Lack of pressure from SureFlo pump

[Jeremy9107]

Hello all. Hoping to get some help before our next camping outing in 10 days.

We have a SureFlo pump. 2.8 gpm. Not sure how old it is, but it was in our trailer when purchased 7 years ago and has worked fine. Have done a renovation of our Airstream and camped for the first time last weekend.

Turns on fine. Sounds good. Builds good pressure initially, but when faucet turned on, pressure fizzles out after 10 seconds. Pump kicks back on, but just can not keep up with demand. It puts out 16 ounces per 1.5 minutes.

Any suggestions? Should I just buy a new pump? Get a pump with more gpm ability?

[kpm]

Sounds like it may be a failing pump. They are easily replaced. The one I have in my 2018 International is the Shurflo 4008 Revolution (4008-101-E65). It pumps 3 GPM and is pretty quiet. https://www.pentair.com/en/products/...-pumps-rv.html

[kscherzi]

Before buying a pump hook up to the city water (run a garden hose to your trailer). If same pressure problem you have a plugged pipe somewhere. In okay, get a new pump.

[GMFL]

Check screen filter. If the filter was clogged it would not affect pressure build up but would affect flow.

[AtomicNo13]

If all else checks out, take the pump head apart and clean the valves and diaphragm. Goop and crud likes to hide in there!

[waninae39]

be sure to add HIGH FLOW filter. , plumbing is a serial connection

the item with the least flow limits the total flow rate

imagine connecting a home garden hose to a fire hose.

check all your connection to see what is causing flow restriction

[Tronadora]

I had this happen and it turned out to be algae gunking up the aerator insert in the faucet.


Also, I know you said it sounded fine, but if it sounds loud and "can't keep up with demand" I've had this happen and it was air in the lines and the pump needed priming. I keep the toilet flushing (lowest and nearest point away from my pump) and air whooshes out... wait for that to clear the air, then repeat with each faucet to clear the air out of there too. This happens to me when I either drain the fresh water tank, or if I switch to/from city water and onboard water.

[drbrick]

All info above is great - check pressure at all faucets/shower head - is the problem Universal? If so, clean filter - if problem continues - replace pump. If just in one faucet the problem is the faucet or a plug in the line.

Bottom line narrow down where the issue occurs

[Sovereign85]

To #1. Does your trailer have an inline water accumulator tank?

[Silver Goose]

Originally Posted by GMFL

Check screen filter. If the filter was clogged it would not affect pressure build up but would affect flow.

This filter is sometimes overlooked. It will be on the input side of the pump, but not necessarily attached to it, somewhere hopefully close by but in the line coming from the FW tank. Most are a housing with a clear plastic cylinder. Unscrew the cylinder from the housing and you will find a fine mesh screen that is probably plugged up. Take it out and either wash it under running water with a toothbrush or simply replace it. If it is particularly dirty, the housing may no longer appear clear.

If the screen is clogged, it will allow the pump to build water pressure in a closed line, but once a faucet is open the pump cannot suck enough water through the filter to maintain the flow and pressure.

[albret]

Remove and clean your filter on the water tap. Most common problem. May need to use priers to loosen the filter and then it just screws off. Turn on the water tap with pump on and see how the water flow works. If OK, then clean the filter and reinstall.

[Jeremy9107]

Appreciate all the replies. Going to go through each of your troubleshooting ideas.

Keeping in mind when pump initially starts and builds pressure before water use, the water pressure is great. This pressure fizzles out after 5-10 seconds then just trickles out as the pump struggles to keep up.

Have great pressure from all faucets with city water attached so will rule out problem with just one faucet/line, clogged lines, plugged aerator or air in lines.

I took the inflow filter off (just as Silver Goose said it had a silver mesh inside) before I reinstalled the pump as it was old/cracked/clogged with black yuck. So no inflow filter anymore.

Considering the gunk in the inflow filter, will do what AtomicNo13 said and check inside pump itself to see if needs cleaning.

waninae39 mentioned using a high flow filter. I have 2 filters in tandem that the pump sends water into before use in the lines. Sovereign85, you had asked about an accumulator. I don't have one, but the water filter housings each hold 1 liter. Wondering if these filters are preventing enough flow into the lines during use. But have plenty of flow when city water attached and this goes through the same filters...Going to look into that.

Thanks for all the suggestions

[mimiandrews]

The filter in the pump inlet line is there to protect the innards of the pump from contamination. Suggest you re-install a good one once you solve the immediate problem.

[kpm]

Originally Posted by Jeremy9107

[...]
waninae39 mentioned using a high flow filter. I have 2 filters in tandem that the pump sends water into before use in the lines. Sovereign85, you had asked about an accumulator. I don't have one, but the water filter housings each hold 1 liter. Wondering if these filters are preventing enough flow into the lines during use. But have plenty of flow when city water attached and this goes through the same filters...Going to look into that.

Thanks for all the suggestions

This is worth checking out. After my pump I use just a single very high flow Pentek FloPlus-10 filter with a low pressure drop of 2 PSI @ 1 GPM. With just this single filter, I had to adjust the pump to avoid stuttering (not your problem I know). I would imagine two filters in series would be too much for your pump. Has this arrangement ever worked for your pump? How does it behave with the filters removed (just empty filter housings)?

[kpm]

Did you get your problem resolved?

[Jeremy9107]

kpm. i have the Pentek water filter set up too. used 2 in series last year and pressure was fine. seems to me that they work sort of like an accumulation tank too. that container that holds the filters is nearly 2 liters. i only see the level in those containers drop when the tank water level is low.

i checked every fix solution offered on this and other threads. was nearing a planned camping trip so in desperation, i bought a new pump. installed it. and it also would not provide adequate pressure.

so i did what i should have done from the beginning... i checked the line coming directly out of the tank. it was kinked. wouldn't have guessed it cause water was coming up and i blew into it and air seemed to pass easily through.

unkinked line, magically everything works fine. guess i will use that old pump for a pond or something.

[silverhio]

Above is all good.

If nothing then I ask, when you did renovation, did you tighten a screw on the pump itself?
There is a screw on Surflo (probably other brands too) pumps where you can adjust the pressure. The low setting could account for your issues. The low setting is great for water conservation; bad for keeping up with your desired flow.

[Jeremy9107]

Silverhio. Accidentally discovered that screw. It was under a sticker at the top. Did turn it to no avail but that was before the kink was discovered. Makes sense to decrease pressure to conserve water