The 15th International Portafold & Ansfold Gathering) (i.e. 2024)

Our annual gathering will be returning to the Newbury Retrofestival.

So put the dates 9th, 10th & 11th of August 2024 in your diary now and get those dates booked off work early.

Show Address: Newbury Showground, Priors Court, Hermitage, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG18 9QZ

Don't book direct with the show organisers it will cost you more money, just contact me (07771544419) to get your pitch saved.

Sink fitting?

Any questions about maintenance or the restoration of your Portafold or Ansfold.
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bigbird
Posts: 172
Joined: Thu, 11 Sep 2008, 3:36 pm
Location: Ryde, Isle of Wight

Sink fitting?

Post by bigbird » Mon, 27 Apr 2009, 5:23 pm

On buying our Portafold, we found that inside there was a switch for what we can only assume is to be attached to some sort of pump (missing) for water supply. There is an outlet pipe and an old plastic large water holder. The switch is a small plastic rectangular rocker switch that clicks when you press it. Having no experience of rigging up a proper sink with water supply, does anyone know exactly what we would require, apart from this switch and the water pipes we already have?

txfsealord
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat, 05 May 2007, 9:24 pm
Location: Pulborough, West Sussex

Pumped water

Post by txfsealord » Mon, 27 Apr 2009, 6:26 pm

Hi Bigbird,

When I did this job on my Ansfold a couple of years ago, I found that "progress" in the fitments sold for caravanners meant I wasn't able to find a plain spout for the sink. By this I mean that all shops keep combination double-tap units (hot & cold with pump switches for both) a few still had cold only (single tap which incorporates the pump switch) & the plain spout I wanted was no longer supplied. With a plain system, there's no valve on the pipe (spout) over the sink, when you operate your switch the electric pump pushes the water out of the tank, through the spout. With the single 'tap', there's a switch as well as the valve so turning the tap on switches the pump on simultaneously, this supersedes your switch.

To use your switch, you'll need the fresh-water container, a water pump which can be bought separately from caravan suppliers, a sink with drain (ditto), inlet & outlet piping & the spout which can be a bit of copper pipe bent over to aim the water-jet into the sink. A 12v electric supply runs the pump (I have a small car battery fixed in my 'van which also powers interior lights). Without the tap-valve the pump-jet will be very fierce as all the pumps currently available seem capable of powering a shower! Certainly they empty the water container pretty fast. You could regulate the electric supply by including a rheostat in the circuit to 'turn the pump down a bit', but this would involve finding a rheostat which matched the pump. I found it easier to use the switched tap.

I hope this answers your question,

Steve Lord

User avatar
bigbird
Posts: 172
Joined: Thu, 11 Sep 2008, 3:36 pm
Location: Ryde, Isle of Wight

Post by bigbird » Mon, 27 Apr 2009, 8:06 pm

Wow, steve, thank you so much for all that info, I won't pretend that I understand all of it, but I am sure that my husband will. That is so helpful! I've seen a sink with a fold down tap on it that came out of a VW, it looks like it will fit, I'll get hubby to read all this info and check that it's the right type of fitment as you describe. Once again, thanks you're a star!! :D

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