Cant get water in to fresh water tank

As above the pump would not function after a minute or two. Called a mobile engineer who said the pump had gone. he could not replace it as its located in the fresh water tank which Auto-Sleeper have kindly placed under the floor. This therefore means a trip to a garage to put the van on a ramp. Contacted Stowford Caravan centre in LLantrisant. Engineer guide me a few tests which we carried out with out improving the situation. So we decided to empty the tank and start agin from scratch. But now I can't get water back into the van via the wonderful whale fitting that Auto-Sleeper have chosen as a means of filling your van with water. Visited Stowford workshop they solved the problem by by passing the relay switch in the cupboard next to the cooker. Solution get a new relacement relay switch and pump is working well. Buy a new relay switch fit this and try to fill fresh water tank nothing happened. Pump is still working so placed old relay switch back in and pump is working well, so nothing wrong with said relay switch. Where do I go next?

I know what I would do!!!!

I'd get a Fiamma hole-in-the-wall filler fitted and buy a watering can.

I'd also consider fitting a Shurflo pump while I was in the mood.

Then you could relax in the virtually certain knowledge that your water problems (prostate aside!!       ) were at an end.

Just check out the litany of complaints and problems on here about exactly what you are suffering! 

Dave

Gromit wrote:I know what I would do!!!!

I'd get a Fiamma hole-in-the-wall filler fitted and buy a watering can.

I'd also consider fitting a Shurflo pump while I was in the mood.

Then you could relax in the virtually certain knowledge that your water problems (prostate aside!!       ) were at an end.

Just check out the litany of complaints and problems on here about exactly what you are suffering! 

Dave

Couldn't agree more Dave.
Gravity has worked quite well for a while now and gets water into a tank with no complexity!
As you say, the repeat posts on this one subject are more or less a constant.

Perhaps best then not to mention Sargent...........................................!

 Who 'designed' that then. Does anyone remember the John Cleese Customer Service Films "who sold you this then".

Gromit wrote:I know what I would do!!!!

I'd get a Fiamma hole-in-the-wall filler fitted and buy a watering can.

I'd also consider fitting a Shurflo pump while I was in the mood.

Then you could relax in the virtually certain knowledge that your water problems (prostate aside!!       ) were at an end.

Just check out the litany of complaints and problems on here about exactly what you are suffering! 

Dave

Yawn! Sorry, Dave!
I'm a bit confused. Are you filling from mains or from a, dare I say in Dave's sight, a watering can or bucket? 
Our water systems have two pumps, the one that pumps water out of the tank to the taps and a part time pump that can be used to pump water INTO the van from a container and into the Whale socket. First part of post seems to be talking about pump that sits within the tank whereas second part and title may be talking about the part time pump.
There are lots of threads on here about both problems and a search should find them. However, I have never heard of a relay in the pump circuits. A recent thread contains a helpful wiring diagram posted by Peter Brown which could be helpful. It sounds as though 'water out' could be a  loose connection, possibly to the pressure switch, and water in could be a blocked filter on the solenoid valve that sits between the Whale socket and the tank. Also check connections to that solenoid. Year of your Buddies is helpful in your details.

All that complexity and opportunity to go wrong Don, which they obviously do on a regular basis. 

The KISS principle has to be the best, and most reliable!!

Dave 

The recent thread introduced the fact that there is a relay in the Solenoid circuit.
Whale themselves recommend using a relay as their own float level switch is not really capable of handling the Solenoid Current. Incidentally Whale also say that due to the high Solenoid Current it gets hot and should not be used for more than 15 mins.

Now where did I read that it can take half an hour to fill the tank using the Whale socket.

marconi wrote:
Now where did I read that it can take half an hour to fill the tank using the Whale socket.

 Wow you would need a tank the size of the van to take half an hour to fill!  Less than 5 mins tops.....

Marconi is right if you let the filter block or if the Tap pressure is low, perhaps because you hadn't turned it on enough.
Gosh, I have been SO lucky with my Whale system, haven't I. I can't believe the number of distinct complainants that have had issues compared with the  numbers of these units in service - it cannot be high. If it had been a significant proportion, say 1%, I would think that the body moulding would have been modified to omit the rectangular hole for the Whale years ago and A/S  gone back to a simple hole - that would lower production costs by approaching £100 at a guess.

Yes if the water input is low due to several reasons the Solenoid / Pressure Switch goes into oscillation, pulsing it seems.

I am amazed too that there are not more problems, many like me don't use the Whale fill that will help the number. Whale themselves have so much confidence that they guarantee the thing for one year only.

I think the Submerged Pump, Whale Filler, Whale Sockets everywhere, smells of a cheap job lot to the dealer and a slick salesman, AS would be easy to impress, they fell for the EC700 spiel.

I don't know how long AS have been fitting a standard Motorhome Water Filler Cap like 2019 models have.

I don't think there is anything to be saved by changing 'the body moulding', looking at the previous thread on the subject and the picture from Allan the hole for the Whale system was gnawed out by a trained rat.

Another point to note is that the Whale Filler on a 2019 Nuevo has been mounted in a sealed box. Even with the EC700 housing dismantled the access for maintenance is very awkward, its difficult to even get a look at it.

Thanks for your comments and I will check out the other suggested threads. Why if this is such a common fault aren't mobile engineers and garages more aware and able to help. I was trying to fill the tank from the mains  and also from an Aquaroll.

Phil Bowen wrote:Thanks for your comments and I will check out the other suggested threads. Why if this is such a common fault aren't mobile engineers and garages more aware and able to help. I was trying to fill the tank from the mains  and also from an Aquaroll.

Yes sorry, I couldn't add anything more helpful than inspiredron's suggestions, he is a user of the system. It does seem that more than one of the 2019 models where the owners use the filler are starting to play up.

The list of possible problems it seems are. Pressure switch in the filler faulty, blocked or sticking, solenoid valve sticking, filter blockage, poor electrical contacts on the filler plug / socket, solenoid connections, relay and its connections, tank float switch problem.

As your problem is with mains water also then any problems to do with the external filler pump are eliminated.

I don't have the Whale system, just the earlier Truma system which has never given me any problems filling from mains or external pump, but I think I remember from previous threads that there is some need to ensure the filler point lid is locked onto  the hose fitting or the system doesn't work?

Peter yes you are right and also that the power is on. Both of these boxes were ticked.

I reported on another thread that I have experienced a bit of trouble with my Whale filler when using the external pump & water barrel.  If the problem keeps recurring, based on what I have now learnt, I will be tempted to remove the solenoid altogether and power the external pump from the adjacent 12V TV connector.  I will lose the automatic shut off when the on board tank is full but I don't regard that as an important feature.  I will use the lockable filler cap when using a hose which should be quicker.  If off-grid when electricity is in short supply I might even ditch the external pump & water barrel in favour of a smaller hand held container.

Thanks, that's helped as I am looking at alternatives