Shurflo pump mystery

dougrainer wrote:
I am a Tiffin dealer service Tech(37 years a Tiffin dealer and tech). I have NEVER had to replace a Tiffin water pump switch due to corrosion(water intrusion). I have replaced them due to bad internal contacs. I will bet, one of your switches just did NOT open the contac when it was OFF and once you went thru and checked the switches all went back to normal. Doug

I'm kinda following in the same direction, let it go but keep an eye on it.
I want to thank everyone for the responses, appreciate the help!:B

I am a Tiffin dealer service Tech(37 years a Tiffin dealer and tech). I have NEVER had to replace a Tiffin water pump switch due to corrosion(water intrusion). I have replaced them due to bad internal contacs. I will bet, one of your switches just did NOT open the contac when it was OFF and once you went thru and checked the switches all went back to normal. Doug

There are no lights indicating the switches are on. I went through the rig and checked each one to insure they were off and they were. There are 4 switches, in the galley, both baths and outside for the shower. I worry about water getting in the wiring, freezing and shorting out the switch. Had no problems since I realized the pump was on.

Tiffin wires the Entry level Motorhomes for water pump differently.
Entry level has NO controller and uses On OFF switches, Not momentary spring loaded. Also the controller system will have a RED led light next to each switch indicating if the pump is ON. Entry level will have daisy changed switches. IF ONE switch is ON, nothing you do with the other switches will turn the PUMP OFF. There is NO led light indicating this. This is similar to a Home hallway light switch. One side of the Hallway if the switch is up and ON the lights turn on in the ceiling. The other end of the hallway THAT switch will be DOWN. But unlike a home hallway switch there are 3 or more pump switches. 1 in the kitchen, 1 in the bath and 1 at the outside water bay panel. Does your model have the Red LED lights at each switch? IF you have a controller system and the controller was sticking, the LED lights should have been on if the pump was active. Doug

Thanks for the help, I will look into the distribution panel. I hate it when electrical stuff gets goofy. Thanks again!

You probably have a water pump controller that uses momentary switches to operate it. It could have been bumped.
I would not worry about it until it happens again.
Check around the 12 DC distribution panel for a water pump controller. Just for future reference.

Yes, and I declare I had a poltergeist flipping the switches inside my camper!

Here's the situation:

Getting ready to leave the campground. Finish up at the dump station and pull out. Stop, reach under the camper and open the fresh water tank drain valve. Water starts running, emptying the tank as I go merrily on down the road.

Get home. Unpack the camper, all is well.

Next day, go back out to the camper and the water pump is running. How long? who knows? Turns out the on-off switch to the pump is now turned on. Of course, there's no water in the tank to pump, lines are now not pressurized, so the pump is attempting to run, and won't shut off until.... A) add water to the fresh water tank, or B) flip the switch. So I flip the switch.

OK, go out the next day, and the dang thing is ON again!

This went on for over a year, but very inconsistent.

Now I live in the country, but I had a theory that the neighbor kid was sneaking into the camper reeking havoc (you know, playing with the switches). So, started keeping the camper locked. Still, even with the camper locked, it happened a few times too. Very, very weird. I though I was going out of my mind.

Basically, when there is no water in the tank and the switch gets flipped, the pump will run and run and run.

So, either someone is playing games with your switch, or you have a short somewhere (like at the switch), allowing power to by-pass the switch which is activating the pump. And because there's no water in the tank, it will keep running until something is turned off.

My solution? I double switched my water pump. I cut DC 12 volt wires going to the water pump and spliced into it. Than ran the wire under our bed and put a toggle switch, actually, on the side of our bed. Blankets hanging down, and not knowing it's there, no one would ever know or see it.

Problem solved. When returning home, or on the road, both switches are now turned off, the one on the wall, and the one on the side of the bed. Mr. Poltergeist has been confused ever since. Since I double switched the pump, it's never come on again when the fresh water tank is empty.

Just a suggestion: Double switch the water pump.

If resetting everything seemed to fix it I wouldn't be to worried about it. Could be anything from defective switch, defective indicator light, defective water pump controller or maybe you accidentally hit a switch when you weren't intending to.