I am making a very cheap truck mounted wfp to test the waters. I am getting the cheapest pump possible on amazon. I understand its worth getting a good pump and the expensive controller but thats not what im doing right now. I am getting the cheap pump and I was wondering if a motor speed governor would work for it to keep it not pumping 100% all the time? I will link the pump and governor so someone smarter than me can look and tell me if you’d be so kind. Also any suggestion you want to give me throw them my way! I am doing a “Cheap as possible” build to see what kind of results I can get so please understand that. GOVERNOR PUMP
List of other items I purchased just so you know and maybe you can help me see what I may have missed or a better way of doing things 3/8" Hose Barb in-Line Strainer with 50 mesh Stainless Steel Filter Screen I read on a post to get this I assume to make sure no debris goes through the pump so I ordered one but am really unsure if its necessary Valterra W01-1400PB Clear Vinyl Tubing - 3/8" I.D. x 10’ This will be in the tank sucking water into pump and Ill use a little bit of it to out on output of tank and then reduce down to 3/16 with reducer Valley Industries Wire Harness with Clamps (33-103233-CSK) I will use this to power pump and possibly put into governor to keep pump running slower if that will work and hopefully save some life of the $20 pump Joywayus Reducer Hose Barb 3/16" to 3/8" ID Splicer, Round Union Fitting Intersection/Split Water/Fuel/Air Aluminum Surprisingly this was tough to find and kind of expensive but the only way I knew to reduce from the 3/8 tube coming out of the output of the pump was to run a small piece of the 3/8 tube out, cut it, put this reducer on and put my 3/16 waterfed pole hose on the other side. I don’t know if this will cause pressure problems and mess the pump up or anything so if anyone has suggestions let me know. Koehler Enterprises KE4BX 10 Piece Hose Clamp Box (Micro Size 4) I just need hose clamps possibly and if I dont use them for this Ill have some for other stuff Valve 3/8 Hb X 3/8 Hb 2pack (5901061) I realize I bought this for the wfp hose but today i realize its says its for 3/8 and not 3/16 so I may have to buy a different valve if I can find another cheap one
Combined all of this stuff is $100 so far
I plan on getting deep cycle marine battery with charger and battery box and a water holding tank if this all works out but its my first time doing DIY stuff like this and I just wanted to test the waters.
We purchased a lot of connections and other parts for our build on Amazon, so I look forward to this build. However, we have not had success with pumps from Amazon. Not that we procured a pump from there for our RO/DI build, but I cannot comment on that pump directly. The pump description does sound like it won’t want to run dry, which can happen when.
That being said, it may be cheap, but it also may not last long.
I didn’t go through your entire list, but here are my thoughts on the pump and controller.
I wouldn’t trust a $20 pump. It might be really weak, or really short lived. Or you might luck out and get a winner. At any rate, I think it’s a little undersized. 1.8 - 2.2 gpm at 60psi or more is what most guys go with. These pumps are rated for open flow. The actual output will be much less with hoses and everything.
The controller looks like the right type (pwm), but it’s also a little undersized, at only 5 amps rating. Amazon has very inexpensive pwm motor controllers rated for anywhere from 10 to 30 amps or more. The bigger, the better, in my mind. I think I paid $15 for a 30 amp model.
Instead of the clear vinyl tubing (trust me it won’t work) purchase some 3/8" silicone heater hose. Most hardware stores have all the reducers/barb fittings/adapters and they’re right in front of you so you can more easily piece everything together.
Use polybraid hose before the pump (suction side). Use the silicone heater hose after the pump (pressure side). I’m guessing the silicone heater hose would collapse if used on the suction side.
Im going to have a smaller holding tank for water so I want to slow the pump while maintaining enough flow if possible to keep the water from being wasted and running out too quick. That’s the main reason I wanted a controller, also if it preserves the tank I’ll be ok with that too.
+1 on the more than 1 gpm pump. I’ve wasted plenty of money on cheap parts over the years. So cheap price quality doesnt always work out to less money in the long run. But there is a balance where you can still get good deals on things. This is the pump I’m still using after 3 years. DC 12V 2GPM Diaphragm Water Pump Self Priming 100PSI RV Camper Marine Boat Lawn | eBay
This is the speed controller im using. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07G59S3V5/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I like the large LED display vs smaller ones or none at all. But there are much better pumps and units for more expense out there.
For the supply hose i haven’t had a problem with the clear vinyl when used with a pump system.
But its nice to know of the alternate option with the silicone hose wagonhound gave. I know he has alot of experience.
Also what part of the country are you in? If you have an Atwoods nearby they have reasonably priced pumps as well.
Is the little container you have your fresh water? It looks very tiny. Does it last for a storefront? Do you have a way to stop flow so as not to waste water or do you just have to turn off pump at the pump when you need to stop the water flow?
This is a trolley. Slightly different from a tank system for your truck but based around the same principle. That is a 5 gallon container and i keep around 4-6 containers with me. I only use waterfed for 2nd stories and above so one container with good water conservation can clean maybe 10 windows or less for my over-rinsing sometimes😲. (Im sure others with more experience could make it last longer but my cleans are quarterly or biannual so they need a good rinse) If you can see in one of the pics the green button on the side of the pump box is what i use to turn the pump off and stop flow. (The speed controller/governor you linked has a metal switch instead which is the same thing) Works great when I keep the trolley close by. A ball valve/pinching the hose/or a univalve are other alternatives. Those are better options too for a stationary tank setup.
Only if you are pumping road tar @Infinity. I’m talking silicone heater hose you use in automotive applications, very similar to your Flexzilla hose, slightly more flexible and overly expensive.
I got it loosely together and ran the 1.8gpm pump at 44% with the controller and it ran water through over 100ft of hose to my brush with a rinse bar and there was plenty of pressure (the pic is before I attached the 100ft hose). I did put in a ball valve hoping that would some how stop the pressure and shut the motor off automatically but it just popped the 3/8 hose off from the barb attached to the pump so that’s a minor issue right now. Looks like I’m gonna get a 55 gallon tank for the back of the s-10 and a Marine battery and make a box to mount stuff. Any other suggestions will be helpful! Thank you guys you have already helped so much and I have never really built or done anything handy in my life and this has been a breeze with all your suggestions!
So far before the tank and battery and boxes for the pump to attach to I’m $123 in on the actual parts I used. Price will jump quite a bit as I invest in those items. I already have a battery charger but it’s real old so I may get a new one for the deep cycle marine battery.
I believe I made some stuff harder than it had to be like how to join the 3/8 hose to my 3/16 hose for my pole. I bought an expensive barb made of aluminum that reduces from 3/8 to 3/16 but I’ll keep trying to simplify and learn as I go.
It’s in the truck and ready for her maiden voyage. I went with a 35 gallon tank. My pump ended up being a 1.5gpm pump that I run at 44%. I ordered a remote that will turn the pump on and off from a long distance with a fob without line of site. Don’t have that installed yet, waiting on Amazon.
The Spring manufactured pump controllers have a number of protections built in to them. Such a thermal protection, some of the lower priced regulators do not manage heat well. This is because they do not manage the current and volts but act more as a resistor. In comparison the Spring controllers Manage both volts and current to ensue the pump only gets the current its needs, any access current is returned to the battery. This tech means that Spring controllers will run cooler as will the pump. The soon to be launched V16 will be max rated to 15a and a reverse polarity protections. While the initial investment in a Spring controller may be higher it will last a lot longer meaning that it represents better value
Just a 1 year update on my build. I switched the hoses to the braided hose and swapped all the connectors out on the pump from the plastic ones that came with the pump to brass connectors with barbs so I could crank down on the hose clamps without breaking them. The pump will push water through at least 300 ft of wfp hose because that’s all I’ve tried and I put a governor on it and pump it at 50% to conserve water from my 35 gallon tank and I assume it will extend the life of the pump. I bought a wireless on/off remote to turn the pump on and off from a fob I hang around my neck while very far away from the pump. It was so cheap compared to univalve and it’s very easy to use if you are looking for an alternative. I use a marine battery that lasts forever. I attached the pump to the battery with mini battery clamps that have an on/off switch between the battery and pump. It has worked flawlessly after I swapped the connectors to brass because the hoses would blow off the plastic barbs because of the pressure coming from the output of the pump. I use it every week almost. Hope this helps anyone who may be building their own truck or van mount.
I’m talking silicone heater hose you use in automotive applications, very similar to your Flexzilla hose, slightly more flexible and overly expensive.
