Reconnecting a Four Winds Water Pump Switch

[MarkARoma]

I have a 2008 Four Winds Class C 30 ft motorhome. When I hit the toggle switch on the panel control to turn on the water pump it did not work. I first checked the fuse of course and it was fine. Upon taking the panel off the wall to look at the wiring behind the switch it turns out all three fin blade connections were removed from the switch and the two smaller gauge wires (which I'm assuming are for illumination and water sensing) were also removed from the red wire termination block as well. I've been looking online to find a schematic of this to see which wires go back to where, but have been unable to do so - is there anyone out there that can help me with this issue?

Thx M

 

[RayIN]

Assuming you have multiple switches to control the water pump, look at the back of a different switch.

 

[Kirk]

is there anyone out there that can help me with this issue?

A picture of what you have might help. If you have a multimeter, use the ohm scale to verify that the switch is working first and which two pins go through the switch. If it is a double pole switch it will have two pairs of switch contacts. If you only have one pump switch, most likely one lead is for the 12V supply and the other goes to the pump. Using a voltmeter can determine which lead is which but, in all likelihood, connecting the two should turn the pump on. If it is a lighted switch the small leads may be for that indication light.

You do know that the pump when turned on only runs where there is a pressure drop in the line when you open a faucet and has a pressure switch that will turn the pump off when the faucet is closed?

 

[MarkARoma]

Assuming you have multiple switches to control the water pump, look at the back of a different switch.

No unfortunately only 1 switch.

 

[MarkARoma]

A picture of what you have might help. If you have a multimeter, use the ohm scale to verify that the switch is working first and which two pins go through the switch. If it is a double pole switch it will have two pairs of switch contacts. If you only have one pump switch, most likely one lead is for the 12V supply and the other goes to the pump. Using a voltmeter can determine which lead is which but, in all likelihood, connecting the two should turn the pump on. If it is a lighted switch the small leads may be for that indication light.

You do know that the pump when turned on only runs where there is a pressure drop in the line when you open a faucet and has a pressure switch that will turn the pump off when the faucet is closed?

 

[MarkARoma]

I've provided pictures as you can see of the water pump itself. One of the back of the panel showing the three fins and the 3 wires that have become disconnected from the fins, the back of the switch itself, the circuit board and the two low-voltage wires (circled in red), one I presume one is for illumination, the other might run to the water tank itself as a level sensor.

 

[Kirk]

only 1 switch.

That means that you have a very simple pump circuit. It simply has a power supply, a switch, and the pump. I believe that photo 7351, & 7353 both show the spade connections for the pump switch. Is 7342 also showing the same switch but with two wires connected? The three connections are probably marked on the switch if you look next to the blades or on the other side. If they are not, an ohm meter can be used to determine which one is which.

In 7352 I see only two wires, one white with a red tracer and the other red with a much smaller red wire in the same spade connector. I don't see a third wire?

In 7349, the two red wires shown are connected to the pump pressure switch and one then goes to the motor so if we assume that the two wires in 7352 are for the water pump, then most likely that read wire goes from the on/off switch to the pump pressure switch and then to power the pump. In most RVs the 12V supply goes directly to the pump-motor and the control from the on/off switch is ground. It is very easy to confirm that with a voltmeter. To be sure what wire belongs where we need to know if the switch is controlling ground (most common) or 12V. If the third wire is small red wire from the larger red wire spade connector, it is for the indicator light in the switch.

In photo 7284, are the two broken wires of the same color? If so, they probably should be connected, but that is only a guess. It looks like there is a white wire there that also has a spade connector? I don't know what 7339 is showing us?

 

[MarkARoma]

Thx I've circled the 3 wires in white.

 

[MarkARoma]

I believe the two smaller wires that you can see in 7284 came off of that red terminal block that is devoid of any wires, that's my best guess. Anyway, as I mentioned, I believe one of them is probably an illumination lead for the switch and the other might be a line from a level sensor on the tank itself.

 

[MarkARoma]

I've never use an ohm meter. Do I put it on the wires or the switch. Is it akin to say a regular light switch that one of those wires should have a power leg and the other is a neutral?

 

[Brad Buchanan]

I've never use an ohm meter. Do I put it on the wires or the switch. Is it akin to say a regular light switch that one of those wires should have a power leg and the other is a neutral?

actually a ground and you can verify by using your ohm meter between the ground wire and a known ground (usually the rv frame).

 

[Larry N.]

actually a ground and you can verify by using your ohm meter between the ground wire and a known ground (usually the rv frame).

But before using the ohm meter, be sure there is no power on the circuit(s) you are looking at.

 

[Kirk]

. Is it akin to say a regular light switch that one of those wires should have a power leg and the other is a neutral?

Most meters come with fairly good instructions. It is important to make sure that you select the correct scale before taking measurements. A smart meter like this one from Amazon might be a good choice for you. At only $15 it won't be the highest accuracy but should work well for your use and be very easy to use. To check a switch, you want all of the leads off of it and on the ohms it will read 0 ohms when across a closed switch and go to very high ohms if the switch is turned off. The voltmeter will quickly tell you if it has 12V there. I suspect that you will have 12V on the pump side and ground on the other. When the switch is closed the pump will run if a faucet is opened. I carry a much more expensive meter but I used to make my living with it and so have a lot of experience and often troubleshoot farther and more technical things that you are likely to do. A simple meter is much better to learn with. There is no neutral for the pump as it uses chassis ground as a return while 120V power uses a neutral wire back to the source.

 

[garyb1st]

Our motorhome has three toggle switches and a controller. When the switches failed, I wasn't able to find a replacement controller. Simple solution, I wired an on/off switch directly to the water pump. One wire to the switch, one wire to the battery and a ground wire from the water pump to the chassis. It's worked fine for the past year.