Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Freshwater System, Grey and Black Tanks, LP Gas
TerraTramps
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Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2016 12:49 am

Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Post by TerraTramps »

I'm porting over a Facebook thread that's currently being batted around in the Avion Owners forum.

I recently replaced the water pump with a new SHURFLO 4048 high flow pump and a two gallon stainless steel accumulator tank. Pump works great, good flow from all faucets, but the pump won't stop running. No air in the lines, and the water heater is full. Clamps on uptake tube are tight, and no bubbles are visible in the clear water line. No leaks anywhere. City water connection is sealed with a shutoff. Problem happens whether the accumulator tank is in the loop or bypassed. When the faucets are open, the pumps runs freely. When the faucets are closed, you can hear the pitch drop on the pump as it bogs down under the backpressure... but it never shuts off.

I did a short video and posted it on YouTube. Since this is my first post, I apparently can't include a link. I'll try and post it in a reply.

Any thoughts on what I'm missing would be most welcome.

Thanx!

...Dave
Last edited by TerraTramps on Wed Feb 15, 2017 3:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1988 34X
2003 Ford F-350 with 6.0L Powerstroke
Los Angeles, CA
TerraTramps: http://tinyurl.com/hkhfbhm
TerraTramps
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2016 12:49 am

Re: Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Post by TerraTramps »

1988 34X
2003 Ford F-350 with 6.0L Powerstroke
Los Angeles, CA
TerraTramps: http://tinyurl.com/hkhfbhm
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KYAvion
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Re: Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Post by KYAvion »

Sorry to hear you are still having problems. So it sounds you have gotten all the air out of all the lines, including the low point drains?

In case you didn't, one more thing to allow water through that could be causing a problem-- the toilet. If it has a hand sprayer I'd allow water to flow through it as well.

Nice work on the inclusion of some shutoffs to isolate parts of the system. I've installed shut offs everywhere so I can shut each hot and cold feed to every fixture if needed.

A shutoff just after the pump and before any other connections will further help to isolate the problem. After the water is flowing out faucets, when this shut off is closed, the pump should turn off. If not and assuming there are no leaks at the shutoff itself or the pump outlet connection, then the problem is something BEFORE the pump. Or it could be the pump itself.

A shut off closed just after the first tee to the first cold water fixture (in my case the kitchen sink) will allow water to be divertered to only that fixture. With this shut off closed, then if the pump shutoffs off as it should when the faucet is closed after allowing water to flow, then that indicates the problem is further down the line.

Since you have no leaks anywhere and it sounds like there is plenty of volume of water being pushed out the faucets, my guess is the problem is BEFORE the pump or the pump itself. That, or the toilet if it was forgotten as a faucet so to speak itself.
KYAvion
1984 Avion 30R
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Re: Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Post by TerraTramps »

Thanx for the tips! I spoke with SHURFLO this morning, and they said it's likely just the pressure switch screw on the front of the pump that needs to be adjusted. I'm going to install a pressure gauge just downline from the accumulator tank to help monitor pressure in the line. The tech said 55 psi is the magic number, so I should be able to dial it in pretty accurately with the gauge.

I guess one good thing about all these pump shenanigans is that I'm getting to know the plumbing on the trailer pretty well! :lol:

...Dave
Last edited by TerraTramps on Wed Feb 15, 2017 3:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1988 34X
2003 Ford F-350 with 6.0L Powerstroke
Los Angeles, CA
TerraTramps: http://tinyurl.com/hkhfbhm
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KYAvion
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Re: Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Post by KYAvion »

Glad to hear you probably have it figured out. I don't believe my PAR pump has an adjustment for the pressure, so I wouldn't have thought of that.

Even though too high of pressure is likely the issue, having those shut off valves installed may come in handy down the road.
KYAvion
1984 Avion 30R
TerraTramps
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Re: Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Post by TerraTramps »

Posted a follow-up video:

https://youtu.be/4qdhmiaRaRE

Simple fix - we like those!
1988 34X
2003 Ford F-350 with 6.0L Powerstroke
Los Angeles, CA
TerraTramps: http://tinyurl.com/hkhfbhm
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KYAvion
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Re: Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Post by KYAvion »

Great follow-up. Glad you got it worked out!
KYAvion
1984 Avion 30R
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Re: Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Post by TerraTramps »

My pleasure! I posted a response on this topic over on the Yahoo group that might be of interest here:

I'll eventually redo all the plumbing. The lines from the freshwater tank/pump setup and the city water input will be 3/4”, with 3/4” hot/cold distribution manifolds, then I'l tee off of those to feed the fixtures using 1/2”. Even as I was finishing up the pump/accumulator setup, I was thinking of how I’d do it better next time with fewer elbows. For now it’s OK. Currently looking at the Rehau PEX product. Seems to be the most over-engineered and bulletproof.

The accumulator tank is a SHURflo product:

http://shurflo.com/marine-products/more ... ccumulator

Great thing about it is there’s a platform on the top with pre-threaded bolt holes that line up perfectly with the pump base. The holes are in a perfect square pattern, just like the pump base, so you can orient the pump at 0, 90, 180 and 270. They make a smaller one, but it doesn’t really function like a true accumulator tank. Maybe better for water hammer problems and such, but it won’t store up pressurized water to give the pump a rest when doing little things like washing your hands, flushing the toilet, etc.

The best price I found was from this place:

https://www.altestore.com/store/solar-w ... ank-p4302/

There are other sources, but as you can see, the price is all over the place:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/it ... tank/14747

https://www.amazon.com/HYPRO-SHURFLO-SH ... lator+tank

http://www.fisheriessupply.com/shurflo- ... k-3400-002

http://www.pumpvendor.com/Shurflo_3400-002.html

http://www.go2marine.com/product/210156 ... 0-002.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHURflo-3400-00 ... Ro&vxp=mtr

The pump is a SHURflo 4048:

http://shurflo.com/rv-products/rv-pumps ... flow-pumps

You can get higher flow pumps in SHURflo's marine lineup, but the 4048 seems to provide as much pressure as we’d need in our Avions. With properly set up hot/cold distribution manifolds, there should be enough pressure in the system that someone could be taking a shower and a sink fixture could be run without pressure dropping way off.

The best price I found on the 4048 was from an Amazon seller:

https://www.amazon.com/Shurflo-4048153E ... urflo+4048

They’re available elsewhere, but price is a bit like the accumulator tank - all over the place:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/it ... pump/58984

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R4 ... 8&_sacat=0

Cheers…

...Dave
1988 34X
2003 Ford F-350 with 6.0L Powerstroke
Los Angeles, CA
TerraTramps: http://tinyurl.com/hkhfbhm
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KYAvion
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Re: Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Post by KYAvion »

Thanks for sharing those links. That accumulator looks like a nice one. I had a smaller one I installed in my prior Airstream, but the effect was minimal since it was so small.

I plan to replace everything with PEX at some point too--3/4" main line with 1/2" runs. Right now I've got a mix of the original plumbing and clear braided vinyl tubing I've installed with shut offs at each fixture. My main priority was getting everything set up and tested for gravity draining so I don't have to fool with antifreeze, and later on everything will serve as a template for the PEX.
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1984 Avion 30R
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Razorback
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Re: Problem with new SHURFLO pump

Post by Razorback »

Our 1987 Avion has a really nice stainless accumulator tank. It's about the size of a basketball. I'll try to get some info about it later today (make/model).
Razorback (Paul)
1987 Avion 34W
1995 Ford F-250 7.3L PowerStroke
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