# Fixed - Autotrail Apache Water Level Sensors



## downerhouse (Aug 10, 2013)

Neither my fresh nor waste tank water level sensors have worked since I picked up my 2010 Autotrail Apache 700 1 year ago. This has been bugging me ever since, and I was determined to fix them, despite the complete lack of information available on this particular model on the internet. So I thought this might help those in a similar position.

I jacked up the rear end of the motorhome using normal levelling ramps so I could get right underneath, and get access to the water tanks / wiring. 

Accessing the wiring was actually pretty simple. For the fresh water tank, it was a case of unbolting the cover (4 bolts) at the bottom of the water tank. Then carefully peeling back the silver insulation to expose the wiring loom.

On this model, the water level for the fresh water tank is measured using 5 sensors in various levels on the tank. These are easily located - as they are literally 5 bolts screwed into the side of the water tank, with wires coming off.

After much fiddling with this wiring, I concluded that the sensors were not corroded, nor was the wiring faulty.

I then checked the waste tank.

The waste tank has a single float valve which is located in the middle of the tank. 

removal of this is very easy with a simple pull, and a check with a multimeter revlealed nothing wrong with either the float valve or the wiring.

After much head scratching, I located a wiring diagram on the internet. I discovered that on the Sergeant control panel, there is a single block connector where only the water tank sensors plug into. 

Realising it had to be more than co-incidence that both sensors were not working despite the sensors / wiring being ok, figured that the problem had to be back at the Sergeant panel itself.

I then removed the cover for the Sergeant panel and checked the wiring.

Sure enough, the connector was completely unplugged.

Further investigation revealed that there did not appear to be any locking mechanism to keep the connector plugged in - which meant as soon as I replaced the panel, it had become unplugged again.

I sorted this with a few cable ties and some duck tape - to secure the plug into place.

All sensors now work perfectly, and it's a bit of a mystery as to why my dealer could not do the same simple diagnosis that I managed.

Hope this is of use to somebody - I don't have photos, but if you are suffering from non functioning sensors, check the connectors in the Sergeant control panel first.


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## Kev1 (Apr 4, 2011)

Downer maybe worthwhile posting a link to the wiring diagram
Kev


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## downerhouse (Aug 10, 2013)

Use this link to get the appropriate handbook:

http://www.auto-trail.co.uk/downloads/handbooks

Find the page that says "Consumer Circuits - Floor" which shows a high level PDF wiring diagram. Does not help much, other than it gave me the clues I needed on where to look and the fact that both sensors were driven by a single connector from the main power supply unit.


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