TheSamba.com :: View topic - Thinking of adding a speed control knob to sink pump. Thoughts?

Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:22 am

I don’t *think* I’ll run into any problems but thought I’d post here before I do in-case I’m missing something. I think I heard the sureflow faucet has adjustable flow or am I making that up?

I think my pump is on its way out anyways, I had to give it a vinegar bath and smack it to get it pumping again. can anyone recommend a good backup pump?

Current goal = 1. speed adjust knob to adjust water flow- + 2. foot button with separate on off switch to allow foot activation without accidental activation. 3. Maybe a new faucet for better articulation.

Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:29 am

Our Shure flow does regulate the flow on our 82. It has a submersible pump and I have deleted the city water connection. That was an accident waiting to happen. Plus it's one last thing to put away every morning when you hit the road.

Tue Mar 09, 2021 10:00 am

Do you know if it regulates flow via physical construction or if it slows down the motor via voltage?

Yea I’m wanting to get rid of the water connections outside van but not sure what I should replace the boxes with- maybe a 12volt plug in for hooking up air compressors etc outside van.

Tue Mar 09, 2021 10:03 am

It's purely a flow restriction. Works just fine.

Tue Mar 09, 2021 10:04 am

Don't know that answer. Likely flow restriction vs lower voltage. It is light years ahead of the original.

Tue Mar 09, 2021 10:14 am

The Shurflo faucet commonly used to upgrade a Westfalia galley faucet has a binary switch attached to the valve for turning on/off the galley water pump. There is no rheostat to provide variable control voltage.

Any control of the water flow is done simply by the Shurflo's design as a valve; you can open the valve more to get more water (as much as the pump will deliver), or you can close the valve down to restrict flow and decrease the flow of water (but the pump is still working just as hard).

kourt

Tue Mar 09, 2021 10:15 am

OldSpice wrote: I don’t *think* I’ll run into any problems but thought I’d post here before I do in-case I’m missing something. I think I heard the sureflow faucet has adjustable flow or am I making that up?

I think my pump is on its way out anyways, I had to give it a vinegar bath and smack it to get it pumping again. can anyone recommend a good backup pump?

Current goal = 1. speed adjust knob to adjust water flow- + 2. foot button with separate on off switch to allow foot activation without accidental activation. 3. Maybe a new faucet for better articulation.

I had the original style on/off faucet with an aux foot switch which was a good combo. The faucet switch eventually failed (not the foot switch) and I replaced it with a ShurFlow. Wired in my foot switch too. Came to find out that the flow restriction is manual not electric, so the foot switch activates the pump but the faucet restricts flow. Oops. Disconnect the foot switch.

Tue Mar 09, 2021 10:34 am

kourt wrote: The Shurflo faucet commonly used to upgrade a Westfalia galley faucet has a binary switch attached to the valve for turning on/off the galley water pump. There is no rheostat to provide variable control voltage.

Any control of the water flow is done simply by the Shurflo's design as a valve; you can open the valve more to get more water (as much as the pump will deliver), or you can close the valve down to restrict flow and decrease the flow of water (but the pump is still working just as hard).

kourt

This.👆🏼

If you want variable flow control, simply install a ShurFlo and call it good.🍺

Timwhy wrote:

Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:15 am

fishgo wrote: OldSpice wrote: I don’t *think* I’ll run into any problems but thought I’d post here before I do in-case I’m missing something. I think I heard the sureflow faucet has adjustable flow or am I making that up?

I think my pump is on its way out anyways, I had to give it a vinegar bath and smack it to get it pumping again. can anyone recommend a good backup pump?

Current goal = 1. speed adjust knob to adjust water flow- + 2. foot button with separate on off switch to allow foot activation without accidental activation. 3. Maybe a new faucet for better articulation.

I had the original style on/off faucet with an aux foot switch which was a good combo. The faucet switch eventually failed (not the foot switch) and I replaced it with a ShurFlow. Wired in my foot switch too. Came to find out that the flow restriction is manual not electric, so the foot switch activates the pump but the faucet restricts flow. Oops. Disconnect the foot switch.

Why disconnect the foot switch then? Seems like it wouldn’t have effected anything or am I missing how the faucet opens up?

Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:20 pm

OldSpice wrote: fishgo wrote: OldSpice wrote: I don’t *think* I’ll run into any problems but thought I’d post here before I do in-case I’m missing something. I think I heard the sureflow faucet has adjustable flow or am I making that up?

I think my pump is on its way out anyways, I had to give it a vinegar bath and smack it to get it pumping again. can anyone recommend a good backup pump?

Current goal = 1. speed adjust knob to adjust water flow- + 2. foot button with separate on off switch to allow foot activation without accidental activation. 3. Maybe a new faucet for better articulation.

I had the original style on/off faucet with an aux foot switch which was a good combo. The faucet switch eventually failed (not the foot switch) and I replaced it with a ShurFlow. Wired in my foot switch too. Came to find out that the flow restriction is manual not electric, so the foot switch activates the pump but the faucet restricts flow. Oops. Disconnect the foot switch.

Why disconnect the foot switch then? Seems like it wouldn’t have effected anything or am I missing how the faucet opens up?

Foot switch activates the water pump, but the shurflow valve keeps the water from flowing (flow is blocked). You need to turn the knob on the shurflow to both activate and control flow. With the footswitch, a piece of luggage could bump against it and turn the pump on, but no water would flow. You might do some damage that way.

Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:43 pm

MarkWard wrote: I have deleted the city water connection. That was an accident waiting to happen.

can i ask why you say that? would the city connection blow the faucet to the moon?

Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:46 pm

Water pressure varies from site to site, and if there was a leak during the night, the van would be full of water by morning. We have found the 12 volt pump and on board tank to be plenty for us. We fill it to the top of the yellow and we are good for a few days. Don't like to carry extra weight either.

Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:01 pm

I will get to the question but first. We have the foot controlled switch arrangement sold by GoWe$ty and the Shurflo faucet, after adding a pressure bleed it has worked flawlessly.
But, a PWM controller coupled with a foot pressure controlled transducer would be the cats pajamas. Press lightly, low flow, press harder and more flow. All to replace 2 cents worth of copper strips.
Now to devise a 3 quart hot water heater that takes up zero space.

Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:02 pm

You can control the flow with a .5 gallon aerator

Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:37 pm

fxr wrote: It's purely a flow restriction. Works just fine.

Unless the hose attached to the water pump isn't secured all that tightly in which case you can blow the hose off of the pump requiring an underwater repair in the middle of your camping trip at a time when you hands may or may not be very clean.

Just a heads up on that one. :wink: