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Topic: Unreliable water flow from taps

spellcaster

30/6/2013 at 8:03pm
Location: Anglesey
Outfit: None Entered

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Hello,

The cold tap in the kitchen has worked a couple of times and we have used the hot tap as the cold water one as water comes through that better, but now sometimes when we turn the hot tap on just for the cold water we hear gurgling then after a minute the water will come through and other times silence and no water. Tried turning the electric taps off and on but it seems pretty random if we get a flow of water or not. Caravan has a submersible pump that u put in aqua barrel. Does anyone know if this is likely to be and electrical issue ie wiring etc or maybe the pump. Just want to know where to start with this please. Any help be appreciated. Carl

tango55

30/6/2013 at 8:25pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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Sounds much like an air lock to me. If you have a shower then open both taps on the shower (as this is the highest point) and pump the water through as normal. Wait till the water flows freely then turn off the shower taps and then do the same with both the kitchen and washroom taps. Make sure your drain plug is tight as well as this can cause a loss of pressure.

G7ACU

01/7/2013 at 5:05pm
Location: West Mids
Outfit: Swift Ace Statesman & X-Trail 2.0

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What's the van in question Spellcaster; pressurised system or micro-switched taps?

I think Tango's on the right line, but even with an air-lock you tend to find the system sort's itself after a while. I'm of the opinion you could have a 'dicky' switch on the tap; the micro-switched system can be hit and miss.
However, when you say "other times silence and no water", do you mean complete silence as in the pump isn't running either?

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Paul

Every day's a school day!

listerdiesel

01/7/2013 at 7:27pm
Location: Rushden Northants
Outfit: Mercedes 614D Conversion

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Although we have a submersible pump in an Aquaroll, we can hear the pump running quite easily, and it does produce a lot of pressure from both the sink and the shower taps.

One thing that we did was to put a relay between the microswitches and the pump, that means that the relay contacts last almost for ever, and the microswitches only have the relay coil to operate, which makes them last longer too.

A lot of pumps take a fair bit of current and produce a decent spark when the supply is cut off. That means that the microswitches have their contacts eroded on every turn-off.

The current 19N60 microswitch has a 28V DC inductive rating of 1amp only, most pumps take 3-4 amps.

Draw your own conclusions.

Data sheet is here if you want the information:

http://www.itwswitches.co.uk/resource/Series_16_18_26_19N_datasheet.pdf

These particular switches are currently used by Whale amongst others.

Peter

spellcaster

01/7/2013 at 7:44pm
Location: Anglesey
Outfit: None Entered

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Hi Paul caravan is a swift challenger 1999 550 it does have micro switched taps. Usually I cannot hear the waterpump so I guess that's when its not working properly. Still cannot get cold water tap to work in bathroom or kitchen it did once or twice. If I turn the hot tap on "not heated" in the bathroom nothing comes out but if I then turn on the hot tap in kitchen then the bathroom one will produce water as well.

Thanks for the data sheet Peter will look into that.

G7ACU

01/7/2013 at 10:02pm
Location: West Mids
Outfit: Swift Ace Statesman & X-Trail 2.0

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Classic symptom of duff micro-switches then. When you open a faulty tap and it doesn't flow water until a second tap is operated, this indicates the second tap is functional and actuating the pump; as both taps are open then obviously water will flow from both.

Most taps have service replaceable micro-switches; some switches are simply fitted beneath the tap while some are integral to the fitting. I understand the later Whale taps are now sealed and basically 'disposable'!

Just for info in case your tap is shown - click here.

-------------
Paul

Every day's a school day!

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