# Water pump problem



## Jmdarr (Oct 9, 2013)

My friend has a 2004 chaussan when he switches on the main panel and then the water pump light and switches on the tap the pump works for a second and then the light goes out on the panel and the water stops he has a new pump last year does it have a pressure switch.i am going down tomorrow to have a look 
So any help would be nice and the location on the switch if it has one.

John d 

He is not a member but I'm sure if we can cure his problem he will join


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Hmm, are the taps open, is it already primed to them?


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## Jmdarr (Oct 9, 2013)

Hi kev 
Don't know till tomorrow but the panel light going out does make me wonder if it's electrical


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Jmdarr said:


> he has a new pump last year does it have a pressure switch


There are two easy ways to determine if a pump is controlled by a pressure switch or tap microswitches.

1) Look at the underside of one of your taps, if there are two very thin wires coming from the tap then it has a microswitch and will almost certainly there will be no presure switch.
2) Turn on a tap then turn it off whilst listening to the pump operate. If the pump stops immediately as the water stops flowing then it's not likely to have a pressure switch. If the pump runs on for a split second (or longer) after the tap is closed then there will be a pressure switch.

If a pressure switch is fitted it will usually be very close to the pump (upstream of the pump) or indeed as part of the pump itself.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

gaspode said:


> There are two easy ways to determine if a pump is controlled by a pressure switch or tap microswitches.
> 
> 1) Look at the underside of one of your taps, if there are two very thin wires coming from the tap then it has a microswitch and will almost certainly there will be no presure switch.
> 2) Turn on a tap then turn it off whilst listening to the pump operate. If the pump stops immediately as the water stops flowing then it's not likely to have a pressure switch. If the pump runs on for a split second (or longer) after the tap is closed then there will be a pressure switch.
> ...


All the taps in the Bessie are micro switched, but none are wired in, Just sayin


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> All the taps in the Bessie are micro switched, but none are wired in, Just sayin


Yes - well......................

My remarks obviously refer to M/Hs in original spec. There's no way any "rule of thumb" can cater for user-mods.

It's like saying "if it barks and has 4 legs it's probably a dog".
Whilst generally accurate the rule could come unstuck on the occasional three legged dog, baritone cat or effeminate wolf. :wink2:


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Jmdarr said:


> Hi kev
> Don't know till tomorrow but the panel light going out does make me wonder if it's electrical


The fact that the supply appears to drop off when a load is applied it certainly looks like it is. Possibly a high resistance connection, dodgy fuse or holder etc. It would be upstream of the lamp supply and could even be the switch. A job for a multimeter. 
Is it a CBE control system? If so the pump power is likely to be fed via a relay that is operated by the signal that also operates the lamp. That is if the lamp goes out the relay will drop out.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

gaspode said:


> Yes - well......................
> 
> My remarks obviously refer to M/Hs in original spec. There's no way any "rule of thumb" can cater for user-mods.
> 
> ...


I think mine is in original spec as they all well worn, and look the same, kitchen excepted, but I think that they just come like that sometimes on older vans as there may have been less choice at the build stage, and they will of course work on either type of pump system.

My point was that just because it walks like duck don't make it so


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> My point was that just because it walks like duck don't make it so


I'm sure that's cleared up any possible misunderstanding Kev. :grin2:


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Ducks do have a habit of muddying the water as well.:wink2::wink2: just saying.

cabby


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## Jmdarr (Oct 9, 2013)

Thanks for your replys the problem was is two duff leisure batteries one showing 12v the other 12.4 v when disconnected 
Was surprised both under the French bed were lead acid and very heaverly sulphated battery vents had no drain of pipes and sides were bulging.
The alternator only supplying 12.4 v for charge.acid had spilled out of the battery box was a right mess but sorted now two agm batteries on order.
I'm surprised and worried that some people friends included have very little knowledge of how things work and how things should be.
After having a yacht for ten years gas and power problems are the things on top of the list of dangerous situations.
And I think that applys to motorhomes.
I know that some think as long as it works it's ok but in this situation the end result could have been quite dangerous and even when I left don't think the quite grasped what a ticking time bomb they were sleeping on.

John d


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## Geriatricbackpacker (Aug 21, 2012)

Thanks for the update and a good reminder to those who don't carry out safety checks (or get them done) to do so.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

It is also a reminder that diagnosing a fault from a brief report is often difficult. Here we had a supposed water pump problem which turned out to be the batteries. In France last year my French neighbour was telling me his fridge would not work on gas. A quick check revealed his battery was completely duff with a reading of only 11v or so.


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