Fresh Water Tank

[Chico60]

After a bit of a lay off I've had to get a few things done on my Eldiss Autoquest 100 2012. My 70 litre fresh water tank is only filling to just over a third full before water inlet cuts off. Gauge verifies this as does measuring amount of water when I dump it. I suspect the problem is within the tank sender unit. Has anyome every dropped one of these tanks to allow inspection?

 

[witzend]

After a bit of a lay off I've had to get a few things done on my Eldiss Autoquest 100 2012. My 70 litre fresh water tank is only filling to just over a third full before water inlet cuts off. Gauge verifies this as does measuring amount of water when I dump it. I suspect the problem is within the tank sender unit. Has anyone every dropped one of these tanks to allow inspection?

Aren't they making these things over complicated mines full when its overflowing around the fill hose

 

[Pudsey Bear]

14 years old so looks more like a problem than a design feature.

I don't understand "only filling to just over a third full before water inlet cuts off"

 

[r4dent]

1)Work around - I always fill my fresh water by taking the lid off the tank and putting the hose in thru the hole. So much quicker
2) Temporary fix. - take the wire off the level sender unit.
3) Possible fix - Recalibrate the sender , instructions should be in manual or contact the models use group

Good luck.

 

[QFour]

I cannot believe that they make such a fuss about filling the water tank. What is wrong with a hosepipe or watering can. I have seen guys wandering across a field with the dreaded Aquaroll and then when they return they have to get the Whale pump out and fit it in the side of the MH. If the tank gauge says its full then the pump doesn't work. How ridiculous is that. We just drive over and uses a short piece of hosepipe that is not food grade or anything else. If the hose doesn't reach I get the cans out. 6 trips 2 x 10ltr watering cans and its full. I seem to remember something about being able to override the system but I cannot for the life of me remember where or who told me. You could phone Sargant its probably one of their systems. They are the only idiots that think that its a good system.

 

[tadpole58]

Another vote for just sticking the hose in through the tank lid. I'm going to open up the lid to stick some Aqua Sol in anyway

 

[wildebus]

I don't understand "only filling to just over a third full before water inlet cuts off"

I presume the "water inlet cuts off" means the 12V for a pump?
OP, do you HAVE to use a pump? can you not fill from a hose direct?

FWIW, I also use a water gauge when filling my tank to know when I am near the tank limit to avoid water overflowing.

however ....

Aren't they making these things over complicated mines full when its overflowing around the fill hose

some vans do not actually have an overflow and overfilling can result in flooding the van inside! Maybe this cut off system cuts early to avoid internal flooding when the water sloshes around on the move? But a 1/3rd does sound a bit cautious!

and ...

1)Work around - I always fill my fresh water by taking the lid off the tank and putting the hose in thru the hole. So much quicker

Many Many vans do not have a lid on the tank to take off and fill that way. To use that workround on my motorhome would mean getting the jigsaw out to cut a hole on the floor first
If the OP is mentioning dropping the tank to check the sender, I would suspect he likely doesn't have an lid on the tank to undo and have a look?

 

[Boris7]

Everything about water in a motorhome seems to be badly thought through, I have the whale system and have to say it works, but I also fitted filler cap fitted, makes much more sense, just put a hose in and wait for the tank to overfill at the tank vent, simple. I have a filler to hose lock stop connector a when near a tap use that and simply unplug it when water is full.

Have to say I do use the whale with a 25 litre with the whale pick up pipe when doing several days at a race circuit as moving the van to the tap just ain’t that simple, and if you do move some sod will take your place, especially if there’s a EHU nearby (seen this a lot at certain circuits)

Then the waste tank fills the shower, nope, simple mod stops this. A vent on the waste pipe located below the tank fill level means overfilling the waste just dumps the excess on the floor, generally (again at a circuit) just use a run off pipe or simply open the waste at night and let it run out down the pit lane.

Sometimes use a 25litre container to run the grey waste into, but not often.

It’s not rocket science, both mods done at home for just a few drinking vouchers.

Never use the gauges, just fill once each day.

Bit different on a campsite obviously, but if it’s a campsite it’s probably not me.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I remember we had an autocruise that had a silly 12v socket next to hozelock type inlet, I modified it by putting a new inlet on the other side of the van, I drilled a hole into the tank and a hose between them, sorted.

 

[Chico60]

Thank you for input. I don't have access to the top of my tank hence asking about dropping it. Can't think of any other way of filling other than through the external outlet connected to hose via Whale connector or submersible pump. One thing for sure either way it's only filling to just over a third before cutting off filling.

 

[Boris7]

No experience of this but my thinking….

The whale connector on the van obviously has a pipe leading to the tank, therefore remove the Whale connector and replace with a gravity fill cap.

 

[Chico60]

Think my issue is definitely in the tank. I can fill to just over a third with whale connector attached to hose and also from a jerry can with submersible pump. Fills to just over a third and cuts off, gauge shows just over a third full. I found some stuff on how to test a solenoid with a metet and it seems ok. So sender unit in tank maybe?

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I fitted a CBE tank gauge and display to the self-build, used it to make sure it worked (as when we eventually sold it I could show it had one )and never bothered again and on 12 vans now I've never actually used the water gauges, I don't see the point as never run out, the only time that would be a problem would be if the loo didn't flush so not a concern for us as we always have some bottled water anyway & the waste gets emptied often enough not to need to know.

 

[r4dent]

So just to be clear.

You attach one end of the hose to a tap and the other end to a connector on the motor home.
You turn the tap on and water flows into the fresh tank.
When the fresh tank is 30% full some sort of valve shuts and prevents more water flowing into the tank.

If I've understood what is happening then there must be a valve between the connector on the motor home and the tank
The valve normally be open, but will be closed when then sensor detects the tank is full.
This will involve the sensor switching the supply on or off.
I suspect that the valve is closed by a current (rather than kept open by a current as this would be a constant drain) but this is easy to verify using a test meter.

You need to endure that the valve doesn;t close.

So either remove the connection or install a permanent supply as appropriate.

Be aware that this solution willd remove the anti flood protection so (unless you have an overflow) keep an eye on the level and tun the tap off.

 

[r4dent]

Just found this in the AutoQuest manual.

First question. "Is yours the same"?

It isn't clear if the connection between the float and the valve is electrical or mechanical.
I've never encountered this system before and know nothing about, but it seems straightforward.

However, the diagram showing filling / topping up from an external tank shows the pressure switch controlling the 12v to the submersible pump.
This means the valve must be closed to allow pressure to build between the sub pump and the valve.
Which tends to imply the Float valve is mechanical. (Otherwise they could use the float to control both the valve and the pump.

If it is mechanical please ignore my previous post and examine this connection. A bump may have caused misalignment.
If you can't spot a problem some photos will help us.

elddis AutoQuest Owner's Handbook Manual (Page 19 of 82) | ManualsLib

www.manualslib.com

 

[Juan39]

To solve the issue of your fresh water tank only filling partially before the water inlet cuts off, try checking the tank sender unit, filling directly through the tank lid, recalibrating the sender unit, and ensuring the valve remains open during filling.

 

[Chico60]

So just to be clear.

You attach one end of the hose to a tap and the other end to a connector on the motor home.
You turn the tap on and water flows into the fresh tank.
When the fresh tank is 30% full some sort of valve shuts and prevents more water flowing into the tank.

If I've understood what is happening then there must be a valve between the connector on the motor home and the tank
The valve normally be open, but will be closed when then sensor detects the tank is full.
This will involve the sensor switching the supply on or off.
I suspect that the valve is closed by a current (rather than kept open by a current as this would be a constant drain) but this is easy to verify using a test meter.

You need to endure that the valve doesn;t close.

So either remove the connection or install a permanent supply as appropriate.

Be aware that this solution willd remove the anti flood protection so (unless you have an overflow) keep an eye on the level and tun the tap off.

Interesing thanks for that. Will investigate further.

 

[Chico60]

Thought I would post a couple of pictures for more information. First pictire shows the external water inlet from the inside where solenoid is. Second picture is a valve which I presume is cutting off the power supply when signaled from the tank. (too early in my case). Would it be worth starting another fill of water, disconnecting valve and see if it gets beyond the third full?