Forum Discussion

pjay9's avatar
pjay9
Explorer
Aug 15, 2014

New Fresh Water Pump

Well I had a Shruflo 4900-0211 constant flow no matter the tap opening. It worked very well for 3 years then started having issues. The adjustment screw always seemed to help. Well it stopped after getting very hot, so hot I could not touch it. After it cooled off it would not run.

So ordered a new pump as I had read that the old sytle (mine) is having issues. The new pump swapped in nicely only needed to extend my pos(+) lead. It comes with a strainer and is required and the proper quick screw on connectors. If I rememeber correctly the old pump I needed to buy strainer and some fittings.

It seems to work differently than the old one. It pulses when the tap is opened to a trickle but no apparent change of flow or pressure. That pulse noise is annoying right now and probably will not be after I get used to it. The old one ran slower at trickle and that I think may be some of its ultimate down fall.

The new one has some very detailed adjustment schemes for varing the pressure...I am not going to mess with that as it seems to be a good flow and usable.

Now for an explanation of my DOWNFALL comment. I took the old one apart and found the rubber bits dirty and covered with a thin furry looking stuff. I found that a couple of screws in the water chambers had rusted even so they were SS. I found a pressure diaphram that appears to leak, which could have been the reason the pump never shut off and heated up as it was always running slow. The motor would run but very bad or not at all when hooked up to 12v. It wanted to but justed didn't have the go. Popped open the case and pulled armature, the brushes were looking good but the surface they rubbed was black...emery cloth and shiney again...reassembled and 12v hook up away it went! So should I have just opted for a rebuild kit for the rubber bits...NO...because the new one has sorted out the overheat issue by not letting it run slow and it is the next generation of these type of pumps...which can't be bad.

Do I get a rebuild kit and have old pump on hand as back up...MAYBE!!!

YES, a bit spendy, but I don't have the issue of an accum tank , more fittings to leak and pulsating...which is a real good thing when showering. I do have to say that the old pump really didn't owe me a thing...the use was constant every summer everyday when I lived at the dock in Seattle, on many trips lasting 3 to 10 weeks, and all the year round short trips...I don't begrudge it finally giving up.

Do I reccomend these constant flow no pressure change pumps WHOLE HEARTEDLY!!!

New one is a Shurflow 4048-153-E75 4 GPM RV High Flow Fresh Water Pump.

BTW, I turned on all the taps, galley, head sink, shower and then flushed the head...saw no appreciable change...WORKS for me!!!!
Truck Campers
  • pjay9's avatar
    pjay9
    Explorer
    Sep 01, 2014
    Update: after using the new pump on two weekends I found that it was pumping in an unsteady rate more so than when first installed. So I called Shru Flo...very helpful tech..I explained I was wary of doing any adjustments due to fact that there is two devices that need to be adjusted...did NOT want to screw this NOT CHEAP pump up. He assured me that what he wanted me to do would not cause any issues and if it did they would ship me a new one out right away.

    So I did as he told me too...1 1/2 turn to increase shutoff pressure, took a tiny allen wrench, lucky my kit contains English and metric down to hair size to 1/2"...I had the right one...made the turn...shut off power to pump...opened taps...shut taps...power on...pump got to pressure and shut off...opened taps it spurted and spit...good flow...shut taps...took a long moment to get to pressure and stopped...open tap again at all stations...great flow...shut them off in turn and flow was still good...all off pump shut off after about 5 seconds...then open taps again and shut off..pump stopped after 1 second and has done that ever since...I suspect the air trapped had to be purged...seems to be work very well...very pleased.

    I have placed the pump on a pad of foam cushion to help damp the nose...it worked. This is going to be good...I like the flow at all levels hi to trickle, no pump bumping. If you have to change a pump get one of these, pricey but does a GREAT job!
  • pjay9's avatar
    pjay9
    Explorer
    Aug 17, 2014
    I was not able to determine the furry stuff. It did not appear like an algae. It felt somewhat oily and soft. In fact the new pump directions have cleaning instructions...use only 2 tablespoons of household bleach per 30 gallons...make sure to run pump to get solution in the whole system...open all taps hot and cold until smell the chlorine...let sit for 4 hours...rinse by filling tank and running until smell is gone then drain tank...fill again and do smell test again...repeat if needed.

    Thx for the advice...many who read this will be remindied that they should do it.
  • Geewizard's avatar
    Geewizard
    Explorer
    Aug 16, 2014
    Sleepy,

    My apologies. I know you as a very precise person who posts very intelligent replies.

    I was attempting to give you a tongue-in-cheek "poke".
  • sleepy's avatar
    sleepy
    Explorer
    Aug 16, 2014
    Geewizard wrote:
    sleepy wrote:
    PJay... You said, "I took the old one apart and found the rubber bits dirty and covered with a thin furry looking stuff."

    Did you determine what the "furry looking stuff" was?

    Was it something growing?

    Most of us use chlorine bleach (clorox) NaOCL, sodium Hypochlorite... to sterlize our fresh water holding tank.

    Chlorine is aggressive... when very strong it isn't good for rubber or neophrene parts, or even metal parts like screws and clamps.

    When people have arobic or anarobic algae growing in their fresh water tank they tend to put to much "chlorine" in the tank. ( 1/4th of a cup is pushing it)... but do treat your tank at least a couple of times per season then empty after a few hours and rinse with freah water (baling soda is ok in the rinse... but flush it too.)


    This is especially important when you are filling your water tank from many sources over time.

    Too much of a good thing is as bad as nothing at all.


    Sleepy:

    -aerobic and anaerobic, not arobic and anarobic.
    -too much, not to much.
    -baking soda, not baling soda

    You're welcome.


    Thank you... My face is red all the way to the tip of my toes.


    Gee Wizard,

    I should have waited on you or someone else to respond to PJay's post. ... by posting I appear to be stupid. Tthank you for reminding me... it does hurt! I'm sure that isn't your intention.

    I have been functionally deaf since 1981 when I was in an explosion in a US Government Lab, almost half of my life. I have trouble "sounding out words" in my head... I have a good vocabulary... spelling is getting worse every passing year.

    And my aging hands won't type properly.

    I live in the past? ( as I question myself) Having US Patents and published papers gives me a warm sense of pride... I'd surely need an editor now.

    My problem solving skills don't seem to be effected... but at 3/4 of a century they have been slowed.

    I am reminded of what most of the scientists and inventors that I know deeply believe. (but not me of course)

    "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

    Saying that would be rude and I would never want to embarress anyone to the point they wouldn't feel comfortable contributing... I might miss a good idea.

    Sleepy
  • Geewizard's avatar
    Geewizard
    Explorer
    Aug 16, 2014
    sleepy wrote:
    PJay... You said, "I took the old one apart and found the rubber bits dirty and covered with a thin furry looking stuff."

    Did you determine what the "furry looking stuff" was?

    Was it something growing?

    Most of us use chlorine bleach (clorox) NaOCL, sodium Hypochlorite... to sterlize our fresh water holding tank.

    Chlorine is aggressive... when very strong it isn't good for rubber or neophrene parts, or even metal parts like screws and clamps.

    When people have arobic or anarobic algae growing in their fresh water tank they tend to put to much "chlorine" in the tank. ( 1/4th of a cup is pushing it)... but do treat your tank at least a couple of times per season then empty after a few hours and rinse with freah water (baling soda is ok in the rinse... but flush it too.)


    This is especially important when you are filling your water tank from many sources over time.

    Too much of a good thing is as bad as nothing at all.


    Sleepy:

    -aerobic and anaerobic, not arobic and anarobic.
    -too much, not to much.
    -baking soda, not baling soda

    You're welcome.
  • sleepy's avatar
    sleepy
    Explorer
    Aug 16, 2014
    PJay... You said, "I took the old one apart and found the rubber bits dirty and covered with a thin furry looking stuff."

    Did you determine what the "furry looking stuff" was?

    Was it something growing?

    Most of us use chlorine bleach (clorox) NaOCL, sodium Hypochlorite... to sterlize our fresh water holding tank.

    Chlorine is aggressive... when very strong it isn't good for rubber or neophrene parts, or even metal parts like screws and clamps.

    When people have arobic or anarobic algae growing in their fresh water tank they tend to put to much "chlorine" in the tank. ( 1/4th of a cup is pushing it)... but do treat your tank at least a couple of times per season then empty after a few hours and rinse with freah water (baling soda is ok in the rinse... but flush it too.)


    This is especially important when you are filling your water tank from many sources over time.

    Too much of a good thing is as bad as nothing at all.
  • pjay9's avatar
    pjay9
    Explorer
    Aug 16, 2014
    Now that is a good explanation...I did some checking again this evening and there is a slight change in flow at trickle when pump cycles but not enuf to bother anyone using it...just not sure I like the pump noise as the other one was less noticable...oh well I have good water flow and that is the point! After reading the instructions and as I mentioned...I am not even going to find the screws to turn..no temptation to adjust.

    THX!
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Aug 16, 2014
    Two different pumps/designs.

    Your old one.....4900.....was a variable speed pump that used a microprocessor to control output based on demand.

    Your new one.....4048...is a constant speed pump that uses a spring loaded bypass to control output demand. That is why you getting some pulsing. Speed is constant but flow can fluctuate due to bypass diaphragm cycling. (Bypass allows flow from discharge to go back to suction side)

    4048 is a good pump. Enjoy it.
    And don't go messing with bypass setting and/or pump discharge setting unless you have gauges and fully understand how the two work with each other....otherwise the pump will not turn off if you mess the settings up.

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