Water tank swapping/changing remotely...

aussie_paul · Guru

Water tank swapping/changing remotely...

Sahara05 · Veteran Member

Hi Paul

easy 2 motorised valves one dpdt switch to change polarity.

only uses power on change over,cuts power when limit is reached.

am thinking of doing my van when have some time to spare.

Jeff

aussie_paul · Guru

Sahara05 wrote:
Hi Paul
easy 2 motorised valves one dpdt switch to change polarity.
only uses power on change over,cuts power when limit is reached.
am thinking of doing my van when have some time to spare.
Jeff

Great idea Jeff, sounds a bit expensive though.

Aussie Paul. smile

Sahara05 · Veteran Member

Hi Paul

valves around $30 each on eBay switch around $7 bit of wire and a couple of fittings.

less than $100 plus time.

Jeff

aussie_paul · Guru

Sahara05 wrote:
Hi Paul
valves around $30 each on eBay switch around $7 bit of wire and a couple of fittings.
less than $100 plus time.
Jeff

What size would you reckon Jeff?

Aussie Paul. smile

Triggy · Veteran Member

Stainless steel would be best for drinking water.

Brass has lead in it

Here is one

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DN15-DC12V-G1-2-Motorized-Ball-Electrical-Valve-Stainless-Steel-2-way-3-wire/201960789571?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Gary

meetoo · Guru

Hi Paul. The hoses from both of my tanks join into one just before my water pump which is in a cupboard. At that point, each hose has an on/off tap. So I can switch on/off either tank or have both on/off together.

Cheers, John

mr glassies · Guru

I have 4 tanks I use a garden tap 1 into 4 manifold to fill each tank separately and the same in the cupboard to suck from each tank separately .

Dibs

Sahara05 · Veteran Member

Hi Paul

the 1/2 inch one should be good ,make sure it is 2 wire as only have to reverse polarity.

brass has not killed or sent you silly in the last 70 years so looks good for next 10.

all fittings and taps in your home ar brass .

the 1inch ones I have are a bit bulky but were purchased fur another project

so will have to do.

Jeff

Treecrest14 · Senior Member

Did a similar upgrade on our Coromal. So have a 2 way switch to 2 solenoids which are only activated when the pump is on and replaces 2 manual on/off taps which were on the floor in the cupboard. Had to previously lay down to get to the on/off taps.

diggerop · Senior Member

Can someone give me a clue as to why you need taps between the tanks?. We have 2 tanks interconnected and they work perfectly well. One filler and one hose into the van/pump.

meetoo · Guru

diggerop wrote:
Can someone give me a clue as to why you need taps between the tanks?. We have 2 tanks interconnected and they work perfectly well. One filler and one hose into the van/pump.

One reason is that if the tanks are connected as one big tank, one tank might empty before the other. This can/will cause the pump to be sucking air from the empty tank causing the pump to not switch on /off correctly. It interferes with the pressures.

Cheers, John.

dieseltojo · Senior Member

Aussie Paul, It is a thing that can be done a lot of ways; how ever this is how I did the job for three tanks. That was 7 years ago with no problems.

Unfortunately the pics are gone from this post I made a while back, but the info is still usable.

http://www.candm.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=13785

...................................................................................................

The solenoids were from Bunnings made for garden water systems.

The wiring is not polarity specific, as long as you do each one the same, and just put a switch board in the van.

I installed them in the default closed position.

The extra loop in the manifold is just in case of a malfunction you can go back to a manual control system. I have never had to.

IMG_8961 by Paul Klat, on Flickr

The wiring is done so it goes to the solenoid to the pump. Once a tank is selected and turned on the solenoid will open at the tuning on of a tap. Not only can I now control every tank separately, I can say empty one tank and if free camping just fill it from a river with out interfering with drinking supply.

Every tank should have a tap to shut it down in case of damage.

I have to say mate if you do not understand any of this info, get a friendly electrician to do the bits you don't get. smile

Switches. by Paul Klat, on Flickr

dieseltojo · Senior Member

Aussie Paul, It is a thing that can be done a lot of ways; how ever this is how I did the job for three tanks. That was 7 years ago with no problems.

Unfortunately the pics are gone from this post I made a while back, but the info is still usable.

http://www.candm.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=13785

...................................................................................................

The solenoids were from Bunnings made for garden water systems.

The wiring is not polarity specific, as long as you do each one the same, and just put a switch board in the van.

I installed them in the default closed position.

The extra loop in the manifold is just in case of a malfunction you can go back to a manual control system. I have never had to.

IMG_8961 by Paul Klat, on Flickr

The wiring is done so it goes to the solenoid to the pump. Once a tank is selected and turned on the solenoid will open at the tuning on of a tap. Not only can I now control every tank separately, I can say empty one tank and if free camping just fill it from a river with out interfering with drinking supply.

Every tank should have a tap to shut it down in case of damage.

I have to say mate if you do not understand any of this info, get a friendly electrician to do the bits you don't get. smile

Switches. by Paul Klat, on Flickr

dieseltojo · Senior Member

Aussie Paul, It is a thing that can be done a lot of ways; how ever this is how I did the job for three tanks. That was 7 years ago with no problems.

Unfortunately the pics are gone from this post I made a while back, but the info is still usable.

http://www.candm.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=13785

...................................................................................................

The solenoids were from Bunnings made for garden water systems.

The wiring is not polarity specific, as long as you do each one the same, and just put a switch board in the van.

I installed them in the default closed position.

The extra loop in the manifold is just in case of a malfunction you can go back to a manual control system. I have never had to.

The wiring is done so it goes to the solenoid to the pump. Once a tank is selected and turned on the solenoid will open at the tuning on of a tap. Not only can I now control every tank separately, I can say empty one tank and if free camping just fill it from a river with out interfering with drinking supply.

Every tank should have a tap to shut it down in case of damage.

I have to say mate if you do not understand any of this info, get a friendly electrician to do the bits you don't get.

Craig1 · Guru

Most " garden valves" are 24v ac. There are 12v dc , often special order, so don't grab wrong ones. cheers Craig

mr glassies · Guru

I look at it as if I have 2 full tanks and 1 runs out I know I have 1 left not gat stranded sucking from 2 tanks and end up with none
Dibs

aussie_paul · Guru

Craig1 wrote:
Most " garden valves" are 24v ac. There are 12v dc , often special order, so don't grab wrong ones. cheers Craig

Oh, thanks Craig. Could be a trap for young/old players. biggrin

Aussie Paul. smile

aussie_paul · Guru

mr glassies wrote:
I look at it as if I have 2 full tanks and 1 runs out I know I have 1 left not gat stranded sucking from 2 tanks and end up with none
Dibs

Good idea Dibs.

Aussie Paul. smile

aussie_paul · Guru

dieseltojo wrote:

I have to say mate if you do not understand any of this info, get a friendly electrician to do the bits you don't get.

Thanks for that Paul (dieseltojo), makes good sense re the solenoid current draw.

I think I can get my head around that for our 2 tanks.

Aussie Paul. smile

Paull · Veteran Member

Exactly what i have, a couple of cheap irrigation fittings and 2 plastic inline taps, works perfectly. why involve more dramas with solenoids?

Paull · Veteran Member

meetoo wrote:
Hi Paul. The hoses from both of my tanks join into one just before my water pump which is in a cupboard. At that point, each hose has an on/off tap. So I can switch on/off either tank or have both on/off together.
Cheers, John

this is what i meant. Sorry

aussie_paul · Guru

dieseltojo wrote:

Aussie Paul, It is a thing that can be done a lot of ways; how ever this is how I did the job for three tanks. That was 7 years ago with no problems.
Unfortunately the pics are gone from this post I made a while back, but the info is still usable.
http://www.candm.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=13785
...................................................................................................
The solenoids were from Bunnings made for garden water systems.
The wiring is not polarity specific, as long as you do each one the same, and just put a switch board in the van.
I installed them in the default closed position.
The extra loop in the manifold is just in case of a malfunction you can go back to a manual control system. I have never had to.

The wiring is done so it goes to the solenoid to the pump. Once a tank is selected and turned on the solenoid will open at the tuning on of a tap. Not only can I now control every tank separately, I can say empty one tank and if free camping just fill it from a river with out interfering with drinking supply.
Every tank should have a tap to shut it down in case of damage.

I have to say mate if you do not understand any of this info, get a friendly electrician to do the bits you don't get.

Hi dieseltojo, would you have a brand and/or model number for the switch you used?

Aussie Paul. smile

switches for forum.jpg

aussie_paul · Guru

It has taken me a few weeks to achieve the desired result. Thanks for the advice and suggestions from members. I wanted to achieve the remote changing of the water tanks as well as the best possible shower pressure by eliminating as many elbows etc that reduce flow.

Festive season played havoc with time frames, and of course waiting for online purchases to arrive!! I was sick and tired of laying on blue metal so decided to back van in to concrete driveway. biggrin

That and some foan mats made the jobe easier. With the heat and my chronic exhaustion etc I have just had to pace myself.

I have placed the two solenoids inline and side by side near the front tank, through a home made Y connector, through the flow meter turbine and then through the filter to the pump. I will install a shut off tap at each tank when they arrive.

Electrically I used the suggestion of dieselyojo (Paul) and took the + lead from pump side of the pump pressure switch. I would never have thought of that!! Solenoid only draws current when pump is actually running.

Ran the wires up through the floor in the small cupboard where Jayco have the water filler and breather hoses connected.. Then followed the other cabling I have run for solar, inverter etc to where I can reach from my recliner. I can select either tank or both and also monitor the flow and liter counting meter.

Aussie Paul. smile