TheSamba.com :: View topic

Mon Oct 28, 2024 8:59 pm

Thanks HarvGwen and all for the info.... very helpful !!! And much appreciated...
An interesting note... I forced open the Shurflo switch and could see the contacts, but saw nothing obvious as to why it was not working... no corrosion, not blackened surfaces, all seemed good... Put it back together and it still did not work, hooked it to the relay per instructions here and all of a sudden it works.... strange, but good.

Tue Oct 29, 2024 6:40 am

I had a similar experience with mine. It’s just not made to handle the current that the pump needs. In my opinion, the sellers of these faucets should indicate this.

Tue Oct 29, 2024 9:54 am

"In my opinion, the sellers of these faucets should indicate this."

Ha... GoWesty NEVER allows bad reviews to show up on their web site... all the Shurflo reviews are blue sky and perfect happiness...

Geez !!!

Tue Oct 29, 2024 10:07 am

I think this relay fix, in addition to routing the higher amps thru the relay, also seems to eliminate the variable pump speed/water flow of the original set up? It seems the relay switching is on/off; not variable...
Initial results seem to show that on mine... anyone else?

Tue Oct 29, 2024 11:39 am

harvgwen wrote: I had a similar experience with mine. It’s just not made to handle the current that the pump needs.

I installed a new Shurflo in 2011; still running fine to this day... without a relay (*knock on wood*).

Tue Oct 29, 2024 1:13 pm

"I installed a new Shurflo in 2011; still running fine to this day... without a relay (*knock on wood*)."

When I pulled mine apart the contacts looked much thinner and less substantial that a previous Samba post photo from several years ago of one torn apart....
Maybe the make the contacts less able to handle the pump amps over the past several years...

Wed Oct 30, 2024 12:19 pm

Bill, I believe the Shur Flo switch is just on/off, not variable, so the relay makes no difference that way.
And I’ve had the same experience with GoWesty reviews. They make and sell a lot of great products but some of their products are not very good.

Wed Oct 30, 2024 12:27 pm

From the GoWesty web page for the Shurflo kit:
"Adds flow regulation! You can control the flow volume, which is way better than the original design's "on/off" options."

Mine had flow regulation before it stopped working, but not now that it's wired to the regulator. Not a big deal. In fact, when it had the flow regulation I was concerned about feeding the pump lower amps than it was designed for. I seem to recall reading somewhere that motors don't like to be under powered and can be harmful to them (like brown-outs for fridge and furnace motors)... but maybe that's for bigger motors than these small pumps?

Wed Oct 30, 2024 12:39 pm

Bill D wrote: From the GoWesty web page for the Shurflo kit:
"Adds flow regulation! You can control the flow volume, which is way better than the original design's "on/off" options."

Mine had flow regulation before it stopped working, but not now that it's wired to the regulator. Not a big deal. In fact, when it had the flow regulation I was concerned about feeding the pump lower amps than it was designed for. I seem to recall reading somewhere that motors don't like to be under powered and can be harmful to them (like brown-outs for fridge and furnace motors)... but maybe that's for bigger motors than these small pumps?

flow control is via the ball valve in the faucet. i know this because i jumpered the pump and had the valve closed. as i opened it to different settings, the increased or decreased as a result.

Wed Oct 30, 2024 12:41 pm

Bill D wrote: From the GoWesty web page for the Shurflo kit:
"Adds flow regulation! You can control the flow volume, which is way better than the original design's "on/off" options."

Hmmm, after having the hose blow off of my pump while running the faucet at a slow flow rate, I always assumed the switch was a simple on/off with flow regulation provided by a mechanical "choking down" on whatever oriface the water flows through while passing through the faucet.

In other words, once the faucet turns the pump on, the pump runs at the same speed regardless of the flow out of the faucet. Kind of like kinking a garden hose to reduce the flow rate instead of turning down the water at the spigot.

I could be waaaaay off on that though.

Wed Oct 30, 2024 12:51 pm

Hmmm... maybe that's right... the water flow controlled by a water valved inside the faucet... makes more sense... but if so, restricting flow makes the pump work harder and may make it burn out sooner...
Will check this out...
Maybe I was mistaking the different sound of the pump working harder against the restricted valve for it slowing down due to less current...

Thu Oct 31, 2024 6:58 am

I’m very sure that SCM is right about that. I only ever crank the faucet wide open so as not to overload the pump with excess back pressure. Contrary to GoWesty’s claim, I think it’s a poor design to allow the valve to restrict the flow of water from the pump.

Thu Oct 31, 2024 7:57 am

I first replaced a stock Westy faucet with this same model Shurflo over 25 years ago and it still works.
I did it specifically because it let us adjust the water volume down to the least amount needed for a given job.
We often camped for a week or two at a time with no potable water source nearby so conserving it was essential.

Since then I've put them into many of my family's Vanagons and a bunch of my own as well as friend's vans.
Never had any switch problems that I know of, running the pumps straight from the faucet switch.
If they are now weaker I would just add a relay to keep the benefits of the overall design.

How I always do it is better than the standard way.
For the oversize "washer" I drill the faucet hole offset to put the faucet as close as possible to the Wesyt sink bowl.
This allows the faucet to tip down all the way into the bowl and makes room for our compact tea kettle or other such item to live there while the kitchen lid is stowed.
It is a small thing but a useful improvement over centering the faucet.

Mark

Thu Oct 31, 2024 9:22 am

crazyvwvanman wrote: I first replaced a stock Westy faucet with this same model Shurflo over 25 years ago and it still works.
I did it specifically because it let us adjust the water volume down to the least amount needed for a given job.
We often camped for a week or two at a time with no potable water source nearby so conserving it was essential.

Since then I've put them into many of my family's Vanagons and a bunch of my own as well as friend's vans.
Never had any switch problems that I know of, running the pumps straight from the faucet switch.
If they are now weaker I would just add a relay to keep the benefits of the overall design.

How I always do it is better than the standard way.
For the oversize "washer" I drill the faucet hole offset to put the faucet as close as possible to the Wesyt sink bowl.
This allows the faucet to tip down all the way into the bowl and makes room for our compact tea kettle or other such item to live there while the kitchen lid is stowed.
It is a small thing but a useful improvement over centering the faucet.

Mark

You can always change the aerator to a .5 gallon one.

Fri Nov 01, 2024 4:17 pm

harvgwen wrote: I’m very sure that SCM is right about that.

Quoted for posterity! :lol:

I might just print this out and pin it to my refridgerator for the wife to see.

Sat Nov 02, 2024 11:58 am

Timwhy wrote: Has anyone tried this German faucet as a replacement to the Shurflo?

I used that faucet for the first year of my Eurovan conversion. It eventually failed at the slip joint between the valve body and the riser to the faucet head. It was not very strongly built plastic. I am now using a Shurflo in my Eurovan and am very happy with it.

Here's my post retracting my recommendation.

kourt

The failed faucet:

Sat Nov 02, 2024 1:34 pm

How about this one from Reimo? Anyone tried yet?
https://vanagonwestfaliaparts.com/collections/reimo/products/electric-auto-faucet
My Shurflo has been working fine for the last ten years but always nice to know about other options.

Sun Nov 03, 2024 8:15 pm

No matter which faucet you test, I'd still recommend using a relay to do the switching of the electrical load. Relays can handle millions of cycles, and if one does fail (I bought very cheap ones) a new one takes seconds to plug in.