bathroom sink replacement (Burstner T603)

[jmpecador]

Hi,

 

Problem: Bathroom tap/faucet running continuously when there is pressure...

 

Steps taken: Unscrewed sink, disassembled tap and disconnected water pipes.

 

FYI: See attached pictures...

 

Questions:

 

## What's next? Just cut the wires and remove, then replace?

 

## How to ensure that I get a fitting replacement tap?

 

## Is it possible to fit a different, non-electrical tap (and simply leave the wiring disconnected)?

 

## Is there usually somewhere in the system a "master tap" to turn of water supply to the bathroom tap, in the way that you when replacing a tap in your house (which would then allow us to use the water system in the kitchen until repair is completed)?

 

Not very experienced with plumbing generally and the next-door-neighbour, who is a plumber, said he'd never seen these sorts of systems, so some advice would be great!

 

[Derek Uzzell]

It might help to know when your Burstner motorhome was built, but I suspect it was around 2002.

 

It’s not easy to identify the exact tap that Burstner would have been fitting back then. However, I've attached below an image of the tap that shows it in its entirety and it looks quite similar to the microswitch-operated Comet “London” mixer tap shown in this advert.

 

https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/water/caravan-taps/comet-taps/comet-london-mixer-tap-with-microswitch

 

It’s most unlikely that your Burstner will have been fitted with any means to isolate the washbasin tap from the rest of the motorhome’s water supply, but you should be able to ‘plug’ the water pipes that you’ve disconnected from the tap.

 

You really need to fit a replacement tap that operates via microswitches like the present tap does. Attempting to modify the system as you've suggested would be extremely difficult to do.

[747]

Your original tap will be made by Reich. Whenever I have had to change a tap on either of the two Burstners I have owned, I fit Comet taps. They are at least equal quality to Reich and much cheaper.

 

I don't understand why your tap was constantly running when switched off. To me that would indicate 2 faults. The ceramic insert had suffered damage (probably by frost) and there was a short across the + and - of the microswitch which had activated the submersible water pump in the fresh water tank.

[jmpecador]

Derek Uzzell - 2021-05-15 5:55 PM

 

It might help to know when your Burstner motorhome was built, but I suspect it was around 2002.

 

It’s not easy to identify the exact tap that Burstner would have been fitting back then. However, I've attached below an image of the tap that shows it in its entirety and it looks quite similar to the microswitch-operated Comet “London” mixer tap shown in this advert.

 

https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/water/caravan-taps/comet-taps/comet-london-mixer-tap-with-microswitch

Thanks, that's helpful, and apologies that I forgot the year!

 

But you were pretty close: It's 2001

[jmpecador]

747 - 2021-05-15 7:20 PM

 

Your original tap will be made by Reich. Whenever I have had to change a tap on either of the two Burstners I have owned, I fit Comet taps. They are at least equal quality to Reich and much cheaper.

 

I don't understand why your tap was constantly running when switched off. To me that would indicate 2 faults. The ceramic insert had suffered damage (probably by frost) and there was a short across the + and - of the microswitch which had activated the submersible water pump in the fresh water tank.

Thanks a lot for both these comments!

[Derek Uzzell]

747 - 2021-05-15 7:20 PM

 

Your original tap will be made by Reich. Whenever I have had to change a tap on either of the two Burstners I have owned, I fit Comet taps. They are at least equal quality to Reich and much cheaper.

 

I don't understand why your tap was constantly running when switched off. To me that would indicate 2 faults. The ceramic insert had suffered damage (probably by frost) and there was a short across the + and - of the microswitch which had activated the submersible water pump in the fresh water tank.

A further check indicates that the tap in the photo I provided is indeed a Reich tap.

 

A version of this tap still seems to be available - though quite expensive to buy in the UK.

 

https://scandihills.com/products/925-taps-for-hot-amp-cold-water/14225-mono-mix-style-2002/

 

I’m not sure how to interpret the comment "Bathroom tap/faucet running continuously when there is pressure... “ in the original posting. If this means that, when another water-outlet is opened (causing the water-pump to run), the washbasin tap also runs irrespective of the position of its ON/OFF lever, I agree that this would point to a failure of the washbasin tap’s ceramic cartridge. If the washbasin tap’s microswitches were shorting, I’d expect the tap’s ON/OFF lever to still shut off the tap. As you’ve said, it might be a combination of both faults.

 

This link may be helpful regarding the tap’s wiring. (Tap shown is non-mixer type, but the principles will be much the same.)

 

https://clearcutconversions.co.uk/onlineshop/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Plumb-and-Wire-Sink.pdf

 

The 1st picture in the original posting shows that the tap’s electrical wires are sealed into the tap’s body. Beneath the washbasin, at the ends of the tap’s wires, I’d expect there to be cable-connectors to connect those wires to the wires eventually leading to the water-pump. I don’t know how easy it would be to replace this Reich tap’s ceramic cartridge and/or microswitches, but, in principle, replacement with a new similar tap should ‘just’ involve connecting up the water pipes and the the new tap’s wires.