Whale Aquasmart - Elddis Crusader

[adam_374374842]

Any help would be very much appreciated - I have a 2008 Elddis Crusader super sirocco - I can get no water from the Aquaroll - the taps bubble and spit a very small bit of water but nothing comes through I have tried everything to my knowledge - all sourced from the internet from tipping the van itself,placing the pump into the barrel first also without filter,replaced non return valve,pump makes the usual noises and seems O.K but also replaced this as well to cover that area to no avail,opened the furthest hot tap only and did the usual set up I have been doing for 17 years,disconnected all pipes leading to pump on by one with no blockages found - the only thing I seem not to delve into is the box behind the water tank that brings the water into van is there something I could do around there but would have to move the tank possibly - desperate and itching to go away - Thankyou for any advice......Adam.

 

[Raywood]

Whale have a good reputation for customer service so I would try ringing them and hopefully they can talk you through sorting it.

 

[adam_374374842]

Thanks for the reply - yes they are very helpful I have used them in the passed and on this occasion they emailed me a trouble shooting sheet which I had tried everything written down and have kept for future reference ............ Thanks again.

 

[VicMallows]

My 2005 Elddis has a Crystal Mk2 water inlet (no filter). This incorporates a non-return valve (a small plastic bit with an 'o'ring actually in the water inlet. (There is an additional separate push-fit non-return as well).

At the rear of the Crystal fitting is a pushfit 'T' fitting. IF THIS IS PUSHED FULLY ONTO the crystal inlet, it pushes the non-return into the OFF position. This can happen accidentally. (The problem is because it is a 'T' with the middle branch attached to the inlet. A straight fitting, or the ends of a 'T' would not create this particular problem.

Just something worth checking!

 

[adam_374374842]

Thankyou - will be checking - could you tell where to find the push T fitment!?

 

[VicMallows]

Thankyou - will be checking - could you tell where to find the push T fitment!?

Directly behind the water inlet. The problem in my case (Elddis Avante) is that with the 'T' fitting as installed, if pushed fully home, it prevents the built-in non-return from opening. (It seems the 'T' does not have a stop to limit how far the fitting can be pushed onto the inlet fitting). You say your inlet is located behind the tank ..... can you reach around the tank and feel the back of the inlet fitting? (If you DO have a separate non-return valve, then you don't really also need the one incorporated into the inlet).

Caravans are seldom built with ease-of-maintenance in mind!. On mine the hot water tank has to be removed just to replace the immersion heater element ..... which should be a simple 10-minute job

 

[audiorob]

You seem to have been exceedingly thorough, so excuse this reply if it is something you have already checked. When my Elddis van was new to me I had the same issue, I could get the taps to splutter but not supply running water. The dealer kindly showed me how to remove the tap spout filters which had become clogged between use - I think the in-line filters do seem to shed a bit of charcoal. In the tap head effectively are 2 nylon and 2 metal grids that I suspect become easily clogged.. Now I check them regularly blowing any bits out and screwing the assembly back into the spout - rarely do I find nothing!

 

[Dustydog]

Adam
Can you just clarify if you have an onboard cold water tank and on board Whale high-flow on-board pump system with carbon filter?
When you say you put the pump in the aquaroll, sorry to sound thick but is it a pump and not the carbon filter??
If you have the onboard set up then there are two and three way valves, either manual or electrical solenoids.
Maybe one of these has failed . I have the onboard system and over the last eight years have changed both three way valve as they fail in one position. I carry a spare now.
Hope you get it fixed. Whale have a very good website which may help you.
It will be interesting to know what the problem is.

 

[Hutch]

Hi Adam, as DD and Audio rob have stated, tap filters, silly little items but big fault, and on sterwlising my van once a too strong solution and it clogged the filters. Good luck.
Hutch.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hi Adam, as DD and Audio rob have stated, tap filters, silly little items but big fault, and on sterwlising my van once a too strong solution and it clogged the filters. Good luck.
Hutch.

Hello Hutch,

All the activated carbon type filters I have come across recommend flushing though to remove any loose particles before being put to active use. Loose bits of carbon can compromise not only tap filters but also non return valves in the system. So it's a wise precaution to remove tap filters whilst you flush a few litres of water after fitting a new carbon filter. Generally speaking, any carbon based water filter will only last a season. You need to check the manufacturers recommendations.

If Carbon filters are left in site for too long, they will become ineffective. There is an increasing probability the filters containment of both the carbon granules and the debris the filter has collected will breakdown releasing the contents into the down stream pipe work. This not only defeats the purpose of the filter but it will almost certainly compromise fawcett filters, and possibly non return valves on appliances.

Sterilising fluids will damage carbon filters., so when sterilising all carbon filters should be removed before sterilising. Generally you will only sterilise once a year, or may be before and after the season. It would be good practice to check the fawcett filters each time you change the main carbon water filter. Always follow the sterilise on manufacturers instructions regarding concentrations and dilutions, and exposure times.

Sterelising fluid should not block fawcett filters!

Just a note. I knew caravanners who commented that they had been glad they had changed their water filter because when they took the old one out it looked pretty horrible! :woohoo: l get the impression they thought it should look clean, but of course, without the filter all that grunge would have been flowing through your pipes. :huh:

 

[VicMallows]

I can't understand why anyone has an inline filter at all. I do not want to DRINK water that has stood in my aquaroll, or been through my plumbing pipes (which will inevitably have had some water sitting in them since the last outing). One 5l container filled directly from the tap (any hose removed) is all that is needed. If you don't like the taste, a basic filter jug .

 

[Dustydog]

Vic. I appreciate your view.
For the last 39 years the day before departure I have cleaned the water system with Milton, flushed and rinsed through and I am still here :cheer:
When did any of us clean the house pipes?
I grew up in London where we had lead pipes for the mains water :woohoo:

 

[Hutch]

Vic, how many miles of Piped "Fresh" water do you think it takes, to get to your tap. Lots of traveĺing water, We get through a 40 litre aqua roll every day , through our showers and washing up, our carbon in line filter takes out most of the chlorine smells, and at times we have to buy bottled water for the dogs, not us, as they have a greater sense of smell , so need extra care.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I fully understand Vic's comment. However for many caravanners during the 80s adn 90s, there was no choice as most UK caravan manufacturers fitted filter systems.

For most supplies in the UK there is no need for a filter, but for those who rough caravanned in the UK or in many cases water supplies abroad were not so clean, a filter was a benefit. As far as I know non of the filter manufacturers claimed their filters would make unclean water potable, but they did remove particulates, and bad smells.

Some included a trace of silver nitrate which acted as an anti bacterial agent principally to prevent the filter it self from becoming a breeding ground.

 

[Dustydog]

Whale recommend their aquasmart filters are changed every 30 days!!
In practice we change ours every four months or so. As the Prof rightly points out the UK water supplies are pretty reliable and contain little debris or bugs.
Also the pipe work is fully compliant with drinking water regs and bug resistant.
Everyone to their own.
As an aside I travelled the UK and Europe extensively in my job and believe I built us some resistance to the different types of water available from the mains. The old adage that a change of water upset your stomach never seems to apply to me. Does a change of water affect anyone else :silly:

 

[Hutch]

Never really had a problem here in the UK or in France with the tap water, but when I was working in Nigeria and only drinking boiled and filtered water found that it would take "my body system" a few days to get sorted out to the UK tap water.

 

[Martin24]

Whale recommend their aquasmart filters are changed every 30 days!!
In practice we change ours every four months or so. As the Prof rightly points out the UK water supplies are pretty reliable and contain little debris or bugs.
Also the pipe work is fully compliant with drinking water regs and bug resistant.
Everyone to their own.
As an aside I travelled the UK and Europe extensively in my job and believe I built us some resistance to the different types of water available from the mains. The old adage that a change of water upset your stomach never seems to apply to me. Does a change of water affect anyone else :silly:

Bungs me up for about three days every time

 

[Dustydog]

Whale recommend their aquasmart filters are changed every 30 days!!
In practice we change ours every four months or so. As the Prof rightly points out the UK water supplies are pretty reliable and contain little debris or bugs.
Also the pipe work is fully compliant with drinking water regs and bug resistant.
Everyone to their own.
As an aside I travelled the UK and Europe extensively in my job and believe I built us some resistance to the different types of water available from the mains. The old adage that a change of water upset your stomach never seems to apply to me. Does a change of water affect anyone else :silly:

Bungs me up for about three days every time

 

[adam_374374842]

Thankyou all for being so helpful and friendly - I have been away for the weekend - hooked up and give it my all from all the replies - might just trade in for a tent!!!........Got Happy Caravan coming to sort a window problem and have mentioned the water issue with him and he never lets me down - just would have liked to have cracked it myself - never mind will post the end result.....Thankyou all again.

 

[audiorob]

PLease let the forum know the outcome - anyone with a similar problem can then be wiser from the outset!