water pump on/off all the time

pudgybear · 05-02-2018, 02:22 PM

Please settle a disagreement between me and the wifey, I have always been under the assumption that you turn on the water pump only when you need it, But my wifey says it is on a pressure switch and be left on all the time. who's right ????? yeah I know the woman is always right !

formerFR · 05-02-2018, 02:29 PM

she 'should' be right, if the pressure switch/sensor is working 'properly', but if the pump is running when it shouldn't be, then YOU were right!

it's really a little comical that we do one thing at our house, and something quite the opposite in our 'house on wheels'... who turns 'off' their water pump at home? who turns 'off' their water Heater at home? etc.

but, it is what it is, if you know what I mean : )

**bikendan** · 05-02-2018, 02:31 PM

Well your wife is right.
It works on demand, if the switch is on.
Many of us turn the switch off, if leaving the trailer for awhile, in case something leaks.

**ependydad** · 05-02-2018, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by formerFR

she 'should' be right, if the pressure switch/sensor is working 'properly', but if the pump is running when it shouldn't be, then YOU were right!

Nah, she's right either way.

If the pump is running when it shouldn't, there's a different fish to fry.

Cypressloser · 05-02-2018, 02:52 PM

Your wife is right but, on city water the pump must be turned off.

If the pump cycles on and off when not in use you either have a plumbing leak that needs to be taken care off asap, or the pump loses prime due to a leaking check valve caused by debris or when the pump was left on when on city water.

DRothman · 05-02-2018, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pudgybear

Please settle a disagreement between me and the wifey, I have always been under the assumption that you turn on the water pump only when you need it, But my wifey says it is on a pressure switch and be left on all the time. who's right ????? yeah I know the woman is always right !

Wife when on tank supply, you when on city.

DieselDrax · 05-02-2018, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRothman

Wife when on tank supply, you when on city.

I'll add that we turn off the water (pump/city faucet) whenever we're going to be away from the campsite for a while. As much as we'd like to think our trailer plumbing is as good as our home plumbing, that's just not the case. I'd hate to have a bad PEX joint or similar fail or pop off while we're gone and flood/ruin the trailer.

rockfordroo · 05-02-2018, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cypressloser

Your wife is right but, on city water the pump must be turned off.

If the pump cycles on and off when not in use you either have a plumbing leak that needs to be taken care off asap, or the pump loses prime due to a leaking check valve caused by debris or when the pump was left on when on city water.

I fail to understand the logic behind your statement. I work in power plants where we have multiple sets of 4 pumps in parallel, each with their own discharge check valves. We run 3 at a time, with one for maintenance backup. If one of the 3 running pumps fails, pressure drops and a pressure switch starts the standby pump. We cycle through them periodically to even the run times.

Your city water is supplied by a similar pump (many feet or miles away), with a "discharge check valve" at your city water connection, and your RV pump has a discharge check valve and a pressure sensor to start it (or stop it).

Furthermore, there are a number of people here who have posted that they actually leave their RV pump ON to allow it to keep their water pressure up when showering if the campground pressure isn't that great. (Of course, this uses up their FW tank water.)

So I'm failing to see the difference and where this urban legend has come from.

jking46 · 05-02-2018, 05:19 PM

I don't know anyone who uses the water pump and fresh water tank while hooked up to a city water connection.
Didn't even know it was possible.
You only need one source of water.

HookupAndGo · 05-02-2018, 05:32 PM

I leave my water pump on for a different reason when connected to city water: Ever have the city water shut off? Seen a hose burst? Someone (even yourself) turn it off outside just so they can "borrow" it a second? Well, if it doesnt get turned back on, you run the risk of losing water pressure or just water in your hot water tank. The pump keeps it there.

I may be way off, but it works as a nice backup. Never heard it come on while the city water was actually on and working, but i have disconnected quickly to do things and as always, someone goes into the bathroom and uses water.

**Flybob** · 05-02-2018, 05:41 PM

Running the water pump when on city water can cause the back-flow valve to seat incorrectly and thus filling the FW tank to overflowing. Common problem showing up here several times a month.

**ependydad** · 05-02-2018, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HookupAndGo

Well, if it doesnt get turned back on, you run the risk of losing water pressure or just water in your hot water tank.

If I read this correctly, it sounds like you're saying that losing water could result in an empty water heater.

If I recall correctly, the water heater's outlet is at the TOP of the tank. It shouldn't be able to empty itself.

**ependydad** · 05-02-2018, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

Running the water pump when on city water can cause the back-flow valve to seat incorrectly and thus filling the FW tank to overflowing. Common problem showing up here several times a month.

First time it happened to me, I had both on accidentally and it was at a place with high city water pressure.

xgarys · 05-02-2018, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

Running the water pump when on city water can cause the back-flow valve to seat incorrectly and thus filling the FW tank to overflowing. Common problem showing up here several times a month.

Yep, mine did that every time until I learned to relieve the pressure in my pipes before turning on the city water supply.

As to the original post, I turn my pump on when I leave home and turn it off when I get back (not counting stops with hookups). Mainly that avoids not having water when flushing is necessary.

Charger · 05-02-2018, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselDrax

I'll add that we turn off the water (pump/city faucet) whenever we're going to be away from the campsite for a while. As much as we'd like to think our trailer plumbing is as good as our home plumbing, that's just not the case. I'd hate to have a bad PEX joint or similar fail or pop off while we're gone and flood/ruin the trailer.

Nailed It.

rockfordroo · 05-02-2018, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

Running the water pump when on city water can cause the back-flow valve to seat incorrectly and thus filling the FW tank to overflowing. Common problem showing up here several times a month.

I'm not convinced that running the pump with city water on is what's causing the check valve to seat incorrectly.

People who have never run their water pumps or have never run them with city water have had back flow. And people who've run them together have not had back flow.

Correlation is not causation.

Cypressloser · 05-02-2018, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

Running the water pump when on city water can cause the back-flow valve to seat incorrectly and thus filling the FW tank to overflowing. Common problem showing up here several times a month.

Thanks for explaining.

Cypressloser · 05-02-2018, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charger

Nailed It.

Yes

Wolverine 1945 · 05-04-2018, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by formerFR

she 'should' be right, if the pressure switch/sensor is working 'properly', but if the pump is running when it shouldn't be, then YOU were right!

it's really a little comical that we do one thing at our house, and something quite the opposite in our 'house on wheels'... who turns 'off' their water pump at home? who turns 'off' their water Heater at home? etc.

but, it is what it is, if you know what I mean : )

Who turns the water pump & water heater off @ home when they go away ???
WE DO !!!

We also turn the pump in our MH off when we leave it !!!
If you have ever seen a home flood,,, to the point where the water is running out of the siding,,, or the basement has become a swimming pool !!!
You too would turn your water pump off when you go away !!!

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