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Topic: Whale elite tap microswitch failures

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Davembk

30/10/2017 at 12:38pm
Location: Reading
Outfit: Abbay Iona Vogue caravan

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Hello, I've replaced a few of these over the years and have concluded that they are not up to the job. The current passing capability is not up to what a typical caravan pump needs, hence the failure history. On a failed switch, it won't power the pump but does give a low ohms reading to a meter, and even lights the "pump" led if no pump is actually plugged in. As soon as the pump's plugged in, nothing....,. So it's obviously going high resistance. Any one else had this? I contacted a caravan workshop and was told it's a known problem. But I guess they're not too bothered as it's just more income to them. Whale won't tell me anything. I'll probably just install a better quality, external switch. It's more annoying than anything else, why should Whale make money via constant replacements out of substandard performance or mismatched components?

Dave

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Dave

Colin21

30/10/2017 at 6:32pm
Location: East Herts
Outfit: 1992 Elddis Wisp 450CT + X Trail

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If the current-carrying capacity of the micro-switches is not up to taking the load of the pump, I would fit a relay to take the pump load, and use the tap switches to switch the relay. Quite a simple circuit, and should make the micro-switches virtually last forever.

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Best Regards,
Colin

Davembk

30/10/2017 at 6:51pm
Location: Reading
Outfit: Abbay Iona Vogue caravan

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Colin, yes a good one. Might well do that.

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Dave

Grampian91

30/10/2017 at 7:52pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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Or it could be just dirty contacts, just enough current passing through to light an LED but not enough to power the pump.

Had a similar issue with the brake lights on a car/caravan.

Using an LED plug in tester it shows the car to be OK and the caravan to be OK.

The electrical socket had enough contact to light the LEDs in the tester but not enough to light the caravan brake lights.

Davembk

30/10/2017 at 8:13pm
Location: Reading
Outfit: Abbay Iona Vogue caravan

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No not dirty contacts. The microswitches are completely sealed. I just think that because they are so very micro, after a while the contacts overheat in passing a current obviously greater than they are rated for and so eventually fail. Colin's suggestion of adding a relay is definitely a good one. It's all lead me on to ideas anyway of modifying the whole tap operation eg overcoming the constant pump operation during showers eg putting in a separate switch in place of the micro so that when the shower head is closed, I can turn off the pump as well. All very interesting stuff!

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Dave

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