Water Pump On Indicator

[coachmanrvr]

Found something that is proving to be fairly simple but rather frustrating with our new 2013 Allegro. There are two switches for the water pump and no where is there an "On" indicator light. When the switches are in the same position (up or down) the pump is on. When one is up and the other down the pump is off.

I tried with my fluke meter to find a "hot" on either switch that was on when the pump was on. Three wires on each switch...Seemed a simple task, but I gave up trying. I sure would like to see a decent wiring diagram for the circuit so I could add a 12VDC indicator LED to the switch.

Anybody know where I can find an electrical schematic for the 12V pump circuit?

[edgray]

Won't simply replacing one or both switches with switches that contain an indicator "light" solve the problem?

OBTW, congrats on the new Allegro......looks like you need to update the profile info under your avatar picture.

[Dr4Film]

I can't believe Tiffin would do such a stupid thing by forgetting to install indicator lights for the water pump.

I have included a wiring diagram for the pump, water pump latching controller and the switches. Regarding the indicator lights, I have changed all of mine over to red LED indicators that I purchased from Alliance Coach in Wildwood FL. I was tired of replacing the incandescent ones when they burn out.

The lights are basically wired similar to the pump. When you switch it on, 12 VDC is provided to the pump and the indicator lights.

Good luck!

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[coachmanrvr]

The switch is a two piece custom switch that contains the lights and the water pump or I would.

I have changed my profile groups, but the Workhorse and Monaco groups remain under my avatar. Not sure what else to do on them?

Originally Posted by edgray

Won't simply replacing one or both switches with switches that contain an indicator "light" solve the problem?

OBTW, congrats on the new Allegro......looks like you need to update the profile info under your avatar picture.

[coachmanrvr]

Mine is not that high tech. I just have two switches wired in a three way configuration....I think. Obviously I'm having trouble here though. We are taking it on an overnight this weekend. Should be fun.

Originally Posted by Dr4Film

I can't believe Tiffin would do such a stupid thing by forgetting to install indicator lights for the water pump.

I have included a wiring diagram for the pump, water pump latching controller and the switches. Regarding the indicator lights, I have changed all of mine over to red LED indicators that I purchased from Alliance Coach in Wildwood FL. I was tired of replacing the incandescent ones when they burn out.

The lights are basically wired similar to the pump. When you switch it on, 12 VDC is provided to the pump and the indicator lights.

Good luck!

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[coachmanrvr]

Guess they take a bit to update, because it corrected itself.

Originally Posted by coachmanrvr

The switch is a two piece custom switch that contains the lights and the water pump or I would.

I have changed my profile groups, but the Workhorse and Monaco groups remain under my avatar. Not sure what else to do on them?

[ernieh]

Originally Posted by coachmanrvr

Mine is not that high tech. I just have two switches wired in a three way configuration....I think. Obviously I'm having trouble here though. We are taking it on an overnight this weekend. Should be fun.

I guess that I don't understand what you are asking.

Your pump works, right. You just don't have any indication if it is on or off, and apparently TMH didn't provide one. You know that you have a 3way setup rather than an Intelletec controller, but you can't find a hot lead at either switch.

Where are you grounding your meter when looking for a hot lead, and what are you going to do with that lead once you find it?

[coachmanrvr]

Correct, the pump system works fine...I just can't easily tell when the pump is on by looking at the switches. Both the bathroom and the kitchen switch have a two wire 12VDC light switch beside them and I am grounding the meter to the negative side of that two wire switch.

Originally Posted by ernieh

I guess that I don't understand what you are asking.

Your pump works, right. You just don't have any indication if it is on or off, and apparently TMH didn't provide one. You know that you have a 3way setup rather than an Intelletec controller, but you can't find a hot lead at either switch.

Where are you grounding your meter when looking for a hot lead, and what are you going to do with that lead once you find it?

[ernieh]

Originally Posted by coachmanrvr

Correct, the pump system works fine...I just can't easily tell when the pump is on by looking at the switches. Both the bathroom and the kitchen switch have a two wire 12VDC light switch beside them and I am grounding the meter to the negative side of that two wire switch.

In that case, it sounds like they might be switching the ground side and you wouldn't see any voltage as long as the pressure switch on the pump was not calling for the pump to run. It's not uncommon to switch the ground in 12V automotive applications.

[chuckinthebus]

With witch off and turning on a faucet, will it detect a drop in pressure and turn it on? Is the hot on the middle terminal? You would think (logic may not work here) they would have used 3 way switch with an indicator to let you know if on, but see (disclaimer).

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by ernieh

I guess that I don't understand what you are asking.

Your pump works, right. You just don't have any indication if it is on or off, and apparently TMH didn't provide one. You know that you have a 3way setup rather than an Intelletec controller, but you can't find a hot lead at either switch.

Where are you grounding your meter when looking for a hot lead, and what are you going to do with that lead once you find it?

So if Tiffin does NOT use an Intellitec Water Pump controller, then what do they use to control the water pump? They have to use something seeing that the pump is drawing up to 10 amps. If they wired the switches as normal 3-way switches, they would need really heavy gauge wires to carry the high amps to turn the pump on and off.

What size wire do the switches have on the backside? If they are small gauge wires then there must be a water pump controller someplace.

The statement that there is NO HOT LEAD at the switch tells me that there is a water pump controller. The switch just provides a connection to ground to let the water pump controller know to turn on the pump.

As I said earlier, I can't believe Tiffin would be that stupid unless they are taking some really drastic cost cutting methods to save some money.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[ernieh]

Dr4Film said,
"As I said earlier, I can't believe Tiffin would be that stupid unless they are taking some really drastic cost cutting methods to save some money."

My 03 Winnebago was wired with 3ways and no relay. 16 or 14 gauge wire will do the job quite nicely with a 4008 pump.

Neither Winnebago or Tiffin has ever filed bankruptcy or gone out of business, so maybe they aren't so "stupid" after all.

[woodburner]

OURS has 3 sinks with the same switch as the OP describes.
I view it as a non-issue though; as whenever I turn the water on at a sink and I get no flow, I simply flick the switch,either direction of where it is at the time of usage: And the pump turns on at all locations including the shower.
The same goes for turning it off...If I get water and don't want it on; I flick the switch and it kills the pump.
I thought it was really convenient having a switch at 3 locations. But that's just my 50cents.

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by ernieh

My 03 Winnebago was wired with 3ways and no relay. 16 or 14 gauge wire will do the job quite nicely with a 4008 pump.

Neither Winnebago or Tiffin has ever filed bankruptcy or gone out of business, so maybe they aren't so "stupid" after all.

Yes, you're right. With a small low amp water pump which you have that only draws maybe 7 amps, 12 or 14 gauge (not 16) wire will work providing that the distance between the pump and the switch is fairly short. The longer the distance, a heavier gauge wire is required to carry the same amps.

However, with a larger 10 amp water pump, heavier wire is required, 10 -12 gauge and again, the distance it has to travel.

I guess if the OP has a small water pump that doesn't require very many amps, AND the distance from any of the three switches to the water pump is small, then it is possible that there isn't any Latching Water Pump Controller.

Originally Posted by woodburner

OURS has 3 sinks with the same switch as the OP describes.
I view it as a non-issue though; as whenever I turn the water on at a sink and I get no flow, I simply flick the switch,either direction of where it is at the time of usage: And the pump turns on at all locations including the shower.
The same goes for turning it off...If I get water and don't want it on; I flick the switch and it kills the pump.
I thought it was really convenient having a switch at 3 locations. But that's just my 50cents.

What size pump do you have and is there a Latching Water Pump Controller that is mounted fairly close to the water pump itself? Are all three of your switches located within a short distance to wherever the pump is mounted?

Dr4Film ----- Richard