Stop the water pump cycling mod!

[moallen]

Here's a photo of the finished installation. There's still plenty of room for our tall kitchen waste basket and other supplies. I had removed the shelf when we first got this trailer to accommodate the waste basket and saved everything in case I decide to put it back to original.

The pump is just to the left out of sight and is about 20" from this pressurized tank. An outside low point drain is just below the pump. I used Watts Quick-Connect fittings since I don't own a tool to install the permanent clamps on PEX/CTS tubing. I'd rather use permanent clamps, but I did use these quick connectors in a previous trailer without any problems. At least they are where I can keep an eye on them. Anyone have any experience using them in a RV?

Water_Tank_Installed.jpg (99.78 KiB) Viewed 3884 times

[tslarson]

Thanks tslarson! Your post finally gave me the nudge to do it. Recently camping 10 days without a water connection, hearing the pump cycle during the night and my wife complaining made my mind up. I've been thinking about doing this for years. Anyway, here's my tank. To give an idea of its size - the boards are 8 1/2" wide and 16" high. It's a 2 gallon tank like tslarson used. Mine is going in a corner under the kitchen sink. There's still room for the wastebasket and other things my wife stores there.

By the way, I noticed someone asked about draining it in the winter. No problem - it will drain itself. It comes pre-charged with 38 lbs pressure, so it will force water out. It's basically just like a rural home water system, except smaller. There is a tire like valve at the top to add air should it ever need recharging. But I've never had a home system need air.

Water_Tank.jpg

Looks great, I like the idea of mounting it to the boards and then installing it as an assembly. Much easier than assembling all that under the kitchen sink.

[jcarlilesiu]

Great mod you all are doing. If I could find a spot in my camper to put a tank, I would!

[moallen]

Thanks tslarson! Your post finally gave me the nudge to do it. Recently camping 10 days without a water connection, hearing the pump cycle during the night and my wife complaining made my mind up. I've been thinking about doing this for years. Anyway, here's my tank. To give an idea of its size - the boards are 8 1/2" wide and 16" high. It's a 2 gallon tank like tslarson used. Mine is going in a corner under the kitchen sink. There's still room for the wastebasket and other things my wife stores there.

By the way, I noticed someone asked about draining it in the winter. No problem - it will drain itself. It comes pre-charged with 38 lbs pressure, so it will force water out. It's basically just like a rural home water system, except smaller. There is a tire like valve at the top to add air should it ever need recharging. But I've never had a home system need air.

Water_Tank.jpg (95.03 KiB) Viewed 4531 times

[tslarson]

Great idea and very clean installation! Nice job!

Yah, great idea! I've been thinking of this mod myself. I do have a question:

OP, how will you deal with winter? Do you have a way to drain it out and then isolate it from the rest of the system for winter time? Are you just going to let it pump in the pink stuff? Just trying to figure it out. Thanks for posting this.

The tank appears to drain good enough during the winterizing process, it does take some time for the water to "glug" out though. Seasonal cabins have a similar tank, winterized many and never drained the tank. Also I have been working on boats for 30 years and winterized hundreds of boats with similar, but smaller tanks, never drained those either. I do have to admit I have wondered if it drains completely. If the tank did have water in it that froze, being that there is air space in the tank the ice would just expand upwards into the air space, not outward to rupture the tank. From my experience, its not something to worry about.

[CenOhio]

Great idea and very clean installation! Nice job!

Yah, great idea! I've been thinking of this mod myself. I do have a question:

OP, how will you deal with winter? Do you have a way to drain it out and then isolate it from the rest of the system for winter time? Are you just going to let it pump in the pink stuff? Just trying to figure it out. Thanks for posting this.

[CenOhio]

I don't understand how that works.

Doesn't the plumbing system still maintain the same line PSI, meaning that the tank just fills up, and as soon as you turn on a faucet the PSI drops turning the pump on?

These tanks (somebody correct me if I get this wrong) have a air bladder at the top (well, at the least the one in my house did.). When the pump runs, it forces water into the tank and compresses the air at the top, behind the bladder until, finally, the pressure gets high enough to stop the pump. Now, when you turn on a facet, or flush, the air in the tank expands and forces water back out of the tank. This supplies your water demand without the pump.

Finally the tank will somewhat empty and the pressure will drop to the point that the pump will kick back on and restart the whole cycle.

[jcarlilesiu]

I don't understand how that works.

Doesn't the plumbing system still maintain the same line PSI, meaning that the tank just fills up, and as soon as you turn on a faucet the PSI drops turning the pump on?

[mcmahonm]

I like that, nice idea. might have to look at doing that.

[pawpaw]

Great idea and very clean installation! Nice job!