I have just bought my second Swift tourer. It's a 1994 Corniche 13 ft 2 berth. There are loads of extra goodies which I am amazed about because my old van was an Eldiss Mistral which was pretty basic compared to our new love machine. This van has Aircon fitted and an onboard water tank, both are fitted underneath the van. I flll up my water tank then I can disconnect my aquaroll. I then draw my water from the onboard tank which is always in the shade and kept cool, brilliant, I can tour taking my own water supply, a proper tourer, wow! Now to the point of this post. Where is the water filter? I expected to find one of the clear plastic conical crystal ones which screw in near the water inlet but there isn't one. According to all the shedloads of guff that came with the van it tells me that a Whale Semi Rigid water system is fitted which works via a pressure switch under the seat. There are none of those damn microswitches which always seem to go wrong fitted. It says that there is an inline water filter near the cold tap in the kitchen, I've looked, I've checked along all the pipes but I can't find it.
Has anyone out there got a similar set up who can help me located this elusive filter?
Swift Group haven't fitted water filters for quite some years, although bizarrely their handbooks seemed to describe them, even when not fitted.
Our 2004 Ace Award had documentation about water filters, but none fitted and we contacted Swift to query it! They told us that they stopped fitting water filters when they made the changeover to 'food quality' pipework.
Our current Swift doesn't have one either, but I can't honestly remember if they are described in the handbook or not.
I don't know about vans dating from 1994, but there is certainly a possibility that you don't actually have the elusive filter!
Please DO NOT tow with your onboard water tank full of water. It would be highly dangerous. Our hand book tells us never to tow with the onboard tank full it must always be emptied before towing. Think about all that weight sloshing about from side to side. It would make you van very unsteady.
Our Bailey had an inline water filter. It looked like a grey tube and it was under the sink. Don't know your age but do you remember soda streams ? Well it's like the gas cylinder for one of those.
------------- Beauty is in the eyes of the beer holder
Ulti-Mates thanks for that. Looking at the pipework, it's all clean and sparkly.
No filter, ha ha, that's a result cos they're about 18 quid each.
Cathymac,
The water tank I'm on about is mounted underneath the van just in front of the axle. I haven't yet seen a drain plug on it so apart from running the pump until it empties I wouldn't know how to empty it.
I haven't got any info on the use of the tank, so please forgive my ignorance.
In your handbook does it explain the point of the thing?, cos for years like all of us, I've used an Aquaroll plugged into the side as my water scource, and if you can't travel with water in it, I can't see the point of having it in the first place. Maybe it's a sneaky way for the manufacturers to add a few quid on the price.
By the way I agree about the water sloshing about which could make the thing unstable, but I towed it for the first time yesterday with no problems. Maybe it's closeness to the axle makes it stable I dont know.
If it was under the kitchen sink then I would worry.
But saying all that,I'll have a good look for a drain plug and see where we go from there.
Hello John, As Ulti-Mates said, it is likely that you don't have a filter if you cannot find one. Our previous Sterling (Swift Group) did not have one either. As you said, less to change, less expense. The previous owner may have removed it, if there was one, for exactly that reason, that is what we would have done.
Regarding the water tank. We have similar in our present van, ours has an access hatch on the top (under the bunk) and in the bottom below that there is a bung which can be removed to empty it completely. Have a feel around in there, you should find it. If not, then running the water off via a tap is the only option.
Cathy is correct, the tank is not designed for taking water with you, only for filling up on site. Its purpose is to allow you to have more water available at any one time, e.g. for showers, so you can better plan the trips to the water point.
If you plan correctly, you can use the water so that the tank is pretty empty anyway when you come to leave your site. Our van is a twin, so is very stable, and we have found that a LITTLE water left in the tank is not a problem for us.
But do remember that the weight of the water will use part of your payload, our tank holds 40 litres, so that would weigh 40 kg if full.
there should be two drain off points under the caravan near the boiler with push fit blanking caps on them ..you remove these caps to drain by opening all taps and then replace them well ther was on my new ace award morningstar around 1998
My 1998 Corniche has a drainpipe from the onboard tank with tap attached. This is located front nearside floor under van and is held in place with a pipe clip.
------------- Ah, the zip of the awning and the smell of the grass
Quote: Originally posted by silverbow on 05/8/2008
My 1998 Corniche has a drainpipe from the onboard tank with tap attached. This is located front nearside floor under van and is held in place with a pipe clip.
HI John, my 1998 Corniche is the same as yours well nearly! the drain for the onboard tank is as described above it has a blue plastic tap and is clipped to the
underside of the van floor,as for a water filter there isnt one,the best thing is to buy a water filter jug for drinking/tea water, also I struggled to find where to
put in toilet flush water,again there isnt a place to do this as the flush water comes direct from the on board water tank,any other querys just ask.
------------- Cheers Jim.I Reserve The Right To Be Wrong.
Tank drain pipe with blue tap found, used and tank drained.
Water filter - if they ain't fitted one then I don't need one, good idea with the filter jug for drinking water though, might give it a try if I need too.
Thanks for all the advice, good site this innit? I've used it before, only in the camping section though.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Swift Corniche water filter, where is it?
