Westy Water tank/pump problems

[Vanlife Geek]

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.

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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)

[fxr]

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.
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[Ahwahnee]

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).

[beach_creature]

Do you have a small fuse block on the B Pillar behind the drivers seat? Check those.
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84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD

[kamzcab86]

[E1]

Bingo!
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‘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

[Vanlife Geek]

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!

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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)

[crazyvwvanman]

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.

[Vanlife Geek]

[Vanlife Geek]

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.
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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)

[jberger]

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

[sped372]

[Vanlife Geek]

[crazyvwvanman]

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