Water pumps - incidence of failure?

Mike Harding · Guru

Water pumps - incidence of failure?

hufnpuf · Senior Member

Even if the incidence is low (and you'd probably need a much larger sample size than forum members who've had it happen to really know), I think your post answers your question. Cost-low(not high) weight-low(not high) consequence of failure-high, enormous pain in the bum. The likelihood of failure might be low, but even unlikely failures might happen. Carrying the spare so you aren't in the middle of nowhere with a pain in your bottom seems to me like a good bit of insurance.

Whenarewethere · Guru

I carry 2 spare wheels & repair equipment because it is a pain when there is a failure in the outback.

2kg for a spare water pump is a lot less than my 2 spare compressors.

iana · Guru

We've been in our van for about 4 years, the pump is still going good. Do you use caravan parks? your pump should not be going then. I have a water tank in the ute, with another pump on it for transferring water both ways. In the event of a pump failure, the pump in the ute will take over the job.

Radar · Guru

A few years back we were travelling with a friend, his caravan was about 7 years old at the time, not lived in permanently but had been used regularly for extended trips.

We were up Nth Queensland when he causally remarked he needed a new water pump or parts to repair the pump.

He was a Plummer by trade so big deal, I was led to believe that the pumps gave some warning when needed attentions.

Just the other day talking with an other friend, he said that he come about owning a second pump when he was away last time. The caravan pump was failing to start off and on, being a Mechanic picked one up the first chance he got and fitted it. When he was at home in Brisbane was chatting with the local pump shop, his irrigation pump stopped, come home with some bits and now has asecond pump which he uses to transfer water from a portable tank in the ute to the caravan tank.

I will be at home soon for the Christmas break and I going to spend some time looking for a quieter and better water pump system for our caravan and use the old one for water transfers to do the same.

RichardK · Senior Member

We usually travel (except for the current Covid restrictions) for 6 months of the year, our current van is 4 years old and the pump is the original, I guess I may have put a jinx on it now.
As Hufnpuf says you have answered your own question and it has made me realise I need to do the same, we get into some remote areas often.

Cheers
RichardK

woolman · Guru

Mine 15 years old and still going strong. 12 years living full time mostly free camping. I would not expect it would be something to carry as spare. Worst case senario would be a leaky valve and that is usually a piece of plastic from constuction . Cuuting pipes.

bgt · Guru

First Motor home 1 pump in 5 years. 2nd Motor home 4 pumps in 4 years until I installed an an accumulator tank. 3rd Motor home no issue. 4th Motor home no issue. First 2 motorhomes had Shurflo pumps! Go figure!

Snippy · Senior Member

Our first pump failed at 12 months. Replaced and bought a spare as well. Needless to say the replacement is still going, but we do at least have a spare.

(It was the pressure switch that failed so it is still useable to pump water from 20l containers into the van)

Tony Bev · Guru

After about 12 years of mainly free/donation camp sites

My 12 volt water pump either started weeping, or loosing its pressure

Every 15 minutes or so, it would pump one stroke, or thereabouts

I purchased the exact same pump, 11 litres per minute, 40 PSI pressure, and fitted it

I now use the old one, to pump water from containers, to the motorhome

The method behind the madness, is that if/when the motorhome water pump plays up, it is an easy fit, to put the original back in

Meredith · Senior Member

10 years on with use 3 to 6 months a year and our pump still works fine. You would need a truck to carry everything you might need one day, a pump doesn't make our list.

Farmhat · Senior Member

I have had 2 fail. One after a couple months, and the other failed after 9 months of use.

Current one, just once in a while, chatters very loudly, reverberating through the walls.

Every time I threaten it with a new one it starts behaving itself again.??

Joe.

tiger5 · Senior Member

19 yrs & still going. Hope I have not put the bad luck on it.

Cupie · Guru

21 years for mine but not a true test as we rarely are off (water) grid.

ps .. Good luck Radar looking for a quiet one.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Make sure pump has enough voltage . Wire size and keep batteries charged . I turn the pump off when batteries get low .

Radar · Guru

Cupie wrote:
21 years for mine but not a true test as we rarely are off (water) grid.

ps .. Good luck Radar looking for a quiet one.

Thank you Cupie, I am toying with the idea of mounting the pump under the caravan, I did see an up market caravan with the pump external mounted and if that works I would get baked dinners for long time.

iana · Guru

Mike, go and buy another pump, you are on the road full time, you then have that base covered, ease the mind and all that. You can then use the spare for transferring water etc. I've used my spare pump, and tank to wash down the van at a show ground.

Mike Harding · Guru

iana wrote:
Mike, go and buy another pump, you are on the road full time, you then have that base covered, ease the mind and all that. You can then use the spare for transferring water etc. I've used my spare pump, and tank to wash down the van at a show ground.

Yep, that's my take on it too Ian.

An interesting and varied range of experiences from people, thanks all for your responses.

Given the low-ish cost and light weight and although it's "another thing to carry" I think the inconvenience when/if the current one fails is going to be considerable and I'll probably end up driving a few hundred km to buy one at double the ebay cost from a caravan dealer.

Cupie · Guru

Radar wrote:
Cupie wrote:
21 years for mine but not a true test as we rarely are off (water) grid.

ps .. Good luck Radar looking for a quiet one.
Thank you Cupie, I am toying with the idea of mounting the pump under the caravan, I did see an up market caravan with the pump external mounted and if that works I would get baked dinners for long time.

Now that sounds like a good idea. I tried all sorts of things (unsuccessfully) to quieten mine but gave up.

ps .. Mike ... I know that 'Je suis' means 'I am' but the full meaning of your footnote 'Je suis Charlie --- Je suis Samue' escapes me.

-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 26th of October 2020 01:31:03 PM

Mike Harding · Guru

Cupie wrote:
ps .. Mike ... I know that 'Je suis' means 'I am' but the full meaning of your footnote 'Je suis Charlie --- Je suis Samue' escapes me.

Hi Cupie

I recently changed my signature to provide, in a very small way, some
solidarity with the people of France following the horrific murder of
school teacher Samuel Paty on a street in Paris 10 days ago:

Samuel Paty murder

The phrase "Je suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) was coined in January
2015 after an Islamist attack on the Paris office of the magazine
Charlie Hebdo in which 12 people were killed.

Charlie Hebdo attack

Je suis Charlie

The intent of the phrase is to say "We are all Charlie" meaning we
stand as one against terrorism and you will have to kill us all
before your violence will defeat us.

Cupie · Guru

Mike ...

Thanks for the explanation & more importantly for your action in highlighting this despicable action.

You are to be commended for such a worthy action.

With all the focus on Covid & the US elections I completely missed reading about this.

It is hard to comprehend the actions of those despicable individuals or organisations that carry out or support such action.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/paris-terror-attack-france-samuel-paty-teacher-death-rallies-b1129855.html

Je suis Charlie --- Je suis Samuel indeed

Mike Harding · Guru

Unfortunately large sections of the Australian media have not given this incident the coverage it deserves despite both its horrific nature and its implications for Islam and French/European relations.Make of that what you will but it is a major reason I source news from various international providers in addition to the usual Australian ones.

France has, I think, the highest proportion of Muslims of any country in Europe and this murder may be a turning point in relations - recent comments by Turkey and Pakistan do not help.

I have spent a lot of time in France and had I been refused an Australian visa 25 years past it would have been my country of choice in which to live, especially the south.

Onedodger · Guru

iana wrote:
We've been in our van for about 4 years, the pump is still going good. Do you use caravan parks? your pump should not be going then. I have a water tank in the ute, with another pump on it for transferring water both ways. In the event of a pump failure, the pump in the ute will take over the job.

Same here, have mine second one set up to pump water wherever is needed and if the van one fails swap it over.

Noelpolar · Veteran Member

I bought a second a few days ago.... and a second inverter..... anything smallish and not too expensive is worth having a spare if there is no work around and a failure would ruin a trip I reckon.