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Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Yahoo Message Number: 50576
Anyone using this pump? I've heard mixed reviews. I noticed that it draws 10 amps vs 3.9 amps for existing sureflow 3.? gpm pump. Wonder if CC installed the correct wiring to support this pump with uncreased amps? Thanks in advance for any advise.

Larry, 03 Allure 30856

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50577
Larry, I'm going on an old guy's memory here from a couple of years ago, when I put that unit in my Diplomat but you may need to change out your Latching Controller. Maybe Chuck Boros will speak up as he helped me with the job. No big deal in $ but some hassle.

Oh, I wasn't impressed with that upgrade, would not do it again.

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Lee Zaborowski
07 Intrigue 12153

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50579
I installed the 5.7 and rate the conversion pretty high. Most noticeable improvement in operation of toilet which we had trouble filling if any other device was concurrently drawing water. Now no problem at all.
Presently it is working on the ten amp fuse with no issues but I have a relay that I will install before the next trip just as added protection to the Intellitec system.
Now we just maintain a little caution in consumption, before the water supply was somewhat self limiting and lasted for several days. Now I suspect without caution we couldn't boondock for long although usually one night is the most we ever are without connections.

Gerry Brown
07 Allure 31447

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50584
I have used this pump with no problems.
It works great.
jw

06 inspire 51544

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50589
Thanks Lee! Any specific reason you didn't like it?

Larry 03 Allure, 30856

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50592
Thanks Gerry! Just curious, where in the pump electrical circuit would you install the relay? I'm not familiar with the "Intellitec system."

Larry 03 Allure 30856

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50593
Thanks JW. I'm thinking I might take my chances and try this pump.

Larry 03 Allure, 30856

Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50594
I've used it for 2 years. The only problem I've had is I've had 2 of them leak around the collar. I now need to get another and may go back to the smaller pump.

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50595
Hi Lee,

If my memory serves me correct we installed a Flojet water pump, not a Shurflo 5.7.

Heading north to Coburg,

Chuck & Mary B

Shelby Dog, Miss Kitty, Mr Lucky Cat

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50596
All Shurflo 5.7 pumps built prior to Aug 2007 would fail due to back flow pressure from Water heater equipped coaches. Shurflo remedied the problem in all pumps manufactured Aug 2007 forward. The 5.7 pumps require the larger filter that connects to the input of the pump. Shurflo does NOT recommend using the 5.7 with a accumulator tank. I have been using a 5.7 since 2003.

Heading north to Coburg,

Chuck & Mary B

Shelby Dog, Miss Kitty, Mr Lucky Cat

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50597
Will know more specifics on Monday as I think we may head out for Michigan's UP on Tuesday...others in this group have made it sound like we should see it.
Regarding the relay. I don't know if your system is like ours but our 07 Allure has the Intellitec system mounted on the wall of the passenger side, above the battery bay. It is located behind a panel accessed in the bedroom storage. To provide power in event of an Intellitec failure there are several rocker switches located beneath the removable panel that allow one to bypass the Intellitec system. Ours has a switch for lights in front area, bedroom and the water pump.
I have a 12 VDC power relay that I think I may have had for headlights in some vehicle that drew more amps than was good for some vehicles switch and will use it for the pump. It is, as I recall, a single pole/single throw relay with 12 VDC coil.
I will disconnect the 12 VDC output from the Intellitec that presently goes to the water pump and use it to energize the 12 VDC coil of the relay. The wire that presently is connected to the Intellitec and feeds the water pump will be connected to one of the secondary power contacts of the relay. Then I need to feed the other relay secondary with 12 VDC from somewhere ahead of the Intellitec, most likely on one of the feed posts from battery to Intellitec. This line will have an in-line fuse, probably 15 AMP.
Then I just need to connect the remaining primary from the relay coil to a ground point.
The wire from the Intellitec to pump is adequate I believe to handle the power, at least it has so far on a two week trip. It seems that it may be 10 gauge although I don't have either coach or schematic handy.
Like I said, the unit has worked fine so far but I'm a little nervous as I don't want to risk the very expensive Intellitec system and understand it is limited to 10 amps on its secondaries.

This probably sounds more complex than it really is....

Gerry

07 Allure 31447

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50598
Hi Larry,

There is a great possibility that a relay is already included in your coach. If not, take the 12 VDC wire feeding the water pump and run it through a relay winding to ground. The run a additional 12 VDC through the contacts of the relay. When you turn on the water pump in the coach, the relay operates and passes the 12 VDC through its contacts to power the water pump.

Heading north to Coburg,

Chuck & Mary B

Shelby Dog, Miss Kitty, Mr Lucky Cat

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50612
Gerry- The Intellitec Pump controllers are themselves a relay, and come in 10A & 15A; ShurFlo recommends 15A min circuit for the 5.7. The 10A version is either a non-latching type (needs full time 12V switch signal to operate 12V load to pump) or latching (needs momentary 12V switch signal to "latch" the pump switch on, then momentary 12V to latch it off), don't recall which w/out looking it up. The 15A is a latching type and the coach switches are momentary spring loaded push-button type. The non-latching type can take a 3-way or 4-way (2 or 3 switch) type system, while the latching types can take a theoretically unlimited number of momentary swithes throughout the coach (never heard of more than 5 needed- kitchen, bath, shower, utility bay, etc.)
I can see where it would be handy to have a direct wired relay as a standby in case the Intellitec relay fried. They are high quality and potted, solid state IIRC, but everything can fry eventually, even a politician's everlasting soul, so a backup will eventually come in handy. On my coach (came w/the 5.7) I rewired the 3-way switches to use for 12V switch signal, and installed a new 10A 12V load wire thru a Bosch-type 12V relay to the pump. I installed a second 12V relay next to the operative one for a standby, so all I need to do in case of relay failure is take wires off initial relay & move them to the standby. This does require that i crawl into the basement, and a switch in the coach would be handier. Mike

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50634
Larry, I hope we're talking about the same pump - variable speed. If yes, then my main motivation was it was supposed to be quiet. Not so, especially when you flushed the toilet. As noisy as the OEM, no matter how much I fiddled with the mount.

Lee

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50653
I installed the variable speed when my original pump failed. Mine is quiet to the point of not hearing it and the pressure is better than most of the parks we stay in.

Ah, the variety of experience.
Greg

'03 Intrigue 11571

Re: Surflow 5.7 gpm fresh water pump

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50654
Hi Greg,

Our 5.7 is also quiet. I do not like our pump to be too quiet because if a leak developes, I want to be able to hear the pump running. Had that problem before when a water pipe "T" connection developed a crack. The pump would run in 1 second bursts every minute or so. I was able to find the problem before we would have sustained too much water damage.

Heading north to Coburg,

Chuck & Mary B

Shelby Dog, Miss Kitty, Mr Lucky Cat

Surflow 5.7, plus Whole House RO

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50657
Lee- something wrong w/that 5.7 pump or w/the mount location if its noisier than a diaphragm type. I carry a diaphragm spare, pre-mounted, & same mount & location as OEM 5.7 so I can wire & plumb over easily when the 5.7 quits (had one quit recently, and its a pain on the road when there's no water). Difference in noise is substantial; 5.7 is nicely quieter, tho not silent for sure.
All- w/the above said, the real reason IMO for a better pump is pressure. The 65 psi is really nice. We live off the pump rather than city pressure no matter where we go. No worry about too high or too low pressure from the hose.
But if you really want a nice water upgrade try whole-house Reverse Osmosis: www.vagabondwater.com, I've had that in my last 2 coaches. Best upgrade of anything we've done. Good sweet clean water all the time, dishes & shower dry spotless; I even fill up from a hose in Mexico w/no worries about contaminants. Takes 850ppm Arizona water (dissolved solids) down to 30ppm, removing all heavy metals and most salt, and all the bad taste. RO membrane installs between particulate filters & water tank. I added an aux 110V pressure pump to run the fill rate up to ~25gpm in case of low city pressure, and have a float switch setup to stop filling automatically when tank is full. No affiliation, just love the results we get from the Vagabond system.
Mike

Re: Surflow 5.7, plus Whole House RO

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50658
-The secret to the pump noise is to only snug the screws that go through the floor. If you tighten it too much you compress the rubber isolators , rendering them useless, and transmitting all the noise to the floor of the coach. If you snug the screws and back them off a bit you will still hear the pump noise, but it is minimal. Mine were set too snug from the factory.

Ron Baran 09Magna 7025
 

Re: Surflow 5.7, plus Whole House RO

Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 50662
My mistake on the brand, it was a FloJet. Sorry. Yes, the pressure was better but no mistaking the noise. Guess my hearing is too good! Irrelevant now as the pump was on the Diplomat we traded for our CC.
We live off the pump too, no floods! We run the local water through an On-The-Go Softener, that is good enough for us. Dishes and showers are spotless, and everyone can use a touch of minerals now and again.
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Lee Zaborowski (On the Iron Range) 07 Intrigue 12153
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