Water pump problems

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Just a curious question. Seems to me we're hearing pump failure on 19's more than other models, could be wrong on that just my impression from reading over the years. The 19 pump is mounted vertically and in none of the other trailers I've had were the pumps mounted vertically they were always horizontal on the floor.
So my question is how are the pumps mounted in each of the Escape models, vertical or horizontal?
Second part of the question would be, who has had pump replacements in late model trailers by model?

Always wondering about the installation of the pumps also . Never had problems with Shurflo pumps on previous RV 's that were mounted horizontal installations . There were over 12-13 years . Also have a 23 year old pump mounted horizontal on our water distiller which is Shurflo . So you tell me ? It is amazing to me when you speak the truth and you will be bullied by the same group . Pat

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

It is amazing to me when you speak the truth and you will be bullied by the same group . Pat

Well, my Shurflo is vertical and has given me no problems in eight years. Is that bullying?

[Greg A]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Well, my Shurflo is vertical and has given me no problems in eight years. Is that bullying?

Don't know about that, but I don't recall you ever commenting that you've ever had a problem with your trailer. I'd keep that baby till the wheels fall off.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Don't know about that, but I don't recall you ever commenting that you've ever had a problem with your trailer. I'd keep that baby till the wheels fall off.

I do have a cupboard hinge that could be better positioned. It was like that when I got the trailer and I should have mentioned it, but love is blind.

[caddoster]

we have a shurflo that is mounted horizontally in the current trailer (not Escape) and it has been cycling on/off after the first year we got the trailer.. (I think the guy we bought the trailer from had the pump for 1-2 years before we got it) but since we only have one "faucet" I just turn the pump off when it annoys me enough

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Well, my Shurflo is vertical and has given me no problems in eight years. Is that bullying?

Glen that is your reality not everyone else's . Probably because yours is a older model . Because some of us have problem's doesn't mean we have your same experience or that we are making up stuff and causing trouble .That is all I am going to say . Pat

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

Glen that is your reality not everyone else's . Probably because yours is a older model . Because some of us have problem's doesn't mean we have your same experience or that we are making up stuff and causing trouble .That is all I am going to say . Pat

Right. And, I am saying different, from my experience.
If I didn't, then those reading this forum would think Escapes have nothing but problems.
I don't recall ever suggesting that you or others were making stuff up.

[C&G in FL]

I really don't believe anyone here is making stuff up OR "bullying" anyone else. We all have differing experiences, and can get frustrated when things do not work as expected. The ShurFlo pump used by Reace and Company is used by several other manufacturers. Yes, it can have its problems, but they are typically easily fixed. Suffice it to say that the ShurFlo and similar relatively inexpensive pumps can be finicky.

Another 5.0TA owner I know very well had a problem with his pump on his return trip from Chilliwack. And Alf has already related his pump "problems" in his 5.0TA. I really don't think that pump problems are any greater in one model than others, nor do I believe horizontal vs. vertical orientation is a factor.

[cpaharley2008]

It is the water.....try using one of those water filters at the cg pedestal or even at home if on a well system. Since I recently installed a point of use filter in my home for drinking, my coffee, the food, ice tea, just plain water is a joy to drink now and I have a municipal water supply.Never realized how good water can taste..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOH4gB15qYI

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

It is the water.....try using one of those water filters at the cg pedestal or even at home if on a well system. Since I recently installed a point of use filter in my home for drinking, my coffee, the food, ice tea, just plain water is a joy to drink now and I have a municipal water supply.Never realized how good water can taste..

Our cabin has a deep well with a submersible pump . The pump sits submerged in 55 ft of ground water. The pump has been in service for over 30 years and never been pulled.
We have a shallow well down at the lake for showering and campfire control . I pounded that well in 1990 and the original pump
is still going strong. ( I did replace the impeller 15 years ago )
( Pump is mounted horizontally )
Neither one of these pumps is used with filtered water just water straight out of the ground plus we have hard water in our area.

The problem with RV pumps is their design . They are designed to be cheap. Most people use their RV's a few weeks or weekends a year so that it doesn't take much of a pump to outlast the two year warranty period.
ETI is using what is available and is the industry standard for RV pumps . People on this forum expect and accept failures in stick built trailers but not in Escape's yet they are both built using the same furnaces , pumps , toilets , converter's , A/C , cooktops, roof fans , etc .
Yet when someone reports an issue with a trailer component the discusion soon turns from attacking the problem to attacking the messenger.

I fully believe that people are experiencing pump failure and through no fault of their own or because they didn't take all kinds of an elaborate precautions. I am glad that Glenn's pump has worked flawlessly for 7 years but all that tells me is that Glenn is lucky and got the one good pump out of a hundred..
I've had to repair 2 Shurflo pumps in two different brands of trailers.

STUFF HAPPENS

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Our cabin has a deep well with a submersible pump . The pump sits submerged in 55 ft of ground water. The pump has been in service for over 30 years and never been pulled.
We have a shallow well down at the lake for showering and campfire control . I pounded that well in 1990 and the original pump
is still going strong. ( I did replace the impeller 15 years ago )
( Pump is mounted horizontally )
Neither one of these pumps is used with filtered water just water straight out of the ground plus we have hard water in our area.

The problem with RV pumps is their design . They are designed to be cheap. Most people use their RV's a few weeks or weekends a year so that it doesn't take much of a pump to outlast the two year warranty period.
ETI is using what is available and is the industry standard for RV pumps . People on this forum expect and accept failures in stick built trailers but not in Escape's yet they are both built using the same furnaces , pumps , toilets , converter's , A/C , cooktops, roof fans , etc .
Yet when someone reports an issue with a trailer component the discusion soon turns from attacking the problem to attacking the messenger.

I fully believe that people are experiencing pump failure and through no fault of their own or because they didn't take all kinds of an elaborate precautions. I am glad that Glenn's pump has worked flawlessly for 7 years but all that tells me is that Glenn is lucky and got the one good pump out of a hundred..
I've had to repair 2 Shurflo pumps in two different brands of trailers.

STUFF HAPPENS

Well put. That deep well pump is gonna cost at least $1000 for the replacement pump let alone labor. Not too many of us would put that much money into a trailer pump! Shurflo pumps are around $125 or so US. They will require maintenance or replacement much more often. A standard pleated paper or carbon filter will not remove hardness which is typically the Achilles heel of these types of pumps.

[Dave Walter]

There is no doubt that water pumps have caused problems for a number of Escape owners. That is indisputable. Based on the limited number of water pump complaints on this forum relative to the overall number of owners who post here, I suspect that problems with water pumps have occurred with a minority of the Escape population. Doesn't mean that it is not of concern, especially to those with issues. However, it is not an all encompassing pandemic issue that effects all.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

....
Yet when someone reports an issue with a trailer component the discusion soon turns from attacking the problem to attacking the messenger.
...

I've been here a long time and have yet to see someone reporting a problem be "attacked". Disagreed with -yes. Explained to that Escape does not make appliances/pumps - yes. Explained to that things go wrong in trailer and that some degree of self help ability is desirable - yes. Explained to that those of us with experience with other fiberglass manufacturers find ETI customer service excellent -yes.

When a thread is started stating that ETI (offered) "And no apologies for causing a second major headache in 14 months." and "If you've read this far I'm aggravated by Escape. Am I alone?" It tends to look more like help in bashing Escape and less like looking for help with a problem.

People who come here looking for information, advice, help with problems are welcomed into this community with open arms from the entire community. People who show up wanting support to bash ETI will unfortunately find it from a few here.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by thoer

I've been here a long time and have yet to see someone reporting a problem be "attacked". Disagreed with -yes. Explained to that Escape does not make appliances/pumps - yes. Explained to that things go wrong in trailer and that some degree of self help ability is desirable - yes. Explained to that those of us with experience with other fiberglass manufacturers find ETI customer service excellent -yes.

When a thread is started stating that ETI (offered) "And no apologies for causing a second major headache in 14 months." and "If you've read this far I'm aggravated by Escape. Am I alone?" It tends to look more like help in bashing Escape and less like looking for help with a problem.

People who come here looking for information, advice, help with problems are welcomed into this community with open arms from the entire community. People who show up wanting support to bash ETI will unfortunately find it from a few here.

Everyone views the same situation differently and no ones view is necessarily correct. What you may find welcoming , which is your privilege , does not appear in many instances to be welcoming in my opinion. What you have determined as "bashing " does not fit my criteria for bashing.

I understand the OP's frustration with his pump and with Escape.
You and I disagreeing over tone or intent does not solve the OP's pump problem and actually solves nothing.
Let's just say we agree to disagree and end it there

As Always Best Wishes
Steve D

PS : See you at the Mississippi River Rendezvous and please allow me to buy you a cold beer.

[thoer]

.... stumbles away muttering......

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Everyone views the same situation differently and no ones view is necessarily correct. What you may find welcoming , which is your privilege , does not appear in many instances to be welcoming in my opinion. What you have determined as "bashing " does not fit my criteria for bashing.

I understand the OP's frustration with his pump and with Escape.
You and I disagreeing over tone or intent does not solve the OP's pump problem and actually solves nothing.
Let's just say we agree to disagree and end it there

As Always Best Wishes
Steve D

PS : See you at the Mississippi River Rendezvous and please allow me to buy you a cold beer.

I would like to thank you for your post . My worry is the original OP isn't getting the help he thought he would get here on the forum . Pat

[Iowa Dave]

It seems that there is a fairly wide variation in what is considered an acceptable failure rate by Escape owners. It's a fact that a lot of things aren't built as well as they used to be or are built cheaply on purpose. Vance Packard wrote of this trend in the early 60s with his book "The waste makers". Planned obsolescence is a way of life and you just
got to deal with it. It's not likely the wheels will ever fall off of Glenn's trailer. He will keep the bearings greased and his friends will torque his nuts any time he's camped around them. Merle summed it up " I wish a Ford and Chevy would still last ten years like they should".
Iowa Dave

[advenas]

All I can say is THANKS for the discussions and help on this forum. It's threads like this that educate me and in the event I have a water pump or some other problem I now have some knowledge of what it might be, where to look and possibly how to remedy the problem. Very much appreciated.

I'd much rather be fixing a water pump on my Escape while camped somewhere than being on a phone call at work for four hours about a software implementation like I am right now.

I pray I can get my property purchased by July.....then I can target a retirement date from work and join you all on the road.

[rubicon327]

All of us have different water at home and camp in different places with different water qualities. We also all have different maintenance regimens, patterns of use and expectations. We also may have different interpretations of how things are written in a thread! Isn't this what should make this interesting? If there were never problems to solve or some cordial disagreement the forum would be a pretty boring place with simply pictures of everyone with their trailer under a rainbow somewhere.

The maintenance on a pump is certainly not much, but I wanted to point out that Shurflo does have a note about sanitizing the system and even goes as far as giving sanitizing directions in their documentation. They indicate that "lack of sanitizing will cause scale build-up on the diaphragm and valves, causing low flow and leak back (occasional pump cycling with no faucets open or tank filling up when hooked up to city water)". It sounds to me that we likely know what the problem is and ETI is sending them the appropriate part. The only issue left is how to install it. The original poster can attempt himself with the guidance of the internet and possibly members on the forum or take it to one of many RV shops. Seems pretty simple to me.

Even Oliver and Winnebago use Shurflo pumps in their trailers. If the failure rate was absurdly high these higher end manufacturers would be looking elsewhere. Any owner also has the option to upgrade a standard ETI equipment offering. There are certainly better pumps available and that is at the discretion of the owner to discuss with Reace during a build or to install after taking ownership. A few of us have replaced appliances that were working perfectly fine with a better alternative for aesthetics, quality, functionality, reliability, etc. I didn't need to install a Dickinson cook top or a mini-split A/C system, but boy are they nice.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Yet when someone reports an issue with a trailer component the discusion soon turns from attacking the problem to attacking the messenger.

Someone looking at a problem, seeing it from a different viewpoint, and responding honestly with their opinion is not an attack in any way. I think that seeing it this way is the cause for a problem. When someone complains bitterly about treatment from Escape, am I only to respond if I agree with their assessment? If so, this should be stated in the opening post, and maybe even the title.

The problem prompting the pot should definitely not be discarded, and warrants discussion. But there are differing ways of approaching a problem, and I prefer to do it with a positive frame of mind, which has worked for me in finding solutions to problems, than face a bad situation with a negative frame of mind.

Being unhappy and upset will not improve anything, but a positive outlook just might.

It is this reasoning that prompted me to post my favourite quote of all times in my signature. This is something I truly believe in.