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Vanlife Geek Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2014 Posts: 285 Location: CO
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 12:37 pm Post subject: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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My water tank pump is no longer working, as well as my tank level/battery level indicator below the stove, so probably a connected issue. While trying to troubleshoot the problem, I noticed this yellowish connector (marked "HSU 250 V 15 A) that looks like it has a small burn mark. It looks to me to be some type of fuse, but I've never seen one before.
The problem started last winter when my tank froze over and I tried using my faucet. I could hear the pump working, but then it stopped... do'h! I haven't had time to mess with it until now. My Westy started out as a 7-passenger Syncro and was converted to a Westy and some of the normal stuff isn't there, such as the little fuse box behind the driver's seat, which would normally contain the fuse for the faucet/pump. It's not under the driver's seat either.
Prior to the pump stopping, it was intermittent anyway... I could put my hand down by the connections by the tank and "jiggle" the wires and it would work again for a few weeks, then repeat. I'm just starting to figure out my multi meter, and I know I should be checking the power to see where it stops, but that HSU thingy looks very suspicious and it might be worth replacing first. I've been searching the forums to see if anyone had identified the "HSU" thing, but I've only seen somebody else ask with no answer. Any ideas? Here's a shot of the rest of the wiring.
_________________ Vanlife Geek
Current:
1986 Syncro Westy
Previous:
1983 Westy
1981 Westy
1972 Bug (Last year you could buy a new one for under $2,000)
1965/66 Bug (2 bugs from a junk yard combined to make 1 functional bug)
1959 Bug (Pre Gas Gauge Era) |
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fxr Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2014 Posts: 2325 Location: Bay area CA
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 1:15 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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That HSU thing is merely a complicated 1/4" double spade connector. It's a PITA to reconnect - I just cut them out and crimp some new decent 1/4" spade connectors on instead.
You got a fuse gone somewhere - and also probably a dodgy connector to the faucet. _________________ Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300 |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9810 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 1:37 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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Another issue I'll mention about the submersible pumps is that they may lock up and not run 0 but can be freed by just flipping the impeller to get them unstuck. Maybe you have to undo something to poke the impeller (been so long I do not recall). |
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beach_creature Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2014 Posts: 532
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 1:43 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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Do you have a small fuse block on the B Pillar behind the drivers seat? Check those. _________________ 84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7922 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 2:20 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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epbiggs wrote: |
Here's a shot of the rest of the wiring.
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Out of that loom, yellow should go to blue (power), and black should go to brown (ground).
Here's a photo showing the factory connections:
Timwhy wrote: |
The yellow and black go to the faucet switch to turn on the pump. The other wires are for the LED panel showing water level.
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_________________ ~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6559 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 2:53 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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Bingo! _________________ ‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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Vanlife Geek Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2014 Posts: 285 Location: CO
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Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 4:54 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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Thanks for all the great comments and suggestions. I tried all of your suggestions and double checked the wiring on the faucet. I have checked to make sure the pump works by running a separate pair of wires directly from my Blue Sea fuse box to the two pump wires and it works just fine. The problem is that the normal wires in the back cabinet are not getting power. I have checked everything I can, including every fuse in the van, but to no avail. Since the camper section was installed after the fact by a previous owner, he failed to install any fuses, or at least any I can find. Normally, of course, there would be the small fuse box (2 fuses) on the B-Pillar behind the drivers seat, but it's not there, or under the driver's seat. Short of removing the cabinets to look for a fuse or broken/burnt wire, I'm giving up on using the standard wiring. I would lose the functionality of the LED water level/battery gauge under the stove, but I'm not sure I care. I hardly ever used it anyway.
So here's my plan/thinking... I originally was thinking, since I can just run a pair of wires to the pump to make it work, I could do that and put a switch inline for an on/off solution. It would already be fused since it's coming from the fuse box (installed in the cabinet under the sink). But on further thought, I would lose the variable flow rate that I have become accustomed to and really like by using the built in ShurFlo faucet switch. Isn't the ShurFlo basically a switch with a rheostat to regulate flow? So now the question is, how do I properly wire the ShurFlo using power from the fuse box back to the pump? I thought I'd just do some trial and error in the morning, but maybe you guys have a good answer without me burning something up!
My initial thought is to run a hot lead from the fuse box to one of the two faucet leads. Then run a single wire from the second faucet lead back to the positive lead on the pump, then ground the second lead on the pump. Does this make sense? Or, do I run both positive and negative to the faucet and piggyback on those back to the pump? I've included a couple of wiring ideas I have below, but any suggestions from more experienced electrical folk is greatly appreciated!
_________________ Vanlife Geek
Current:
1986 Syncro Westy
Previous:
1983 Westy
1981 Westy
1972 Bug (Last year you could buy a new one for under $2,000)
1965/66 Bug (2 bugs from a junk yard combined to make 1 functional bug)
1959 Bug (Pre Gas Gauge Era) |
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crazyvwvanman Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008 Posts: 9935 Location: Orbiting San Diego
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Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:54 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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No to diagram 2, that will blow the fuse and/or hurt something.
There is just an on/off switch in the Shurflo faucet, the flow varies as you keep turning the knob because you are opening the valve wider. |
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Vanlife Geek Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2014 Posts: 285 Location: CO
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Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 7:22 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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crazyvwvanman wrote: |
No to diagram 2, that will blow the fuse and/or hurt something.
There is just an on/off switch in the Shurflo faucet, the flow varies as you keep turning the knob because you are opening the valve wider. |
OK, I didn't realize that's how it works. I guess the end result is the same with variable flow. Thanks for the heads up on diagram 2. Did diagram 1 look doable? _________________ Vanlife Geek
Current:
1986 Syncro Westy
Previous:
1983 Westy
1981 Westy
1972 Bug (Last year you could buy a new one for under $2,000)
1965/66 Bug (2 bugs from a junk yard combined to make 1 functional bug)
1959 Bug (Pre Gas Gauge Era) |
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Vanlife Geek Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2014 Posts: 285 Location: CO
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems - SOLVED, mostly |
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I thought anyone following this thread would like to know I finally figured it out. I just added a hot lead from my Blue Sea fuse box to one of the faucet leads using a T-Tap connector. The faucet was still connected to the factory wires, so I guess I just injected power back into the system. The battery level indicator lights now work, too! I tried grounding it on the other faucet lead, but it just blew fuses, so it must be grounded elsewhere... I'm assuming. Anyway, everything works except for the tank level indicator lights. I can live with that! Thanks again for your help. _________________ Vanlife Geek
Current:
1986 Syncro Westy
Previous:
1983 Westy
1981 Westy
1972 Bug (Last year you could buy a new one for under $2,000)
1965/66 Bug (2 bugs from a junk yard combined to make 1 functional bug)
1959 Bug (Pre Gas Gauge Era) |
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jberger Samba Member
Joined: November 17, 2003 Posts: 2476
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2019 3:21 pm Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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IIRC, the faucet pump will not work if the indicators aren't functioning. Safety feature for a low tank.. dry pump. Either your board is fried or the level sensors have a short\fault.
J |
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sped372 Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2006 Posts: 653 Location: Waunakee, WI
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Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 6:04 am Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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jberger wrote: |
IIRC, the faucet pump will not work if the indicators aren't functioning. Safety feature for a low tank.. dry pump. Either your board is fried or the level sensors have a short\fault. |
I do not think this is accurate. I can turn the pump on when the tank is empty no problem. To the OP, please make sure however you "injected power" it is fused so you have protection in case something shorts out. _________________ 1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX |
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Vanlife Geek Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2014 Posts: 285 Location: CO
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Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 6:26 am Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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sped372 wrote: |
jberger wrote: |
IIRC, the faucet pump will not work if the indicators aren't functioning. Safety feature for a low tank.. dry pump. Either your board is fried or the level sensors have a short\fault. |
I do not think this is accurate. I can turn the pump on when the tank is empty no problem. To the OP, please make sure however you "injected power" it is fused so you have protection in case something shorts out. |
Perhaps that's the way it is supposed to work, but my pump always worked regardless of water level. And yes, the power is fused coming out of my Blue Sea fuse block. Thanks! _________________ Vanlife Geek
Current:
1986 Syncro Westy
Previous:
1983 Westy
1981 Westy
1972 Bug (Last year you could buy a new one for under $2,000)
1965/66 Bug (2 bugs from a junk yard combined to make 1 functional bug)
1959 Bug (Pre Gas Gauge Era) |
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crazyvwvanman Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008 Posts: 9935 Location: Orbiting San Diego
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Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2019 9:05 am Post subject: Re: Westy Water tank/pump problems |
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The 80/81 Westy led panel would disable the pump if it didn't think water was in the tank.
This panel could be swapped in to any year van of course.
With the face plate off look at the circuit board. If there is a nickle size silver part then it is such a panel. Easy to bypass that feature.
This panel had 2 red LEDs at the bottom of the water level indicators. The
Mark |
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