Senator On Board Water Tank.

[ProfAlGoogle]

Hi all, has anyone improved on the very awkward method of filling the onboard water tank. I find it a bit of a chore having to get down on my hands & knees to operate the changeover valves under the front seating every time I wish to fill the onboard tank. We used to have a Elldis crusader storm that used an external pump to fill the tank, which seemed a far better arrangement. Has anyone converted there senator to use an external pump to fill the tank? If so what did you do with the change over valve arrangement? Did you remove them or retain them, & does it have an adverse affect when you use a super pitch.

In anticipation Allan & Gill.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

That was one of the 1st mods I made on the Oklahoma (series 5)

I have the levers set to van taps from tank and have a submersible pump in the aquaroll that can be switched on from inside the van to fill the tank

The existing inlet socket can be fitted with the 12V terminals without removing it from the van but I had to buy the unit to find that out!

A new 1/2in water pipe now runs from the inlet and fills the tank via a new hole bored alongside the existing pipe

The switch on the control panel for the locker light is now used to switch on the tank fill pump via a relay and there is a flashing LED to show when that pump is running

A pump saver time switch is set to 3 minutes which means that it switches off just before the aquaroll is empty after tank fill

Hope that helps

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Thanks for that information John very helpful. Would it have not been possible to have used the existing inlet pipe by connecting direct to the inboard tank via the existing hole in the tank as opposed to drilling another hole in to the tank? And can you still draw water direct from the aqua roll as in the case of a super pitch, where I use the valve that screws in to the side of the aqua roll. And finally where can you obtain the 12v terminals from? & did you use the existing inlet water pipe & remove the filter & replace it with the pump, sorry for all the questions John.

Allan & Gill.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Hi again A & G

Its good to talk!!

If you had used the existing hole for the fill pipe you would have still needed another hole for the water pipe to taps supply to come out

That was easy to do as the inpection cover can be removed and a cup etc held under the new hole to catch the swarf as the plastic is being drilled

Its like the aquaroll with super pitch fitting you need one inlet and one outlet

As fitted by Bailey its just a rubber grommet in the tank entry hole so I did the same with silicone added round both holes

If you have the super pitch float valve in the aquaroll then you will always have a full aquaroll to pump into the tank

I bought a complete Whale pump with its pipe and plug which I used instead of the fill pipe but that can be fitted with a hose connector for filling the tank from a tap.

I never liked the direct to tank type of fitting as the pressure loss was too much to enable showering

I think that it may mean buying the complete inlet as it may take a long time for a dealer to get just the terminals via the spares dept.

Hope that helps

On the 12V side I would use quite heavy cable direct from the battery via a fuse to cut down on voltage drop

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

Thanks again John, the way I thought about it was, seeing as there is already an inlet & an outlet to the tank, I was considering removing the filter from the bottom of the existing fill pipe, and replacing that with a submersible pump, then inside the van remove the pipe from the diverter valve & connect it direct to the existing inlet on the tank. But of course I would still need to get a supply to the pump, perhaps I could utilise the front locker light (never used it yet!) the same as you have done to feed the pump, feasible? What do you think John.

A n G

 

[MalcolmL]

I must be missing something here. This all seems like a lot of effort compared with moving two levers, twice, in the bed locker.

I fill the onboard tank from the aquaroll, refll the aquaroll (unless the weather is hot) and generally leave the filler tube in the aquaroll until next required. Then, it's just a case of moving the levers when the low water light comes on. I don't even need to go outside unless I wish to do so. I can also fill the onboard tank when it's only part empty, as, being translucent, the water level can easily be seen.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Hi again A & G

You might as well just buy the Whale pump assembly as you need the plug with the contacts and the wire to the pump plus a pipe for the water and that comes in a unit when you buy the pump asssembly.

I asked at Leisure Sales today and they confirmed that they have never had the side contacts on their own

I used the wires from the locker light to work a 4 pin relay so that the switch on the panel is not taking a heavy load .It just switches the relay contacts

Malcolm I think that it is more likely that we are missing something not you

Later Senators have a door in the front of the bed locker and

its relatively easy to change the levers over

My Oklahoma requires the corner cushion to be removed,the bed slats to be lifted and then you have to almost stand on your head to reach the levers

Not desirable if you need to switch levers in the middle of a shower.

I was used to the arrangement with an external pump as I had fitted out previous vans with a tank myselfand I prefer it

But that suits me --maybe not you

 

[MalcolmL]

You're right, my Oklahoma has access via the front locker door. I had forgotten an earlier Oklahoma had the rigmarole as described by yourself. Apologies.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

You're right, my Oklahoma has access via the front locker door. I had forgotten an earlier Oklahoma had the rigmarole as described by yourself. Apologies.

None needed--no doubt other people thought the same as you!

 

[ProfAlGoogle]

I can gain access via the bed locker door (Arizona S5) but still on all fours job, far better to have a remote fill system via an externall pump.

A & G

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I can gain access via the bed locker door (Arizona S5) but still on all fours job, far better to have a remote fill system via an externall pump.

A & G

All fours-very vunerable--safer to have a switch!

 

[DeliDave]

weve got series 6 indiana and get to valves thro drop down door.There is also a fill position on the pump switch connected to a float in tank so pump cuts out when tank is full much better arrangement than our series 5.Also i read somewhere you can fit electric changeover kit so its only a push button job.

 

[ANN_374233635]

Any idea how much the electric changeover kit is and where I could get one?

 

[David_374301039]

Made enquiries at my local Bailey dealer and he faxed Whale for the cost of the electrical changover valves.