This one is interesting. An actual friend of my non-rv’ing friend has a water pump issue he asked me about. His water pump works fine while on generator but only the pump doesn’t work while on shore power. His 12v lights work, slides work.. He has no meter to test anything of course and he’s over 100 miles away, quite the drive. Wonderful. The converter sounds like it’s working properly since the lights and slides work, the 10a fuse to the pump sounds fine since the pump works on the generator. The pump diaphragm and check valve work.. Maybe lower voltage coming off the shore supply? I’m still trying to research it to help him out.
Water pump issue
- Thread starter iplumum
- Start date
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DonTom
Well-known member
I cannot make any sense out of that one. The water pump runs from 12V, which battery is charged by the converter--the same one used on shore power as when on the genny. Both should have the same voltage feeding the same circuits. And should work without any external power at all, if the house battery is good.
-Don- Reno, NV
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Gizmo
Well-known member
More information is needed.
Kirk
Well-known member
To try and answer this without any meter would simply be guessing.
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
Misread the OP. Deleted...
DonTom
Well-known member
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
As DonTom says, those symptoms don't make any sense at all. Generator vs Shore theoretically cannot make any difference in how a simple 12v DC pump gets its power. If the lights and other 12v devices work, then the pump must have power too. There is some piece of information missing (or inaccurate), but I cannot even guess what it might be. May need a more skilled observer at the RV to figure this out.
NY_Dutch
Well-known member
Pretty much out of left field, but the only way I can think of that fits the situation is that the pump was changed to a 120 volt model and the generator connection to the ATS was a handy spot to get power. It certainly would be an odd setup though.
DonTom
Well-known member
Yep, it would have to be designed incorrectly to do such.
But your guess is about the only one possible, as unlikely as it is for anybody to want to use a 120 VAC water pump in an RV and have no water while on the road unless an inverter is used.
Sure doesn't sound like something that would come from the factory.
-Don- Reno, NV
John From Detroit
Well-known member
If it works on Generator and not on show power
Either the transfer system is defective or the shore cord or the shower power.
Either the transfer system is defective or the shore cord or the shower power.
DonTom
Well-known member
If the battery is good, all that shouldn't make any difference.
-Don- Reno, NV
John From Detroit
Well-known member
You might think that but not on all systems. Some converters are... Odd
SC5thWheeler
Well-known member
There's something left out of this story. It's not intentionally left out, but there's something else going on.
Could be something like the generator was on and the slides were in and then it was on shore power and the slides were out. The issue is not the source of power but the pinched wire in the slide.
I'm not saying it's this specifically, I'm just saying that it's something LIKE this.
Could be something like the generator was on and the slides were in and then it was on shore power and the slides were out. The issue is not the source of power but the pinched wire in the slide.
I'm not saying it's this specifically, I'm just saying that it's something LIKE this.
Following is some questions I would ask. They may lead to something or narrow focus - more likely to the 120V power cord or the power outlet box.
Since he is using the water pump he must be using his fresh water tank and not connected to city water. If city water available might suggest he use a pressure regulator and thus not need the pump.
When on 120V power supplied from the power outlet box does the microwave and/or air conditioner work?
Does he have charged battery(s) that could be running the 12V system and confusing the problem?
Does the 120V power center have a transfer switch or manually plug in either shore power or generator power cord? Be easier to change power cord if manual.
What is the condition of the power outlet box? Does he have a surge protector? Maybe a Kill A Watt meter might help?
Might suggest he get a cheap 12V circuit test light to check the pump for 12V volts on generator and shore power. Likely need two people - turn on pump and tester. Based on problem description the 12V tester will light if he is doing it right on generator power but not when on shore power.
Since he is using the water pump he must be using his fresh water tank and not connected to city water. If city water available might suggest he use a pressure regulator and thus not need the pump.
When on 120V power supplied from the power outlet box does the microwave and/or air conditioner work?
Does he have charged battery(s) that could be running the 12V system and confusing the problem?
Does the 120V power center have a transfer switch or manually plug in either shore power or generator power cord? Be easier to change power cord if manual.
What is the condition of the power outlet box? Does he have a surge protector? Maybe a Kill A Watt meter might help?
Might suggest he get a cheap 12V circuit test light to check the pump for 12V volts on generator and shore power. Likely need two people - turn on pump and tester. Based on problem description the 12V tester will light if he is doing it right on generator power but not when on shore power.
Ray-IN
Well-known member
The answer is; call a mobile RV technician to solve this problem. OTOH, if that person cannot afford to buy a $25 multimeter and learn how to use it, they might not be able to pay someone else to fix the problem.
Thanks to you and everyone else who replied. There is something else missing from the rv owner. I thought about it for a bit but couldn’t come up with anything logical as to why he says his pump doesn’t work on shore power. We know that the converter is working, bu
Thanks to everybody for trying to sift through this one. The RV owner told me on the phone all the facts that he knew about, however, I’m sure that he probably isn’t very thorough if he can’t ever carry a meter with him. I thought that I would try to help for our common friend who had told me about his problem. It doesn’t make any sense to me and I’m not ready to take a 200 mile trip to help diagnose something for a friend.. Thanks to everybody trying to help out on the forum. It sounded interesting when I first heard about his issues. I appreciate all the responses..
DutchmenSport
Well-known member
Again, not all the information is present. But here's another thought.
When running the generator, the camper is probably in boon-docking mode. That means the water source is via the on-board fresh water tank and thus the water pump will run when the faucet is turned on.
When hooked up to shore power, IS the camper ALSO hooked up to city water via a water spigot? If so, then the water pump will not turn on at all, as the city water coming in from the spigot will keep the pump from turning on, even if the pump's on-off switch is still turned on.
That's my guess. The camper is hooked up to shore water and the on-board water pump will not switch on.
But again, I'm only guessing.
When running the generator, the camper is probably in boon-docking mode. That means the water source is via the on-board fresh water tank and thus the water pump will run when the faucet is turned on.
When hooked up to shore power, IS the camper ALSO hooked up to city water via a water spigot? If so, then the water pump will not turn on at all, as the city water coming in from the spigot will keep the pump from turning on, even if the pump's on-off switch is still turned on.
That's my guess. The camper is hooked up to shore water and the on-board water pump will not switch on.
But again, I'm only guessing.
