water level. (1 Viewer)

[GWAYGWAY]

I have just loaded the van in preperation for the trip to Peterborough and as I filled the water tank I forgot it, and it filled to the top and overflowed from the neck. Oh well so I dropped a bit out of the drain tap to bring it down a bit. It still read 100%, Today I went back in and did a check on the system to see the battery charge and water level again, It read 75% then dropped to 50% now it is empty and the flashing light is warning me that it is empty, but it isn't empty I have lost none and there is no leak neither have I used any.
No doubt the gauge is now wafty, and I cannot tell how much is in there now.
How does it work is it a float and resistor system or an electronic resistance dip tube type. I was wondering if a good bouncy trip along our local roads would fix it or is it a warranty fix. It is a Hymer MLI580.
Any one else have this ? Have the local ner-do-wells siphoned off my water thinking they were getting my diesel.

 

[Neil Bedwin]

The overflow could have wet the connector.....

Give it a day or a drive to dry out and see what it says then. If you filled it then it is full. Don't worry too much about the gauge. Just top it up every other day.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I was hoping they had nicked it and put in a Transit

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[Nicepix]

I was hoping they had nicked it and put in a Transit

or a Hymer

 

[Xabia]

I filled my Hymer tank before I left for Spain, reading 0%. Decided to ignore it as I knew it was full, first stop in France and it was reading 75% which always means that it is full - weird things!

 

[DanielFord]

The water level meter is the source of many frustrations, to answer the questions. Firstly it is not a float level device, it works using 4 different length prongs dipped in the water, the conducive effect of the water will give a certain level of current, thus theoretically one can establish the level of water. What actually happens is, the prongs get covered in lime scale 2 fills after being cleaned, meaning that you water level indicator becomes little more than a random number generator!
Also, electrical interference is prone to set off the water alarm, ours frequently goes off when I light the hob in the morning to cook the breakfast!
Now you can very simply clean the prongs, remove the inspection panel in the floor, and remove the fresh water cap, feel inside and you will locate the prongs. These can be cleaned using a green scouring pad, your water meter will then give accurate readings for about a day, or maybe 2!
We just hit the silence button every time the alarm goes off!

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[DanielFord]

PS @GWAYGWAY I am also getting our van ready for Peterborough by drinking all beer, clearing room for the new beer! See you there (look out for the Bernese Mountain Dog)

 

[DaveandJen]

The water level meter is the source of many frustrations, to answer the questions. Firstly it is not a float level device, it works using 4 different length prongs dipped in the water, the conducive effect of the water will give a certain level of current, thus theoretically one can establish the level of water. What actually happens is, the prongs get covered in lime scale 2 fills after being cleaned, meaning that you water level indicator becomes little more than a random number generator!
Also, electrical interference is prone to set off the water alarm, ours frequently goes off when I light the hob in the morning to cook the breakfast!
Now you can very simply clean the prongs, remove the inspection panel in the floor, and remove the fresh water cap, feel inside and you will locate the prongs. These can be cleaned using a green scouring pad, your water meter will then give accurate readings for about a day, or maybe 2!
We just hit the silence button every time the alarm goes off!

In full agreement with our Daniel above. The correct name for the prongs - is probes - if talking to your dealer. We now have much the same problem with our waste tank showing two bars with no water inside and have cleaned the probes and still the same. Wouldn't mind but all was working well before going back to the Swift factory for repairs during the winter and recently passed a £230.00 Hab check with the dealer two weeks ago and the first time the waste tank has been filled since then.

 

[hilldweller]

It read 75% then dropped to 50% now it is empty and the flashing light is warning me that it is empty

I had this, got my hand in the tank top access hole and scrubbed the sensor rods with a kitchen brush.

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[DanielFord]

In full agreement with our Daniel above. The correct name for the prongs - is probes - if talking to your dealer. We now have much the same problem with our waste tank showing two bars with no water inside and have cleaned the probes and still the same. Wouldn't mind but all was working well before going back to the Swift factory for repairs during the winter and recently passed a £230.00 Hab check with the dealer two weeks ago and the first time the waste tank has been filled since then.

Bizarrely, for the first time in nearly 3 years, our water meters have suddenly decided to read true! I was going to post a comedy photo showing how inaccurate they are, I am currently waste empty, and fresh full. That is what the meters are showing!!! Even a stopped clock is right twice per day!

 

[Neil Bedwin]

I posted a picture of my grey waste sensor connector. On my Swift the connector hung in the air above the tank and thus gets sprayed with water when the road is wet. One of the pis in the connector (presumably the live) had rotted and fallen off. A quick bit of crimping and waterproof tape later and my level sensors work. So it is always worth a quick check.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Just arrived at Lyndon top. Checked the water and , guess what it is working again, and reading about right. The gauge used to be quite good but it is a couple of months off warranty so it will fall to pieces now.
I had a delve in the tank and everything was in order so it might be the panel that was wrong. Might bother to look sometime.
As for going to a dealer, fat chance, I do like the way they treat you when you go in there ,a supercilious look that tells you that you know nothing.but look at some of the people that work in there does not fill me with confidence that they know very much. They do however have access to makers manuals, which are forbidden to owners or independent workers. That is a very typical German way of doing things to protect the dealers incomes.

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[icantremember]

As somebody mentioned previously, you probably flooded the connector block on top of the tank which will have shorted .. now had time to dry out so ok again.

 

[gus-lopez]

The water level meter is the source of many frustrations, to answer the questions. Firstly it is not a float level device, it works using 4 different length prongs dipped in the water, the conducive effect of the water will give a certain level of current, thus theoretically one can establish the level of water. What actually happens is, the prongs get covered in lime scale 2 fills after being cleaned, meaning that you water level indicator becomes little more than a random number generator!
Also, electrical interference is prone to set off the water alarm, ours frequently goes off when I light the hob in the morning to cook the breakfast!
Now you can very simply clean the prongs, remove the inspection panel in the floor, and remove the fresh water cap, feel inside and you will locate the prongs. These can be cleaned using a green scouring pad, your water meter will then give accurate readings for about a day, or maybe 2!
We just hit the silence button every time the alarm goes off!

The joys of an older vehicle. Mine , 29 years old , work perfectly.