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Old 04-14-2008, 05:59 AM   #1
chockwald
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Default House water pump

We took a short weekend trip this weekend to get out in our "new" 1982 Newell, and noticed when we went to turn off the house water pump (the switch is in the bathroom) that the water pump light did not go off, and neither did the water pump. We were plugged into shore power, so I disconnected the inline fuse on the water pump, but the light in the bathroom did not go out. I then pulled the switch out and completely disconnected the wires from it, but still the light stayed on, and when I reconnected the fuse on the water pump, it continued to run. This is a real puzzler to me....how can the pump keep going when I completely removed the switch that turns it on and off?
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Old 04-14-2008, 11:03 AM   #2
fulltiming
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This one is more of a long shot but is there a second water pump switch in the kitchen? Although my Newell only has a single location for the water pump switch (kitchen), many RV's during the 80's had switches in both locations.

If that is in fact the only water pump switch, then the pump is likely wired incorrectly and getting power all the time. Does it look like someone has monkeyed with the wiring?

When you say 'running all the time' do you actually mean continuously running or that it has power to it all the time. Even it the pump has power to it all the time, which it should not if all switches are off, it should only cycle on when a faucet is turned on or the toilet flushed.
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Old 04-14-2008, 02:04 PM   #3
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By running all the time, I mean when I turn on the water the pump runs whether, or not the switch is on. I'm sorry I wasn't clearer. I've looked all over the kitchen area, because I thought the same thing, too. I can't seem to find another switch anywhere, and yet, that must be the case, so I'll look more and let you know.

As far as someone monkeying with the wiring, no. We've had the coach about 6 weeks, and it has worked properly the entire time. I took out the switch, and the wiring looked fine. This problem began this weekend.
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1982 Newell 36’ DD 6V92 TA
2002 Thunderbird Retro
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
2 Terra Trike Tadpoles
Intense 5.5 mountain bike
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Old 04-14-2008, 04:13 PM   #4
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OK classic-owners, is there just the one switch for the pump or is there another one somewhere (like in the bay if you have a compartment mounted water faucet). There are two ways to turn a DC electric device off and on. One is to switch the hot side, the other is to switch the ground. Typically the hot side is switched on Newells. However, if the ground was switched, a short to ground in the wiring would activate the pump at all times. Have you checked continuity on the switch in both positions to make sure it is opening and closing?
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Old 04-14-2008, 05:07 PM   #5
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How do I check the continuity of the switch? I did take it completely out of the circuit and left the wires disconnected, and still the pump remained in the "on" position, and the pump light continued to glow. Is is possible the switch has gone bad and that it is not turning off the circuit?
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1982 Newell 36’ DD 6V92 TA
2002 Thunderbird Retro
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
2 Terra Trike Tadpoles
Intense 5.5 mountain bike
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Old 04-14-2008, 09:17 PM   #6
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If you have a Volt-Ohm meter, set it to Ohms and put one test lead on each side of the switch with the wires still removed. The meter should either read 0 or near full scale. Turn the switch to the other position and check it again with the meter. The meter should read 0 if it read full scale before or full scale if it read 0 before. If this is the case, the switch is working properly and there is a wiring issue. While you have the wires off of the switch, check each wire for ground or current using the following procedure:
Try to locate a suitable ground near the switch, a piece of the coach frame, the grounding lug on a outlet, etc. With the Volt-Ohm meter still set to ohm's, put one meter lead on a ground or a wire that goes to known ground and the other meter lead on one of the wires to the switch. If the meter reads 0, you have a wire that is grounded. Then check the other wire that goes to the switch for the same condition. If you get a very high ohm reading on one wire or the other, change the meter to DC volts. Put the black meter lead on a known ground and put the red meter lead on one of the wires. It should either read 0 or about 12-13 volts. If it reads 12-13 volts you know that wire is 'hot'. Check the other wire, and see if it is hot or if it reads 0. In a normal situation where the hot wire is switched, you would have a 12 volt hot wire coming into the switch, the switch would make or break the connection to the other wire so that when the switch is off, the wire going into one side of the switch has 12 volts and the other does not. When the switch is on, both wires would show 12 volts when the volt meter black wire is connected to a ground.

If the switch is breaking the ground (not typical), then one side would show 0 ohms of resistance when the red meter lead is attached to it and the black meter lead is attached to a known ground and the other side would not with the switch turned off.

There is another possibility, although it is not used often for water pumps, and that is a bad relay. If there is a relay in the circuit, the switch just sends a trigger signal to the relay to close and send power to the pump. I am not aware of Newell using relays on the water pumps but a relay hung to the closed position would certainly exhibit the symptoms you are experiencing since a signal would not be needed to send power to the water pump and the only way to turn the pump off would be to remove power from the relay.
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Old 04-15-2008, 01:13 AM   #7
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When all else fails read the prior owner's notes.....LOL! I finally got out the prior owner's notes, and right there at the bottom of page 17 (of 73 pages of hand written notes) it says H2O pump - 2 switches! One in bathroom, and one in kitchen under counter on right side of sink! I went out to the motorhome, and sure enough, there it was, the second switch! One of our grand children (it's about eye level for them) probably turned it on...we didn't even know it was there! Problem solved.

Michael...thanks for your assistance. I am now the proud owner of a multi meter now, and have an extra switch. After testing the switch and determining it was working properly I had to believe there was a second switch that had so far eluded me, and finally read the notes.
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1982 Newell 36’ DD 6V92 TA
2002 Thunderbird Retro
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
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Old 04-15-2008, 03:58 AM   #8
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Those notes are going to be invaluable to you. I hope you are able to get them typed up and posted here as a resource to others with the classic Newells.

Glad you found the solution, that was the most likely condition.
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Old 04-15-2008, 02:26 PM   #9
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On the notes.....I was able to scan them into my computer a week ago, and now the daunting task of typing up the notes so they are legible for all to read.
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https://whatnewell.blogspot.com
1982 Newell 36’ DD 6V92 TA
2002 Thunderbird Retro
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Cannondale F600
2 Terra Trike Tadpoles
Intense 5.5 mountain bike
ALBUM: https://newellshowcase.com/thumbnails.php?album=213
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