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muddy_hollow · 08-15-2007, 05:19 PM

I am looking for a replacement air pump to pressurize a mid 50s or like fresh water tank. Anyone know where I can find one?

Thanks,

Doug

vswingfield · 08-15-2007, 06:05 PM

Hi Doug,

Use the “Search” link on the blue bar above. There are several threads about water pumps. For example:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f445...tor-35062.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f443...one-34281.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f443...tor-32191.html

Vaughan

dudebb · 08-15-2007, 06:26 PM

Hi Doug,
I just got off of eBay and there is a 60's water pump up for auction. Check it out as it may be similar to what you need. Don't know if it pumps water or air.

muddy_hollow · 08-15-2007, 06:31 PM

THanks both. What I'm looking for is a new compressor which I can pump up a stainless steal water tank, like the one I had in my 56' caravanner. I have the old pump but it does not work.

I was thinking of an airpump with a regulator to keep it at 40-50psi and then a pressure switch to stop the pump, but I would not mind finding one complete unit.

Any ideas?

Doug

Janets Husband · 08-15-2007, 07:02 PM

Doug

I don't have any ideas where you can get an air pump for that purpose, but I would like to relay what I just experienced at work. We have a 5000 gal. water tank filled from a well, there was and air pump to keep a cushion in the top of the tank. The air pump failed and we had someone hook up a regular air compressor to the tank. Needles to say it spit oil into the tank now all of our drinking water is contaminated. They will have to drain and clean the tank to get rid of the oil.
I guess the moral is, get an air pump made for this purpose.

Overlander & Sea · 08-15-2007, 08:04 PM

In the parts classified section here, someone is selling an old pressurized tank, maybe you could check to see if they have the pump.

samb · 08-15-2007, 09:11 PM

I have a similar air pump in my 1961 Safari. Grover Products air compressor #1393. I took it apart, cleaned it up and refilled with the proper oil, thanks to the helpful folks on this forum. It now works great. I like the air pressure system because I don't have to listen to the water pump every time I run some water. Grover Products is still in business and I believe still sells a similar, if not identical, pump with automatic pressure switch. Look up Grover Products on the web. The last address I have for them is: 1233 South Hope Street, Los Angelos, CA. Use the search link in this forum for "Grover air compressor oil". I seem to remember more good information in that thread.
Good Luck!
Sam

markdoane · 08-16-2007, 03:18 AM

You can buy any air compressor used for air horns. Here is a link to a source on Long Island. Add a cut off switch from a well pump and you're good to go.

I have an original but it would be cheaper to buy new.

Also, add a pressure relief valve for safety. The original set up didn't have one. Bad on Airstream.

rickandsandi · 08-16-2007, 04:27 AM

Doug-

I have the original pump from our 1960 nTrade Wind that I have not yet posted in the classifieds section if you are interested.

Ganglin · 08-16-2007, 09:24 AM

Ask and you shall receive.....

eBay Motors: AIRSTREAM PRESSURIZING AIR PUMP FOR WATER TANK (item 280143321981 end time Aug-21-07 11:58:45 PDT)

muddy_hollow · 08-17-2007, 08:42 AM

I would like to buy a new pump rather than adding in an older version only because I have not had great luck with rebuilt or used products in the past. Could be said about new ones as well

Anyways, I found an air pump from viair with a 2 gal tank for $199, but the prior post concerned me about oil in the water. So I would have to include a filter and regulator.

Having a compressor onboard would be very handy for odds-n-ends, maybe the odd air tool such as an impact wrench.

Thanks,

Doug

scottanlily · 09-04-2007, 11:44 PM

Hello there muddy hollow ,Im kinda late on this subject now ,but I too use the original grover pump ,and it does in fact work very well .They are pretty basic and do have a shutoff pressure switch on them .The Grover of today looks exactly like the old red unit (most were red ) but I think its like 400 bucks .Im
looking into these aftermarket air compressors for air suspensions or air bags
they don't have oil in them that could get into the bag or your tank .Oil in
the rubber airbags would destroy the rubber .So check the car magazines
or online source under air bag suspension compressors .you would have to get a pressure switch to shut it down .Ive plumbed in an air pressure gauge that sits below the wall switch in my 60 tradewind so I can always note the pressue and monitor it when it pumps up .Oh,and these air compressors are designed to pressurize air tanks .

good luck

Scott of scottanlily

scottanlily · 09-16-2007, 06:18 PM

A follow up to my above post for any interested folks .I have found a vintage Coleman air pressure pump that I installed today on my trdwnd .It works absolutly fantastic ,great ,fast pressure quickly .this coleman is basically the same design as the grover ,has the 50 psi pressure switch on it and only required a brass union to connect it to the air line, slightly different than the grover .So other possible air pressure pumps can be found made for older air pressure systems ,this vintage coleman certainly was a great find .

Scott of scottanlily

scottanlily · 09-16-2007, 11:21 PM

Oh I realize i forgot to mention that my Grover started to fade badly on my recent outing and required extensive running to get decent pressure ,I had
went thru it ,lubrication and so on years ago ,so thats the reason for the coleman ,no need to change the system ,just easier to get another pump .

Scott

bevman · 02-11-2008, 03:15 PM

I just serviced the dead Grover pump in the Flying Cloud and now that it's opened up, need to know what operating pressure I should set it to. The pump siezed, and so I took it apart. No oil in crankcase. Cleaned, lubed, and filled the case and now it's working.

Can someone advise me on the pressure setting when the pump should shut off?

Sugarfoot · 02-11-2008, 03:50 PM

Bevman, I don't remember where I read it but I'm pretty sure it's 60 psi.

Overlander & Sea · 02-11-2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bevman

I just serviced the dead Grover pump in the Flying Cloud and now that it's opened up, need to know what operating pressure I should set it to. The pump siezed, and so I took it apart. No oil in crankcase. Cleaned, lubed, and filled the case and now it's working.

Can someone advise me on the pressure setting when the pump should shut off?

According to the WBCCI Vintage web site(The Vintage Airstream Club), it's 60psi.
That's listed under Trailer Manuals, 1960 Insructions for Pressure System.

bevman · 03-22-2008, 08:57 AM

I think that I can close my participation in this thread, but I wanted to leave this last bit of repair information in case there are others seeking repair advice for the Grover pump.

In opening up the dead pump, I stupidly took off the motor housing. In the back of the housing are the brushes, attached to a piece of mica sheeting that is riveted to the back/bottom of the housing. When you pull off the housing, you pull the brushes off the armature, and it's virtually impossible to retract them again, while putting the cover back on. My solution, drill out the rivets and put little screws in their place (epoxied to hold them). Now, I put the "brushes board" on the armature and slid the cover back down. With some trial and error, I finally got the little screws to line up and come out the holes in the end of the housing. I put a couple of little nuts on, and then the motor was back in operation.

When I got that going, I realized that there was no oil in the crankcase (it's a tiny little piston that does the work). Oiled it with 3-in-1 and got all turning. Now, in testing it, I found that the pressure built, but the pump wouldn't shut off. I assume that it was the 50-year-old diaphragm in the pressure control box. I tried to find the company that made the control (LIC) but couldn't. I wrote to the tech person at Grover to ask for advice, and got nothing back from them. Next I called the tech line at Square-D. They make every kind of pump control you could want. I ordered the model that they recommended (9013fsg2j21) with the right cut-in/cut-out pressures. I had to drill out the rivets that held the old pressure control to the bracket on top of the Grover, to get it off. Next, I put a machine screw through one of the holes into the plate of the new Square-D. I hooked up the supply wires and the motor wires to the contacts, and the copper fitting to the diaphragm port, and I was off to the races. Just a little adjusting with the pressure settings, and now I could button up the goucho for a while.

Sugarfoot · 03-27-2008, 08:10 PM

My Grover is starting to slow and smell like old oil when it runs. I fear it's not long for this world. So I'm going to give this Viair model 100C compressor a shot and add in a pressure switch. It's way less expensive than a new Grover, about $90 at anythingauto.com , and by the specs it will fit and may have more power. The trade-off is higher amp draw at 14 amps. The Grover only draws 6 amps. We'll see if I can make this work.