Whale water filling (1 Viewer)

[Boris7]

recently bought our first MH, have to say I hate the blooming whale filler with a passion.

connected to a hose for over 2 hours, got practically no water into the tank.

called whale, lovely lady but not much help.

MH came with a new mains connector but it ain’t working for me.

how On earth does it work?

is there any reason I can’t cobbler up a simple connection and by pass the whale connector?

 

[TheBig1]

recently bought our first MH, have to say I hate the blooming whale filler with a passion.

connected to a hose for over 2 hours, got practically no water into the tank.

called whale, lovely lady but not much help.

MH came with a new mains connector but it ain’t working for me.

how On earth does it work?

is there any reason I can’t cobbler up a simple connection and by pass the whale connector?

quite simple to bypass the whale filler and install a normal one on most vans, providing you have the space

 

[DangerMousy]

We had the Whale system on our previous MH - its a bit of a pain, but it sounds like somethings not right if you've had it connected for hours. When you put the filler in the socket on the MH are you making sure its seated properly and locked in position using the cover flap - if its not seated properly then the water won't flow.

When you've got it working, take out the valve inside the filler head - it'll fill much faster (I'll try and find the instructions I used)

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[SomeoneElse]

I agree with you about Whale the most complex system when simplicity would do.
A fully fitted Whale system has a soleniod valve just inside the MH. This valve is normal closed so you need to ensure its powered to let water in. Usually either from the control panel or from the tank gauge or both. The idea is that you can leave the hose connected and it will keep the tank topped up. The problem I found was that the valve is 12V, leaving the MH parked but the tank not full meant the leisure battery was being continously drained.

 

[DangerMousy]

A fully fitted Whale system has a soleniod valve just inside the MH. This valve is normal closed so you need to ensure its powered to let water in. Usually either from the control panel or from the tank gauge or both.

That's not how the Whale system worked on our Bailey - you could fill with a hose with all power off. You only needed the power if you wanted to fill from a container using the submersible pump.

 

[Vic]

That's what we did, until I fitted a normal filler. Whale system ideal for caravans, not a motorhome. This was the main reason I did not buy another Bailey.

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[DangerMousy]

That's what we did, until I fitted a normal filler. Whale system ideal for caravans, not a motorhome. This was the main reason I did not buy another Bailey.

I wouldn't say it was our main reason, but it was definitely one of them

 

[pete4x4]

I guess the Whale system is a bit like Marmite, I like the system and get on well with it, tank fills really quickly from the hose but as has been said you do have to ensure the lid is down locking the connector in place.
This ensures the valve is fully open

 

[Wendo55]

I have no problem with the Whale hose but after you drive to the tap you must remember to turn on your control panel inside the van first. I'm always forgetting to do this as I usually get out of the driver's door when positioned at the tap.
A simple thing but could that be your problem?

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[SomeoneElse]

That's not how the Whale system worked on our Bailey - you could fill with a hose with all power off. You only needed the power if you wanted to fill from a container using the submersible pump.

We also currently have a Bailey and that's the Bailey implementation. Previously we had an Elddis and that had the solenoid valve. It took 2 to 3AH per day that made a 100AH battery dead flat in a month. The only way to stop that was to switch of the habitation electrics completely.
The first winter I left the habitation power but with EHU connected, all was well. The second winter I didn't have the EHU connected but with the habitation electric off. The battery was fine but there must of been a small amount of water in the valve which became frozen damaging the valve that needed replacing.
The Bailey version is better as the small bore of the valve slowed the filling considerably on the Elddis.
The OP has an Auto Sleeper, it may or may not have a solenoid valve.

 

[roger7]

On my Auto sleeper the solenoid valve had a fine filter that often blocked as per the OP. I removed this without any problems.
The system is over complicated with a float operated level switch in the water tank, this connects to a relay switch that supplies 12v to the hose connection valve. This hose connection valve has a pressure switch operated by the filling hose water pressure, When the switch is made the solenoid valve will open and water will flow into the tank!!
I removed mine many years ago and fitted a normal gravity filling pipe

 

[Ninjabob]

If you unscrew the connector (to the van) you can remove the non return valve, it looks like a miniature golf tee with plastic washer on it, the tank will then fill in less then 10 minutes

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[Boris7]

Well the van was booked into Auto-sleepers tomorrow to have the whale consigned to the bin.

But that’s obviously been cancelled so I’ll check the solenoid and maybe even by pass it until I can get a gravity feed put in.

 

[Boris7]

Finally its fixed.

Prior to booking it in with Auto-sleepers I contacted the distributor I bought it from, F in useless, o.k. its second hand but still £45k should get some service other than avoidance techniques after only a few weeks.

Then spoke to Whale 3 times, not impressed by their suggestions that were completely wrong. The second guy just kept on saying theres a blue handle you need to switch over to fill the tank, obviously complete rubbish or it would never have filled before.

Then asked Whale for a list of service centres / mobile engineers in my area, Contacted a trained and approved mobile service engineer. He seemed to know less than myself but did fine and check the solenoid and found it o.k.

He quoted £800 to overhaul the system and get it working, I so should have sworn at him, but didn't

So called Auto-sleepers who could get it quite quickly because of a number of cancellations and quoted £225 to both sort the Whale and add a gravity fill, as I said that got cancelled due to Covid 19.

I'd been keen to ensure I didn't tamper with the MH myself as it would be the perfect excuse for the dealer to claim I'd invalidated any warranty, but since it seemed impossible to get them to do anything I thought its time to have a go.

So today I needed to go to work as we are on shut down but we have a very expensive piece of equipment that needs tending every few days and I don't want to go in over the weekend, and though I'd take the MH and have a look myself.

Firstly, I thought I'd drop the tank as that is what both AS and the Whale guy said needed doing, but then I though back to the existing Whale feed system, so I poured a cup of tea and thought it through, I knew the solenoid was in good working order as the Engineer had removed it and checked it over, but then I remembered what a plonker he was, so I pulled out the panel below the oven and got the solenoid out and hey presto......

On my Auto sleeper the solenoid valve had a fine filter that often blocked as per the OP. I removed this without any problems

Spot on Roger, should I ever meet you the beers on me.

I've only had a MH for a couple of weeks but I'm starting to learn,

a) most experts ain't.
b) pretty much everything MH related is overpriced.
c) many (not all) of the people in the industry are less than honest.
d) being on here has been a great help

 

[Lenny HB]

I've only had a MH for a couple of weeks but I'm starting to learn,

a) most experts ain't.
b) pretty much everything MH related is overpriced.
c) many (not all) of the people in the industry are less than honest.
d) being on here has been a great help

Sums it up pretty well.

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[Innkeeper]

Sounds like am lucky not to have. But what are whale water fillers?

 

[Pausim]

Sounds like am lucky not to have. But what are whale water fillers?

I think they are a caravan system that some plonker has started fitting to motorhomes. Probably someone who has never used a motorhome and doesn’t know we usually drive up to a tap rather than roll a barrel of water to the filler.

 

[Boris7]

That about sums it up.

Seems a pipe straight into the water tank is just too simple for Auto-Sleepers

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[Mike Rivers]

Each to their own I guess. We fill up our Bailey using 3 x 10 litre Jerry can trips worth of drinking water via the Whale internal submersible hose. One end in your water container the other in the side of your van. Select ‘Fill internal Tank’ from control panel and the Whale pump sucks water from your container into your on-board tank. It really that simple. I don’t understand the fuss.

 

[Boris7]

Just filled up with the new gravity feed, 91litres less than 7 minutes

 

[Dagraton]

I've just bought a 2016 Bailey Autograph 745, my third motorhome. I like it in almost all respects with one big exception. The fresh water filling system using a 'Whale' connection seems completely pointless. I can see no advantage unless you cart around a supplementary external water container as used on caravans and this might be a small advantage given that the internal tank is only 100 litres which, for us, is a maximum of two days’ supply. However, it's another piece of kit to go wrong, it slows down the water flow and if you ever come across a non-standard hose pipe, it would be impossible to connect. What's wrong with a conventional filling neck? I did see a motorhome with two water filling points - a standard neck and a Whale system alongside which might make some sense. Having encountered this problem, I thought of replacing the Whale connection with a conventional neck but it's not possible - there's insufficient space and the internal tank is inaccessible. So - from now on - water filling is direct into the tank via the floor hatch.
Or have I missed something?

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[Lenny HB]

Don't think you have missed anything their main business is caravans they just don't understand how Motorhomes are used.

 

[pete4x4]

On site I fill up with the external submersible pump and and I think fill up quicker than people who pour it into an open filler. You either love it or hate it

 

[Lenny HB]

On site I fill up with the external submersible pump and and I think fill up quicker than people who pour it into an open filler. You either love it or hate it

Must be a right pain at a service point as you have to do the job twice while there is a queu of vans waiting behind you.

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[pete4x4]

No you just connect a hose to the fill point.
Its only went you cant be arsed to move do you use the external pump from a water container

 

[Pausim]

When I arrive on a site I pull up at the tap, connect a hose and fill up as quickly as possible.

 

[DangerMousy]

I've just bought a 2016 Bailey Autograph 745, my third motorhome. I like it in almost all respects with one big exception. The fresh water filling system using a 'Whale' connection seems completely pointless. I can see no advantage unless you cart around a supplementary external water container as used on caravans and this might be a small advantage given that the internal tank is only 100 litres which, for us, is a maximum of two days’ supply. However, it's another piece of kit to go wrong, it slows down the water flow and if you ever come across a non-standard hose pipe, it would be impossible to connect. What's wrong with a conventional filling neck? I did see a motorhome with two water filling points - a standard neck and a Whale system alongside which might make some sense. Having encountered this problem, I thought of replacing the Whale connection with a conventional neck but it's not possible - there's insufficient space and the internal tank is inaccessible. So - from now on - water filling is direct into the tank via the floor hatch.
Or have I missed something?

No you've not missed anything....its a stupid system on a motorhome.
We carried an aquaroll and the submersible pump for a few trips (and actually used them a couple of times) but we mostly just used a Whale filler hose and just apologised to the people in the queue behind when it took so long But then the waste water drain used to take forever too.....
As I mentioned in a previous post...you can speed up the Whale hose filling by taking the white valve out of the inside of the filler block.....it helps....a bit.
And yes, if there's a hose permanently attached to the tap you'll need to lift the floor hatch and fill via the tank inspection hatch.

You either love it or hate it

Sorry but I'm firmly in the hate it camp.....I remarked to hubby after filling the 130L tank on our Rapido before heading off last weekend: wow that's so much quicker than the old one! (it took about half the time the Bailey used to take). We rarely stay anywhere long enough to need to fill the tank without moving though. I suppose if you stayed on site for a week or more then having the submersible pump could be quicker/easier than using a watering can - but that's not our travelling style.

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[Lenny HB]

, the tank will then fill in less then 10 minutes

How long! I did even think they had very big tanks. I certainly wouldn't want to wait that long to fill my 160lt tank.

 

[Lenny HB]

No you just connect a hose to the fill point.
Its only went you cant be arsed to move do you use the external pump from a water container

I thought the OP said that didn't work.

 

[125BEER]

Sorry but did you turn the pump on via control panel..the option to fill tank that's what we had on our Bailey