Surflo pump

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rayreynolds7@g

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Hi Folks,

My submersible pump has failed so after reading the posts here it seems most people have put in a surflo pump ...Apparently you can leave the old submersible in place as the replacement will pull the water through the old pump...So, I have removed the inline pressure switch as this is not required and fitted the new pump where the pressure switch was the problem is, the pump is running but mostly air coming through it's not pulling the water through...

I'm obviously doing something wrong so HELP please ...Thanks all...Look forward to hearing from you..

Ray...
 
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First thing that springs to mind is the air must be coming from somewhere, if coming out the pump must surely be going into pump..
Air leak before pump or simple things first.....enuf water in tank..?
 
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You would be wise to fit an inline non return valve as near to the pump outlet as possible. It stops all the water being sucked out of the system causing air locks.
Phil upmetank
 
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Gaston aires said:
You would be wise to fit an inline non return valve as near to the pump outlet as possible. It stops all the water being sucked out of the system causing air locks.
Phil upmetank
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Not necessary with a Shureflo pump.

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It may be just that the new pump needs priming to wet its whistle fir the first time.
Also presume you have fitted it the right way round and it is getting a good 12v supply (polarity may be important as well)
Mike
 
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Sometimes they can be a bit of a pig to bleed, what usually works is just opening the taps a fraction and leaving the pump running for about 10 min.

I took the submersible pump out when I fitted mine, why make life harder for the pump.
The only reason to leave the old pump in place is if it is impossible to get out without major work like in Autosleeper PVC's where you need to remove the tank.
 
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Thank you all...I would have to remove the tank from under the vehicle it's an Autosleeper Warwick XL to make things worse it has a heater blanket do I don't want to disturb everything.. And with the weather at the moment not easy to crawl around underneath...
 
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Make sure you have connected the pump the right way round and also check all your connections to ensure they are tight. Leave just the kitchen tap open in the central position about half way , fill you water tank and then turn on the pump from the control panel. the pump will take several minutes to expel any air in the system as it self primes and may splutter for several minutes before you get a decent stream of water, when you do, open the tap fully in both cold and hot positions and remember the water tank n the boiler will take a while to fill. When you have a good stream of water the pump should turn off shortly after you close the tap. You can then open the shower and basin tips to let any air put from their supply. I hope that works, I changed my pump to the Sureflo in my Wawick XL and it's been fine since then. Ifr that doesn't work put a picture on here of your installation so I can compare with mine.
 
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iandsm said:
Make sure you have connected the pump the right way round and also check all your connections to ensure they are tight. Leave just the kitchen tap open in the central position about half way , fill you water tank and then turn on the pump from the control panel. the pump will take several minutes to expel any air in the system as it self primes and may splutter for several minutes before you get a decent stream of water, when you do, open the tap fully in both cold and hot positions and remember the water tank n the boiler will take a while to fill. When you have a good stream of water the pump should turn off shortly after you close the tap. You can then open the shower and basin tips to let any air put from their supply. I hope that works, I changed my pump to the Sureflo in my Wawick XL and it's been fine since then. Ifr that doesn't work put a picture on here of your installation so I can compare with mine.
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Hi, thank you for getting back to me....I have fitted the surflo pump as follows...Removed the pressure switch attached the inlet side to the surflo pump ..The outlet side of the pressure swith to outlet side of the pump..So basically I have fitted the new pump inline replacing it with the pressure switch which is not required... Does that sound right ...As you have fitted your pump...

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rayreynolds7@g said:
Hi, thank you for getting back to me....I have fitted the surflo pump as follows...Removed the pressure switch attached the inlet side to the surflo pump ..The outlet side of the pressure swith to outlet side of the pump..So basically I have fitted the new pump inline replacing it with the pressure switch which is not required... Does that sound right ...As you have fitted your pump...
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Yes the sounds right, if the pump is running and your water tank is full and you have closed the blue boiler dump valve are you getting any sound of air coming from the slightly open kitchen tap. If not I suspect you may have inadvertently left the dump valve open or the cold weather has opened it without you noticing. That would account for the symptoms of the pump running an no water at the taps because the system cannot get to pressure, the open valve acting like an open tap but at the lowest point on the system so that's where the water could be going.
 
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The frost protection valve is definitely closed . The pump is running but the strainer on the pump is bubbling with air and the tap at the sink splutters so, lots of air in the system...The tank is full of water ....I have left the pump running for about 15 minutes but can't get rid of the air... I baffled...I'm beginning to think the new pump maybe faulty ....
 
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rayreynolds7@g said:
The frost protection valve is definitely closed . The pump is running but the strainer on the pump is bubbling with air and the tap at the sink splutters so, lots of air in the system...The tank is full of water ....I have left the pump running for about 15 minutes but can't get rid of the air... I baffled...I'm beginning to think the new pump maybe faulty ....
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Im not sure if this would help but try swapping the wiring. There were two wires on the original pressure switch and you must have used one of them to power the new pump, swap to the other wire and see if that makes any difference. I don't know but perhaps the pump is running in reverse, worth a try, other than that just let the pump run, it won't be damaged by running dry. If none of that works perhaps, as you say , the pump is faulty.
 
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That's a good idea thank you..Then I will know the pump is working OK... I would have preferred to remove the submersible up completely but, in this weather and having to remove the tank is not easy.. We are off to Spain on the 26th for 3 months ...This has come at the wrong time...

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I guess you are using push-fit connections, they can be a bit awkward to use in a confined space. I always mark the pipe at the required depth, then I know it has gone fully home. If not fully home it would either leak or draw in air.

Geoff
 
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rayreynolds7@g said:
That's a good idea thank you..Then I will know the pump is working OK... I would have preferred to remove the submersible up completely but, in this weather and having to remove the tank is not easy.. We are off to Spain on the 26th for 3 months ...This has come at the wrong time...
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let us know how you get on. another idea, In the highly unlikely event that the strainer on the original in tank pump is blocked you could disconnect the inlet hose from the new pump, connect a hose pipe to the hose and reverse flush the pump strainer.
 
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All good advise...Thank you everyone for your valued help..will keep you posted....
 
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Also you can test the pump outlet by just plugging some pipe into it and pointing it into a bucket. It should blast out when you switch the pump on 👍
 
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Interested how you got it working, I have a Warwick XL where the pump is a bugger to get going sometimes because of airlocks. What you are doing now will be in in the not to distant future.

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You could try removing the shower head, turn the tap to cold, and sucking through the hose with the pump running but be prepared to get wet.
The extra vacuum may help the pump prime though it shouldn't need it.
 
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Have had a lot of problems with the Shurflo pumps in carpet cleaners and they can be a bu^^er to prime at first. Also the pressure switch (microswitch) (5a-3?) can be confusing as the insulated crimps can slide down the outside of the tag ,, if you know what I mean. And sometimes there are two tags the third being cut off ( as the switches are normally changeovers)
But we are assuming the pump is running and its airlocked.
Must be sorted by now but always nice to know
Mike
 
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Maybe worth checking that the strainer cup is screwed on tight as if the air is pulling in there that maybe the reason for the bubbles and the reduced suction to get it to bleed,I had similar with a cracked strainer cover in the past did not leak water but sucked air when pumping
 
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Hi folks,

An update on the surflo pump....Spent most of the day trying to sort this out...Swapped the pump for a new one and got exactly the same result . Lots of air but no flow...put the outlet side of the pump into a bucket to see what was happening, effectively inlet side from the tank through the pump and into the bucket.. Result was, hardly any water coming through...I suspect the fault is in the submersible pump ..Maybe a blockage.. Took the surflo out connected it to a 12 volt battery one end in the bucket and it pumps OK...That's where I am tonight..
 
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rayreynolds7@g said:
Hi folks,

An update on the surflo pump....Spent most of the day trying to sort this out...Swapped the pump for a new one and got exactly the same result . Lots of air but no flow...put the outlet side of the pump into a bucket to see what was happening, effectively inlet side from the tank through the pump and into the bucket.. Result was, hardly any water coming through...I suspect the fault is in the submersible pump ..Maybe a blockage.. Took the surflo out connected it to a 12 volt battery one end in the bucket and it pumps OK...That's where I am tonight..
Click to expand...
I know we have mentioned this previously and I know you have said that you closed the dump valve but just for the sake of certainty, are you sure you pushed in the small blue button as well as turning the knob on the top of the dump valve. If you did, have you tried reverse flushing to clear anything in the submersible pump strainer, if so and to no avail I wonder if the submersible pump has moved and is not actually in the water or more likely the water tube has parted company with the submersible pump as it's only a push fit and is floating around inside the tank. before you do anything else I would suggest you reverse flush the submersible pump by disconnection and attaching a hosepipe to the inlet and leave the water running until it comes out of the overflow. That way at least you will be certain water is properly flowing one way, good luck.

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The dump valve is usually vented to outside so if it is is still open then you will see water under the van when the pump runs.
( I know, as when we first got our van and were down at vanbitz for the alarm to be fitted it was freezing cold and as fast as we put water into the tank it p!!ssed out underneath!)
Mike
 
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You could try connecting a mains hose to blow back into the tank which may free the obstruction
 
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