Hot water circulation pump

Yes, but the home 120VAC systems are substantially more expensive, and prolly more powerful (HP) than what I need. I think Tucquala has had success with one of the small, cheap, plastic hot water pumps. So I'll start with one of those. And they're 12-24V so can more easily be used while boondocking.

But the wireless control is awesome. If it were necessary for the pump to be at the rear of the trailer, far from the sink, a wireless control would be perfect. No need to run wires. But I imagine that could be set up separately, with a wireless controlled relay.

If you are always connected to shore power, then there are commercially available kits.

https://www.amazon.com/Chilipepper-CP9000-Recirculating-Wireless-Activation/dp/B01AVGKBUG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509114291&sr=8-1&keywords=hot+chili+recirculating+pump

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:

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Perhaps someone can explain this and help me understand. A recirculation system that recycles water through the cold water system is a loop is it not? Basically heating the cold water? Something has to flow, somewhere.

And do not Shur Flo and other pumps have non return valves?
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The Shur Flo (and FW tank) is not in this loop. It just pumps water from the FW tank to the existing Y where the hot and cold lines separate. We create the loop by connecting the hot and cold lines at the other/far end and use a different pump to circulate the water around the hot and cold water lines only.

Another method creates a loop with the tank, Shur Flo, hot water line and a new water line back to the tank. The advantage is that you don't need another pump and you can warm your tank (but not the cold water line) when it's freezing outside.

In this case, the pump pushes hot water to a Watts (brand) thermo valve under the sink. Until the hot water reaches the valve it allows the "cold" hot water to recirc into the cold line. When the valve reaches its set (?) temp it closes the cold side off, and the system acts normally. Yes, some warm water enters the cold side as the valve warms, but that really doesn't matter unless you don't like brushing your teeth with lukewarm water!!

Without the valve, with just a pump and a cross link between the lines, you will find either side will mix to the open sink valve. Path of least resistance, they will mix, Mex!!

I and others do this to save water out in the boonies, instead of sending a few cups or quarts of unused water into the gray tanks waiting for the shower or sink water to warm up. My bath is aboot 20 ft + from the water heater, and a bunch of water just goes down the drain that can extend our stay and tank fill up times. Not really needed when hooked up, just can let the water go down the drain.

Last trip, 26 degs in am, loved having hot water, and saving water. Enclosed and "heated" bottom of trailer only keeps lines from freezing to a point, doesn't warm the shower water!!!

Nothing is easy. I had to compromise with Quicksilver and place the hot water heater between galley and bedroom. Center of 38' / 2 / 2 roughly 9' of insulated pipe counting zags and zigs.

Perhaps someone can explain this and help me understand. A recirculation system that recycles water through the cold water system is a loop is it not? Basically heating the cold water? Something has to flow, somewhere.

And do not Shur Flo and other pumps have non return valves?

A return to fresh water tank is easy to understand. It's the closed-loop description here that puzzles me.

Can pipe wrap element heating be used if temperatures are to exceed 100F? I saw a thousand watt under sink heater on a sailboat long ago but I have no idea if they are still available and or cost less than an airplane.

brulaz, when first installed, I had a "loose" switch at the rear of trailer to on/off the pump. I was waiting for a remote relay to arrive from China. Now have that mounted in rear near pump, and remote fob in the bath. Just have to turn pump on, go about am business, and shut off pump just before jumping into shower. Hot water right there!!

I looked into a wired switch in bath, and leaving pump in rear area, but as you know, our trailers are terrible to add any wiring or hoses anywhere but under the floor, which requires dropping (at least partially) the coroplast covering. That's not much fun!! Actually was thinking aboot doing the valve up in bath with a hose running back to the fresh water fill, but decided too much laying on my back in gravel driveway!!

I put the pump in the rear not far from the WH, and it was easy to hook up the electrical right there next to the furnace. There was no "easy" way to put the pump in the bath and wire since there were no 12V circuits (other than light switch) in the bath. The lights seem to be a series circuit, so no ground at switch. Thought aboot using the closet slide circuit for a connection, then got nervous aboot doing anything that might upset the Lippert gods!!! Enough problems out there with the Schwintek system, and I'm sure that the slide controller is fairly $$$ if messed up by ME!! Also thought the pump would work better pumping instead of sucking the distance to the bath from the rear!!

TUCQUALA wrote:
Hey, Brulaz!! Go to the ORV mods sticky, and look at my mod that I posted back on 6/14/17. Aboot page 46 or post 634. Works great, only need to run for a minute or two depending on outside temps. A pump does put a restriction into the hot line, but not very noticeable for me!!

PM me on either site, and I can give you sources for the stuff I used!!!

Thanks Tucquala. Your system is like Time2roll's but it looks like you've successfully used a much cheaper pump, which is very encouraging. :)

Have you run a wire from the pump to the sink yet? One of the reasons I wanted to replace the temp controlled valve at the sink with a pump was to avoid running a wire back to the sink.

I've already ordered one of those cheap pumps and think I'll try it first by putting it in between the hot and cold lines like that temperature valve. If that doesn't work, then I'll replace it with the temperature valve but prolly leave the pump in the hot water line under the sink (if it's quiet enough), not back at the hot water tank.

joshuajim wrote:
I’ve installed “hot water circulating systems” on both my trailers. I did this by teeing into the hot water line at the furtherest sink. I ran a line back to the fresh water tank. Fairly easy because the fill line for the tank was just on the other side of the bath wall under one of the seats.

In the line I installed an inline irrigation valve. They are designed to operate on 24v, but for for short duration they work fine on 12v. Added a door bell button under the edge of the counter at the sink to activate the valve.

Step up to the sink, push the button for 5 to 10 seconds and instant hot water. Water is returned to the tank so zero loss. No need to add an additional pump and an inline valve is less than $15.

I’ve had this on every trailer I owned for the last 22 years (only 2 :)) and it has never failed.

Thanks JJ. Your system is basically like Lymmoor's but you use an electrically controlled valve instead of his manual valves.

Both are good simple systems that doesn't require an extra pump. But in my case, running that extra line to the tank is very difficult. And I don't want to just dump the water outside (as suggested above) because we're often boondocking.

Another issue is that while you can divert warm water into the tank during cold spells, the cold water line does not see any warm water. The cold water line freezing up is more important with my trailer as it runs right over the wheel well and is not in the heated basement where the FW tank is.

TUCQUALA wrote:
Hey, Brulaz!! Go to the ORV mods sticky, and look at my mod that I posted back on 6/14/17. Aboot page 46 or post 634. Works great, only need to run for a minute or two depending on outside temps. A pump does put a restriction into the hot line, but not very noticeable for me!!

PM me on either site, and I can give you sources for the stuff I used!!!

TUCQUALA's mod is at IRV2.com forum at the following page -see post 634:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f282/lets-see-your-outdoors-rv-mods-247025-46.html

Hey, Brulaz!! Go to the ORV mods sticky, and look at my mod that I posted back on 6/14/17. Aboot page 46 or post 634. Works great, only need to run for a minute or two depending on outside temps. A pump does put a restriction into the hot line, but not very noticeable for me!!

PM me on either site, and I can give you sources for the stuff I used!!!