What Have You Done To Your Van Today?
- Thread starter Daneeyre
- Start date
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- mod modification mods retrofit
Taken the piece of junk ply roof out and put the OEM back. Will be returning the roof next week.
How about BMW Ferric grey? Is It Time For A Re-think?; Amarok 19"ers?
Had quite good feed back from people who have it fitted at factory Only cost £18
Aten Lighting Went with warm white and not cool white
Finally got round to a project I've been planning for a while. I have a waste water tank where the spare wheel would normally be and it drains with a large stopcock under the van
Well I'd seen a review a couple of years ago on tv or Youtube of some big motorhome that could be drained by pressing a switch in the cab. It even had a camera underneath so you could position yourself over the grate. Being into gadgets and liking the idea of using my 360 camera to get myself over the drain grate and press a button without having to grovel under the van in the rain, I decided this would be a future project. Got hold of a 12v solenoid valve off ebay and tested the principle with a battery and a hosepipe, then as usual for me, stuck it on a shelf for a year or two.
Finally revived and got it all fitted today. First problem was that pressing the neat little switch I'd got for it (with a nice blue light when it was switched on) didn't trigger the solenoid. After doing some troubleshooting, the problem turned out to be the switch which had a ridiculously high resistance, +12.6v in and +10.5v out! I checked the others that I bought at the same time, another 5 all in different colours, and they all did the same. So beware, this is the switch type
Anyway, after substituting with a different type of switch I got the correct voltage at the solenoid contacts. But the result is a failure. The pressure of the water in the tank is just not enough to get through the valve with any force. Unfortunately it's not like a gate opening to allow the water through, it has to push past a mechanism even when activated. So unfortunately when it's triggered all I get is a slow drip out of the end (yes I am over 50 so I'm used to it) like so
So what have I done to my van today? Absolutely nothing, I've put it all back to how it was
But the bits and pieces won't be wasted. Coming this summer, a project to make a solar powered, solar heated, recirculating water warmer for my grandaughter's paddling pool
Well I'd seen a review a couple of years ago on tv or Youtube of some big motorhome that could be drained by pressing a switch in the cab. It even had a camera underneath so you could position yourself over the grate. Being into gadgets and liking the idea of using my 360 camera to get myself over the drain grate and press a button without having to grovel under the van in the rain, I decided this would be a future project. Got hold of a 12v solenoid valve off ebay and tested the principle with a battery and a hosepipe, then as usual for me, stuck it on a shelf for a year or two.
Finally revived and got it all fitted today. First problem was that pressing the neat little switch I'd got for it (with a nice blue light when it was switched on) didn't trigger the solenoid. After doing some troubleshooting, the problem turned out to be the switch which had a ridiculously high resistance, +12.6v in and +10.5v out! I checked the others that I bought at the same time, another 5 all in different colours, and they all did the same. So beware, this is the switch type
Anyway, after substituting with a different type of switch I got the correct voltage at the solenoid contacts. But the result is a failure. The pressure of the water in the tank is just not enough to get through the valve with any force. Unfortunately it's not like a gate opening to allow the water through, it has to push past a mechanism even when activated. So unfortunately when it's triggered all I get is a slow drip out of the end (yes I am over 50 so I'm used to it) like so
So what have I done to my van today? Absolutely nothing, I've put it all back to how it was
But the bits and pieces won't be wasted. Coming this summer, a project to make a solar powered, solar heated, recirculating water warmer for my grandaughter's paddling pool
Not a failure; just a positive test in identifying a way not to do it, whilst moving towards to find the one way to achieve the desired outcome.Finally got round to a project I've been planning for a while. I have a waste water tank where the spare wheel would normally be and it drains with a large stopcock under the van
View attachment 40048
Well I'd seen a review a couple of years ago on tv or Youtube of some big motorhome that could be drained by pressing a switch in the cab. It even had a camera underneath so you could position yourself over the grate. Being into gadgets and liking the idea of using my 360 camera to get myself over the drain grate and press a button without having to grovel under the van in the rain, I decided this would be a future project. Got hold of a 12v solenoid valve off ebay and tested the principle with a battery and a hosepipe, then as usual for me, stuck it on a shelf for a year or two.
Finally revived and got it all fitted today. First problem was that pressing the neat little switch I'd got for it (with a nice blue light when it was switched on) didn't trigger the solenoid. After doing some troubleshooting, the problem turned out to be the switch which had a ridiculously high resistance, +12.6v in and +10.5v out! I checked the others that I bought at the same time, another 5 all in different colours, and they all did the same. So beware, this is the switch type
View attachment 40049
Anyway, after substituting with a different type of switch I got the correct voltage at the solenoid contacts. But the result is a failure. The pressure of the water in the tank is just not enough to get through the valve with any force. Unfortunately it's not like a gate opening to allow the water through, it has to push past a mechanism even when activated. So unfortunately when it's triggered all I get is a slow drip out of the end (yes I am over 50 so I'm used to it) like so
View attachment 40050
So what have I done to my van today? Absolutely nothing, I've put it all back to how it was
But the bits and pieces won't be wasted. Coming this summer, a project to make a solar powered, solar heated, recirculating water warmer for my grandaughter's paddling pool
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!
On a positive note and to encourage further exercises in futility how about -> SP221 Two Port Valve, 2 wire (option1), solarproject
Not a solenoid but a 2 port central heating valve so you can see that initial dribble turn to a full blown trickle... really does draw parallels with those nocturnal walks along the landing here.
Just checked that optimistic spout size out again after that tiny solenoid and couldn't help thinking of the Spinal Tap banana wrapped in tin foil scene for some reason.
On a positive note and to encourage further exercises in futility how about -> SP221 Two Port Valve, 2 wire (option1), solarproject
Not a solenoid but a 2 port central heating valve so you can see that initial dribble turn to a full blown trickle... really does draw parallels with those nocturnal walks along the landing here.
Just checked that optimistic spout size out again after that tiny solenoid and couldn't help thinking of the Spinal Tap banana wrapped in tin foil scene for some reason.
Haha yes they're both 3/4" but you're right, the internal diameter of the solenoid valve is 9mm! Bizzarrely the internal diameter of a 1/2" thread solenoid was larger even though it was physically smaller. I also tried that with a step down fitting but it was no different, to be honest a 2mm internal diameter would have been more than enoughSnatching defeat from the jaws of victory!
On a positive note and to encourage further exercises in futility how about -> SP221 Two Port Valve, 2 wire (option1), solarproject
Not a solenoid but a 2 port central heating valve so you can see that initial dribble turn to a full blown trickle... really does draw parallels with those nocturnal walks along the landing here.
Just checked that optimistic spout size out again after that tiny solenoid and couldn't help thinking of the Spinal Tap banana wrapped in tin foil scene for some reason.
Thanks for the link, didn't turn that sort of valve up when I was trawling ebay, I think I'd have the same issue though, they just don't seem to do anything that will work with gravity pressure. I briefly considered putting a self priming pump on the output and having it and the valve open simultaneously, but you've got to draw the line somewhere before they lock you up.
️ at henlow bridge lakes.
