Annoying water supply

[Roy_374355334]

Not sure what is causing this problem, hope someone out there can help.

When on site, we connect up the water pump and place in the barrel, go in the van, switch on the pump, turn on the tap, no water. There is electric to the pump, so leave the tap on and maybe after an hour, less, or more the pump suddenly starts working and we have water, things can be ok for a day or two, then turn on the tap and once again no water, so leave the tap on and the same thing happens again.

Can anyone help as to what is causing this problem.

Checked the filter is tight, the pump is yet another new one, we now have three and there is a 12 volt supply at the socket.

Thank you

 

[Rogerdraper]

Try sacking the pump in the barrel it sounds very much like you have got a air lock in the submersible pump . try to gently knock the pump on the side of the barrel WHEN it is under the water. GOOD luck .

 

[rayc]

Roy, we can discount the pump as it is "yet anothewr new one" so that leaves the supply to the pump.

My bet, without having the benefit of doing any testing of course, is a poor contact between the pins on the pump and the sockets in the housing. Prior to going away for the first time this year I had to "spread" the pins on the pump to make good contact.

If not that then get a car indicator bulb and connect it to the housing and ensure that it lights up to prove the supply is present and a load can be drawn. Ray

 

[Roy_374355334]

Try sacking the pump in the barrel it sounds very much like you have got a air lock in the submersible pump . try to gently knock the pump on the side of the barrel WHEN it is under the water. GOOD luck .

I connected the pump to the direct battery supply and it worked fine,i had tried what you advise but this didn`t work.thankyou anyway

 

[Roy_374355334]

Roy, we can discount the pump as it is "yet anothewr new one" so that leaves the supply to the pump.

My bet, without having the benefit of doing any testing of course, is a poor contact between the pins on the pump and the sockets in the housing. Prior to going away for the first time this year I had to "spread" the pins on the pump to make good contact.

If not that then get a car indicator bulb and connect it to the housing and ensure that it lights up to prove the supply is present and a load can be drawn. Ray

hello Ray,there is a 12 volt supply to the socket[voltage meter]but havn`t spread the pins,i have checked the taps and the micro switches they are all fine,the first time this happened i had to take the front off the gas fire and when i banged it back on the water started working as i had left the tap on.

 

[RichardJ]

Hi Mate

Do not know if this has been tried or even if yours works like this, there are 2 wires to the tap, check those are clean and a good contact is being made.

 

[Rodone]

I would go along with what Ray suggests (carefully spread the two pins) and in addition I would clean the INSIDE of the two female pins on the van side.

 

[rayc]

roy, you say "hello Ray,there is a 12 volt supply to the socket[voltage meter]but havn`t spread the pins,i have checked the taps and the micro switches they are all fine,"

The voltage you are checking is off load and if there is a high resistance, { poor joint, bad contacts in the micro switches etc}, then the supply at the pump inlet will fall away with the load {pump} connected.

I still think the best bet is a car / van indicator bulb connected at the pump housing. Ensure that it lights up solidly whenever a tap is opened.

Ray

 

[Roy_374355334]

Hi Mate

Do not know if this has been tried or even if yours works like this, there are 2 wires to the tap, check those are clean and a good contact is being made.

Thankyou i will double check all this weekend.

 

[Roy_374355334]

I would go along with what Ray suggests (carefully spread the two pins) and in addition I would clean the INSIDE of the two female pins on the van side.

thankyou for the advice i will check it out this weekend.

 

[Roy_374355334]

roy, you say "hello Ray,there is a 12 volt supply to the socket[voltage meter]but havn`t spread the pins,i have checked the taps and the micro switches they are all fine,"

The voltage you are checking is off load and if there is a high resistance, { poor joint, bad contacts in the micro switches etc}, then the supply at the pump inlet will fall away with the load {pump} connected.

I still think the best bet is a car / van indicator bulb connected at the pump housing. Ensure that it lights up solidly whenever a tap is opened.

Ray

thankyou i will endevour to solve it this weekend and let you all know how i got on.

 

[Roy_374355334]

roy, you say "hello Ray,there is a 12 volt supply to the socket[voltage meter]but havn`t spread the pins,i have checked the taps and the micro switches they are all fine,"

The voltage you are checking is off load and if there is a high resistance, { poor joint, bad contacts in the micro switches etc}, then the supply at the pump inlet will fall away with the load {pump} connected.

I still think the best bet is a car / van indicator bulb connected at the pump housing. Ensure that it lights up solidly whenever a tap is opened.

Ray

Hello Ray

Checked the pump housing today,12 volt supply when tap on first of all pump worked then turned it off tried again but won`t work even though still 12 volt there tried the light bulb and it will not light up so what is the next step.one thing i have noticed is a blue clip coupling block on the white and brown cable which could have possibly got wet or damp should i replace this with a new one and move the coupling away from the water pipes ?If this doesn`t solve it I will go and get some new taps.advice please before our next trip out at the end of May.

 

[Roy_374355334]

hello ray

checked the housing today 12 volt supply but will not light up the bulb ,initially pump worked then didn`t work ,what next.

 

[rayc]

Roy, One of the pins on the housing should be connected to the battery negative supply and the other pin should be connected to the battery positive via a fuse and either tap switch.

Firstly ensure that your test lamp works! Obvious i know but I have been there.

I suggest that you use the test bulb to find out which of the pins isn't getting the supply. Connect one side of the lamp to the battery positive and locate the negative pin on the housing. If neither pin causes the lamp to light then the negative supply isn't there. Connect the test lamp to the battery negative and with a tap open locate the positive pin. By a process of elimination i'm sure you will get there. Where do you live -anywhere near Poole in Dorset??

 

[RonD]

Hello Ray

Checked the pump housing today,12 volt supply when tap on first of all pump worked then turned it off tried again but won`t work even though still 12 volt there tried the light bulb and it will not light up so what is the next step.one thing i have noticed is a blue clip coupling block on the white and brown cable which could have possibly got wet or damp should i replace this with a new one and move the coupling away from the water pipes ?If this doesn`t solve it I will go and get some new taps.advice please before our next trip out at the end of May.

Hello Roy,

As Ray says, you have a high resistance somewhere which is not allowing much current to flow. hence no 12v bulb. The connector you've found would be the first thing I'd replace. If it's been wet it will be corroded. Fit a new one and then see what happens?

Ron D

 

[Roy_374355334]

Hello Ray

Sounds complicated but i know what you mean,so this weekend will be spent doing that,and i am sorry but I live near Ashton-under-lyne Cheshire

Kind Regards

Roy

 

[RonD]

Roy,

I would replace that blue connector clip you've described. If it's wet or corroded that may well be causing the high resistance. If necessary replace it with a screw terminal connector to be certain. A pump takes around 5A and your wiring needs to be up to the job with no dirty or corroded pins (and connectors)

Good luck, Ron D

 

[rayc]

Roy, as Rod has said you have a bad connection somewhere. As you said you 12 volt there tried the light bulb and it will not light.

If it were me I would disconnect the wires at the housing and connect the bulb across them. If the bulb will not light use your meter to work out which is the negative wire. Connect a wire temporarily from the battery negative to that side of the bulb. Does it light yes/no. If yes you have a problem with the negative connection to the battery. If no then remove the temporary wire and connect one side to the battery positive and the other the the 'positive' side of the bulb. I would hope it would light.

If all else fails get a normal electrician or auto electrician who should be able to sort out the problem quckly.

 

[rayc]

Roy, as Rod has said you have a bad connection somewhere. As you said you 12 volt there tried the light bulb and it will not light.

If it were me I would disconnect the wires at the housing and connect the bulb across them. If the bulb will not light use your meter to work out which is the negative wire. Connect a wire temporarily from the battery negative to that side of the bulb. Does it light yes/no. If yes you have a problem with the negative connection to the battery. If no then remove the temporary wire and connect one side to the battery positive and the other the the 'positive' side of the bulb. I would hope it would light.

If all else fails get a normal electrician or auto electrician who should be able to sort out the problem quckly.

sorry Ron I meant you and not Rod {whoever he is}.

 

[Rodone]

If it is a Thames pump, I would also carefully check that the wires are firmly screwed into the brass connectors after you ease back the blue plastic hand grip. I had some intermittent trouble last week, and found that the blue wire was only just making contact. Just a movement on the van was enough to start or stop it

 

[Roy_374355334]

WELL I AM PLEASED TO REPORT TO YOU RAY AND ROD AND PRACTICAL CARAVAN WEB-SITE THAT I HAVE SOLVED THE ANNOYING WATER SUPPLY AND THE PROBLEM WAS 2 CORRODED CLIP JOINTS UNDER THE WASHROOM SINK THAT WAS CAUSING THE LOW SURGE ON THE POWER SUPPLY.I REPLACED ALL THE CRIMP AND OTHER JOINTS ON THE WIRES FOR THE TAPS AND THE WATER SUPPLY IS WORKING AS IT SHOULD, ONCE AGAIN THANKYOU FOR YOUR ADVICE.

KIND REGARDS

ROY

 

[rayc]

Roy, well done. There is a cetain satisfaction on fixing a problem yourself rather than hand over cash for to someone else. Another bonus is that you now understand how it works.

Ray

 

[Roy_374355334]

Thanks Ray

 

[RonD]

Well done Roy! That's saved a bit of cash!

Regards,

Ron D