2020 Accordo 120 - water level/guage (1 Viewer)

[MotorHomeJeff]

Can someone confirm if the level indicator on the control panel is for the grey/waste water level or the fresh water level? Most of the manual talks about grey but its not totally clear.
Then it says "if waste tank is fitted, the lowest indicator will illuminate when the waste tank if full" - so it does both??
Thanks
Paul

 

[maison]

As far as we are concerned it is the fresh water level.

If you are unsure, empty the fresh water tank, check the level. Guess a half full and check again, then full and recheck. That should sort it out.

On our Accordo 125 it is definitely the fresh water t@nk.

 

[MotorHomeJeff]

Thanks for the quick reply. Next is the dreaded question on calibration?? Do that when its full? (Assuming its fresh water)

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[maison]

Thanks for the quick reply. Next is the dreaded question on calibration?? Do that when its full? (Assuming its fresh water)

To be honest, we haven’t bothered with calibration. (I take it that you are someone who reads the manual! )

Water gauges are notoriously inaccurate whatever motorhome you own. Fill it up until you have all bars illuminated and you will be fine. It is easy to obsess about things, I am as guilty as anyone. Just relax and enjoy.

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

My water tank overflowed when the gauge had it less than half full only two weeks ago. In the two years we have owned the van (from new) we had never completely filled the tank, there was no need as we never stay on a campsite more than a couple of days and had always used the sites showers.
When the campsites reopened we made the conscious decision NOT to use the sites showers and to completely fill the tank so that we could use the vans shower.
While filling the tank my wife called out that there was water pouring out of the bottom of the van.
I looked under the van and water was gushing out of all sides of the silver insulation foil which covers the tank.
Not being technically minded I panicked. The only thing I could identify was the pipe which leads to the blue tap to drain the tank. Where the pipe meets the tank the nylon nuts were loose. I tightened them best I could with my fingers. I went to reception to ask if they could recommend a MH workshop nearby which they did. I spoke at length on the phone and asked if I could take the van to them next morning as they were only 5 miles away.
He came to the conclusion that the tank had overflowed because either the gauge was faulty or the float in the tank was sticking and charged me £50! Our van is due back at the dealers next Monday for its overdue annual hab check and two year engine service and they will look at it while it's in. Hope it doesn't require another visit to repair it, another day off work

 

[ontheroadagain]

There is a process to go through to calibrate the fresh water gauge. It is in the manual. I did it recently on our Elddis. To check the level you have to push and hold the button. When the grey waste tank is full the same gauge will continuously light up red. This is all assuming you have the latest whale control panel.
In relation to the water running out this is normal. There is a overflow pipe on the tank. I just fill mine until it starts to run out. That way you know it is full.

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[Compactliner]

generally, when filling a fresh tank the water will overflow when full....either from an overflow in the tank itself (as in your case) or back up the filler pipe as in my van.
fortunately, my guage is extremely accurate (as was the one in our previous Carthago) and i can leave the hose in the filler and keep an eye on the reading inside the van...
as it hits 'full' i walk outside to the hose and gradually turn the flow down and listen to the water gently rising up the filler pipe....no fuss, no water everywhere, just a full tank.
i cannot understand why there are so many totally useless water guages out there, how difficult can it be?

 

[68c]

Many older vans just have a set of four different length metal rods hanging down in the tank connectrd to the gauge. As the water level rises it makes contact with the rods one by one and indicates on the gauge or lights. So no indication just means less than a quarter, one indication less than half etc and full indication nearly full. The true fill is when water pours out the overflow. Of course driving with the tank full means you will spill some through the overflow on tight turns. Folk following your van think you have deliberately left your grey water tap open to dump while driving. Good reason not to travel with a full tank.

 

[Compactliner]

the amount of water anyone travels with is usually dependent on where they've come from (availability of water) and where they are heading (site with no water or hard to access water point).
properly designed tanks (irregular shaped) reduce the 'sloshing' effect over a simple external rectangular box with no 'shape' or baffles to combat it....

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[Wee Bold Davy]

There is a process to go through to calibrate the fresh water gauge. It is in the manual. I did it recently on our Elddis. To check the level you have to push and hold the button. When the grey waste tank is full the same gauge will continuously light up red. This is all assuming you have the latest whale control panel.
In relation to the water running out this is normal. There is a overflow pipe on the tank. I just fill mine until it starts to run out. That way you know it is full.

Just took our van back to the dealers today for its annual hab' check and two year engine service. I told them about the problem I had previously with the tank overflowing while the gauge was reading less than half full.
He told me that they'd a known problem with the gauges in some 2018 models. He said that it was a simple matter of calibrating it which he did. There is no mention of calibrating it in our manual.
All seems well now

 

[Flook]

I do not have your model, and I found out the gauge is well out. So I now have my very own accurate water level system.
I now use a see through hose which is about 18inches in length, I attach none end to the drain tap, the rest via a suction pad stuck to the side of the van with the end marginally around the hight of the tank. The hight of the tank is easy enough to work out, via a tape measure, ensure the end is touching you floor base from under the van, and check off the measurement to the base of your side panel and there you have it to the top of the water tank, only need to do this once and note it down. With all in place open your drain valve and you will see how much water you have in your tank. Then fill accordingly and when done shut your valve off, remove hose etc for use another day.

I hope this assists you and anyone else, the idea works well.

Flook

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

While on site, before we had it calibrated we started with an empty tank and filled it using a 10 litre watering can, quite easy to keep track of what was going in, and we used a 10 litre bucket to empty the grey waste. We didn't use the shower so it was quite simple.

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[KMarkN]

My water tank overflowed when the gauge had it less than half full only two weeks ago. In the two years we have owned the van (from new) we had never completely filled the tank, there was no need as we never stay on a campsite more than a couple of days and had always used the sites showers.
When the campsites reopened we made the conscious decision NOT to use the sites showers and to completely fill the tank so that we could use the vans shower.
While filling the tank my wife called out that there was water pouring out of the bottom of the van.
I looked under the van and water was gushing out of all sides of the silver insulation foil which covers the tank.
Not being technically minded I panicked. The only thing I could identify was the pipe which leads to the blue tap to drain the tank. Where the pipe meets the tank the nylon nuts were loose. I tightened them best I could with my fingers. I went to reception to ask if they could recommend a MH workshop nearby which they did. I spoke at length on the phone and asked if I could take the van to them next morning as they were only 5 miles away.
He came to the conclusion that the tank had overflowed because either the gauge was faulty or the float in the tank was sticking and charged me £50! Our van is due back at the dealers next Monday for its overdue annual hab check and two year engine service and they will look at it while it's in. Hope it doesn't require another visit to repair it, another day off work

Same thing happened in our new CV60 a couple of weeks ago. First trip, and we followed advice of dealer to fill with hose until it overflowed. The problem is that it overflows inside the tank lagging, and then drips out of various places for many hours! Also, in the process it dislodges the lagging, so not really ideal.

I now use a see through hose which is about 18inches in length, I attach none end to the drain tap, the rest via a suction pad stuck to the side of the van with the end marginally around the hight of the tank. The hight of the tank is easy enough to work out, via a tape measure, ensure the end is touching you floor base from under the van, and check off the measurement to the base of your side panel and there you have it to the top of the water tank, only need to do this once and note it down. With all in place open your drain valve and you will see how much water you have in your tank. Then fill accordingly and when done shut your valve off, remove hose etc for use another day.

Great idea, I like it! One problem for a PVC like our CV60 is that the underslung frash water tank is wide and flat, so the height difference between full and empty is only about 6". I guess this makes it difficult for the fitted sensor, or for your clever method, to be as sensitive and accurate as one would like?

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Same thing happened in our new CV60 a couple of weeks ago. First trip, and we followed advice of dealer to fill with hose until it overflowed. The problem is that it overflows inside the tank lagging, and then drips out of various places for many hours! Also, in the process it dislodges the lagging, so not really ideal.

We've had our van in for its habitation check and they calibrated the gauge, it's now very accurate thank goodness, wouldn't want to experience that again

 

[Flook]

KMarkN give it a try, if it works great. This method can and is also used by many who do not have a spirit level. Okay that won't work in motorhomes or caravans but defo does for building etc. Because this method is nigh on precise all you need to do is work out the base of the floor to the bottom side of the outside of you vehicle, place a marker of some kind on the outside approximately where the floor base is that has been measured, and you know the upper limit, fit hose to water drain and secure to the vehicle side with a hooked suction pad near that point above or below is your preference. Place other end of hose into the hook so no existing water in the tank would be lost, open drain tap and any residue water will fill the tube and you will se how much you have. Fill as normal and watch the water level rise until it is near the mark you have made and there you are, filled and ready to use. Remember to turn your water drain tap off before removing the hose.

All the best

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[cmcardle75]

I've fitted a toilet flush valve to mine (with a bypass valve). I can just connect the hose up, turn it on and come back later to remove the hose when it's done. If I want to brim it, I can just turn on the bypass and wait for water to come out the overflow. The toilet valve is set to about the 150L level.

 

[Compactliner]

post deleted as ive just spotted your response is in relation to a self build, not the Elddis.

 

[cmcardle75]

post deleted as ive just spotted your response is in relation to a self build, not the Elddis.

I didn't see your post. However, such an arrangement could be retrofitted to most tanks if you can access the tank, have a little bit of space and aren't worried about warranties. If the existing water inlet isn't pressure sealed, you'd need to add such a thing (i.e. the Bullfinch garden hose style water inlet). You can even use it as a city water inlet that keeps your tank topped up, if you trust the quick release fittings on your hose.

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[Cheshirecat57]

Thanks for the quick reply. Next is the dreaded question on calibration?? Do that when its full? (Assuming its fresh water)

Calibration is a piece of cake,takes 20 seconds

 

[maison]

Calibration is a piece of cake,takes 20 seconds

Unless, like ours, it simply refuses to calibrate, showing “fail”. Trying again and again gives the same result.

If we can’t make it work it can be a warranty claim.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Yes, thats a warranty claim

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[Cheshirecat57]

the amount of water anyone travels with is usually dependent on where they've come from (availability of water) and where they are heading (site with no water or hard to access water point).
properly designed tanks (irregular shaped) reduce the 'sloshing' effect over a simple external rectangular box with no 'shape' or baffles to combat it....

The Elddis 175 is an irregular shape

 

[Compactliner]

The Elddis 175 is an irregular shape

then there should be no problem with travelling with it full, or any other proportion, if desired.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

then there should be no problem with travelling with it full, or any other proportion, if desired.

Except, that it pours water out of the overflow
Need to sort a fix to that

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[Richard n Ann]

Except, that it pours water out of the overflow
Need to sort a fix to that

You can put a 12mm John Guest tap on it. Haven't bothered with ours as I'd only forget and leave it shut.