Hand pump - lead on a good one?

[JenPB]

Bought a hand pump from my local RV shop. Finally got all the fittings and installed that baby (hole in countertop and everything) and it started to siphon, then took a dump. Nada. Nothing. ARGH! Don't know if I should return it and try another of the same pump or move on. Clearly this one's a ...

Any leads on a good hand pump?

Otherwise, work on our "new" 1972 Compact Jr. is going well. Finally had the nerve to test the windows today. They seem to be in good shape.

OH! Turned on the propane. Immediately found leaks at tank handle and regulator. Two of three burners worked. The third seems not to get enough fuel to light fully. Pointers?

Jen
jenpb.blogspot.com

[JenPB]

Here's the pump I installed:
http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Hand_P...l_p/vts-429.htm

Jen

[Bonnie]

Here's the pump I installed:
http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Hand_P...l_p/vts-429.htm

Jen

Just a thought. If it started to siphon and quit. There's an air leak somewhere. May not be the hand pump at all. Try putting your thumb over the spout end and pumping the pressure up a bit. Might be a dud, or not.

Bonnie

[Joe Z]

Jen.....
Not sure about the hand pump problem and hope you figure it out but i have to say that is a pretty good website and i saved it with my favorites

Joe

[Loren G. Hedahl]

I had no luck with RV quality hand pumps either.

Finally I bought one at a yachting store and the problems were over. The one I ended up with mounts below the cabinet and is foot operated. It was a bit more pricey than the RV, but worth it.

Since then my wife and I decided to simplify things and we removed all plumbing and tanks.

For water we use a couple of 1 1/2 gallon clear plastic jugs (originally for olive oil) that we fill from several 6 gallon water cans that are carried in the back of the Blazer. One jug only gets good drinking water. The other one is for washing water.

For gray water, we have a rectangular 2 1/2 gallon jug (originally for mustard, free from a local restaurant) that sits directly under the sink. A flexible hose drains the sink into the jug. This jug is dumped daily.

We have had this system in for about a year and like it best. It is much easier to conserve water when you pour it and dump it daily. We also like the idea of drinking water from our own well for most of our trips. The coffee tastes better also.

Since going this route, I don't remember ever running out of water, fixing a leaking pipe or priming a pump. Wonder why?

[Connie M.]

Just discovered that our slightly leaking hand pump is now squirting. Was looking on the net today and saw a Valterra Rocket hand pump. Any good?

[Loren G. Hedahl]

West Marine sold one at one time that looked exactly like that, but without the chrome. You could get them in either white or black.

We had one in our Scamp for awhile, but I could never get it to hold a prime.

The pump of choice for yachters is made by Fynspray. A little pricey, but good, I'm told.

It was the problem with pumps and the cost of a Fynspray that caused us to re-think and simplify our water system, as I've noted in another post.

[JenPB]

Well, I ended up dumping the little pump that failed on its first go. Installed the Valteera Rocket Hand Pump with no problems and it's working WONDERFULLY!

Thanks for your pointers and leads!

Jen

[JenPB]

Kinda wished I would have gotten the pump that works with both city water and the hand pump. But I didn't like how LOW it was. I mean, seriously, my hands would barely fit in that space, let alone a pot to ... catch water in! SO I went with the rocket and here's what it looked like after the installation. Not bad for a girl!

Plus, it seems to work beautifully!

Thanks again. I hope to see some of you on the road this summer.

Jen in Cali
7 days 'til liftoff - WOO HOO!

[Pete Dumbleton]

When you are pumping with hand pump, the lever can be left forward or back -- In one position the line drains back to the tank; in the other position the line holds its prime.

I have seen three-way pumps in marine world that were hand, electric-tank, and city-water.

In nine years in two trailers, I have only had to replace pumps twice. I like hand be cause it's handy, doesn't use electricity, doesn't waste water and doesn't generate as much gray water.

A lot of this kind of stuf boils down to how much one is trying to make a camping trailer into a stick-built anchored home....