# Water pump and waste water on 1999 Sundance 590RL



## MartinAndMaggie (Jul 29, 2006)

Hi,

Could anyone help us with a couple of issues before we set out on a maiden voyage?

Water Pump - Should the pump switch on the control panel be left permanently on so the pump will only kick in when a tap is turned on (this was the arrangement on cabin cruisers I have been on ) or should the pump only be turned on when we want to use the taps/shower? It seems like the latter, because if the switch is on the pump seems to run continuously even with the taps turned off.


Waste Water - I have filled the fresh water tank and run off quite a bit down the sink. However when I open the drain hose for the waste water nothing comes out. Is there another tap I am missing. I assume the draining is just gravity fed and not driven by the pump?

One last question - the manual suggests there is a tap to drain water direct from the fresh tank to the waste tank but all I have is a tap that drains the fresh tank through an overflow hose to the ground - is this correct?

Very grateful for any feedback.

M & M


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## Charisma (Apr 17, 2008)

Hi

I normally leave the pump switch on, but I have heard other members turn theirs off overnight and when not inside in case of leaks. 

As your pump seems to run continually, have you left it on long enough to fill the hot water tank? You also need to leave the tpas running for a while to clear out air in the pipes.

If it stil runs continously, are there any leaks? If not then the pump can be adjusted, but you may need some help with thi from a dealer if you don't have the instruction leaflet that would have come with the pump.

Waste water outlet - don't know. It must be going somewhere so if there are no leaks underneath, then asume it is going into the waste tank. Sloping ground can keep the water at one end of the tank and may eventually come out. 

Dave


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

Hi Martin,

I always leave my pumps on in the boat and see no reason why you shouldnt do the same in a MH.

If the pump doesnt switch off once the system is pressurised, the micro switch may be u/s.

If it is a F iamma pump a replacement microswitch is available and easy to fit. Other pumps work on the same principle.

Regards


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## bobandjane (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi MartinAndMaggie. We Have a kontiki and our waste tank outlet is about 1" or more up the side of the tank. So even when I empty it, there is still some in it without taking the main big red cap of the bottom, so maybe you just have not run enough in it yet, hope this helps. Bob. 




:blob: :blob:


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## SwiftGroup (Jun 27, 2007)

*Feedback*

Martin and Maggie

Sorry for the delay in responding but here goes.

The pump can be left on providing there is sufficient water in the fresh water tank. The water system is pressurized by the pump which will cotinue to run until it senses a pre-set pressure in the system. If the fresh water tank is empty the pump would operate coninuously and so should be isolated at the distribution panel to avoid damage to the pump. If the pump is still not turning off when water is in the sytem the pump may be faulty.

The draining for the waste water is gravity fed. If the water is draining from the sinks/showers we assume there are no blockages, it may be that you need to let the waste tank fill up for a while then drain for the tank is on the side and so a certain amount of water would need to be present before it reaches the outlet and so drains using the tap. There is an access hatch in the bottom of the waste tank which allows inspections and flushing out of the tank.

Regarding your question on the overflow hose to the ground. This is correct the drain and overflow would be conneced to the drain tap which would allow the water to drain through the floor to the ground. The only connection to the waste would be via the water system.

Regards
Kath


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## MartinAndMaggie (Jul 29, 2006)

*Thanks - we had a great first trip*

Thanks very much for your replies.

The waste water problem was because when the van was being prepared for us a new ring was put on the inside of the side skirt and the flexible hose ran from the waste tank through the ring and on to the tap (fixed to the side of the side skirt also). The ring had, though, been fixed high up the skirt and so the pipe was running uphill from the waste tank - hence the lack of drainage! I have changed the ring for a bracket that opens and so I can now unclip the entire hose when I need to drain the tank.

As for the pump I was just being impatient. Because I only filled the fresh tank 1/4 full (because we moved on every day) it was obviously taking a while to pressurise the system.

We stayed 4 nights at 4 different sites round Lough Erne in county Fermanagh (a truly beautiful place) and had a great time. Weather ranged from torrential rain to hot sunshine and the van behaved perfectly. We can't wait for our next outing.

Martin and Maggie


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