Simple cold water system without a micro-switch tap

[McFlude]

I could do with a bit of reassurance in my proposed water system.

I require a cold water supply to a sink. We use bottled water for drinking and cooking. We use washing facilities if on a site so only need occasional on board cold water.

I have a 24 litre wheelarch tank ( not the best purchase I have made) and a Can sink which does not have a micro-switch on the tap.

I am intending to use a Whale pressure switch and a simple low volume submersible pump. I did write to Whale for advice but just received a factsheet from them which is OK but I still have queries.

The power supply will be controlled from the CBE control unit. I assume that the live will come from this to the pressure switch and in turn from there to the pump. With the power on from the control panel I assume that when the tap is opened the pressure switch will set the pump going and hey presto water arrives in the sink.

Is it as simple as that? The reason for asking is that each previous decision and purchase has led to problems with the next step and as this is the final purchase of my conversion I thought that this time I would run it on the Forum before committing to buy.
.

 

[N1ck]

Hi
yes it’s as simple as that, but, an immense overkill for just one tap, all those extra connections and the pump running to build up pressure to turn off, just fit a push button switch, press the button pump runs

simple

 

[McFlude]

Hi
yes it’s as simple as that, but, an immense overkill for just one tap, all those extra connections and the pump running to build up pressure to turn off, just fit a push button switch, press the button pump runs

simple

I am considering that approach but couldn't decide where to place a switch !!! Also it makes getting water a two handed operation with the tap being a bit redundant.

 

[Loz]

A sureflow of similar can be fitted inline and can draw from the tank, and stops after you close the tap and the built in pressure switch cuts it out.

 

[McFlude]

A sureflow of similar can be fitted inline and can draw from the tank, and stops after you close the tap and the built in pressure switch cuts it out.

Ah, that seems a good option.

 

[DXX]

Can you not fit a micro switched tap to your sinK? Pressurised systems are unnecessary for a simple campervan.

 

[McFlude]

Can you not fit a micro switched tap to your sinK? Pressurised systems are unnecessary for a simple campervan.

It is a Can Italian sink which is good quality (and expensive) and the tap is integral.

The last conversion I built was an old T5 which was simple and even the ply was salvaged from a rejected material bin of a van panel lining company and I think the sink, tap and pump was probably £50 all in. For this one I was inspired by the Rolling Homes Edition 10 van that I saw at the NEC and is a bit of a project. The final van, hopefully will much higher value than the old T5 so it has turned out to be a bit more involved especially as it is all a bit more bespoke than it probably should have be.

 

[DXX]

It is a Can Italian sink which is good quality (and expensive) and the tap is integral.

The last conversion I built was an old T5 which was simple and even the ply was salvaged from a rejected material bin of a van panel lining company and I think the sink, tap and pump was probably £50 all in. For this one I was inspired by the Rolling Homes Edition 10 van that I saw at the NEC and is a bit of a project. The final van, hopefully will much higher value than the old T5 so it has turned out to be a bit more involved especially as it is all a bit more bespoke than it probably should have be.

“Alexa turn the tap on”?

 

[meza]

I had this issue in my van where a regular domestic mixer tap is installed, which obviously doesn’t have a microswitch.

I installed a small rocker switch with a waterproof cap on the side of the kitchen unit near the tap, to power the pump on and off.

it’s a case of…

Switch pump on
Turn on tap… use water
Turn off tap
Remember to switch pump off

It works fine, but it’s easy to forget to turn the pump off because it’s normal behaviour to turn a tap off and just walk away!

 

[roadtripper]

I had this issue in my van where a regular domestic mixer tap is installed, which obviously doesn’t have a microswitch.

I installed a small rocker switch with a waterproof cap on the side of the kitchen unit near the tap, to power the pump on and off.

it’s a case of…

Switch pump on
Turn on tap… use water
Turn off tap
Remember to switch pump off

It works fine, but it’s easy to forget to turn the pump off because it’s normal behaviour to turn a tap off and just walk away!

View attachment 244468

I like the simplicity - we have a full pressure system on the narrowboat and I really wish we didn't.

You could put a timed button in there potentially - there is a small draw for the electronics but you likely have a master switch?

Something like this should work

12V Infinite Cycle Delay Time Timer Relay Turn ON OFF Switch Loop Module 0-24 Hr | eBay

After power-on, no action will be taken. After triggering, the relay will be connected and disconnected when it reaches T1. Connect after T2. And so on. The trigger can also be short connected together to start the countdown as soon as the power is connected.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Bargy62]

Do they not do a spring loaded switch leave the tap open push the switch water comes out the tap take finger off switch water stops or is that too simple

 

[meza]

I like the simplicity - we have a full pressure system on the narrowboat and I really wish we didn't.

You could put a timed button in there potentially - there is a small draw for the electronics but you likely have a master switch?

Something like this should work

12V Infinite Cycle Delay Time Timer Relay Turn ON OFF Switch Loop Module 0-24 Hr | eBay

After power-on, no action will be taken. After triggering, the relay will be connected and disconnected when it reaches T1. Connect after T2. And so on. The trigger can also be short connected together to start the countdown as soon as the power is connected.

www.ebay.co.uk

That’s a great idea, thanks!

 

[meza]

Do they not do a spring loaded switch leave the tap open push the switch water comes out the tap take finger off switch water stops or is that too simple

I’d thought about that but decided I wanted to be able to use two hands in the sink!

 

[McFlude]

I started this thread as I was unsure about my intended solution to getting water to the sink . I have been using the van for a few years now so probably worth recording some feedback on the system that I eventually installed.
I installed a Whale pressure switch fitted close to the wheelarch water tank and it all worked as I had envisaged. The switch needed a little bit of fine tuning but works perfectly and we get water on demand when the tap is opened.
However in practice what we tend to do is to open the tap, press the 12v water button on the CBE control which is fitted to the wardrobe unit and then switch off when we have enough water. The exception to this is when we know that we are going to draw water a few times in a short period so leave the power on and use the tap to operate the pump.
I did have an issue last year when the van was SORN'd for six months and water must have drained out of the pipework and I had to prime it to get it working again. I had no problem this year as the tap worked perfectly on first use.

 

[roadtripper]

Do they not do a spring loaded switch leave the tap open push the switch water comes out the tap take finger off switch water stops or is that too simple

The conventional terminology if searching is "momentary" vs "latching"

If you see a description of a switch then a state in brackets is momentary - so an (ON)-OFF-(ON) is a 3 way switch with centre off and momentary contacts either side.

You'll still need a momentary button really to trigger a timer module - though you could just use it as a timeout for a latching switch in most cases (it all depends a bit on the module and the operation can be only confirmed when you've used one as the Chinese translations in the listing can be.. odd)

Lots of choice here (I picked the Vandal Resistant collection because they tend to be the cheapest way of getting a robust waterproof switch - not because I think folks are rough with their vans...)

Vandal Resistant Push Button Switches

Range of vandal resistant push button switches available with LED illumination and a variety of panel cut-outs including 16mm, 19mm, 22mm, 25mm and 28mm. The switches feature up to IP67 rating and are available with a momentary or latching action.

www.switchelectronics.co.uk

This one looks ideal for water.