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House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
We have a new (6 month old) whisperking 3.0 gph house water pump that just started to blow the ten amp fuse in the panel.  It sounds the same as always and does not sound over loaded.  I have checked wiring and all looks ok.  I am wondering if I could use a 15 amp fuse?  The wiring to the pump looks like 14gage wire, possibly 12gage but looks original.  We are out and about so we can't drain all of the water to put in a replacement now.  We need the water.  So we hope to solve it in place if possible?
     Any ideas?

           Thanks

               Karen~Liam
                   98~MB
                      NinA

1998 ~ MB  WanderDaze
previously a 1984 Winnebago itaska- The Road Warrior, before that several VW Buses and before that a 1965 Chrysler Convertible Newport or our 1969 Chrysler La Barron with an ice box and a couple sleeping bags
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #1 –
not an electrician, but from what I've learned, you need to look at this chart: American Wire Gauge Chart and AWG Electrical Current Load Limits table with...

I checked some photos I took of my pump, and it looks like mine has 16AWG wire on it, which based on that chart, on the "Maximum amps for chassis wiring" column, it can take up to 22 amps. So the wire wouldn't be an issue for a 15amp fuse.

However, I would suggest if you have a voltmeter, check the amps it's trying to consume, based on the LD manual it should be 4.0 amps. If it's breaking the 10 amp fuse, something is really bad with the pump and shouldn't be used...
1995 23.5 Rear Lounge
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #2 –
" I am wondering if I could use a 15 amp fuse? "

Karen-Liam,

No. If the recommended fuse size from the factory is blowing, you have a problem that needs to be diagnosed and corrected. Fuses protect the wire. Putting in a larger fuse will not solve the problem, and is not a good idea.

Bill
Bill
2003 -- 23' FL
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #3 –
Thanks for your help, we are camping in our LD and need to draw water so we will try to fill jugs and shut it off, it only seems to blow when it first starts on its own.

     Karen~Liam
         98~Mb
           NinA
1998 ~ MB  WanderDaze
previously a 1984 Winnebago itaska- The Road Warrior, before that several VW Buses and before that a 1965 Chrysler Convertible Newport or our 1969 Chrysler La Barron with an ice box and a couple sleeping bags
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #4 –
Hi Karen and Liam;  Yes you can put a 15 amp fuse in for now. Just watch the pump and don't leave it on when you aren't home. An inkling of a clue there. The resistance of the copper winding is at it's lowest when it is really cold, especially with cold water. Inrush current is highest if there is no pressure in the line, so it could be drawing too much current just at startup. The spec sheets say they have an internal, thermal protection, self resetting fuse. The pump if it is on for awhile will warm up, the windings will increase in resistance and limit current draw. The fuse is measuring current, not watts.  If your battery is at a fully charged state; i.e. higher voltage, it can push more current through. I don't know exactly the pump you have?  (yours is 3.0 gpm, not hour)  There may be other things on that same fuse drawing power. Lights or something else? 
   Most DMM's can't take over 10 amps in current, so you should get a shunt to really measure how much current is normal. Your wires can handle 15 amps, so I'd go with that.  Check to see if the pump is too warm after running it for a while.    RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #5 –
Do not put a larger fuse in to "solve" a problem - you are creating a fire hazard.  A fuse is a protection device - designed to be the point of failure before more serious damage can occur from an unintentional high current situation.
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #6 –
If memory serves me right, there is also an inline fuse on the pump. If that is right, then the problem is not the pump, but perhaps a loose wire on the power panel or a loose wiring nut on your new pump.
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #7 –
DO NOT USE A LARGER FUSE.  THE WIRING INSIDE THE PUMP IS THE LIMITING FACTOR and, if you are popping fuses, something is already bad there.  IF YOU PUT IN A LARGER FUSE YOU RISK A FIRE.

You do not need to drain the tank to replace the pump.  When you pull the infeed hose, just raise it above the level in the tank.  You will spill a bit, but a towel will clean it up.  The same will happen with the outfeed, so be ready to raise it as well.

Replace the pump.

Ken F in NM
'08 MB
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #8 –
Karen-Liam,

If yours is as easy to get to as mine, the drain valve for the fresh water storage tank would give you access to water without running the pump, at least for bathroom and housekeeping chores. Since the piping after the shut off valve is exposed to 'the world', I'm not sure I'd use it for cooking or drinking.

Bill
Bill
2003 -- 23' FL
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #9 –
Thanks Ken for the warning, we will stay with the 10 amp fuses.  We are using the switch to turn on the pump and draw water into 1 gallon jugs and use that water for cooking and washing etc.  We have camped without pumps for years.  Seems now that the pump is only blowing fuses when left on so far, so drawing it out into jugs will be our way for now till we head out of where we are camping.  Our next big issue will be digging out of 3 or more feet of snow when we go tomorrow.  Fortunately we have our two sons with us.

        Karen~Liam
           98 ~ MB
              NinA
1998 ~ MB  WanderDaze
previously a 1984 Winnebago itaska- The Road Warrior, before that several VW Buses and before that a 1965 Chrysler Convertible Newport or our 1969 Chrysler La Barron with an ice box and a couple sleeping bags
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #10 –
Hi Liam; we all are interested in what the problem was with the pump, when you finally get a chance to do something about it.  RonB
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #11 –
Karen - Liam, if the pump works for a short time, so you can get by if you turn it on, run some water, then turn it off, that tells me what is wrong.

Any wire carrying current heats up.  The coils in a motor place many strands of wire next to one another, so heat can't dissipate like it can in a wire run.  It sure sounds to me like there is a problem in the coils of your pump's motor.  That leads to heat buildup, which can melt insulation and cause minor shorts.  Then, fuses begin to pop.

You need to replace that pump.

Ken F in NM
'08 MB
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #12 –
Quote from: Karen & Liam  - 
Thanks for your help, we are camping in our LD and need to draw water so we will try to fill jugs and shut it off, it only seems to blow when it first starts on its own.

If you have a pair of needle-nose vise-grips, use them to pinch the pump's water inlet hose. This will stop the flow of water and allow the pump to be changed without a flood. I put a couple of wraps of electrical tape around the tips of the vise grips to prevent damaging the hose.
For those who must have every tool, vise-grips sells a specialized tool for this purpose.
IRWIN Pinch-Off Lock Tool, Silver metallic, 7 Inch - Locking Jaw Pliers -...

Larry

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #13 –
Quote from: Larry W  - 
For those who must have every tool, vise-grips sells a specialized tool for this purpose.
IRWIN Pinch-Off Lock Tool, Silver metallic, 7 Inch - Locking Jaw Pliers -...

That’s a nice tool.  My first thought when I saw it was that would be the perfect tool for pinching the fuel line on the generator.
As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #14 –
You can fill the jugs at the fresh water drain valve. So you don't have to use the pump...just a thought..
2017 Casita Spirit Deluxe
2016 Twin King 24ft
2017 Casita Independence Dlx
2004 Midbath 26.5
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #15 –

Thanks Larry, Why didn't I think of that, I have two Pair of those from Harbor Freight in my portable tool bag for years Duh! 
   We are back out of the snow now and I will change out the pump with a new one which I will need to order now.  As it turns out this defective pump is a Shurflo 4048-153-E75 Electric Water Pump which we bought a few years ago as a spare.  This past summer the old pump which came with our 98~MB when we got it failed and we replaced it with the spare 4048.  This 4048 will run and has not blown fuses while running when switched on by the switch directly.  The problem is when the switch is left on and the pump comes on by demand that's when it blows the fuse.  I wonder if there is a defective switch in the pump setup?
    We used a Shurflo 4008-101-E65 3.0 Revolution Water Pump in my son's tiniHouse and we like that one so far, it has been reliable and quiet.  I think that 4008 model will fit in our 98 ~ MB since it is 11" long which is the same as the 4048 that is in  there now.  We do not like the 4048, it was loud and vibrated a lot since we first installed it 6 moths ago,  We added an accumulator tank and hoses that moved freely when we installed the 4048 but that did not help. 

            Any suggestions on pumps?  There are many out there?

    Fortunately in this situation we were able to pump water by directly filling gallon water bottles using the on/off switch to run the pump directly, this method worked for the last few days till we returned home.  We have camped for many years using gallon water jugs a 4 gallon Reliance water container with spigot and it worked this time.  We carry an old spare 2 gpm pump which I know works but did not need to use it this time since we could pump water by the on/off switch method.


                                Karen~Liam
                                   98 ~ MB
                                      NinA

Reliance water container with spigot
Amazon.com: Reliance Products Aqua-Tainer 4 Gallon Rigid Water Container,...

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
1998 ~ MB  WanderDaze
previously a 1984 Winnebago itaska- The Road Warrior, before that several VW Buses and before that a 1965 Chrysler Convertible Newport or our 1969 Chrysler La Barron with an ice box and a couple sleeping bags
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #16 –
Quote from: Karen & Liam  - 
As it turns out this defective pump is a Shurflo 4048-153-E75 Electric Water Pump which we bought a few years ago as a spare. 

Liam, the 4048 is RATED at 10A - the WhisperKing is probably less. I would say a 15A fuse is appropriate, and there may be nothing wrong with the pump...

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #17 –
Quote from: Steve  - 
Liam, the 4048 is RATED at 10A - the WhisperKing is probably less. I would say a 15A fuse is appropriate, and there may be nothing wrong with the pump...

The spec sheet for the 4048 pump specifies a 15-amp fuse.
https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/shurflo/manuals/rv/pds-4048-153-X75.pdf
The 4008, the model many of us use, specifies a 10-amp fuse.
https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/shurflo/manuals/rv/pds-4008-101-X65.pdf

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #18 –
Thanks Steve and Larry, so the 15 amp fuse may be appropriate according to the specs.  I guess we can try that but I think we will also order a 4008 to avoid the noise and vibration.  There two to chose on Amazon for $65 and one for $79 oh figure?

      Karen~Liam
        98 ~ MB
            NinA

1998 ~ MB  WanderDaze
previously a 1984 Winnebago itaska- The Road Warrior, before that several VW Buses and before that a 1965 Chrysler Convertible Newport or our 1969 Chrysler La Barron with an ice box and a couple sleeping bags
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #19 –
Quote from: Karen & Liam  - 
Thanks Steve and Larry, so the 15 amp fuse may be appropriate according to the specs.  I guess we can try that but I think we will also order a 4008 to avoid the noise and vibration.  There two to chose on Amazon for $65 and one for $79 oh figure?

Many times cheaper ones come in a plain box without any fittings.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #20 –
 Follow up on our house water pump which was blowing a 10amp fuse.  So as it turns out our old pump shurflo 4048 called for a 15amp fuse.  Our new pump shurflo 4008 also calls for a 15amp fuse.  Apparently the pump before this 4048 had a 10amp fuse so it was used for the 4048.  Why it was blowing fuses 6 months later I do not know.  The 4048 was also much louder in operation and vibrated more despite that it was well bolted to the floor on its rubberized shock mount and made no contact with anything other then the hoses which had bends and goof flexibility.  We have used the 4008 in other RV and our son's tiniHouse and like it's performance so far.  I do not trust this 4048 so we will probably buy another 4008 as a backup, it fits in the pump area in the Mid-baths better with less fuss.   BTW since we were home I drained the trash water tank to change it out.

     Karen~Liam
         98~MB
            Nina
1998 ~ MB  WanderDaze
previously a 1984 Winnebago itaska- The Road Warrior, before that several VW Buses and before that a 1965 Chrysler Convertible Newport or our 1969 Chrysler La Barron with an ice box and a couple sleeping bags
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #21 –
PS That's fresh water tank, Sorry!
Oh and yes we are back in the Cascade mountains of Washington skiing for the next few days again, unfortunately we will probably not have fresh powder and looks like there will be dealing with ice where we are parked when we go.

      Karen~Liam
          98 ~ MB
             NinA
1998 ~ MB  WanderDaze
previously a 1984 Winnebago itaska- The Road Warrior, before that several VW Buses and before that a 1965 Chrysler Convertible Newport or our 1969 Chrysler La Barron with an ice box and a couple sleeping bags
Re: House water pump blowing 10 amp fuse
Reply #22 –
Four Week followup on the Pentar 4048 Pump that was blowing a 10 amp fuse.  As it turns out I found the specs sheet for the 4048 pump an it called for a 15amp fuse.  We are enjoying our new 4008 pump, quieter and no vibration.  I think the 4048 was overkill for this Mid-Bath application.  It hardly fit in under the sink in our 98~MB.  With the new pump there is more room.  We will be ordering another 4008 as backup for next time if necessary.  Thanks for all your help here

         Karen~Liam
           98 ~ MB
             NinA
1998 ~ MB  WanderDaze
previously a 1984 Winnebago itaska- The Road Warrior, before that several VW Buses and before that a 1965 Chrysler Convertible Newport or our 1969 Chrysler La Barron with an ice box and a couple sleeping bags