarol connected to increase the amount of water available.

 

[mcghee]

What you really need is float operated plunger switch wired through a relay to switch your external pump off when the tank is full.

 

[stuart3]

Hi Ian,

Sounds like you have a "tank fill switch" switched on somewhere,

what does your handbook say about filling the tank?

C.E.

 

[ebod]

Hi Ian,

Sounds like you have a "tank fill switch" switched on somewhere,

what does your handbook say about filling the tank?

C.E.

....its says absolutely ZIP....

 

[chris_5068897]

Hi Ian

I have virtually the same system on my 98 Bessacarr Cameo. However, at the control panel, there is a two way switch which allows you to toggle between the external and internal pumps ie. you fill up the internal tank using the external, then switch to internal when the tank overflows.

I would imagine that you already have a pressure switch fitted, unless the taps have micro switches. The pressure switch may be a separate item, or built in to the wall connection point.(with Whale water systems anyway)

I would also expect there to be a 2 way tap that normally allows the ext pump to fill the tank. When this tap is closed (say if the int pump fails) then you can still achieve supply from the ext pump. Whatever the position of this tap, the system pressure is controlled by the above pressure switch.

 

[DaveB1]

I have the same van which i bought last year. When I bought it it had been fitted with a switch to turn the outside waterpump on. Basically I use this to fill the onboard tank from the aquaroll and then all water to taps comes from the aqua roll. All works really well (as long as you remember to turn the pump off when the aqua roll is empty.