Whale pump/fuse blowing

[Neighbours]

I am regular DIYer, including plumbing, but not caravan-er - my neighbour has Bailey Pageant S7 Loire, used as all year round accommodation since Jan 2022 for one additional family member, so think just light water use, not showers etc. No water problems until early this year, but now blows 10A pump fuse on regular basis. (Possibly started with a freezing night?) {note - on pump says 5A, fuseboard says 10A ??}. Water supply is mains to 40 litre Aquaroll with Whale EP1612 pump. Aquaroll currently not insulated, but planned before next winter. Mains electric.

I have replaced about 6 red 10A fuses; each time I turn tap on few times to test, water flows fine, (inc a 5 min run) does it's 30 sec surge dump run on (I understand that's ok), so assume all ok, then couple days later am told fuse blown again. Last fuse replacement lasted couple of weeks. EP1612 pump replaced in case froze and run dry; no improvement. Ballcock in Aquaroll works fine. No pipe leaks in caravan evident. Whale Smartflo UV0814 pump in caravan all seems ok. Have asked Whale - response unhelpful.

So it has worked fine for a year, works fine when I test, but since mid winter blows fuse for user, with no changes/alterations to the system?? Confused. Could there be anything else I should ask the user? I had initially suggested switch pump off at caravan door each use, but later said perhaps leave on as that could affect something.

Thanks in advance

 

[audiorob]

30 seconds seems a long run on after the tap is turned off. Visit the Whale website and download the page ‘pressure switch adjustment’ and follow the instructions - my system switches off the pump instantly when the tap is turned off. Also bear in mind that it may need a bit of tweaking from time to time.
May be nothing to do with the problem but also unscrew and unblock the filters in the end of tap spouts that may be over restrict ing the through flow,

 

[ProfJohnL]

I am regular DIYer, including plumbing, but not caravan-er - my neighbour has Bailey Pageant S7 Loire, used as all year round accommodation since Jan 2022 for one additional family member, so think just light water use, not showers etc. No water problems until early this year, but now blows 10A pump fuse on regular basis. (Possibly started with a freezing night?) {note - on pump says 5A, fuseboard says 10A ??}. Water supply is mains to 40 litre Aquaroll with Whale EP1612 pump. Aquaroll currently not insulated, but planned before next winter. Mains electric.

I have replaced about 6 red 10A fuses; each time I turn tap on few times to test, water flows fine, (inc a 5 min run) does it's 30 sec surge dump run on (I understand that's ok), so assume all ok, then couple days later am told fuse blown again. Last fuse replacement lasted couple of weeks. EP1612 pump replaced in case froze and run dry; no improvement. Ballcock in Aquaroll works fine. No pipe leaks in caravan evident. Whale Smartflo UV0814 pump in caravan all seems ok. Have asked Whale - response unhelpful.

So it has worked fine for a year, works fine when I test, but since mid winter blows fuse for user, with no changes/alterations to the system?? Confused. Could there be anything else I should ask the user? I had initially suggested switch pump off at caravan door each use, but later said perhaps leave on as that could affect something.

Thanks in advance

When an animal looks and sounds like duck, its probably a duck! so in the same vein , a fuse blows when the pump runs, replace fuse and it blows when the pump runs, the obvious conclusions is the pump is drawing too much current which is blowing the fuse!

It is also apparent the pump takes a long time to turn off after the tap has been closed, which Audiorob rightly points to the pressure switch adjustment needing attention.

The whale pump similar to most submersible pumps rely on water flow through the body of the pump to cool the motor and to keep the shaft seal in good condition. If the water flow stops and the pump continues to run for more than about a 10 seconds, the motor can begin to heat up which can distort the plastic surrounding it and the shaft seals. Ultimately water can enter the motor housing, and that will adversely affect the motor, causing it to draw more current, and prematurely fail.

Replace the pump, and then carry out the pressure switch calibration to ensure it does not run for long periods when the taps are turned off.

 

[Neighbours]

Thanks for previous responses. So, I had a look; where I thought pressure switch was is actually Whale Surge Damper 720, next to Smartflo pump, with no sign of a pressure switch - perhaps located elsewhere on the system? (Not integral pressure switch). I have already replaced the aquaroll pump, (no improvement) but not the expensive internal pump. Tap spout filters fairly clean. Changed 10a fuse and not heard yet if blown again. Considering next move maybe find local caravan 'expert', or set up for direct to mains (was so when caravan aquired 18 months ago), though aware of damage risk if pipe burst.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I'm puzzled.
Why is the external submersible being used rather than the internal smartflo pump?

If the system has these two pumps it usually means there is an internal tank, and the exterior pump is simply there to refill the internal tank. As a consequence the external pump may not have a pressure switch, becasue that function is built into the smartflow.

Without a pressure switch for the external pump there is nothing to control the pump, and it will not stop automatically. This could explain the problems.

 

[Buckman]

It seems it may have been cheaper for the neighbour to have paid a caravan engineer to sort out the issue with his caravan initially? Perhaps now is the time to employ the services of a qualified caravan engineer.

 

[Dustydog]

This doesn’t make sense. The Pageant s7 uses a similar system to the S6 Senators. The onboard tank is controlled by two 3 way taps and the main Whale on board tank . This pump sucks water from the aquaroll either direct to the taps or to the onboard tank depending on the position of the 3 way taps. No pump is used in the aquaroll.
Can the OP double check his friends facts please ? Or is this another Heath Robinson job🤪