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06-07-2016, 05:28 PM
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#1
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Almost There
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Tepme AZ
Posts: 97
Year: 1976
Coachwork: Crown
Engine: Detroit Diesel 6-71
Rated Cap: 52 pax
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Water pump, AC or DC?
Hello everybody! It is time to start installing the water system! I have my freshwater tanks and greywater tank but as I sit down to order my water pump, it hits me.. Should I get an AC or DC pump? What are the pros and cons to each? The water system is the first thing I am doing to the bus so I do not have an AC electrical system yet. My water system will only consist of one sink and the shower (tankless water heater to be added later) so I'm hoping I would be able to use the engine batteries as a VERY temporary setup to have running water until I get the AC system up and running. Good Idea or get and AC model and wait to us it until my electrical is in? Thanks in advance for your advice.
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06-07-2016, 05:50 PM
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#2
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Andrews,Indiana
Posts: 2,437
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: AARE
Engine: 3116 Cat 250hp
Rated Cap: Just the two of us.
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There are very few RVs, if any with AC water pumps.
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06-07-2016, 06:08 PM
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#3
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Almost There
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Tepme AZ
Posts: 97
Year: 1976
Coachwork: Crown
Engine: Detroit Diesel 6-71
Rated Cap: 52 pax
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Maybe I'm not understanding the pumps. when I see them for sale, they say 12V or 120. I'm assuming the 12V is DC and the 120 AC? I'm not an electrician so I really don't know what those numbers mean....
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06-07-2016, 06:32 PM
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#4
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
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For one thing, and not to belittle you, if you touched 120 VDC, you'd never have to complain again. It would definitely light your fire.
12 V is usually an abbreviation for 12 VDC.
Go with the DC pump, You can always recharge your batteries; you can't always find AC power.
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06-07-2016, 08:47 PM
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#5
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: So Cal
Posts: 3,231
Year: 1935
Coachwork: Superior
Chassis: Chevy
Engine: 317 ci/tid / Isuzu
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If you are considering a propane tankless water heater you will need a pump capable of 3 at least gpm at 40+ psi. There are several mfg's who make 12 volt pumps that meet those requirements. The tankless heaters require flow and pressure minimums to remain ignited. I went a step further with mine and added a re-circulation circuit which provides a seamless flow of hot water. I also added a thermocouple to control the upper water temp thereby avoiding over heating my pvc water lines (again), Jack
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06-07-2016, 08:52 PM
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#6
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Andrews,Indiana
Posts: 2,437
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: AARE
Engine: 3116 Cat 250hp
Rated Cap: Just the two of us.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chevydude01
Maybe I'm not understanding the pumps. when I see them for sale, they say 12V or 120. I'm assuming the 12V is DC and the 120 AC? I'm not an electrician so I really don't know what those numbers mean....
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Do you have a link?
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06-08-2016, 06:46 AM
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#7
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 313
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9TA
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I went with an AC pump from shurflo. Mostly because I didn't have the time to mess with my DC electrical system before we hit the road. We camp in places with electrical hookups, so it doesn't really affect us very much. Except that we have to pack a water jug to flush the toilet with when we're on the road.
This is the pump I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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06-08-2016, 07:14 AM
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#8
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Picton,Ont, Can.
Posts: 1,956
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: GMC
Engine: Cat 3116
Rated Cap: 72
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Why not just rough it in for both types? One never knows...
__________________
Question everything!
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06-08-2016, 07:50 AM
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#9
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Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Posts: 171
Year: 1995
Coachwork: International
Chassis: Carpenter
Engine: d466 mechanical
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I went with AC, everything runs through my inverter besides Airconditioning. Solar/isolator/genny all are more than enough to juice the batteries with my needs boondocking.
If I could do it again I'd probably run the water pump off the 12v starting system just to seperator some loads.
__________________
Nowhere Fast - Sarasota, Florida
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06-08-2016, 05:12 PM
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#10
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,208
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: 3800 International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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I have 12volt, better for boondocking , my bus has a converter set up 12volt and 120volt.
everything runs on 12volt, except the outlets. my fridge is a 3way, and we are mostly on propane.
gbstewart
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06-09-2016, 08:04 AM
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#11
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,362
Year: 1993
Coachwork: bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins, Allison AT1545
Rated Cap: 2
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i'll vote for 12VDC.
trying to build a camper, with no knowledge of electricity or camping, is going to be a challenge.
my coach is all electric. the only 120v stuff built in is the air conditioning and my kitchen stove. (actually the stove is 240)
sounds like another zeephod
good luck
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07-11-2016, 07:26 PM
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#12
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Vermont
Posts: 152
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Turtle Top
Chassis: E-Super Duty
Engine: Ford 7.3 Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 13-passenger
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I can see how different situations require different setups, but if you're like me you'll need 120VAC all the time anyway (my fridge and outlets are 120). In my case, the water pump's distance from the batteries would be awkward and inefficient to run at 12VDC.
Obviously, if you don't need to be running an inverter all the time then you shouldn't, and in that case a 12V water pump would be fine as long as the wiring you run to it is sized correctly (it is very common to undersize DC wiring) to avoid gross inefficiency.
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