internal water pump cycling question

We had to use internal water storage on trip to Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo last weekend due to freezing temperatures (27 F and 40-60 mph winds). This was the first time to use onboard water storage. Does the 12v pump cycle numerous times when you run water from a faucet even with both hot and cold water fully open? The only way I could stop the on/off cycling was to open both the kitchen sink and bathroom sinks.

Thanks for any ideas/thoughts,

Rod

[Leslie & Nick]

Originally Posted by Rodlin

We had to use internal water storage on trip to Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo last weekend due to freezing temperatures (27 F and 40-60 mph winds). This was the first time to use onboard water storage. Does the 12v pump cycle numerous times when you run water from a faucet even with both hot and cold water fully open? The only way I could stop the on/off cycling was to open both the kitchen sink and bathroom sinks.
Thanks for any ideas/thoughts, Rod

Yes, the water pump does cycle on/off when there is demand at one of the faucets. Not sure I understand why the cycling stopped when you opened both the kitchen and bathroom faucets. The cycling would stop if the valves were closed (ie no demand), and you shouldn't hear the pump. Might the outside shower faucet be on?

Rod - if I understand your question - it sounds like you think the pump should run when water is running? That is sort of true. The water system is a "demand" system that works off the pressure in the tank. When a faucet is open, the pressure drops and the pumps kicks in to raise the pressure. It does so quickly, so if the running water is not enough to keep the pressure down, the pump will start and stop as needed. In your example I guess when you open all the faucets, the pressure drop is enough to keep the pump running.

Here is a thread with some additional info that might be helpful.
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...h+water+system
hope this helps.
Alan

When running water full blast, as in filling the sink or taking a continuous shower, the pump will run continuously.

When slowly filling a glass with water, the pump will cycle.

When not using water the pump will remain off.

If you hear the pump cycle sometimes, even though you are not using any water at the time, then you probably have a leak somewhere.

It is possible to add a pressure tank to the system, if you have room, which will reduce the frequency that the pump runs, such as being able to wash your hands in the middle of the night and not have the pump come on, waking everyone else up. I have not added that.

[Bill]

Rod -

As Wayne points out, it will be hard to find a place to put an accumulator (i.e., pressure tank) in a 2720SL. One of our members - maybe Bob_Rederick? - bought the small Shurflo accumulator from Camping World, and was disappointed with it. In order to stop the cycling, something bigger is needed. Fortunately, aside from the annoyance factor, there is nothing wrong with having the pump cycle on and off like that.

By the way, Al-n-Sue mentioned that

The water system is a "demand" system that works off the pressure in the tank.

Rather than "tank", I think he meant "pipes". The pump pressurizes the system, meaning the water in the pipes, but there is no pressure tank in the usual sense. The fresh water tank under the kitchen sink is a water storage tank, but it is not pressurized. Only the water pipes themselves are pressurized.

Hope this helps.

Bill

Thanks Bill for that correction. I did in fact mean the pipes. ;-)
Alan

Thanks to all of you for your replies. I guess the pressure sensor is set to come on when it reaches its turn-on (low presssure) setting to keep adequate high pressure in the supply lines to the faucets. I wish it were adjustable like my well pump at home...

Rod

The few well pumps that I have seen that do this take advantage of the fact that there is air in a tank. As the pump puts water into the tank, the air is compressed, until the pump turns off. Then the compressed air in the tank is used to push the water through the pipes when a valve is opened. When the air pressure drops off enough, then the pump comes back on, etc.

You can do this in a trailer. Where are you going to put this air tank, that is apparently called an accumulator?

I probably could replace my 40 gallon water tank with a 20 gallon water tank and use the extra space for the accumulator tank. I would rather have the extra 20 gallons of water.

Some trailers do come with an accumulator tank, but they are probably bigger than my 2720.

Back in the 60's my uncle had an external tank of compressed air that was used to pressurize his water system. He inflated it at the gas station on the way camping and then attached it when he set up camp. When the air ran out, then he had to use the hand pump. He did not have an electric pump. That was back in the days of propane lanterns built into the trailer for light, because they had no battery, partly because no one had generators.

I guess technically the pump compresses the remaining air in the heater and that acts as an accumulator.

Originally Posted by larsdennert

I guess technically the pump compresses the remaining air in the heater and that acts as an accumulator.

A cheap way to build a small accumulator would be to move the exit line on the water heater tank down slightly, so that there was some air compressed in it. But that would likely only work for the hot water, I think.