Water Transfer Pump Project

[Galway Girl]

Here'a a fun project that provides you a backup 12v Pump for your Ollie.

I bought a spare 12V Shurflo water pump to carry with me on our coming long long adventures around the US.
I decided to build it into a water transfer pump that I could use for multiple uses and still have a backup pump.

Some ways I can use this transfer pump:

• Transfer fresh water from portable tanks and bladders directly through the Oliver fresh tank port. 
  (This is without using the boondocking port.)
• Use as a pusher pump for a bladder to the street side water port on the Oliver
• Use around the campsite as a portable pump for wash stations etc.
• Use as a backup pump should my main pump fail.

 

Electrical Consideration:

I designed this so it can hook it directly to the Zamp Solar Port on the side of the trailer as the 12V source.
That SAE Zamp port has direct connection to the batteries in the Oliver.

I wanted to make sure to create a fused connection, and also be sure to wire it to match the Polarity on the Zamp port.  
I put a matching ZAMP port on the pump case, and build the fused connection cable out of a pair of fused SAE solar cables.
The fuze is closest to the Oliver's ZAMP port for safety.
(Zamp also sells an excellent "replacement" cable that could be used for the project.)

ZAMP Solar Port Polarity is reversed from typical SAE Connectors:

Zamp wires their solar ports in a way that the + lead on the solar cable coming from the solar array is into the plastic covered end of the cable. 
(That's opposite normal SAE use.  They do this to protect users from plugging into the solar array and touching the male exposed connector.)

Here's a basic material list (if you want specific part numbers of connectors etc. PM me on the forum.)
I bought all of the material from the combination of Ace Hardware, Harbor Freight and Amazon.

Total cost $190.73

1) Case: $39.00 Apache 3800 Transit Case - : Harbor Freight
    ( Interior Dim: 14 7/8"x10 5/8" x 6 1/8")  Fits pump perfectly bolted into the case without the bottom foam.
2) Shurflo Pump model 4800, $72.00 - : Amazon/RecPro
3) Inline Shurflo Filter Model 15-085-00 included with pump - : Amazon/RecPro
4) Basic Fresh water hose (white) - $17.00 : Amazon cut  to use short pieces for pump connections and used the  other pieces as the input side hose (with a rigid piece of 1/2" pex as the drop lead) and outlet hose with repaired male end connector.
5) Qty 1 - Inlet side Female Swivel Garden Hose Connector (barb connector style) $1.50 ea - : Ace HW
6) Qty 2 -  Male Garden Hose Connectors (barb connector style) one used on outlet, one to repair the outlet hose.
7) Qty 4 - 1/2" stainless pipe clamps - $4.00 : Ace HW
8) Qty 2 - SHURFLO (244-2926 1/2" x 14 NPT x 1/2" Barb Straight Wingnut Swivel Adapter - : Amazon
9) Qty 1- Zamp Waterproof Solar Port - : Amazon
10) Qty 1 - SPARKING 6' SAE To Ring Terminal Harness Quick Connect/Disconnect  Assembly & 10A Fuse
              + SPARKING 2' SAE Quick Connect Harness (this is to make the other side of the cable) - : Amazon
11) Qty 1 - Fastronix SPST HD 20 Amp AC/DC Toggle Switch with Weatherproof Neoprene Boot - : Amazon

So here are some pictures of the finished project in the transit case.

Case in closed ready for travel position:

Case opened to show hoses and electrical connectors stored inside:

Contents removed so you can see the pump connection setup:

Hoses and electrical connectors shown beside case:

Handle side shows DC connector (that matches the ZAMP port wiring) and on/off switch:

Inlet side:

Outlet Side:

 

Assembly comments and learnings:

1) Pump body - originally I was going to mount it onto a pvc board but found that the depth of the transit case and height of pump worked out better if I could simply bolt into the case.  I used 4 bolts with baking washers to secure the pump into the case.

2) Port locations - I tried to figure out a way for the ports to exit out the handle side of the box, in fact I bought some elbow connectors for the pump, but quickly found that they interfered with the closure clasps. As a result I went for a simpler straight side to side flow. 

2) Electrical Switch Location - My initial hole for the switch ended up interfering with the closure clasp once the switch was installed and in the ON position.  I decided to plug that hole with an automotive plug  and move the switch mounting down a bit further.   (See handle side view.)

Pump Performance: 

1) I used the pump yesterday to pump a 6 gallon container of my tank sanitizer solution into the fresh tank.
    The pump operated smoothly and the 6 gallons were pumped into the tank in 58 seconds.  
    (The pumps spec is 3 GPM ...so it met that spec.)

2) I also tried the pump on the street side water inlet, and the pump would cycle on and off as I turned on and off
    the sink faucets.  So another use is to hook it up to a bigger bladder tank external and use it as the main water
    supply.    (*Note - The pump has a 55PSI max, and is factory set for 45 PSI working shutoff pressure.)

The case stores nicely run the Oliver Elite II basement on top of my water filter holder.

Possible upgrades:

1) I might add a stainless vent pair on the box so I can run the pump with the box closed.  
The vent would allow for airflow in/out and adequate cooling space around the pump body if running for a longer time.

2) Build a Zamp (SAE) to Anderson Connector so I can plug this into my truck power port's that I'll install this summer.

3) Try running this pump off of a small rechargeable 12v Lithium Battery bank.  Make up appropriate 12v connectors.

Questions and comments welcome.

 

Craig Short
Hull 505 - Galway Girl

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2021 by Galway Girl
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[Overland]

Nicely done!

[SeaDawg]

What a great idea, and so well executed!

Edited February 24, 2021 by SeaDawg

[Mike and Carol]

Yes, well done!  

[topgun2]

Besides the nice multi-faceted pump, thanks for the great detail on parts and build !

Bill

[GraniteStaters]

I bought my case today and have most of what I need to build the case except for the Zamp adapter.  I have a toggle switch that I will install already.  I will need to get some barbed hose adapters to connect to the PEX piping that I will use.  I already had the spare pump.  I want to be able to remove it easily should I have a failure of the one installed in the Oliver basement curbside.

[Galway Girl]

Post a pix when you're finished.

Depending upon how you mount the Zamp Connector and the Switch....pay particular attention to where the "case closures" need to be in their fully closed position.

The switch position was something I messed up the first time, when I was "finished" the case closures couldn't fully engage, had to move the switch down a bit and plug the hole I had drilled.

Measure twice, drill once!

CS

[GraniteStaters]

I have completed most of my version of the transfer pump.  Will receive Zamp outlet, Zamp extension cord, and inline fuse to finish the install early next week. 

[GraniteStaters]

Just a quick note to anyone who builds one of these, don’t forget to winterize with RV antifreeze.  We had some pretty cool weather forecast for our current trip on March 21st so we after we sanitized our water tanks and plumbing, we winterized our LEII and I used the transfer pump to winterize itself.  
 

David

[Galway Girl]

David,

Very good reminder... I'll check mine again before my next trip.

CS