Changing microswitches in the bathroom

[Kevin_374310102]

I have a 1991 Compass Rallye 460 GTE. The water pump runs continuously, even though no taps are switched on. I have checked the microswitches in the kitchen and shower taps by leaving the main pump switch in the Zig unit switched on and disconnecting one of the wires to see if the pump switches off. It doesn't. I assume that would work. What I can't work out is how to get at the switches in the bathroom washbasin taps. It all seems to be sealed up. The shower unit has a panel in the wardrobe which gives access to the back of the unit, but there is nothing like that for the washbasin. Surely you don't have to remove the whole sink unit. This is a fold-up sink above the Thetford cassette toilet. Anybody any ideas? Oh, to make matters worse, I am on site in Seville and will be until mid December, so I have to live with it for a while.

Thanks in advance.

Kevin

 

[Angus1]

Many of the taps of that era had tops which could be lifted (or prised) off which gave access to the actual microswitch.

Having said that, I would find it unusual for a switch to remain `on` as all the problems I`ve ever had with microswitches (and there have been quite a few which is why I would prefer a simpler, pressureised system as my Lunar had many,many moons ago) have been as a result of the microswitches getting dirty contacts and refusing to switch on.

If the tops of the taps cant be taken off, I`d try to find where the spur for the taps is taken from and disconnect there which would at least confirm if it is the taps or another electrical fault before you start dismantling.

Good luck!

 

[Kevin_374310102]

Thanks for the advice. I will try it out later: not on holiday unfortunately, so work comes first. However, is there any other reason a pump would be continuously running?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[Angus1]

Well, Kevin, it`s not unusual to find vans have been improved or "modified" by previous owners, and fitting new taps may require attention to the wiring, which(particularly in restricted areas) might mean Scotchloks or similar which aren`t infallable, and a loose wire could give either the positive feed or feed to earth you pump needs to run.

Also, somewhere all your 12volt wires should run through a fuse block, which if there has been any damp or condensation over the years can lead to all sorts of problems. Again, it would be worth finding this and making sure nothing is amiss here as well. Again, its far easier than dismantling the sink unit and should only take a couple of minutes. Class it as `preventative maintainance` and even if its O.K you wont have wasted your time and will have peace of mind.

 

[Kevin_374310102]

Thanks for the info, Angus. Have just looked at the taps. Yes, you can take the tap heads off, but the unit is fitted through three holes in the washbasin unit, none of which are big enough to get a finger through with the pipe below it, so I guess I have to try and find the switch wires and test them that way. When you write about the fuse box, is that not incorporated in the Zig unit? I have the main contact breaker box where the mains cable comes in with, I think, three contact breakers, and the Zig control panel.

Many thanks for your help.

Kevin

 

[Angus1]

I used to have an ABI Transtar of that vintage, and as well as the charging unit fuses there was also a fuse block of about 8 - 10 ceramic fuses covering all the 12volt functions (also handy for extra 12v feeds).

Mine was located in the front (wet) locker under the front seat, same place as my earlier Lunar.

 

[Damian]

Before you go ripping taps from their locations, from what you are describing, it would seem that you have a pressurised system.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

If it is a pressurised system, it will be the pressure switch which needs adjusting, a simple job of turning the knurled button on the top of the switch , usually found somewhere near the water inlet , inside the van.

If it is not pressurised, the microswitches are accessed through the top of the taps in the majority of cases.

 

[Kevin_374310102]

Hi Damian,

Nope, it isn't a pressurised system, unfortunately. Also, as I noted previously, there's no way I can get through the available hole to get close to the microswitches. I think I am just going to have to do what Angus suggests and try and find the wires nearer the pump. Short term I can disconnect the wire for the offending switch (if it is the switch) and fill the washbasin from the shower head until I have more time. Just getting the *@! pump to switch off when it should would make such a difference.

Kevin

 

[kenneth_374315528]

I used to have one of those tip-up sinks in the bathroom and if I remember correctly there were 4 screws holding the taps and spout. It was a simple matter of just unscrewing these screws and the whole lot came away. You cant see the screw heads as there is an insert covering the slots in the screws. You can then access the micro switches. Ken

 

[Kevin_374310102]

There are no screws, I'm afraid. If I take off the cover in the top of the taps and undo the screw underneath, I can take off the tap body. This leaves the plastic base loose, but still held on by the spout connection. I can undo a plastic hex connection, which allows me to remove the spout, but there is another hex-shaped piece of plastic underneath that continues to hold the base onto the washbasin. With both the shower unit and the washbasin, I can turn this as much as I want, but it doesn't get any looser. Even if I could remove it, as previously noted, there are 3 holes in the washbasin unit, none of which would allow me to get my fingers in, so I would have to hope I could pull the lower part of the tap through the gap far enough to get at the microswitch. Ah well, back to tracing the wiring for those switches to a place I can get at.

Thanks for all the feedback.

Kevin

 

[Kevin_374310102]

I have finally had a chance to follow up this problem. Having looked in the locker, I see that there is a connection block that, among other things, has the two wires from the pump going to it, with other wires connected to the same connection pairs. So I systematically removed a wire and switched on the pump. If it didn't come on, I tested the taps to see if they would work. After a few tries I found the offending wire, and sure enough it was the washbasin taps. What I find very odd though, is that one wire when disconnected takes out both taps. This may be connected to the number of wires in total to these two connection block pairs. If I assume there are two wires for the pump, and two for the power, there are 5 left. It seems to me that I would expect an even number of wires (one for each tap) giving me 6 in my case. So I wonder if the one wire is then split under the taps. A real shame, because if it weren't the case I would be able to get hot and cold running with the trick of opening the working one a little to start the pump and then opening the non-working one to get the water I want. At least I can still fill the washbasin with the shower head.

If anybody has any more light to shed on this, all comments welcome. Otherwise, many thanks for all the contributions.

Kevin

 

[Angus1]

Kevin,

If one wire is taking out both taps that wire is in all probability the earth return (my old ABI had the earth wires for the kitchen taps siamesed in this way).Having said that, the system would work with only one feed as well.

I think from what you say unless you get access to the micro-switches with a multi-meter you will struggle to solve this one.

 

[Kevin_374310102]

I agree. I am going to consider it solved now until we get back to the UK. I have another problem with the water heater leaking that also appears intractable and will have to wait until then too. The pump continuously running (or continuously being switched on and off at the panel) was exacerbating that problem, so I am just glad to be able to use the other taps normally. I might get hold of the guy who serviced the van to see if he has anything else to add. If he does, I will post it here.

Thanks again.

Kevin

 

[RonD]

All the microswitches are wired in parallel. Switching on any tap will cause the pump to run but only the open tap will have water flowing from it. That's why removing one wire takes out both taps.

Ron