Stupidest Water Pump Installation I've come across

[Lenny HB]

Friends/neighbors Autosleeper PVC, I'm helping him sort out the water pump that has failed.
I have never seen such a bad installation, a submersible pump in the tank. There is no hatch in the floor to access the pump in the tank, the only access is via an inspection hatch on the bottom of the tank. With the hatch off you can just about get your hand in the feel the pump, the water outlet & cable entry to the tank are a right bodge all covered in black sealant. There is not enough play on the outlet pipe to drop the pump out through the bottom, it might just be possible. You could probably get away with easing the water and power inlet and get enough movement on the pump but it would be best to drop the tank down of course the tank is underslung without any insulation and all the bolts rusty.

Anyway I decided for him the best option is to fit a Sureflo pressure pump in a bedbox, a couple of holes through the floor to connect into the existing plumbing job done.

I find it unbelievable that a converter can install a serviceable item that are prone to failure where it can't be changed without major work. You would be stuffed if you were touring at the time if it failed.

 

[ManTheVan]

Sounds like a good solution Lenny. Submersible and surface pumps can and do go. We have been through a few on the various boats we’ve owned. They certainly are not ‘fit and forget’ items and do need to be accessible for replacement. Shur-flo have been one of the most reliable, in our experience, and easily serviced too.

Until it hits the fan, there’s no way of knowing, apart from personal experience, or the experience of others here like this, what the quality of the build is behind the scenes. So far, I can only say I’m glad we have a Rapido, having sorted some problems and comparing the installation and build quality to that found in the van we hired before deciding to commit to MH-ing.

 

[Lenny HB]

I've just changer the submersible pump in my Hymer for a Sureflo, got fed up with microswitch taps playing up.

 

[Two on Tour]

A neighbour of ours bought an oldish secondhand Autosleeper PVC a few years back and the pump on the fresh water tank would run but not prime.
I had a look at it for him, and again it was going to be a near impossible task to get to the pump, but luckily pouring water down the outlet pipe got it pumping, so their crap installation is not a new idea of theirs.

 

[solaris]

There’s quite a lot on ASOC site about replacing submersible pumps with surflow. Connect into existing pipe work and leave old pump in situ. Getting them to prime is a common issue, that was my problem on first refilling with water but driving van seemed to slosh It about and cure problem. SMC identified problem with pump and replaced under warranty, it took 2 or 3 hours, all in dropping tank. Touch wood no problem since, though this could be kiss of death. But agree they are totally inaccessible especially on pvc conversions

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[jwells]

I have had an AutoSleeper since new, now coming up to 7 years old. Just fitted a Sureflow inline with the old pump with a bit of new hose. The trouble was that that showed up a number of other plumbing issues! As for the build quality, considering that AS are supposed to be one of the the best of the British ones, goodness knows what the not so good ones are like! I would never buy another!

 

[Raul]

The bodges are always well hidden and you will not pick up on it until it goes wrong. Well done for helping and going with the better pump option.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I think it's symptomatic of equipment being installed and the 'furniture' being built up around, certainly in a PVC.
There's a current thread on WEG [FB] about how the access to the pump is limited to a single arm... however, the writer does seem to have managed a replacement despite that difficulty.

 

[berni109]

Not all PVC's are the same. Adria 2007 and sunliving (new) have access on top of inboard tank to get at the pump or for cleaning. But then you loose 100lts of storage space.

 

[2657]

Not all PVC's are the same. Adria 2007 and sunliving (new) have access on top of inboard tank to get at the pump or for cleaning. But then you loose 100lts of storage space.

Our Globecar is the same but there is plenty of other storage space in our layout, if we filled it all we would be overweight.

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