sampvt Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I have a Sterling eccles onyx 2000/2001. I found the switch right behind the inlet connector. It even says on this block water pressure low and high but the only screw on there is a grub screw that does nothing. It can be screwed all the way in and all the way out but the pump just keeps on going. I have replaced all 3 taps micro switches and the lines have no air in them. The system works fine but the damm pump wont switch off. Why is this. Oh and by the way, there are no leaks that I can see or find and the pint glass full with the pump in it running stay at full level so no water escaping anywhere. I am stumped. Quote Im back to motorhoming with a scooter on the back again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brocher12 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 With a multi meter check the continuity across each microswitch when they are switched off and on. Also if your battery voltage is low this can sometimes stop the solenoid from tripping out. Multimeter across battery should read above 12. 5v to be in spec. Any lower than this then charge battery fully and try again or plug in to EHU with charger/PSU on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poolebob Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I think you are confusing the two different types of system. Yours is operated by micro switches on the taps and these switch the pump on and off. The pressure in the system and therefore leaks are irrelevant as is battery voltage. The other type is operated by an adjustable pressure switch. It sounds as though one of your switches is sticking on or you have a short in the wiring. Poolebob Quote Honda CRV Diesel Petrol & No caravan now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTQ Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Is the pump controlled by a pressure [that switch] or by micro switches? They are two different techniques and for diagnosis, we really need to know the system employed. One guide would be looking to see if the taps have cabling up to the microswitches [ mirror under sink unit might help]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampvt Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 All 3 tap switches in the van have micro switches in the handles. I replaced them all with 3 new ones as on was defective and I got a pack of 4 so I whipped them all out. In my old van there was a twist cap on the in line valve which was screwed in or out to stop the pump. The one on this van is a 3 x 2 inch box that the outside pipe plugs into. On the reverse of that box, ie under the seat next to the water heater, is connection to the pipe that takes the cold water behind the cupboard. There is no filter that I can see and on the front of that box is a half inch white hole with a removable blue cap on it. When this cap is removed, there is nothing inside it. The writing above this half inch collar that is sticking out, says low on one side round to high on the other side with a white line from one to the other in an arc. Beside that collar is a screw. It just spins aimlessly one way till it stops then the other way till it just keeps spinning. It does not come out. Hopefully this will help identify it and by the way I have a 250w solar panel and 2 x 110ah batteries that were fully charged al weekend as we got some sun and my panel kept them both fully charged. Quote Im back to motorhoming with a scooter on the back again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lefthand Down Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Where Is My Adjustment Screw? In a micro-switched van it does not exist The item in the old van was probably a pressure switch. The taps would not have had micro-switches. If you have micro-switches now you will not have a pressure switch. Quote Ford C-Max and Coachman Festival 380/2 SE 2006 Motto Carpe Diem Still trying to find the perfect pitch. ..110 amp Battery+ 65 watt roof mounted Solar and 25 watt Wind Turbine. LED lighting. Status Aerial 315. Loose chattels marked with UV,. Safefill Gas Fitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTQ Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Can we understand from this that before the "defective" microswitch developed its fault the water system worked? When the defective switch was still in the system, did the other taps still work? But not the one that was defective? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampvt Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 I don't know if I am not putting this across correctly but the old van, which is no longer with me had a pressure switch in line. This one does not have a visible pressure switch. It only has a low to high marking on the reverse of the pump housing which is the back of the bit I plug the outside hose assembly into. It has 3 taps and one didn't work when I picked it up, so I changed out them all and all the taps work perfectly. Its just that the pump does not stop after the taps are shut off. Quote Im back to motorhoming with a scooter on the back again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampvt Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 Let me make this more understandable. When I arrive at camp, I fill my water butt. I drop the hose in and I push the other end into the caravan. Where I push the block in from outside has a similar block on the other side under the seat. This is the 3 inch by 2 inch block that the water pipe to the taps is connected and that's the block that's got the writing on it with the little cross point screw. All the taps are serviced by wires that drive the micro switches and all the micro switches are new and work by turning the water stream on and off. My problem is that the pump just keeps on going and I have to switch it off at the switch panel which is a pain especially after using the loo and showering etc. Quote Im back to motorhoming with a scooter on the back again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poolebob Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 All 3 tap switches in the van have micro switches in the handles. I replaced them all with 3 new ones as on was defective and I got a pack of 4 so I whipped them all out. In my old van there was a twist cap on the in line valve which was screwed in or out to stop the pump. The one on this van is a 3 x 2 inch box that the outside pipe plugs into. On the reverse of that box, ie under the seat next to the water heater, is connection to the pipe that takes the cold water behind the cupboard. There is no filter that I can see and on the front of that box is a half inch white hole with a removable blue cap on it. When this cap is removed, there is nothing inside it. The writing above this half inch collar that is sticking out, says low on one side round to high on the other side with a white line from one to the other in an arc. Beside that collar is a screw. It just spins aimlessly one way till it stops then the other way till it just keeps spinning. It does not come out. Hopefully this will help identify it and by the way I have a 250w solar panel and 2 x 110ah batteries that were fully charged al weekend as we got some sun and my panel kept them both fully charged. Are you sure you have 3 switches. I would have thought you would have had an even number. Each outlet should have two switches one for the hot and one for the cold. Poolebob Quote Honda CRV Diesel Petrol & No caravan now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arc Systems Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Seems to me where the confusion starts is I think this is a Whale water inlet without the pressure switch option fitted, the hole for the pressure switch adjustment dial being blocked off with a blue cap, what the screw is for I don't know but obviously does nothing here. Quote Arc Systems are specialist Carver caravan product repairers, committed to providing a comprehensive service as well as spare parts for these popular heaters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampvt Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 Each tap has one micro switch only. They are the swivel type taps that lift up and move left or right for a hot and cols mix, so I guess they are called mixer taps. Quote Im back to motorhoming with a scooter on the back again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTQ Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Some pumps have built in pressure switches, but these don't have to be used. I suspect your new van is one of those cases and instead of using water pressure to start and stop the pump you have an alternative system where each and any tap can switch on and off the pump. What appears to be happening is that the microswitch in one or more taps is not switching the pump off. This could be, it is not positioned correctly so is being continuously "set" on, or is faulty. A way to move forward is to break the wire to all taps, including the shower. Then reconnect only one at a time till you find which one has a fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brocher12 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Disconnect 1 wire from each tap and see if the pump stops, connect each tap singularly and see if the pump stops. If you dont have a separate tank for flushing the toilet, try this switch as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampvt Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 After a call to Whale in Ulster this morning, all my questions have been answered. There are 2 units they make for the submersible pump housing. One is the es1000 which is not pressure adjustable and the other is the es1001 which is. They use the same housing for both but on the es1001 when the blue cap is removed, there is an adjustable turn screw inside this unit which adjusts the water pressure. My van has the es1000 fitted with no adjustment screw in the block so its impossible to adjust any incoming water pressure. Therefore the problem of the pump not turning off is more than probably down to the submersible head of the pump unit being flooded and needs replacing. This is a common fault that occurs in these submersible heads and many people put the bad working habits of the pump down to the pressure switches (if fitted) rather than the pump itself. Whale advised me that 5 out of every 10 questions they get relates to this problem and their sealed units are very temperamental and can be compromised by a hard knock or even temperature changes under freezing, as there is always residual water in the pump so if the temp drops, the pump will split by expanding ice crystals. My problem was that I was looking for a screw that didn't exist because Whale the company use the printed block which has directions on it, for both installations. Silly but its a fact, so anyone else out there with a 3s1000 with directions on it to adjust the water pressure. ........It is not there in that unit. Thanks for all your help and food for thought on this issue for others. Submersible pumps are fragile. Quote Im back to motorhoming with a scooter on the back again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DACS Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Therefore the problem of the pump not turning off is more than probably down to the submersible head of the pump unit being flooded and needs replacing. This is a common fault that occurs in these submersible heads and many people put the bad working habits of the pump down to the pressure switches (if fitted) rather than the pump itself. This seems very unlikely. If the microswitches are working correctly then there should be no power reaching the pump and no way that it could continue running. As has been suggested, you either have a faulty switch or it needs adjusting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansoady Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Agree it must be the microswitches or wiring as these are the only way the pump is supplied with power. If all taps are closed then all switches should be open circuit and no power should be supplied. Forget what's said about the pump - that's irrelevant. It's possible somebody's bodged the wiring at some stage and the only way to find out isto be methodical and start,as Brochrer12 has said, by disconnecting all of them. If the pump still runs it's a wiring problem; if not then reconnect one at a time till you find the faulty one. Quote Ian. 2013 Freelander 2 SD4 Auto / 2005 Bailey Pageant Vendée; 1952 Norton ES2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderDave Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 This seems very unlikely. If the microswitches are working correctly then there should be no power reaching the pump and no way that it could continue running. As has been suggested, you either have a faulty switch or it needs adjusting. Agree there should be no power to pump until the micro switches supply it could the wiring of been wired up in reverse somewhere for the taps and the pump it is getting a reverse feed unswitched ? Dave Quote Jeep Commander 3. 0 V6 CRD Isuzu D- Max Utah Auto Elddis Crusader Storm 2000 Kgs, Unipart Royal Atlas Mover . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DACS Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 If the microswitches have three connectors then the wiring may have been connected to the wrong pair. They should be connected to the "common" and "normally open" terminals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampvt Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 I am going to the van tomorrow and I am going to disconnect all the switches and put them all back in situ to see what happens. Obviously if I disconnect all the wires and the pump is still running, we have a problem on the wiring side. Hopefully not but the young lad at Whale was adamant it was the flooded pump head. Never mind, I will do the checks suggested and report back. Quote Im back to motorhoming with a scooter on the back again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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