Water pump may have frozen

[Bob Nodine]

21 hours ago, Ray Davis said:

 Thank you Bob,  I'm going to frame what you said and show it to my DW everyday.   

 Hum, I probably should reconsider doing that.   

Glad to be of help Ray.😉 By the way, I accept no liability for any consequences that result from the use of the phrase "As usual Ray is correct".

[Bob Nodine]

19 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

Bob,

Curiosity....

The Pump Relay or Controller has an incoming pigtail. If I look carefully at the photo, there appears to be some wires coming OUT of it and going to the lower left.

Is the Pigtail and the adapter in the picture the INPUT.  That would have to be Power (RED), Ground (color?) and the THREE Switch Contacts. 

The output from the controller should be Power (Red) and Ground..

I ASSUME that he Snapdisk is for the System Heat.

IF I understand the DIP's circuit, there is a pressure switch SOMEWHERE in the circuit. That has to be an ON /OFF switch. I don't quite understand, without a print, how that works.  Is the Pressure Switch downstream of the OUTPUT or the LOAD from the Intellitec? SO, if the pump is on (Controller is latched to ON) and the pressure is OFF (as in it has reached the preset limit) then the pump will not run until the pressure drops and the Pressure Switch Closes.  Is that how it works?

This is a WILD @$&  Idea for Jim, the ORIGINAL Poster....  Tearing into the back side of the water cover panel is MORE than a PITA.  I would consider doing this...

Getting the Diagram - Hopefully, you, Bob has it.  I would access the wet bay (I have a panel) and find that harness.  I would then use some "pins" and puncture the wires.  I would verify the THREE Switch Leads.  I would verity the RED (Power). I would verify Ground.

After that, I would purchase a NEW Intellitec Controller ($35). I would purchase a Bosch relay and socket ($10).  I would purchase an AquaJet RV55 Pump ($210) and replumb and rewire that puppy.  

Use the ORIGINAL Switch leads to the NEW controller.  Hook it up the way is should be. BUT, I would then install a Bosch Relay for the Pump.  SOME folks have had to bump up the 10 amp fuse for the Pump to 15.  You COULD just hook it up and if the 10 Amp fuse ever blew...then add the Bosch. BUT, if you put in the Bosch Relay and used the Controller Output for the Relay and switched the Power on the relay, they you will never have any issues with the controller. Adding the relay when you did the install will take maybe 10 minutes longer.  You can STILL leave in the 10 amp use.  You tap into the RED on the INCOMING side of the Controller and use that power for the Bosch. 

That is what I did on my Sanicon when they upped the motor amperage.  

That would give Jim a NEW water system and one that would purr like a kitten.  He PROBABLY has an accumlator which he can remove or leave in place. He abandons the pressure switch as the AquaJet has a build in controller.  I would NOT attempt to take that panel off for $500 nor would I pay anyone.  

Just my thoughts.  HOW if he can reach around or up or whatever and snatch off the wiring and mount a new one elsewhere AND get to the Pressure Switch...MAYBE.  BUT, based on is posts...he is NOT getting a signal from the controller....which also maybe a faulty pressure switch.  SIMPLIFY it and have a better and more reliable and quieter system...

Tom,

The pressure switch is in the pump and I do not have nor can find a schematic of the pump wiring. It is quite simple and the water pump fuse supplies 12 VDC directly to the pump. The pump returns current back thru the Intellitec controller which supplies the ground to the pump based on whether or not the FET in the controller is on or off. That FET can be controlled by multiple switches from various locations in the RV and they simply switch ground momentarily to the controller which toggles on-off. My pump is upgraded to the Aquajet RV 5503 and we have the 10 amp controller. I chose to try it without a Bosch relay and for two years now we have not had any issues or blown a fuse. Sometimes we take showers with the pump even through we are connected to campground water because the water pressure is higher with the pump.

 

Water Pump Control.pdf

Edited November 22, 2020 by Bob Nodine

[Tom Cherry]

Bob,

Thanks.  That makes sense. The term "Pressure Switch" was what was confusing me. YES. We are DEFINITELY on the same page. My ONLY comment regarding the use of the Bosch relay was a 2010 or so Monaco Tech Support (back in the days when you would talk to Jim or the OTHER REAL folks in Oregon) comment. They had a file note that the original AquaJet RV55's would sometimes blow or pop the 10 Amp fuse, On the Camelots (Scepters) and above, the pump was part of a Multiplex system. There was a 10 Amp fuse on the Multiplex Module, EASILY accessed in the Main Power Cabinet. Monaco had folks swapping that fuse or upgrading to 15 Amps. The wiring was all #12, so there were no issues in ampacity. There were maybe 2 or 3 members of the old Yahoo Group that had issues.  I swapped mine out and later went back to 10 amps.

My rationalization, and I fully understand and respect your electrical knowledge, was that if I were to upgrade a Shurflo or other conventional pump, I would use the Bosch as as not to use the FLA switch rating of the 10 Amp Intellitec module. I did that on the Sanicon and it purrs.  As long as there is enough "Safety" and the Intellitec module's contacts are subjected to FLA of over 10 Amps, then all is well.  

The decision on the Bosch is purely a matter of personal comfort and perhaps, some bad experiences when you use the rated FLA of any switching device.

Thanks for the clarification of the pressure switch..  

JIM (Original Poster), 

Bob's comments now tend to reinforce my original diagnosis. If you can put 12 VDC to the pump and it works, then you have a controller that is TU (gone bad). That puppy is hidden better than some of the alleged secrets such as "Who shot Kennedy?". If you can get to the wiring harness, via an access port into the side of the wet bay and grab that harness and then (hopefully someone will give you a diagram) isolate the switch inputs, then making up your own harness and relocating the Control Module to an easier place would be my choice. I would also advise that you look at the Shurflo. If there is NOT an inline fuse, then resist the temptation to be "Cautious" and put one there. 

I have a replacement (Monaco Warranty) pump in my Camelot. It was shipped directly from AquaJet (before Remco bought the RV pump). I used their inline fuse as extra protection. That inline fuse holder crapped out after maybe 8 years. OPPS....I then went in and had to butt splice the connection. I DO have the Multiplex upstream fuse, which I reduced to the rated 10 Amps. It has worked flawlessly. Bottom LINE. DO NOT put a fuse on the pump where you will regret it. I BELIEVE that the Red Power conductor is fused, as you stated, in your DC House fuse panel. No need to add another failure point. The Red lead looks rather large.

Hope this helps.