Which fresh water pump is best?I need a replacment

[Eriba trafic]

My new motor home came with a non working fresh water pump.It seems to be a standard type using a contact on the tap?

 

I would prefer a boat type which has a pressure detector,as the pumps are larger than the ones ive seen in caravans/motorhomes what is the alternative?

 

I dont want to change the tap on the sink just the pump.Is that possible with the contact on the tap?

 

I havnt taken the tap apart to see if it is that model i assume it is. Neither have i found where the pump is fitted

[Brian Kirby]

Impossible to say, until you have found and identified the pump so that type is clear.  Have you verified it is the pump that is dead, and not just the microswitch on the tap that has failed?  Much more common.  Replacements are available, but finding a source in France might be a bit complicated.  You'll need one of the larger chains, like Masters http://tinyurl.com/3yyxaqe

Good luck.

[Eriba trafic]

I haven't looked at the switch the one on my VW failed or rather a wire to the pump "looking" at the switch ruined it the fragile parts being shy

 

When i looked at replacement pumps i found similar but really cheapened the tap poor plastic no metal

 

The eriba being new starts with plastic al be it "solid"plastic i wonder just how reduced the "tap pump" combination is by now?

 

I did look at pumps while in France this time but found no pumps at all!!

 

Is there an online motorhome kitchen tap pump dealer?And what pump would be recommend? The link only advertises their existence theres nothing to be found other than a few campers for sale?Ill try searching later,what about UK suppliers but not outdoor bits ive got that No pumps there

 

I have until about Feb/march to have the eriba in a fit state for Female use that is heating HAS to work tap run and shower tent delivered loo in use(i use a tree & visit a cafe mornings)

[Rayjsj]

I have had both types, microswitch actuated and pressure actuated, of the two, i have found the pressure actuated (Shurflo Type) to be far more reliable and long lasting, with no microswitch contacts (lots of them !) to stick or fail after a long 'lay-up' period. The other type is too 'Mickey Mouse'

and better suited to Caravans with their 'Aquarolls' outside the van. Ray

[Eriba trafic]

yes ive wondered how the camper microswitch taps last as long as they seem to 8-)

Az things are cheapened further (not the price)i was looking at a boat piston pump pressure system i have spare,a new bearing on the arm and good for another 20 years daily use

 

Im not sure where to install it being rather large camper wise,the space is very well used which is a compliment to eriba

[Derek Uzzell]

If your Eriba's taps have micro-switches, then the water-pump will almost certainly be of the 'submerged' type and will be inside the fresh-water tank itself.

 

These pumps are relatively cheap (see link below)

 

http://www.leader-loisirs.com/pompe-eau-immergee-c-228_230.html?osCsid=jg49jcsn2ntdjlnolurgcsqhu1

 

and should be readily available at caravan/motorhome dealers.

 

Before playing about with your motorhome's water system, the important thing will be to establish whether the pump is actually broken, or just jammed, or whether the reason it doesn't function is elsewhere. It could be that no 12V power is reaching the pump, either because the tap micro-switches aren't working properly, or a fuse has gone, or a wire has come loose, etc. etc.

 

If you intend to stay in the Clermond Ferrand area for a while, it might be worth you visiting

 

Narbonne Accessoires

RN 9 - 63670 LA ROCHE BLANCHE

Tel : 04.73.61.60.50.

Fax : 04.73.61.90.30.

 

GPS: 045° 42' 48" North // 003° 09' 18" East

 

If you're lucky, they will have an accessories catalogue (450 pages and free!) that may help you if you need bits and pieces.

 

(I've no idea when French caravan/motorhome dealers will re-open after the current holidays. Tuesday?)

[eljay]

Hi Eriba Trafic,

 

I have just been looking in my 2010 copy of the Narbonne Accessoires catalogue and, on page118 there is a selection of seven submersible pumps from which to choose, from €12 to nearly €60, depending on application. They also have a selection of taps (robinets et mitigeurs) bioth with and without contacts, if that is what you need.

 

If you look at www.narbonneaccessoires.fr and search for ref. 200520 you should see their nearest to the Shurflo submersible pump.

 

I hope this helps,

 

J

[Eriba trafic]

I was just about to say its better value in the UK then i clicked your link

 

Pumps are ok better than Narbonne accessories.I have listed the outlets (when i get to France the internet stops,& 3G from orange cost a fortune)

 

I expect to be spending new year aboard where i dont yet know.I looked at the weather im shocked just how cold France is 8-) Its Minus 17 max 28!!! says Wednesday "might be between 37 & 45 8-) Bit warmer than hear but still chilly

 

When i get to her before the water im going to fit a solar panel & add 12v plug sokets plus a signwave 150w inverter then the water pump shower pump (for an outside shower when it warms up a bit)& visit camper stores to find a reasonably priced pull out sun shade with legs *-)

 

Any other French supplier links will be most welcome

 

Hope you had a good Christmas and dont have snow hear is snow!!Awful

 

OH your in Haute Vienne,!I plan to stay in Ganges that is a small village about 20kms below Limoge!With 12 places for campers all year free(it says in the book 2009) seem i have to call the marie to ask??

 

Then im moving to either Rochforte where there is a Linux shop and good fish mkt or Cognac where i have friends or Montpelier where there are camper supplies! B-)

 

 

[Clive]

Get the WHALE SMARTFLOW UV0814

 

Very effective.

 

C.

 

[JohnP]

Have you done a proper analysis of the problem.

 

1. Checked the pump using an independant supply from a 12v battery

2. Checked the micro switches on the tap.

3. Checked fuses and wiring.

 

A problem I have come across on two Hymers with single pedestal mixer taps is the plastic/metal interior of the tap cutting through one of the wires which runs from the micro switch to the pump etc.

 

Don't assume that it is a faulty pump.

[Derek Uzzell]

eljay - 2010-12-25 9:10 PM

 

...If you look at www.narbonneaccessoires.fr and search for ref. 200520 you should see their nearest to the Shurflo submersible pump...

 

J

 

As far as I'm aware, Shurflo don't make 'submersible' water-pumps, only pressure-sensitive ones.

 

The Auro 20 litres/minute flow-rate pump you mention is likely to be overkill for a small camper - I'd suggest something with an output of 10-15 litres/minute. The best thing might be to fish the existing pump out of the water-tank, check its flow-rate, and replace with a pump with a similar output.

 

I'd be wary of replacing a submerged ('submersible') pump with a pressure-sensitive pump on an elderly camper, as there's a real risk that this would provoke leaks in the water system.

[Guest Tracker]

I too would be inclined to replace like with like especially whilst away from home as it is the best way to avoid one potential 'cure' sparking other unexpected problems.

 

Before spending any money at all I would be inclined to remove the pump from wherever it is and try a direct connection of 12v both connected to a water supply and disconnected to determine whether it is the pump or non return valves or wiring that is at fault.

 

Next run a continuity voltage check on the microswitch and wiring to see whether it is that which is faulty.

 

At this point you will then have a better idea as to what - if anything - needs replacing and you may find that a general clean up of filters and contacts could sort it for you?

 

As for the 'best' pumps - I have always found Shurflo and Whale to be the most reliable and more often than not fairly easy to get parts for?

 

 

[Clive]

There is no reason whatsoever why the existing tap microswitches cannot be used to control a bulkhead type pump. After all the pump I quoted has a V3 microswitch inside it to switch it off a 2 BAR anyway. Personally I would use a slave relay between the tap switches and the pump to give the tap switches a longer life.

C.

 

[Derek Uzzell]

Clive - 2010-12-26 11:05 AM

 

There is no reason whatsoever why the existing tap microswitches cannot be used to control a bulkhead type pump. After all the pump I quoted has a V3 microswitch inside it to switch it off a 2 BAR anyway. Personally I would use a slave relay between the tap switches and the pump to give the tap switches a longer life.

C.

 

This is the arrangement used on my Ford Transit-based Hobby motorhome - a Shurflo pressure-sensitive pump triggered by tap micro-switches.

 

It's always seemed a peculiar set-up to me as, if you decide to use tap micro-switches, logically you might as well fit a simple, quiet, cheap submerged pump in the water tank. Alternatively, if you are going to use a more expensive pressure-sensitive pump, why would you bother with the extra wiring complexity involved in connecting that pump to the taps when you can just power the pump directly?

 

Admittedly, there are certain potential advantages - the water system isn't automatically re-pressurised (hence less likely to leak) when the taps are shut off and, if the system includes a Truma 'combi' heater and an anti-frost drain-valve, only the heater will drain if the valve opens. But I'm not really convinced that Hobby would have taken these into account when choosing this unusual pump + tap combination.

 

I might understand if Hobby had adopted this combination across the board, but the Hobby handbook for Fiat-based models contemporary with my motorhome states that these used a "submerged pump" and warns that this could be damaged if run with the tank empty.

[Clive]

Submersible pumps are simple and very effective. But live in the water and rely on a plastic seal to keep water out of the electric motor. Its also a high reving motor with a comparitively short carbon brush and seal life. Bulkhead pumps live out of the water, use bigger slow revving electric motors and have a longer life. Whale in Belfast make quality versions of each.

C.

 

[Eriba trafic]

I wont buy a whale ive been more than disappointed with them aboard the boat,they are "fragile" and stop working both fresh & bilge

 

I had a couple of whales as spare when i wanted to use them on an tender they wouldnt run.Others did same for the hand bilge pump

 

I have only turned the tap on & nothing happened :-( I havnt found the fuses nor switches?? I have found a 12v connection box but thats all

 

I havnt seen the pump nor a single 12v wire.I didnt look very hard as so many other things need looking at not least the water tank level indicator which has a broken off spade connector :-(

 

I didnt want to use water as it would drain to the grey water tank and freeze 8-) If the temperature improves as i drift south ill begin using it

 

For the moment a 2 gallon plastic water container will serve & plastic bowl in sink

 

I will buy a new pump i think an in line one as back up and rotary one as the prime pump using the micro switch to activate the system a tap to restrict flow

 

Ive noted all links and will buy in France as then i can fit it while near the shop in case it needs to go back B-)

 

The other link for the online shop is very good as they accept visa (via bank agricol) and their prices are for some items reasonable with an affordable p&p first ill ask the post if they still do "post restante"

[Guest Tracker]

You might even find that magically as you find a warmer climate that the system might all just start working again when it thaws out - or is that just too much to ask!?

[Derek Uzzell]

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by an 'in line' pump.

 

A motorhome normally has one of the following two types of water-pump arrangements:-

 

1. A submersible pump that sits in the bottom of the fresh-water tank and is triggered by tap micro-switches. These pumps are self-priming, but need a non-return valve (attached to the pump, or just down-stream of it) to stop water draining back into the tank.

 

2. A pressure-sensitive pump located outside the fresh-water tank and triggered when a tap is opened and pressure in the water pipework drops. This pump is also self-priming, but acts as its own non-return valve.

 

There are variations - like my Hobby motorhome's set-up - and you can also get in-line 'booster' pumps that are a bit like submersible pumps but don't self-prime. There's some diagrams on the following link that might help:

 

http://www.whalepumps.com/documents/submersible1.pdf

 

As long as the micro-switches on your taps are OK, I'd go for a submersible pump as they are simple, quiet, reasonably reliable and, if they do go wrong, quite cheap and easy to replace.

 

If you think that you are on a steep learning curve, you might want to consider investing in this book

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcaravan-Manual-Choosing-Using-Maintaining/dp/1844250474

[eljay]

Hi again,

 

If you are / will be close to Limoges then there is Caravanning Limousin not far from junction 37 of the A20 and they will give you some help if you can take the old pump in to them as a "pattern". Their GPS co-ordinates (as close as I can get them) are 45.79292 N and 1.30342 E.

 

They sell caravans, motor homes and mobile homes and there are people in there who speak some English if your French isn't up to explaining the problem

 

J

[Eriba trafic]

OK im staying near junction 40 or will be (though my plans are very flexible)

 

Ill drive up there as i wont be driving through Limoge 8-) with my new & for me HUGE motorhome 8-) 8-) When i arrive ill drive up to 37 sounds very handy

 

My French is ok they understand when i comes to shopping ;-)

 

PS. An in line pump is one that you cut the water hose place the water feed on the inlet & outlet hose on the other once can be self priming.That way i can use say an immersed pump or presumer pump or if all fail 8-) 8-) *-) use the in-line one,i had in mind a cheap Chinese immersion one with a good inline standby

[Derek Uzzell]

If you are considering having an external shower, you'll need to think about how you will install it.

 

The usual way seems to involve a water system with a pressure-sensitive pump - you just attach the shower-hose to a quick-release socket-fitting built into the leisure-vehicle's bodywork and then turn the (cold-only) water on or off via a trigger on the shower-head.

 

You can also get external shower kits that include their own pump and take 12V power from a cigar-lighter socket and water from a 'jerrycan'.

 

(Examples of both types on Page 124 of 2010 Narbonne Accessoires catalogue).

 

Alternatively, you could just get a long shower-hose and hang it out of the motorhome's bathroom window.

[Brambles]

For my external shower I just open the toilet window,hang the shower over the catch and the voice operated controls are marvelous as I cannot reach them from outside. I very quickly learned to upgrade the voice operated controls from son version to wife version to avoid a fault where it suddenly runs stone cold.

 

[Eriba trafic]

That sounds fun. I will use solar heat gravity feed & when needed a mixer(with cold)

I have a garden shower from aldi and the electric portable shower sold by Narbonne for 49.99€ which costs 19€ from a French landrover shop (that also sells compressor fridges at more British prices 399€ not 899€)

 

I hadnt though of opening a window & the eriba has lots sliding & lifting

 

For winter showers (in the less cold south) ill fit a piston pump with pressure switch to feed a gas geeser drawing water from the main tank the geeser will be hung on a temporary support & the lot packed away after use *-) All coneccted with old non Chinese hose pipe 8-) 8-)

[Travelling Tyke]

Hello,

 

Just been looking at water pumps myself - found ours duff whlist getting ready to go away for the New Year - we have a Shurflo fitted.

 

I am going to replace it with the same and repair the original to use as a spare. It is cheaper than a Whale and spares are available. (But not until after 4th Jan :-( )

 

http://www.leisureshopdirect.com/caravan/water/shurflo_pumps.aspx