Right place if you
Have a pump that will not shut off, will not prime, cycles rapidly, or trips a fuse when it starts.
Water · plumbing
RV fresh water pump
The demand pump is one of the most-replaced parts on an RV — and one of the most often replaced unnecessarily. Find the leak, air path, or strainer issue before you buy another pump.
Active corridor: Montana · Wyoming · Idaho · Washington — case-by-case beyond.
Field notes
On corridor trips a pump that chatters at 2 a.m. or runs dry after a fill is usually air, a clogged inlet strainer, a slow leak, or freeze damage — not a mysterious “bad pump” from the start.
Who this is for
Maybe not yet if
Water tastes bad with good pressure — see sanitizing and filtration. No hot water only — water heater.
Priming and suction side
Won’t prime
Empty tank, air at a loose suction fitting, or a strainer full of debris. Confirm tank water, then work inlet hose and strainer before condemning the pump.
Runs, no water
Often still air or a closed valve / empty tank. Listen for cavitation; feel for suction leaks at clamps.
Strainer
Clear the inlet strainer on a schedule. Grit from unfiltered fills is a top cause of weak flow and early pump wear.
City water bypass
Know your valve positions. Pump on with city pressure fighting it confuses diagnosis.
Cycling and pressure
A pump that will not shut off usually cannot reach cutoff — open faucet, leak (even slow), or a check valve bleeding pressure back. Rapid chatter often points to a waterlogged or missing accumulator, or a pressure switch that has drifted. Fix the pressure path; replacing the pump alone often repeats the symptom.
12V amp draw basics
Demand pumps are 12V loads that spike at start. A weak battery or undersized wiring makes pumps sound sick. Check battery state of charge and fuse rating against the pump label — do not invent amp numbers. Hot connectors and melted fuse holders mean stop and Prefer Text photos.
Freeze risk
- Pumps and fittings crack when left wet in freezing weather
- Winterize with pump and lines in mind — seasonal winterize $175 as a line item when booked
- After a freeze event, pressure-test carefully before trusting the system overnight
- Bypass and drain water heaters per your model when winterizing
DIY vs Prefer Text
Reasonable DIY
Strainer clean, hose clamps, fuse check, accumulator inspection, leak hunt with paper towel.
Book us when
Hidden leaks in walls, repeated pump deaths, electrical heat at terminals, or post-freeze damage. Prefer Text short video of the sound and bay layout.
FAQ
Should I add an accumulator?
Many systems run smoother with a working accumulator. A failed one causes chatter that feels like a bad pump.
Pump runs on city water?
Usually a valve still open to the pump or a mis-plumbed tee — map your valves before buying parts.
Quiet vs loud pumps
Mounting, rubber feet, and solid bulkheads matter as much as brand marketing.
Visit cost?
Trip and labor as below (1-hour min / 30-min increments). Prefer Text for parts unknowns.
Related: Water filtration · Tank sanitizing · Water heater · Troubleshoot
Pricing teaser
Trip fee $75 within 30 miles, then $1.50/mi each way. Labor ~$150/hr (1-hour minimum, billed in 30-minute increments). Diagnostic $175 applied toward repair if you proceed.
Credentials (text): Victron Professional Certified Installer · weBoost Authorized Installer · Peplink Certified Associate · Dometic Professional Certified. Starlink = installs only (not a certified partner title).