The water pump in your RV is one of those things you don’t pay much attention to. It does its job and you go about your trip, but when its out its out.
Some water pumps will last a lifetime while other start loosing pressure quickly which is a notorious problem with some brands.
What we’ll do for you in this guide is pick our favorite water pumps based off experience, quality, customer reviews, warranties, and budget.
Lets get started.
What to look for in RV water pumps
To avoid boring you to death with the anatomy and inner working of water pumps, I’ll give you a simple break down of the five things (mechanical details) to consider when buying a water pump so you’ll know enough to understand specs when shopping.
- Voltage– You want 12 volts for your RV, anything else will be overkill and more than likely designed for a physical house.
- Gallons per minute (GPM)- This really explains itself, this number will tell you how many gallons it can deliver. This will tell you how strong it is, but more importantly let you know if its right for your RV.
Some RV’s have a requirement or optimum flow rate of water. Should check this out to see what you need for your rig! While you’re doing this, also check the recommended pressure or PSI as well.
- Amps– You’ll need to know the amperage of a water pump to know what type of power its going to pull. If you decided to get a big boy water pumpt just keep in mind that it will draw more power.
- Size– Obviously being on an RV you have size limitations, most of the pumps we recommend won’t be too big, but always good to check.
- Pump priming– Some pumps have the ability to self prime and can start pulling water without water in the pump tube. This is generally not an issue in modern pumps, but if its dry and can’t self prime you could potentially damage the pump out of neglect.
Shurflo 2088-554-144 Fresh Water Pump
This is a great pump for most applications. It pushes out 3.5 gallons per minute with a pressure of 45 psi.
Even when you have multiple water sources on at once this pump will do the job and keep the pressure up.
For the price you couldn’t ask much more out of a 12 volt pump.
Another great thing about this water pump is it will fit almost all applications and most likely won’t require you to change out the mounting bracket. In twenty minutes you should be up and running with a new water pump.
I typically recommend this pump to someone that just wants a good replacement similar to what they’re RV came with.
Should you buy: For the price, yes. This pump is fairly price, simple to install, and gives great pressure
Highlights of this pump:
- Great value for the price
- Will replace most 12 volt pumps
- Great water pressure (3.5 gallons per minute)
- Installation is easy for most RVs
Click to see on Amazon.com
Flow Max 689052 3.3 Self-Priming 12V Water Pump-9.5 Max Amps 3.0 GPM 45 PSI
This another good 45 PSI option, that puts out 3 gallons per minute and is self priming.
Compared to the last option it has a slightly lower gallons per minute, but higher PSI rating.
It has a nice corrosion resistant motor and is very quiet. The only draw back to this pump is its recommended to only run 5 minutes at a time, people do run this pump for WAY longer with no issues, but I’m letting you know the manufacture recommendations.This can be a big negative for some.
Should you buy: Depends, if you need a great pump, with good power and will only use it for a limited amount of time this is for you. If you plan on using a lot of water for an extended amount of time we would say skip this option.
Highlights of this pump:
- Super tough motor that has great pressure
- Quiet when running
- Very affordable option, one of the best pumps for the price
- FlowMax brand has great customer support
Click to see on Amazon.com
SEAFLO 55-Series Diaphragm Pump
When you need a lot of water, and great pressure this is for you!
This pump puts out 5.5 gallons per minute (almost double other pumps) and give a pressure of 60PSI.
It has a automatic pressure regulator that turns it on automatically when you switch a faucet on and is self priming.
This pump is also super quiet and more than likely will be an upgrade to your current pump not even including the increase in water pressure!
Should you buy: Yes, this pump is a little bit more expensive than others but its unbeatable for in an RV. You’ll have great water pressure, a killer pressure regulator, and wont hear it.
Highlights of this pump:
- Very powerful
- Surprisingly quiet for high powerful it is
- Self-priming, able to run dry
- Automatic built in pressure switch
- Great upgrade from standard RV water pump
Click to see on Amazon.com
Ease of installation
Installing a water pump is easy using basic tools. I typically can change one out in 20-30 minutes.
- Turn off water sources and electricity running to the pump
- Go to the pump and loosen the clamps connecting the inlet and outlet hoses with a flat head screw driver
- You’ll then have to remove the electrical wires feeding power to the pump.
- Remove the bolt holding in the water pump (some use bolts, some use screws)
- Pull the pump out and replace with your new shiny pump
- Now just do the reverse of these steps or follow the manual supplied with the pump
- If you’d like more information on how to change a pump out check out this really neat guide here.
Maintenance
Rv water pump maintenance is pretty straight forward. What I do is typically clean the filter once a year. This is just good habit to do to help prevent algae build up. Especially if your RV sits for a long time without use.
FAQ
Will the pumps in this guide run water for my toilet and a shower?
Yes, as long as you have power from your 12 volt batteries you will be good to go, be sure to keep them charged such as with our favorite method solar panels.
Will these pumps turn on automatically when I need water, such as a faucet?
Yes, we picked only self-priming pumps to keep pressure in the line for this very reason
Do these pumps shut off automatically?
Yes, the pumps we chose all turn off automatically using a pressure switch
What if my outlet house is a different size?
In most cases the pumps are adaptable and you can use an adapter fitting if needed
Will the water pump drain my battery?
No as long as you maintain a good battery, and charge correctly you should be fine. If you would like more information on batteries check out our guide here.
Conclusion
We hope this guide was helpful in choosing a water pump. We selected all of our choices based off real life experiences, reviews, and specifications that will give you dependable, strong water pressure when you need it.
Happy Camping :
1 thought on “The Best RV Water Pump: Updated for 2022”