Autocruise Control panel problem

[Lesley Licqurish]

We have an Autocruise Pioneer Frobisher 2006. First outing today. On the control panel I cannot access the external pump

 It will not toggle between internal and external so just shows internal. The down arrow button doesn't seem to work at all. Therefore had to hand fill the fresh water tank from inside the van. Any thoughts?

[Derek Uzzell]

Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forums, Lesley.

I think the first step is to try to establish which control-panel your motorhome has.

Is the ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS) panel shown here the one your Frobisher has?

If not, can you say which panel is fitted - a photo would be helpful.

 

I notice that, back in 2007,  I asked here about Autocruise water-tank filling

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/topic/4599-autocruise-water-tank-filling/

and (based on that forum discussion) it seemed that 3 methods were possible. Using an external 12V pump and an external water container; connecting a hose to the motorhome's external filling-point  nd attaching that hose to a mains water-tap; sticking a hose directly into the tank via the tank's inspection 'hatch' (which I assume is what you did).

There a long video about the EMS panel here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmmA4RQbQzM

but it does not cover the option to use an external water-pump.

When a control-panel is not behaving itself, a commonly-suggested ploy is to disconnect it, wait for a while (say 30 minutes) and then reconnect the panel - but identifying which electrical system your Frobisher has should be done first.

(When you said "First outing today", does this mean you have only just bought the motorhome?) 

[Derek Uzzell]

This link is to a 2008 Autocruise Owners Handbook and instructions for the Energy Management System begin on the 33rd page

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/863814/Autocruise-Camper-Van-Range-2008.html?page=33#manual

I cannot find anything in that handbook to suggest that the control-panel's Water Pump Button does anything other than switch the motorhome's INTERNAL water-pump On or Off.

Autocruise did fit a different system that had the control-panel shown here

and that panel did have a  PUMP button allowing an INTERNAL or EXTERNAL water-pump to be selected. However (as will be apparent from the above image) that panel has no DOWN (or UP)  buttons.

[onecal]

Hi,

As suggested by Derek a photo would be helpful,

Maybe it's not wired or fuse blown if it has an external connection on the top of the throw (top)  of your pump switch 

Regards 

[Derek Uzzell]

I've looked at countless on-line adverts for Pioneer "Frobisher" motorhomes built around 2006 and (as I had anticipated) none of them had a conventional exterior 'hole' for fresh-water filling. Instead, they all had the arrangement shown in this image of part of a Frobisher's right hand side.

From right to left, I believe the three 'covers' are for a Truma water-boiler's inlet/exhaust, the fresh-water filling-point and a 240V hook-up connection.

I think Autocruise chose a Truma "Ultraflow" system for water filling, but I've no practical experience of this product. If fresh-water is to be drawn into a Frobisher from (say) an external Aquaroll via a hose and submersible pump that's dropped into the Aquaroll, will that pump automatically get its 12V supply through the Truma pistol-grip connector,? If not, how will the submersible pump be powered if there is no dedicated exterior 12V outlet?

There are (2008) Autocruise water-filling instructions here

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/863814/Autocruise-Camper-Van-Range-2008.html?page=24#manual

but (for me) they still leave questions unanswered.

[Derek Uzzell]

I came across this 2010 O&AL enquiry

Has anyone out there got any views on the pumped water system on the earlier Autocruise models?

On our 2002 Starspirit, "Ext(ernal)" doesn't work on the PMS (and isn't supposed to work according to the manual) so "Int(ernal)" is used for filling from an Aquaroll. Trouble is, when the external crystal pump is plugged in to fill an empty internal tank, the internal pump also operates because it (and the pressure switch) appears to be wired into the external pumps' connections! Running the internal pump "dry" is not to be recommended so it really needs to be isolated when filling from an external pumped supply.

Autocruise presumably addressed this issue on later models and made "Ext" and "Int" work independently of each other as logic would suggest.

Has anyone successfully solved this issue on their older Autocruises?

Yes, I know, we could always fill the internal tank by a hose instead of the pump/Aquaroll but that isn't always an option.

Any advice appreciated...

I've also read on-line entries where manually operating lever-valves within a leisure-vehicle allow an internal water-pump is be used to fill a fresh-water tank from an external water container - but I don't think Autocruise used that arrangement.

(There is little point speculating further on this matter without feedback from Lesley, who - after joining this forum last Thursday evening and having immediately posted the enquiry - has not visited the forum since.)

[onecal]

I agree,

Its strange putting up a post (for the first time), and then no reply?

Regards