RV’s and travel trailers are often equipped with an onboard water pump to provide service to accessories like the kitchen sink, shower, and toilet. Our travel trailer’s pump wasn’t pumping any water for some reason and I decided to open it up and see what I could find (with fingers crossed). This pump is only 5 years old.
What I found is that there is a plastic support plate that holds the bottom of the flexible diaphragm. The three inner arms of the support had broken downward probably due to the regular up and down motion that the wobble/piston plate produces. With this support plate broken the three independent chambers would not be properly sealed inside and thusly are able to leak across to one another. This results in no pumping of water.
The broken factory arms
(Note: I’ve already filed away the sides to accept the repair piece)
(Note: I’ve already filed away the sides to accept the repair piece)
Ideally an all metal support would stand up to the strain better and last a lot longer.
What I decided to do is fabricate an aluminum piece to replace the inner arms.
#1 - I took a direct photograph of the broken piece, scaled it for size, and laid out the shape/angles for the aluminum piece.
#2 - The aluminum sheet I had on hand was only 2mm thick. The original plastic arms were 6mm thick, so I simply laminated 3 layers of aluminum together with PC-11 epoxy paste. PC-11 is ideal since it is considered waterproof.
#3 - A lot of cutting and filing was done to shape the piece of aluminum and modify the plastic plate to accept it. I recommend using metal cutting fluid to help the process of drilling and using a hacksaw on metal.
#4 - Glued the piece into place with PC-11. Rounded the edges where each chamber rests.
#5 - Reassembled the pump with better bolts as the factory ones were badly corroded.
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The cost for a plastic replacement part is about $35~40 which is half the cost of a new pump. Even if you bought a new pump the same problem awaits you in the near future. But if you have the time and patience to fix your pump, the cost is kept very low. Good luck!
What I decided to do is fabricate an aluminum piece to replace the inner arms.
#1 - I took a direct photograph of the broken piece, scaled it for size, and laid out the shape/angles for the aluminum piece.
#2 - The aluminum sheet I had on hand was only 2mm thick. The original plastic arms were 6mm thick, so I simply laminated 3 layers of aluminum together with PC-11 epoxy paste. PC-11 is ideal since it is considered waterproof.
#3 - A lot of cutting and filing was done to shape the piece of aluminum and modify the plastic plate to accept it. I recommend using metal cutting fluid to help the process of drilling and using a hacksaw on metal.
#4 - Glued the piece into place with PC-11. Rounded the edges where each chamber rests.
#5 - Reassembled the pump with better bolts as the factory ones were badly corroded.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The cost for a plastic replacement part is about $35~40 which is half the cost of a new pump. Even if you bought a new pump the same problem awaits you in the near future. But if you have the time and patience to fix your pump, the cost is kept very low. Good luck!
Photograph/Computer plan
The aluminum repair piece
The 3 layers of aluminum
(Laminated with PC-11 epoxy/ Some edge smoothing needed)
(Laminated with PC-11 epoxy/ Some edge smoothing needed)
The repair piece is fitted into place
PUMP SPECIFICATIONS:
Make:
SHURflo
Model #:
2088-403-144
Manufacure Date:
May, 2005
Maximum Flow Rate:
2.8 Gallons per Minute
Nominal Pressure:
45 Pounds per Square Inch
Power:
12 volts direct current
Load:
5 Amps
Average Cost:
$70.00
Make:
SHURflo
Model #:
2088-403-144
Manufacure Date:
May, 2005
Maximum Flow Rate:
2.8 Gallons per Minute
Nominal Pressure:
45 Pounds per Square Inch
Power:
12 volts direct current
Load:
5 Amps
Average Cost:
$70.00
Pump reassembled and it works like new
Shurflo RV Water Pump Repair
