I've been full-timing in my bus for a number of years, and my water pumps seem to last on average about two years.
Unfortunately I've been sticking with 24V VSD (variable speed) hi-capacity (5+gpm) pumps, so that means I'm throwing away $250 every 2 years to deal with this (not to mention not having water until the replacement shows up).
My pump just died, so I found a 115V pump that was only 3GPM and not variable speed which I bought as a stopgap. I was actually really surprised with how well it worked, 3GPM seems to be a decent shower and the pressure switch in it seems to work just fine even without an accumulator tank (I think it helps that some of my plumbing is hose instead of pipe, which means that it can actually hold some pressure a bit like an accumulator tank).
So now I want to get another pump and I'm trying to avoid ShurFlo since they barely last. I know that at least one of the pumps that died was also FloJet - and I know that those are generally considered to be long lasting - though they don't seem to survive my bus.
Any thoughts on other options? So far I have only found "Aquatec" as a possible contender, but it looks like they are meant for more intermittent use, which makes me wonder about their reliability long-term.
As the Shurflo factory rep said at an RV show, if you want rock solid reliability, stick with the old fashioned mechanical on/off pressure switch. My first set of Shurflo pumps (2 of them) lasted 15 years. I bought the same model again. Granted they don't produce the pressure of the electronic pumps, but at least they continue to work. Good Luck, TomC
Quote from: TomC on August 10, 2015, 09:29:51 PM
As the Shurflo factory rep said at an RV show, if you want rock solid reliability, stick with the old fashioned mechanical on/off pressure switch.
How can I tell which pumps have the mechanical switch?
And I don't think this is fully the reason why some of my pumps have failed - most of them have fried the motors near as I can tell.
The problem is there seems to be a huge gap between the $100 Shurflo type water pumps and the next most common pump, the Headhunter at about $1000.
I've never seen a suitable alternate priced between the two.
Hi Dave,
I have had the same trouble as you over the years with Sureflo..
Last December I took a shot with this pump. {Seaflo}
http://www.ebay.com/itm/191276494631?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT (http://www.ebay.com/itm/191276494631?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT)
So far, it's just as powerful as the 5.7 and at $99 it's less then half of the 5.7
Nick-
I find those pumps have a short life span if mounted in a vertical postion
I been using a Aqua Jet RV pump for over 13 years with good results.It's a 12volt 5.3 gpm variable speed.I am on my second pump with seven years of fulltiming and the others years I travel about 6 months a year.
If you mount 1 vertical the pump part needs to in the upwards position I get 10 years from 1 also lol the 1st last only 18 months because I mounted it wrong,it's best to mount the pump in a horizontal position.
Daveola the Shurflo 2088 is the old proven mechanical diaphragm pump you can tie 2 together for more volume and pressure if need as TomC said they are bullet proof and inexpensive you can buy those at Tractor Suppy or Northern Tool for 70 bucks even cheaper on the E place or Amazon
Like Tom and others have found, the good ol' 2088 is still the most reliable SHURflo pump made. Even the SHURflo reps says their newer variable-speed pumps are not reliable. I have two 2088 pumps on a slide-out tray, and each pump is on a quick-disconnect mounting plate so I could remove it in less than a minute with no tools. Each pump is set to 45 PSI, the same pressure as my Watts regulator, and only one is sufficient for washing down my solar panels. Just don't forget to use strainers upstream of the pumps to catch any particles that could harm the diaphragms or check valves.
John
If it's mounted horizontally, is the intake or outlet supposed to be on the bottom? Or is it supposed to have them on the same level? Because I don't think I have room to mount the pump as such.
From the ShurFlo manual:
"The pump can be mounted in any position. However, if mounting the pump vertically the pump head should be in
the down position so that in the event of a leak, fluid will not enter the motor."
This horizontal mounting suggestion is the first I've heard of it - is there a reason for it?
Quote from: daveola on August 11, 2015, 11:45:04 AM
From the ShurFlo manual:
"The pump can be mounted in any position. However, if mounting the pump vertically the pump head should be in
the down position so that in the event of a leak, fluid will not enter the motor."
This horizontal mounting suggestion is the first I've heard of it - is there a reason for it?
don't know. but mine is horizontal and has been for ever ;D
Anyone use Aquatec or Seaflo?
There's an Aquatec at 6gpm! for $150 and a Seaflo 3gpm for about $70, both at 115VAC.
There's a Seaflo 24 volt on Amazon. The price is definitely right. However, there are only 2 reviews and both are one-star terrible. I'm needing a new pump so I'm gonna give one a try.
The do need to mounted with the pump down sorry I paid no attention to my post anyway if you take 1 apart that has been mounted in the vertical position you can see where the armature has wore a grove in the end plate and shorted out
Nick Badame posted a few posts up that he indeed is trying out a seaflo.
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I just read on a marine board that someone talking to techs from multiple pump companies confirmed that 110V pumps don't last as long as 12/24V pumps (evidently because the higher voltage arcing causes faster wear to the brushes).
Bummer.
Looks like I'll be going back to 24V.
Fortunately now that I've given up on variable speed pumps it seems there are many cheaper options, so perhaps the best way to approach this is to consider pumps expendable.
As far as mounting horizontally, does anyone think it matters whether the inlet/outlet are horizontal/vertical? I don't think I can fit the pump where it is in the bay horizontally unless the inlet/outlet are vertical.
Quote from: luvrbus on August 11, 2015, 01:41:19 PM
The do need to mounted with the pump down sorry I paid no attention to my post anyway if you take 1 apart that has been mounted in the vertical position you can see where the armature has wore a grove in the end plate and shorted out
Some years ago I mounted an old induction motor vertically, and because the armature was heavy I put a roller thrust bearing in place of the original bushing to support the armature's lower end. It worked fine for many years. Could one do something similar with SHURflo-type water pumps? Thrust bearings are quite slim - I used the sort that are just two hardened washers and a caged set of small rollers.
John
..... move the pump and extend the pipes ? ???
Quote from: eagle19952 on August 12, 2015, 03:39:11 PM
..... move the pump and extend the pipes ? ???
I could - but I'd have to move it to an entirely different part of the bay, and that's a mess I'd like to avoid.
I don not know your setup, so my suggestions are merely guesses. Perhaps you could hang the pump from the bay ceiling or build a shelf for it to fit some open vertical space.
To save valuable bay space I've put several things under the bay ceilings - this allows me to still store Other Stuff underneath. For lighter-weight things, like the manifolds for hot water and propane, I screw directly into the underside of the 1-1/2" marine plywood floors, and for heavier things like my inverter and water heater I made hinged or easily-detachable support frames from angle steel that are bolted to structural steel. Even my solar panels' charge controllers and their circuit breakers are on a hinge-down panel on the side wall of the bay, behind which are the whatnots for the solar system that can be easily accessed but are otherwise safely out of the way.
Don't use up valuable real estate for pumps - they can go almost anywhere!
John
Aquatec Aquajet. I think that's the model I have. It's going on something like 11 years now, with only one minor problem when I got some thread tape in it and it leaked off pressure. It was easy to clean, and I put a screen on the inlet and have had no further issues. I use two 1-gallon pressure tanks in my system. The pump runs fast and furious every couple minutes when in the shower, but the pressure and flow remains fairly constant throughout.
That pump has been worth whatever money I paid for it.
^^ 12, 24 or 110v?
I would have figured that the pumps would want to be close to the bottom of the water tanks, instead of on the bay ceiling, no?
Or is that really not a problem.
I'm not wasting real estate by having them in the front - the taps are on the front of the tanks and they need a few inches to clear the door, and the pump is basically in front of the tank in that space next to the taps.
My bays are full, believe you me! :)
My transit is sort of a unique situation with the water system. I wanted my water system above the floor line, and since transits have minimum under space, this worked well. Also, like the 4104, 4106, MCI-5, transits have wheel wells. I bought a 130gal water tank that would fit in between the wheel wells. That allowed me to mount the tank right over the rear axle. Then with the remaining space from the back of the water tank to what used to be the rear seat, I installed 2-10gal elec water heaters, 2-water pumps, both a hot and cold ball valve manifold with individual valves for each water application. It has worked well, except if there is a leak, it does leak onto the floor. But without padding on my carpet-it dries out quickly.
I'm surprised more of you with the normal big cargo compartments don't also mount your water system under your bed to free up more underneath space. Good Luck, TomC
Tom, I have thought many times about doing just that, but the issue for me is that when my plumbing leaks or I have to make changes or add or remove something, I have a "wet" bay. The center bay is only tanks and reverse osmosis and 30 gallon hot water heater.
So if there's ever an issue, zero water leaks in the house.
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All the space under my bunk beds is used for storage, a heater, and AGM batteries. RVs/Buses seem to have more water leaks than stick houses so I don't want 100 gallons of water leaking into my living area. I thought about maybe putting a small water tank under one of my four sets of bunks, but I've never had a water shortage to date. I don't have a big enough waste tank for more fresh water.
Like Tom, I have my water tank inside the coach too. I'm also worried about water leaks, so I fiberglassed the space and put in a drain. Here is a pic while I was building it. The poly tank sits inside here.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JmZcrKzZ9Vk/VZhr3Fq560I/AAAAAAAABeE/sJUq02NvLuU/s800-Ic42/P1000906.JPG)
water tank under bed.... access to motor... denied ... :-\ batteries .... ditto ... ???
Quote from: eagle19952 on August 14, 2015, 07:13:02 PM
water tank under bed.... access to motor... denied ... :-\ batteries .... ditto ... ???
Nope. Right there behind the tank. Panel can be removed in 5 minutes. Already had to do it twice.
Quote from: eagle19952 on August 14, 2015, 07:13:02 PM
water tank under bed.... access to motor... denied ... :-\ batteries .... ditto ... ???
Really, how often do you need access to AGM batteries? It is a two minute operation to get to mine. Remove the mattress from one of the lower bunks and then pull up the plywood which has holes specifically for pulling it up.
If you have AGM batteries, access to them is almost a moot point. I have 2-8D AGM Lifeline batteries. My first set lasted 7yrs. In that time, my maintenance on the batteries was virtually zero-I didn't even clean the terminals once since the batteries don't out gas-it was like they weren't even there. It was only near the end that one of the batteries shorted out that I disconnected it and ran on just one battery for a few weeks. Good Luck, TomC
sorry..i meant... if the batteries are sitting on top of the engine access covers, under the bed, you'd have to unload them too.