{"id":6441,"date":"2020-11-05T17:53:58","date_gmt":"2020-11-05T23:53:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/?p=4559"},"modified":"2022-05-26T16:49:02","modified_gmt":"2022-05-26T21:49:02","slug":"can-i-leave-my-rv-water-pump-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/can-i-leave-my-rv-water-pump-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Leave My RV Water Pump On?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A lot of RVers wonder whether or not they can leave their water pump on. Most find it easier to leave their water pump on at all times. Is it safe to do that, though?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s common for RV users to leave their water pumps on for the duration of their trip and powering it off after they are done. However, leaving your pump on means increased wear and tear on the pump, shortening its lifespan. This matters more or less depending on if you have an on-demand pump.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re thinking about leaving your RV water pump on, there are a few things you should know. In this article, we\u2019ll discuss all aspects of the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Should You Leave Your RV Water Pump On?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It depends on how long you want the pump to stay intact. On-demand water pumps don\u2019t operate unless you turn the faucet on. So, they don\u2019t waste any water if you leave them on overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, leaving your on-demand water pump on may actually leak power even if it’s not in use, depending on your rig’s electrical system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are more concerned with conserving your RV batteries at the cost of convenience, then you should turn off your water pump if you aren’t using it. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, if your pump isn\u2019t on-demand, then you should turn it off at night.<\/strong> It\u2019ll waste a lot of water if you leave it on. It\u2019ll also cause a bunch of other problems, but we\u2019ll talk about those later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One situation where you definitely should leave your water pump off<\/strong> is if you get water from city pumps, you should turn your pump off. In this case, it\u2019ll be redundant because the pressure of the city water will be enough. Besides, it\u2019ll keep pumping when you turn the water on, so it\u2019ll be a waste of money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reasons You Shouldn\u2019t Leave Your RV Water Pump On<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are plenty of reasons you why shouldn\u2019t leave your RV water pump on when it\u2019s not in use. Here are the most prominent ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No Sleep Disturbance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When your water pump is turned on overnight, its pressure will fluctuate. It\u2019ll go low when the pump relaxes, and it\u2019ll turn back on suddenly. When it comes on, it\u2019ll disturb your sleep, even if it only lasts for a second. This may happen every two hours, so it\u2019d be wise to turn it off if you want to have a good night’s sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saving Pressure Pump Power<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The noisy sound that may wake you up isn\u2019t the only downside of the pressure pump. When it\u2019s left switched on, it consumes unnecessary power<\/a> for the occasional boost. It doesn\u2019t produce any water, so you don\u2019t need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on the power system of your particular rig, you may have electricity going to the pump even if it’s not pumping water, which can leak a small amount of wasted power. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No Overnight Freeze<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s an essential life hack that most RV users know of. Leaving your water faucet on overnight while the pump is off prevents your sprayer hose from freezing<\/a>. All winter campers know that freezing is a pretty common issue in the cold months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Needless to say that if you leave your water pump on, you won\u2019t be able to do this. Over time, this could lead to freezing, which isn\u2019t a pretty problem to solve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We recommend turning your pump off and leaving the faucet on. You\u2019ll be saving power and protecting the hose from freezing at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No Flooding Occurs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most of the time, you don\u2019t realize that your water pump is leaking until it\u2019s too late. If you don\u2019t do regular maintenance or observation, the leak may escape you. In this case, leaving the water pump on at night can have disastrous results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t want to wake up to a flood in the RV\u2019s interior. It may ruin anything you left on the floor; not to mention that it\u2019d be hard to clean<\/a>. So, we recommend that you turn your water pump off when you\u2019re not using it.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Should I Turn Off My RV Water Pump At Night?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For the reasons above, the safest thing for your RV is to leave your water pump off at night. It is possible to have a water leak when you aren’t there to mind it or at the very least the water pump is likely to drain your batteries, slightly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However<\/strong>–you have to remember that if you turn off your pump and you wake up in the middle of the night to use the toilet you’re going to have to turn the pump on again<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why many people just leave their pump on continuously while they are traveling so that they don’t have to mess with it. There’s no problem with this–I’m just telling you what the downside is. It’s a little risk but it’s not a dealbreaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, again, you have to weigh the potential costs vs. the convenience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does the RV Water Pump Run All the Time?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your RV water pump is an on-demand<\/strong> water pump, it’s only going to run if a valve is opened <\/strong>(if you are trying to use it, such as if you open your faucet or flush your toilet).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On-demand water pumps are likely to take a small amount of power to be in that ready state, but aren’t actually pumping unless you open a valve.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most RV pumps are on-demand<\/strong>–I imagine it’d be hard to find an RV pump that wasn’t on-demand and was constantly pumping when powered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Do I Turn On My RV Water Pump?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Any time you need to use water, such as if you need to flush your RV toilet, use the shower, use water at the sink, or anything else, you will need to turn on your RV water pump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people choose to turn on their water pump at the beginning of their trip and let it stay on.<\/strong> You can save energy (a small amount) and prevent water leaks by only turning your water pump when you are going to be using your water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Do I Turn My RV Water Pump Off?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can turn off your RV water pump whenever you’re not using it, but it’s not super convenient to do that. Here are some optional ideas of what you can do (and what other people do)<\/p>\n\n\n\n