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Leaving Water Pump Switch On

code3run
Explorer
Explorer
When dry camping I never leave my pump switch on. I just never have and now another reason why I wont. I was tinkering around with a few things on my trailer in the driveway a couple days ago. I turned the water pump on and was running the sink faucet when all of a suddon the cold water handle broke off and water was shooting straight up blasting against the bottom of my cabinet. Ran to home depot and bought a new one for 40.00 and replaced it. Didnt realize how cheap the stock faucet was till I took it off. Oh yea I also changed out the anode rode in the Suburban water heater. That old one was just about gone.
2008 ATTITUDE 21AK
2007 Dodge Ram 1500 hemi 5.7 lit


01 Yamaha yz 125

2 boys 13 and 16
a wife
a dog named Dusty
8 REPLIES 8

Dirtclods
Explorer
Explorer
I try to remember to shut it off then, I'm on the pot and the water's off Hey Honey can you turn the switch On Please!! If she's there....
AAA Motorcycle RV Plus

JJ_kids
Explorer
Explorer
When we leave for the day we turn the pump off. The rest of the time we leave the pump on. Never had a problem.
03 Chevy 2500HD Duramax/Allison Crew Cab Short Bed
08 Attitude T23AK
09 Polaris RZR S
04 Suzuki Z400
03 Suzuki Z400

allcool
Explorer
Explorer
I try to remember to turn my pump off whenever not using/needing water. I tell every body in my TH to do the same.
I've rented dozens of TH/TT for years and most of the rentals will cycle the water pump for a few seconds or so intermittently if left on, even when not running the water at all. This shows the water systems is not tight and leak free. Make no mistake, this is not your domestic home plumbing system... far from it.
Some RV water pumps will run every few minutes, some every 15/20 minutes or so, you'll constantly hear pump cycling intermittently. Its got a leak and has to keep cycling on to maintain pressure in the water system.

On my WW fsw 3200, guess I lucked out. If pump is left on, it will hold pressure and never cycle. My WW has a tight leak free water systems. And I want to keep it like that. So I don't leave pressure in the system when not in use.

Why leave the pump on and pressure in the system when its not needed...?
There are rubber washers/orings in many of the fittings, along with small diameter thin wall plastic tubing with crimp fittings. Not a copper pipe, or even a pvc glued system, like ones found in your home. Then add in the stress and vibration from road travel... Nope, No need to keep them all under pressure when not needed, imo.

It certainly isn't like your home on a city water system. Its diffidently more wear and tear on the pump and its pressure switch, all the seals, all the tubing/hoses/fittings/fixtures/WH, etc... Enough pressure remains in the system to flush the toilet with the pump off. Or even a quick hand wash with pump off on remaining pressure.

Also agree with lincster on the WH. Run my hot water heater only long enough to get hot showers, then shut it down. Most of the time only need to run the WH for 20-25 minutes, then shut it down. It will do at least 2-3 long lava hot showers like that.
After the WH reaches temp and cycles off, my 10 gallon WH will keep lots of water hot for a long time(overnight+) for dishes, etc. But I never usually let it run that long since the water gets molten hot with the non adjustable thermostat factory set at (supposedly)140*. The hot water will scald you if you let it, in my TH. Wish it had an adjustable t-stat. Then I'd set it like the normal home WH at 120*. 140* is ridiculous and dangerous for small children especially... One of my next projects is to install an Atwood Electronic Adjustable Thermostat 93105.

jmo
2007 WW FSW3200
RZRS k&t Turbo
2 LT500
1 Lt500 hybrid
F350 CC 6.7PS Platinum

lincster
Explorer
Explorer
I always shut of my water pump when we leave the trailer.
I only run my hot water heater on long enough to get through showers, then I shut that off also.
2022 F350 PSD CC 4X4 Dually to pull 2006 LE3905

Lincsters Truck/Trailer

Lincsters Rail

PapPappy
Explorer
Explorer
Helimech wrote:
Always turn off mine also. You never know what can happen. When I go camping I like to turn off my house water also. Maybe a little anal but better safe than sorry.


Not anal....I've heard to many stories of washing machine hoses letting go when folks were on vacation! Funny how that always seems to happen when no body is home....you'd think it would happen when the machine was being operated, with the fluctuations in pressure:H

We got in the habit of turning it off (and the water heater too) just for peace of mind....and easy enough to do:)
Bill & Claudia / DD Jenn / DS Chris / GS MJ
Dogs: Sophie, Abby, Brandy, Kahlie, Annie, Maggie, Tugger & Beau 🙂
RIP: Cookie, Foxy & Gidget @ Rainbow Bridge.😞
2000 Winnebago "Minnie" 31C, Ford V-10
Purchased April 2008:B FMCA# F407293
The Pets

Sandia_Man
Explorer II
Explorer II
We do turn our water pump switch off when away from the rig, otherwise it is kept in the on position as it irritates the heck out of my DW if she has to constantly turn it on and off all the time.

Dick_B
Explorer
Explorer
Anal? or smart? We do the same. Another reason why we rarely hook up to campground water source.
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
2011 3/4 T Chevrolet Suburban
Equal-i-zer Hitch
One wife, two electric bikes (both Currie Tech Path+ models)

Helimech
Explorer
Explorer
Always turn off mine also. You never know what can happen. When I go camping I like to turn off my house water also. Maybe a little anal but better safe than sorry.