Water Pump Output

If you reference a flow vs. amp draw chart for a typical rv water pump you will see that its highest rated flow occurs at 0 pressure and decreases as pressure rises. So at a typical line pressure of say 25-30 psi the charts show a flow rate of only 1.5 gpm. for a pump that claims a +3.0 gpm.

I have the same pump, and whatever it puts out is too much !

In reality, you wouldn't believe how small that little hole is in every one of those little faucets. And that's good !

Shower heads in the US are limited to a 2.5 gpm maximum flow rate by law, and 2.0 gpm to earn the EPA's "WaterSense" label. As others have posted, the primary flow rate restriction in RV's is usually at the point where the hose attaches to the faucet set.

DutchmenSport wrote:
I did a similar test in my Keystone Springdale right after we bought it. It pumped 1 gallon a minute in the shower, with the shower head on. It was kind of nice to run this experiment because the water heater was only 6 gallons. So, depending upon the outside temperature and the temperature of the cold water, I figured on an average, with a moderate warm shower, we could run water non-stop with a half mix of hot-cold for 12 minutes (12 gallons), before the hot water ran out. Most of the time, this was pretty accurate.

The next thing you need to do is run your water heater out, so it's completely cold. Then time it, see how long it takes to shut off when it's 100% reached it's hot turn off point. This will give you a good idea how long recovery is if you have several people using the shower.

DutchmenSport, thanks for the info! Interesting to know you're ok with 1 gpm of showerhead water flow. I'm one of those that likes a good dose of water pressure when I'm taking a shower. Common sense tells me there's no way I can expect that kind of experience with a 12 vdc water pump. Without having the opportunity to personally try out showers in other TT's (or getting feedback from others like yourself), it's hard to know whether the shower in my TT is below, on-par, with other TT's.

I like your idea about using the same measurements to determine how long your hot water will last. Never thought about doing that. I'll have to check that out, too! Thanks again!

I did a similar test in my Keystone Springdale right after we bought it. It pumped 1 gallon a minute in the shower, with the shower head on. It was kind of nice to run this experiment because the water heater was only 6 gallons. So, depending upon the outside temperature and the temperature of the cold water, I figured on an average, with a moderate warm shower, we could run water non-stop with a half mix of hot-cold for 12 minutes (12 gallons), before the hot water ran out. Most of the time, this was pretty accurate.

The next thing you need to do is run your water heater out, so it's completely cold. Then time it, see how long it takes to shut off when it's 100% reached it's hot turn off point. This will give you a good idea how long recovery is if you have several people using the shower.

If you really want to measure it, get some helpers and collect water everywhere you can simultaneously.

I think what they are saying is it is not necessarily a limitation of the pump. There is a ~1/4" (or smaller) orifice in the "D" spud where the shower hose connects to the faucet (those with back flow preventers are closer to 1/8").

Thanks for the replies. I'm not complaining per se about my water pump's output. It gets the job done. Just curious if anyone else has done this simple realworld test with their shower head. If everybody else is getting more than 1.25/1.5 gpm (shower head on/off), then, maybe I'll start checking things further. I believe it's a legitimate apples to apples test. Why did I pick the shower head? IMO if I could pick one area on an RV where more is always better, I'd pick shower head water pressure. Again, my water pump and system gets the job done. Just wonderin' how it stacks up against others. Thanks!

First, Welcome.

We are left to making assumptions due to the lack of info provided. A rig description in your signature and/or profile would aid contributors in providing accurate info/suggestions based on your real world situation.

1. Your FW Tank has a finite limit. More flow = shorter usage.
2. There should be at least 1 restriction in your shower, possibly 2. These are intended to limit flow to conserve your resources.
3. An Oxegenitics shower head will give better performance and reduce consumption even further provided the OEM one is a different brand/model.

Removing the shower hose from the fixture should reveal the primary restriction.

Restrictions throughout your plumbing and in the valves for the faucets and showers themselves limit volume just like in your home.