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11-11-2009, 13:28

What can I do stop my house water pumps from "surging"; runs for a couple of
seconds, hesitates a moment, runs for a couple of seconds, etc.? Both pumps are
new. One does it worse than the other, depending on the load being put on it.
I have tried running all faucets at once for a while. I have tried opening the
faucet valve located in the same compartment and draining water from there.

Rick Davis
1993 WLSA
Loudon, TN
(at HWH in Iowa tonight-getting colder!)

11-11-2009, 13:28

What can I do stop my house water pumps from "surging"; runs for a couple of
seconds, hesitates a moment, runs for a couple of seconds, etc.? Both pumps are
new. One does it worse than the other, depending on the load being put on it.
I have tried running all faucets at once for a while. I have tried opening the
faucet valve located in the same compartment and draining water from there.

Rick Davis
1993 WLSA
Loudon, TN
(at HWH in Iowa tonight-getting colder!)

11-11-2009, 15:12

If you don't have an 'accumulator tank' then add one to the plumbing. (The accumulator tank is approximately 1/2 filled with air and has a rubber bladder separating the air part from the water part. You adjust the air pressure in the tank, and when a faucet is open, then the accumulator gives the first push to the water. The pump cycles on and will repressurize the accumulator. The tank evens out the water flow and removes stress from the pumps.

Example: <http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/ite...-tank/2290>

If you already have an accumulator tank, it may not have enough air in the air side (there's a schrader valve on the end of most accumulator tanks to allow adjusting the air pressure -- usually to about 35-40psi or so...)

Or, you can switch to a multi-speed pump like the Shurflo Extremeâ¢ Series Smart Sensorâ¢ 5.7 variable speed pump. I replaced the two leaking pumps on my coach with one of these and was very happy with the results. I no longer needed the accumulator tank, which simplified the plumbing. Note you must use a high-volume strainer-filter screen with this pump.

<http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/ite...pump/24425>

CampingWorld links included only for identification purposes. There are many other sources that may offer these products at substantially lower prices. There is no particular reason to use a Shurflo brand accumulator tank. Any brand of reasonable quality will do. Size of 1 to 2 gallon capacity will do.

Pete Masterson

(former) '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Nov 11, 2009, at 5:28 PM, davisgr wrote:

What can I do stop my house water pumps from "surging"; runs for a couple of seconds, hesitates a moment, runs for a couple of seconds, etc.? Both pumps are new. One does it worse than the other, depending on the load being put on it. I have tried running all faucets at once for a while. I have tried opening the faucet valve located in the same compartment and draining water from there.

Rick Davis
1993 WLSA
Loudon, TN
(at HWH in Iowa tonight-getting colder!)

11-11-2009, 15:30

Rick, check the sporlan valve diaphragm for buildup allowing a minute
amount of leakage and the check valve in the system.

Safe travels,

Ralph & Charolette Fullenwider
'84 FC 35 "Ruff Diamond"
Duncan, Oklahoma

At 01:28 AM 11/12/2009 +0000, you wrote:
>What can I do stop my house water pumps from "surging"; runs for a couple
>of seconds, hesitates a moment, runs for a couple of seconds, etc.? Both
>pumps are new. One does it worse than the other, depending on the load
>being put on it. I have tried running all faucets at once for a while. I
>have tried opening the faucet valve located in the same compartment and
>draining water from there.
>
>Rick Davis
>1993 WLSA
>Loudon, TN
>(at HWH in Iowa tonight-getting colder!)
>
>

11-11-2009, 16:01

Hi
Pete and Ralph are right on . I would also check for a leak somewhere
in the system .
Mario 1985FC35 SOCAL

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davisgr" wrote:
>
> What can I do stop my house water pumps from "surging"; runs for a couple of
seconds, hesitates a moment, runs for a couple of seconds, etc.? Both pumps are
new. One does it worse than the other, depending on the load being put on it.
I have tried running all faucets at once for a while. I have tried opening the
faucet valve located in the same compartment and draining water from there.
>
> Rick Davis
> 1993 WLSA
> Loudon, TN
> (at HWH in Iowa tonight-getting colder!)
>

11-11-2009, 16:03

If the problem started when the new pumps were installed, the pumps might draw
more current than the original wiring was set up for. In our rig the bus's
circuit breaker caused our new high-output pump to act the same way until I
realized why. A 30 amp breaker and new #10 wire to the pump solved the problem.
The original wiring was used as the control circuit to trigger a relay in the
new #10 wire.

Bob Griesel '84 FC31 WLII WA

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Ralph Fullenwider wrote:
>
> Rick, check the sporlan valve diaphragm for buildup allowing a minute
> amount of leakage and the check valve in the system.
>
> Safe travels,
>
> Ralph & Charolette Fullenwider
> '84 FC 35 "Ruff Diamond"
> Duncan, Oklahoma
>
> At 01:28 AM 11/12/2009 +0000, you wrote:
> >What can I do stop my house water pumps from "surging"; runs for a couple
> >of seconds, hesitates a moment, runs for a couple of seconds, etc.? Both
> >pumps are new. One does it worse than the other, depending on the load
> >being put on it. I have tried running all faucets at once for a while. I
> >have tried opening the faucet valve located in the same compartment and
> >draining water from there.
> >
> >Rick Davis
> >1993 WLSA
> >Loudon, TN
> >(at HWH in Iowa tonight-getting colder!)
> >
> >
>

11-11-2009, 16:30

Rick, Pete mentioned that you should check the pressure in yourpressure tank, this is true but your water system needs to be flat, (pumps off and no pressure in the water system), when you takea pressure reading off the shrader valve on top of the pressure tank. The reading should 30 psi.

Wayne

96 WB42

From: davisgr
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, November 11, 2009 7:28:41 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Surging house water pumps

What can I do stop my house water pumps from "surging"; runs for a couple of seconds, hesitates a moment, runs for a couple of seconds, etc.? Both pumps are new. One does it worse than the other, depending on the load being put on it. I have tried running all faucets at once for a while. I have tried opening the faucet valve located in the same compartment and draining water from there.

Rick Davis
1993 WLSA
Loudon, TN
(at HWH in Iowa tonight-getting colder!)

11-11-2009, 18:53

it sounds like one of the new pumps has a bad backflow valve. remove the lines
from one pumpat a time and plug the ends with a bolts and hose clamps.

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davisgr" wrote:
>
> What can I do stop my house water pumps from "surging"; runs for a couple of
seconds, hesitates a moment, runs for a couple of seconds, etc.? Both pumps are
new. One does it worse than the other, depending on the load being put on it.
I have tried running all faucets at once for a while. I have tried opening the
faucet valve located in the same compartment and draining water from there.
>
> Rick Davis
> 1993 WLSA
> Loudon, TN
> (at HWH in Iowa tonight-getting colder!)
>

11-12-2009, 00:55

Wow, so many responses already! Thanks all.

Bob, the pumps I put on are the same ones that came off; Shurflos. Soif the wiring worked for the old ones would that meanit wouldbe adequate for the new ones?

Pete and Wayne, regarding addingan accumulator tank. That sounds complicated to me. I had previously had one pump that always worked good and didn't surge. Maybe with two working such is needed?

Greg, regarding the back flow valve; instead of removing and plugging lines, would simply shutting a pumps incoming and outgoing valves off suffice?

Ralph, newby question. Where is the Sporlan located?

Rick

1993 WLSA

in Iowa (wherethe water at least works, andit's too cold to putz with it quite yet this morning.)

From: gregory O
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, November 12, 2009 1:53:38 AM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Surging house water pumps

it sounds like one of the new pumps has a bad backflow valve. remove the lines from one pumpat a time and plug the ends with a bolts and hose clamps.

--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "davisgr" wrote:
>
> What can I do stop my house water pumps from "surging"; runs for a couple of seconds, hesitates a moment, runs for a couple of seconds, etc.? Both pumps are new. One does it worse than the other, depending on the load being put on it. I have tried running all faucets at once for a while. I have tried opening the faucet valve located in the same compartment and draining water from there.
>
> Rick Davis
> 1993 WLSA
> Loudon, TN
> (at HWH in Iowa tonight-getting colder!)
>

11-12-2009, 01:00

Rick, it is usually within 2 feet of the out put of the fresh water tank,
check under the bed area.

Safe travels,

Ralph & Charolette Fullenwider

'84 FC 35 "Ruff Diamond"

Duncan, Oklahoma

At 04:55 AM 11/12/2009 -0800, you wrote:

Wow, so many responses
already! Thanks all.

Bob, the pumps I put on are the same ones that came off; Shurflos.
So if the wiring worked for the old ones would that mean it would be
adequate for the new ones?

Pete and Wayne, regarding adding an accumulator tank. That sounds
complicated to me. I had previously had one pump that always
worked good and didn't surge. Maybe with two working such is
needed?

Greg, regarding the back flow valve; instead of removing and plugging
lines, would simply shutting a pumps incoming and outgoing valves off
suffice?

Ralph, newby question. Where is the Sporlan located?

Rick

1993 WLSA

in Iowa (where the water at least works, and it's too cold to putz with
it quite yet this morning.)

From: gregory O

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thu, November 12, 2009 1:53:38 AM

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Surging house water pumps

it sounds like one of the new pumps has a bad backflow valve. remove the
lines from one pumpat a time and plug the ends with a bolts and hose
clamps.

--- In
WanderlodgeForum@
yahoogroups. com, "davisgr"
wrote:

>

> What can I do stop my house water pumps from "surging";
runs for a couple of seconds, hesitates a moment, runs for a couple of
seconds, etc.? Both pumps are new. One does it worse than the other,
depending on the load being put on it. I have tried running all faucets
at once for a while. I have tried opening the faucet valve located in the
same compartment and draining water from there.

>

> Rick Davis

> 1993 WLSA

> Loudon, TN

> (at HWH in Iowa tonight-getting colder!)

>