Water pump install ?'s

[Scott H]

Where I'm am:
First off I only boondock. I just broke my trusty hand pump (don't try to pump when you know that the tank is frozen; duh). My electrical system is pretty dialed with 2 6V's and a 150w panel, powering very little.

Where I want to be eventually:
12V pump supplying water to the sink and an outdoor heated shower via a propane water heater.

I can't afford to do this mod all at once but, I figured that the broken hand pump is a good reason to get it started. I'd like to install a 12V pump to bring water to my sink from my on board tank and I'd like to make sure that it is ready for the next phase (water heater and shower) down the road.
Not sure where to start. Any advise on pumps, faucets, installation, and down the road compatibility would be great!
Yes, I realize that after this mod I'll have to"winterize"
Thanks!

[Frederick L. Simson]

I replaced the aged water pump in my Fiber Stream with a top-of-the-line Sure-flo "Whisper King" combined with an expansion tank and flex hoses. (Note: the opaque plastic water line, in either gray or white, while bendable is NOT flexible enough to isolate pump vibration). The floor is carpet. I can run water without waking my sleeping partner.


In my Compact Jr. restoration, I installed a budget Flow-jet pump without the expansion tank, but with the flex hoses. The floor is hard fiberglass "FRP" panel. It sounds like a semi-truck's jake brake and will wake the dead.


BOTH pumps have rubber mounts.

[Bob Miller]

I have installed three "SeaFlow" pumps in the past few months for fresh water pumping in pop-up tent trailers as well as in my Hunter Compact-II, and found them more than adequate for the task, especially considering the very low price. Here's that pump on eBay where I bought them:
RV Marine Boat 12V 1 2GPM 35PSI Water Pressure Diaphragm Self Priming Pump | eBay
However I don't think that they have enough volume for a Hot/Cold system with a shower. For that I would use a Sure_Flo, albeit @ 3X the price.


I will try to find the link to my Hunter install and post it next,

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I have installed three "SeaFlow" pumps in the past few months for fresh water pumping in pop-up tent trailers as well as in my Hunter Compact-II, and found them more than adequate for the task, especially considering the very low price. Here's that pump on eBay where I bought them:
RV Marine Boat 12V 1 2GPM 35PSI Water Pressure Diaphragm Self Priming Pump | eBay
However I don't think that they have enough volume for a Hot/Cold system with a shower. For that I would use a Sure_Flo, albeit @ 3X the price.


I will try to find the link to my Hunter install and post it next,

Here's a link to the installation in my Hunter:

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ter-68313.html

[Gerry Kiernan]

Sure flo is a well known rv pump make, and very common. They are also repairable if you have some mechanical expertise. Be sure to use flexible hose to absorb vibrations, and, even though the Sure Flo is a positive displacement pump, it is wise to mount the pump with the inlet as low to floor as possible, to ensure that you have water at the inlet simply by gravity. A direct line to the inlet that does not go up and over something, such as a fender well, will serve you best. An expansion tank with an air chamber will help even out the flow, but is not essential.

Gerry

[Bob Miller]

FWIW: At least when new, the Sea Flo can draw water up about 16" unprimed.

[Gerry Kiernan]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

FWIW: At least when new, the Sea Flo can draw water up about 16" unprimed.

As I mentioned, the Shur-Flo is also a positive displacement pump. However, on my old Vanguard the supply line was routed from the water tank, up over the fender well, and down to the pump. In the Spring, when I would refill the water tank, and prime the lines, it could take quite an effort to get the pump primed. Once primed it was fine. Now, this pump probably had a lot of hours on it, and perhaps when it was new and shiny that might not have been a problem.
But, It also seemed a very poor plan to introduce a cavitation point in the supply line by deliberately running it up and over the fender well. It created a problem that was totally unnecessary


Gerry

[Denece]

I must be the oddball, but I think it comes from living aboard a cruising sailboat for 8 years.
The first thing I wanted when we got our CompactII was to remove the inoperable hand pump AND the 12v pump and put in a foot pump and spigot.

This sounds peculiar, but let me continue.

12v pumps are notorious power hogs and noisy. Worse yet, if you have the tiniest leak they can drain both fresh water and battery.

A foot pump allows you to wash both hands at once while consuming no power.

(This presumes no hot water heater. I lived 8 years without one yet showered regularly. All you need is a tea kettle and a pump garden sprayer.)

Save power. We boondock regularly with 40 watts of solar panels, charge up everyone's electronics, use all the fans and LED lights we want.

It's one way to go

YMMV

DENECE


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

[Bob Miller]

I don't know what pumps you may have used, but our experience is just about the opposite.


We have two pressure demand pumps in our Compact-II, one for the regular cold/hot water system, the other to deliver fresh water from a separate container, and find that the convenience trumps any of the disadvantages.


We also have ON/OFF switches for both and be sure that they are turned OFF when we leave the trailer. Power use and noise are minimal.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by Denece

I must be the oddball, but I think it comes from living aboard a cruising sailboat for 8 years.
The first thing I wanted when we got our CompactII was to remove the inoperable hand pump AND the 12v pump and put in a foot pump and spigot.

This sounds peculiar, but let me continue.

12v pumps are notorious power hogs and noisy. Worse yet, if you have the tiniest leak they can drain both fresh water and battery.

A foot pump allows you to wash both hands at once while consuming no power.

(This presumes no hot water heater. I lived 8 years without one yet showered regularly. All you need is a tea kettle and a pump garden sprayer.)

Save power. We boondock regularly with 40 watts of solar panels, charge up everyone's electronics, use all the fans and LED lights we want.

It's one way to go

YMMV

DENECE


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

I don't think it's odd at all. It would fit our style of camping too. Adding a foot pump was one of the first things Maggie asked for. Unfortunately the position of the refrigerator right below the sink makes a clean installation challenging. Raz

[Darnelle]

Could someone post photos and instructions for a foot pump? I've never seen one and am intrigued! Thank you.

[David Schroeder]

Love the foot pump!

Whale Marine - Products

[Bob Miller]

Looks like the manual foot pump costs a lot more than a pressure demand pump. The Sea Flo I used was about 1/4th the price, see post #4. But, if cost were not a consideration it sure beats the hand lever type pump.
Amazon.com : Whale GUSHER GALLEY MK 3 PUMP : Boating Bilge Pumps : Sports & Outdoors

[Denece]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Looks like the manual foot pump costs a lot more than a pressure demand pump. The Sea Flo I used was about 1/4th the price, see post #4. But, if cost were not a consideration it sure beats the hand lever type pump.
Amazon.com : Whale GUSHER GALLEY MK 3 PUMP : Boating Bilge Pumps : Sports & Outdoors

I got mine from West Marine for under $50. We have yet to plug our CompactII into shore power since we got it. If you normally camp in improved campgrounds with hook-ups it wouldn't make sense, I agree. That just isn't how we do it.

Denece


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

[Bob Miller]

Wow, that was a good price, but it looks like that's long gone. It's currently about $125 @ West Marine.
WHALE PUMPS Gusher MKIII Cabinet-Mount Galley Foot Pump | West Marine


For what it's worth (Basically Nothing!)
We looked back over the last year or so and it looks like we spent about 41 of 45 nights without hook-ups with our Hunter. We only had power hook-ups when there wasn't an option where we want to stay, such as Silver Strand State Beach and Watchman CG @ Zion National Park.


Usually just battery power.

[Scott H]

Thanks for all the advise.
I like the simplicity of the foot pump but, can't figure out the logistics and, it'd never work with the outdoor shower future mod.
I think I'll try Bob's Sea-flow pump recommendation. The price is right and, after researching hot water heater options, I realize that this part of the mod maybe a few years down the road.
Faucets? Do I need an RV specific faucet or can I just go to HomeDepot an go wild?

[Bob Miller]

I use an IKEA single handle kitchen sink faucet, about $20


Forgot to mention, to prevent backflow, you will want to cap the HOT side until you get your water heater. Not a biggie.

[Scott H]

OK, just about to order a pump and a faucet and came up with and idea.
So there's no hot water for now. If I buy a dual sided faucet can I set it up to run potable water from the cold side, and non potable water from the hot side with one pump? I'm having a hard time envisioning how this would work but, it seems like it works with hot and cold.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Scott H

OK, just about to order a pump and a faucet and came up with and idea.
So there's no hot water for now. If I buy a dual sided faucet can I set it up to run potable water from the cold side, and non potable water from the hot side with one pump? I'm having a hard time envisioning how this would work but, it seems like it works with hot and cold.

NO !!!!!

[Bob Miller]

Just be sure that there is a backflow check valve on both lines. Most water inlets incorporate them. Our Lil' Bigfoot was plumbed in that manner.