Water system: what am I looking at and making good

[WanderingWeasel]

I think what happened was, the previous owner bypassed the internal tank completely and was relying completely on hosepipe water pressure, from where he had it parked next to his house.

What I want to do, ideally is set up my aquaroll with a pump to fill the internal tank and get that distribution system working, independent of what services I may have.

 

[borderbilly]

Theres a cat in your van, or is it a weasel?

 

[Beardy]

Theres a cat in your van, or is it a weasel?

Davy Crockett hat?

 

[Martin_E]

You would need to do more pictures of where all the pipes come from and where they go, showing a couple of pipes that don’t go anywhere doesn’t help in sorting the problem.
It’s a pig like showing three sets of 230v cables and saying how do I get my sockets to work 🤔

 

[Hutch]

I like Martin's reply, 😂 you either need to. Do a Heath Robinson fix , direct from the Aqua roll to the onboard tank.
Or direct to the water heater and cold water. I am thinking your pitch owner doesn't really want you there. Moving every week. Is not good. How much does that cost, electric etc. .

 

[WanderingWeasel]

I like Martin's reply, 😂 you either need to. Do a Heath Robinson fix , direct from the Aqua roll to the onboard tank.
Or direct to the water heater and cold water. I am thinking your pitch owner doesn't really want you there. Moving every week. Is not good. How much does that cost, electric etc. .

He recently opened the site to caravans, having only previously accepted motorhomes and tents. I don't think he is really prepared for the reality of caravans. He's grudgingly accepted cold hard cash for 5 weeks at a grand and change. We were willing to pay more than perhaps we should have so my wife could keep her job during this period of homelessness. I'm a tech person and can work from anywhere with even a spotty connection.

I'll try to get more photos, but I can trace the pipe from the hose outside to a pair of t junctions. One goes to what I assume is a gas water heater, as it has a gas line and several red pipes coming out of it. Then there's a blue line that goes along the wall to the bathroom, parallel to a red line. Another blue line loops around the front of the van and along the opposite wall to the kitchen sink.

I've been into the internal reservoir and it's got a 12v submersible pump, and something for measuring water level. Pump leads to one of the disconnected outlets from the reservoir.

So it looks like I've got a fully disconnected internal reservoir and a non-pressurised feed that should run the entire water system, if hooked up to a pressurised feed. Don't have a hosepipe long enough to test...

I don't know why the internal reservoir was disconnected, and I don't think a seance to commune with the dead will be productive. I will take many more photos.

 

[Buckman]

Maybe simpler and quicker to get an AWS technician who is experienced in these layouts to connect up all the pipe work for you?

 

[Shaino]

if all the electric and water components are there and are in the working condition

then the water tank connection is simply a pipe to the T junction of your external water inlet.

If you have it connected already but it's not working there could be a bypass switch near the water tank itself.

Be aware that testing nobody-knows-how-they-are-connected water pipes can lead to unexpected water leaks. I personally wouldn't risk it until I checked every pipe and every joint.

 

[trevormonty]

The blue tap at base of tank looks like drain to empty tank.. You only show one pipe coming out of it, should be two one to fill another attached to internal pump.

The yellow tap is drain for system and is show open ie up and draining.

Here is inlet and filter that should go into hole where blue hose is.

Crystal Filtapac Replacement Water Filter Housing

Crystal Filtapac Replacement Water Filter Housing

www.ukcaravans.co.nz

Should be two 12V electrical connectors on back of it to power external aquaroll pump.
There should also be pressure switch in system. See link. It fits between inlet and internal cold water pipe. Pump's +12V goes through this switch. Turns pump off when system is at correct pressure. Knob on top allows you to adjust cutoff pressure.

Whale MK2 Inline Pressure Switch 12mm

The Whale MK2 Inline Pressure Switch (12mm) allows regulation of the pressure in your water system.

www.rvsupercentre.co.nz

I'd get it working of external aquaroll pump first. Then you can think about plumbing in internal tank and way to fill it from aquaroll.
I'd feed internal tanks outlet through pressure switch and have pressure switch control internal tanks pump.
To fill tank feed external inlet pipe straight into internal tank inlet. Connect 12v to external inlet pump connectors. No need for over flow if you fill from 10L containers ie place aquaroll pump in 10L containers. Only add what you think internal tank can take ie 10L at time. Error on caution side and under fill.

My caravan is feed externally using same inlet. Plan is fit internal tank and fill from Aquaroll using external pump. Not sure if I'll use inline pump of submerged pump to supply water from internal tank.

Can you supply photos of pump in internal tank, how it is mounted, plumbed and wired. I may copy it.

 

[WanderingWeasel]

Be aware that testing nobody-knows-how-they-are-connected water pipes can lead to unexpected water leaks. I personally wouldn't risk it until I checked every pipe and every joint.

That was my plan for the weekend until it got co-opted by my in laws. I found some more unbeknown pipes under the bathroom sink, so I need to do some more exploring.

 

[WanderingWeasel]

Can you supply photos of pump in internal tank, how it is mounted, plumbed and wired. I may copy it.

I'll try to get more photos later today but unless you like puzzles and Rube Goldberg, I wouldn't replicate this mess.

 

[toad a caravan]

Reckon you've got a dead gremlin on the floor🙂

 

[ProfJohnL]

There are a lot of unknowns in this system, so as others have said its not possible to give precise advice.
However there is one major concern about the system you received, and that is you tell us you think the previous owner used mains water pressure direct onto the pipe work, is definitely not a good idea. The appliances will only be rated for about 1.5Bar cold water pressure, Bear in mind that mains water can easily reach 6Bar there is a real risk of pipework joints or valves or appliances being damaged.

The connecting hose may have had a pressure reducer fitted to control the pressure. Hoses are sold specifically for this purpose.

From the pictures, you have either a Carver or Truma Crystal filter input on the side of the caravan. It is clearly seriously damaged and will be unusable. It will need to either replaced with the same unit or possibly adapted to receive a different make of pump inlet.

 

[trevormonty]

Once you get it sorted give system good clean/flush, there are chemicals design specificially to do this. See local caravan supplier.

 

[WanderingWeasel]

There are a lot of unknowns in this system, so as others have said its not possible to give precise advice.
However there is one major concern about the system you received, and that is you tell us you think the previous owner used mains water pressure direct onto the pipe work, is definitely not a good idea. ...

The connecting hose may have had a pressure reducer fitted to control the pressure. Hoses are sold specifically for this purpose.

I was given a hosepipe, but it doesn't have a pressure regulator, just a bog standard clip on hose fitting. You've given some of the most practical information, especially about system pressure, thanks! Gives me more to work with as well as a "what to test and replace" kind of thing.

I've had the suggestions to get aquaroll working first and I think that will involve replacement of the filter unit. I'll add more photos of the internal reservoir as well, but I have had a flare up of one of my several disabilities. So we may need to wait.

I have a strapping young lad who has no bother just straight up lifting a full aquaroll. I was using a cart to haul it (it's missing a rubber attachment on one side so it's more an aquadrag than roll...) and he was like "why are you doing that?" and just hoiked the aquaroll out and put it on his shoulder. Carried it a good hundred feet to the caravan from the spigot.

Wondering if I could just abandon external feeds and fill lines and just have him fill the reservoir when we aren't within hosepipe-through-the-window distance.

 

[trevormonty]

Leave aquaroll outside caravan and topup with 10L containers, lot easier to carry.

 

[Dustydog]

What year make and model caravan? If it’s the same as mine I think I can help with wiring and plumbing diagrams

 

[borderbilly]

Leave aquaroll outside caravan and topup with 10L containers, lot easier to carry.

Is the clue not in the name? aquaROLL.

 

[WanderingWeasel]

What year make and model caravan? If it’s the same as mine I think I can help with wiring and plumbing diagrams

2002 Elddis Crusader SuperStorm 5 Berth

 

[WanderingWeasel]

Is the clue not in the name? aquaROLL.

The handle doesn't attach to mine so it's not really a roller anymore.

 

[Buckman]

Is the clue not in the name? aquaROLL.

Did you miss?

I have a strapping young lad who has no bother just straight up lifting a full aquaroll. I was using a cart to haul it (it's missing a rubber attachment on one side so it's more an aquadrag than roll...) and he was like "why are you doing that?" and just hoiked the aquaroll out and put it on his shoulder. Carried it a good hundred feet to the caravan from the spigot.

 

[Dustydog]

2002 Elddis Crusader SuperStorm 5 Berth

It seems your system has been severely stripped out! Returning it to original is possible but Elddis use a different method to Bailey. Does your handbook help.
This touched on it

Crusader water system

We have just been away in our new Crusader Super Sirocco for the fist time. Just picked it up last week so still feeling my way around it at the moment. Does anyone have a 2007 Crusader with an onboard water tank and the new style Truma external pump. I wanted to use the aquaroll without the...

forums.practicalcaravan.com

 

[WanderingWeasel]

It seems your system has been severely stripped out! Returning it to original is possible but Elddis use a different method to Bailey. Does your handbook help.
This touched on it

Crusader water system

We have just been away in our new Crusader Super Sirocco for the fist time. Just picked it up last week so still feeling my way around it at the moment. Does anyone have a 2007 Crusader with an onboard water tank and the new style Truma external pump. I wanted to use the aquaroll without the...

forums.practicalcaravan.com

Handbook? Bold of you to assume this thing still has a handbook. Yeah the water system has been severely stripped out, it looks like it was being rebuilt before being mothballed.

 

[WanderingWeasel]

A few more photos, might be of no use.

 

[trevormonty]

Is tank internal pump's outlet that unterminated blue pipe coming out top?. If so where is inflow pipe to fill it?.

You may find one of the long black joiners in middle of pipe section is non return valve.

The photos are little to focused on one area wider angle shots would be handy if you decide to post anymore.