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Water pump "burping" - Replacement recommendations
My pump is making intermittent 'burps'..several in a row, every time I use either cold or hot water. And, occasionally just for no reason. I'm thinking it's time to invest in a replacement pump, "just in case". I have the SureFlo 408 [or is it 4008?] Is this still the best replacement that will install in my current setup? It's been awhile since I bought this pump, and was wondering if another better suited pump has come along?

Any suggestion? Experiences replacing the older SureFlo?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire
"CHERRYOTTE" our little red home on wheels
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
Re: What replacement water pump now for 1998 IB?
Reply #1 –
Gini, I'd stick with the 4008; I carry that one as a spare for when the second Whisper King (no longer manufactured) in my rig finally goes south. You might want to look on the Pentair-Shurflo site for more information:

Water Delivery | RV
2003 TK has a new home
Re: What replacement water pump now for 1998 IB?
Reply #2 –
I'm reminded of the 16 ft Terry my mom and dad had and used to take all four of us kids camping way back when. It had a hand pump to get water to the kitchen sink. Simpler days
Discuss anything with anyone and disagree agreeably. Always be polite and respectful.
Re: What replacement water pump now for 1998 IB?
Reply #3 –
"Any suggestion?"

Have you tried 'burping' your hot water tank??   ::)
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
Live for the day!
Re: What replacement water pump now for 1998 IB?
Reply #4 –
Thanks Joan..not sure if I can install it myself, and want a replacement that needs no adjustment to fit. Since this is the one I have now, I'll stick with it.

Since my email yesterday, [and having done all the previous suggestions to try...burping, flushing, etc.] it started spontaneously running and I couldn't get it to shut off without flipping the switch off. Pressure is very low, and it sounds pretty rough..so am ordering one now.

My question now is for the interim, I will attempt hooking up to shore water..never done it before. Not sure how to regulate the water pressure thru the inline filter. And also not sure what the water pressure is here in POS. Silly, I know, but feeling rather uncertain about this. Don't want to cause any damage to my system by doing it wrong. Not even sure how it will work w/inside water pressure for showers, etc.
I think the park pressure is 55psi. Will check with maintenance, but if that is what it is, is that ok, too high, what? Again, any helpful information greatly appreciated.
At 04:11 PM 12/6/2018, you wrote:

Quote

Gini, I'd stick with the 4008; I carry that one as a spare for when the second Whisper King (no

longer manufactured) in my rig finally goes south. You might want to look on the Pentair-Shurflo
site for more information:
Quote

Water Delivery | RV

2003 TK

You can reply to this email and have it posted as a topic reply.
LDO Links:

index.php?action=notifyboard;board=3.0 Regards, The Lazy Daze Owners Team

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire "CHERRYOTTE" our litte red home on wheels "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire
"CHERRYOTTE" our little red home on wheels
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
Re: What replacement water pump now for 1998 IB?
Reply #5 –
Quote from: Gini Free  - 
.not sure if I can install it myself, and want a replacement that needs no adjustment to fit. Since this is the one I have now, I'll stick with it.

Just an FYI the Flojet water pump that I replace my old pump with was a direct bolt in. No changes necessary.
Lynn and Lori
Re: What replacement water pump now for 1998 IB?
Reply #6 –
Personally, I won’t hook up to the city water connection and prefer to fill my fresh water tank (filtered through the two stage filter), but even then I do regulate the water pressure going into the filter system.

The pressure regulator is the same for either fill choice. The regulator is generally installed between the faucet and the fill hose although mine is installed between the hose and the filtration device.

Pressure regulators come in several varieties. Some are simple restriction valves set for a predetermined pressure while others allow you to “dial in” the desired pressure.

Amazon sells them, of course. Camping World or EBay are other vendor choices. Here are pics from some of Amazon’s choices. Here, too, is a YouTube on pressure regulators.  https://youtu.be/zTiT_VwXkR0

Good luck.

Kent
2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"
Re: What replacement water pump now for 1998 IB?
Reply #7 –
Gini, an inline filter will do nothing to regulate the pressure from the park's supply; attach a water pressure regulator on the supply faucet, then the inline filter, then the hose to the rig's city water inlet. If you don't have a water pressure regulator, I'm sure that somebody at POS does!

It's very rare that I ever hook up to a campground faucet, but if I do, a water pressure regulator is definitely attached at the supply point.
2003 TK has a new home
Re: What replacement water pump now for 1998 IB?
Reply #8 –
Just ordered a replacement pump, and a pressure regulator. When I was filling by simply putting the hose into the water inlet [w/filter inline] I manually restricted the flow...kept it a at low fill, so no worries about too much pressure. Now, tho, well..
Not sure if I will hook up directly to park water once new pump is installed..[have appt. on the 12th]..I've never done so, just used my pump and holding tank.

A few months back, I realized that the Park water was coming out very brown, with a lot of particulates. At that time, I was not using an inline filter. I know it contaminated my holding tank, messed up all my faucet strainers, and has most likely gummed up the strainer basket in the pump. I've tried all kinds of flushing out the lines and holding tank, and I use the inline filter religiously, besides checking the condition of the water coming out of the Park faucet before filling my tank..too little too late...sigh.
If it weren't so hard to access the pump. I'd take a chance to remove and try and clean it. But I have to dismantle my whole bed, remove the plywood top, and it is NOT easy for me in the space I have available in the IBed. The mattress is HEAVY..grin.
So..new pump to be installed by RV person, and then I can try cleaning the old one to use as a back up. Thanks all for your help.
Lesson learned ie. water sources.
At 09:36 AM 12/7/2018, you wrote:

Quote

Gini, an inline filter will do nothing to regulate the pressure from the park's supply; attach a water pressure regulator on the supply faucet, then the inline filter, then the hose to the rig's city water inlet. If you don't have a water pressure regulator, I'm sure that somebody at POS does! It's very rare that I ever hook up to a campground faucet, but if I do, a water pressure regulator is definitely attached at the supply point.
2003 TK

You can reply to this email and have it posted as a topic reply.
LDO Links:

index.php?action=notifyboard;board=3.0 Regards, The Lazy Daze Owners Team

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire "CHERRYOTTE" our litte red home on wheels "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire
"CHERRYOTTE" our little red home on wheels
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
Re: What replacement water pump now for 1998 IB?
Reply #9 –
Gini, I wish I had seen this sooner.  It sounds like you might simply have air getting into the pump. 

I went through a similar experience recently.  After using water, my pump was noisier than usual and would not shut off unless I turned off the switch.  I took a quick look at my strainer, but saw no sign of bubbles, and I found no indication of any loose fittings or air infiltration.  Finally, I checked the level in my tank.  It was at 6%, and I immediately knew two things - first, that was the cause of my pump not shutting off, and second, I was an idiot for not following my own advice to check the simplest things first.  There were no bubbles in the strainer because it was full of air.  I began adding water to my tank and, when I had about 20% in the tank, I started the pump.  It ran for perhaps 20 seconds, then shut off.  No problems since then.

So, make sure there is plenty of water in the tank, then turn the pump on.  Give it a minute to see if it shuts off.  If it shuts off, open a faucet and let it run for a few minutes to be sure air is clear of the infeed system.  If the noise is now normal, cancel the order for a new pump, unless you want to carry it as a spare.

If the pump doesn't shut off, here are the possibilities:
1.  Air is getting pulled into the system.  This can be from a leaking fitting or a cracked strainer.
2.  The pump's microswitch is bad.
3.  The pump's check valve is bad.
4.  The pump's diaphragm is bad.
In that case, you need to replace the pump.

Ken F in NM
'08 MB
Re: What replacement water pump now for 1998 IB?
Reply #10 –
Thanks for the thoughts, Ken. My holding is 3/4s full, so it's not that. I've run all the other possible fix-its, and no luck. I seriously think it was the particle material I accidentally put into my fresh water tank  beginning in March, and thru June, before i realized what was coming thru my park water plumbing. Once I saw it coming out brown  I knew what I'd done...:-(....I do have an inline filter now, but too little too late.
My pump has been getting progressively worse; lower and lower pressure both hot and cold; intermittent "burping" happening more and more often even when not in use, to the point it will no longer stop running..it even started with no useage going on. I'm just using it as needed, turning the switch off and on. Once I get the old pump out I will take it apart and see if it is as simple as a plugged screen.
If it is, I'll have a spare!

It may well be the other possibilities you listed, but my hunch is the blockage from the contaminated water source. Never had issues in the past eleven years--this was a first for me.
At 03:10 PM 12/7/2018, you wrote:

Quote

Gini, I wish I had seen this sooner. It sounds like you might simply have air getting into the pump.

I went through a similar experience recently. After using water, my pump was noisier than usual and would not shut off unless I turned off the switch. I took a quick look at my strainer, but saw no sign of bubbles, and I found no indication of any loose fittings or air infiltration. Finally, I checked the level in my tank. It was at 6%, and I immediately knew two things - first, that was the cause of my pump not shutting off, and second, I was an idiot for not following my own advice to check the simplest things first.
There were no bubbles in the strainer because it was full of air. I began adding water to my tank and, when I had about 20% in the tank, I started the pump. It ran for perhaps 20 seconds, then shut off. No problems since then.

So, make sure there is plenty of water in the tank, then turn the pump on.
Give it a minute to see if it shuts off. If it shuts off, open a faucet and let it run for a few minutes to be sure air is clear of the infeed system.
If the noise is now normal, cancel the order for a new pump, unless you want to carry it as a spare.

If the pump doesn't shut off, here are the possibilities:
1. Air is getting pulled into the system. This can be from a leaking fitting  or a cracked strainer.
2. The pump's microswitch is bad.
3. The pump's check valve is bad.
4. The pump's diaphragm is bad.

In that case, you need to replace the pump.
Ken F in NM
Quote

'08 MB

You can reply to this email and have it posted as a topic reply.
LDO Links:

index.php?action=notifyboard;board=3.0 Regards, The Lazy Daze Owners Team

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire "CHERRYOTTE" our litte red home on wheels "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire
"CHERRYOTTE" our little red home on wheels
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
Re: Water pump "burping" - Replacement recommendations
Reply #11 –
In theory, any particles large enough to prevent the pump's seals from working should have been stopped by the strainer.  Getting sediment on the faucet screens is consistent with smaller particulates that clear the screen, get through the pump, and collect on those finer screens.  Still, a particle or particles might collect in just the right spot.  From what you are describing, though, with plenty of fresh water in the tank, I tend to agree - you have damage to either the diaphragm or the check valve.  While a check valve can be replaced, it is not that easy.  A new pump is not all that expensive, but the installation will cost way more than the pump.  Are you someplace that you could swing by southern NM and I could install it for you?

Shore water pressure - your pump is designed to deliver 65 PSI, so a campground delivering 55 PSI should be safe, BUT - I tend not to trust such info.  Get a pressure relief as recommended by others, and use it when connected to shore power, or continue to do what you are doing, turning on the pump only when needed, until the new one is in.

Ken F in NM
'08 MB
Re: Water pump "burping" - Replacement recommendations
Reply #12 –
Thank you Kenneth...I'm in Coarsegold, CA. There's a mobile RV couple who handle the Park RV needs, and they will install the new pump for me. I flushed out the water heater, and it was very contaminated by the dirty water..took a fair amount of flushing to get clear water coming out. Went inside, and there was dirty water spitting out of both the hot and cold water faucets. All are running clear now, so I think it wise to put in the new pump. Hoping I can clean out the old one and keep it as a spare.

The old one still won't shut off, but I'm not surprised, considering what I've seen coming out of the holding tank and the water heater! Thanks again for the reply--much appreciated.
At 02:11 PM 12/8/2018, you wrote:

Quote

In theory, any particles large enough to prevent the pump's seals from working should have been stopped by the strainer. Getting sediment on the faucet screens is consistent with smaller particulates that clear the screen, get through the pump, and collect on those finer screens. Still, a particle or particles might collect in just the right spot. From what you are describing, though, with plenty of fresh water in the tank, I tend to agree - you have damage to either the diaphragm or the check valve. While a check valve can be replaced, it is not that easy. A new pump is not all that expensive, but the installation will cost way more than the pump. Are you someplace that you could swing by southern NM and I could install it for you?

Shore water pressure - your pump is designed to deliver 65 PSI, so a campground delivering 55 PSI should be safe, BUT - I tend not to trust such info. Get a pressure relief as recommended by others, and use it when connected to shore power, or continue to do what you are doing, turning on the pump only when needed, until the new one is in.
Ken F in NM
Quote

'08 MB

You can reply to this email and have it posted as a topic reply.
LDO Links:

index.php?action=notifyboard;board=3.0 Regards, The Lazy Daze Owners Team

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire "CHERRYOTTE" our litte red home on wheels "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire
"CHERRYOTTE" our little red home on wheels
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."