Caravan water accumulator – do you need one?
Have you ever experienced your water pump turning on and off rapidly when you only want a low flow of water coming out of your tap?
Maybe you want your shower turned low, so you don’t waste all of your on-board water. It can be quite annoying and even damaging to your water pump.
Thankfully, this can be cured by simply installing an accumulator.
Why does my water pump turn on and off rapidly?
Most caravan water pumps switch on and off automatically. They have a built-in pressure switch that will turn the pump on when the water pressure in the system falls below a certain pressure (when you open the tap) and turn off the pump when the water pressure builds up to a certain pressure (when you close the tap).
It does this so that the pump is not running all the time and producing too much water pressure throughout your water system. The problem with a system like this, is that when you only slightly turn on your tap, the pump will turn on and pressurise the system faster than the tap is releasing the pressure. The water pressure in the system then reaches the pump’s cut-off pressure and the pump turns off. But very quickly, the water pressure reduces (because the pump is off) and the pump turns back on again, re-pressurizing the system and on-and-on it goes until you either turn off the tap or open it up more.
This rapid turning on and off of the water pump can cause premature wear on your pump, which can lead to a failure.
We recently learned the hard way and had our water pump fail because it was rapidly turning on and off. We replaced the water pump and installed an accumulator at the same time, problem solved!
What is an accumulator?
An accumulator is a reservoir of water that is under pressure and will deliver a smoother, more constant flow of water throughout your caravan. Think of it as a balloon that fills up when the pump is turned on, but when the pump is off, the accumulator will release the stored water before the pump needs to turn on.
Effectively, it will delay your pump turning on and off, slowing down the rapid on/off cycle. If you slightly turn on your tap for a slow flow of water, you will notice a smooth, constant flow of water. Your pump will still turn on and off, but at a much slower rate, therefore reducing the wear and tear on your pump.
This is the accumulator we installed, works a treat! Click here to find out more
Is it easy to install?
Yes! With very basic tools and skills, anyone can install an accumulator. Most will come with instructions and all the fittings you need. It is as simple as adding it into your existing water system. The best place to install it is on a solid surface as close to the water pump as you can.
Check out this video of the full installation:
If you would like a quieter, smoother, more constant flow of water, try adding an accumulator to your system. You will notice the difference straight away and probably wonder why you hadn’t done it sooner – like we did.
Keeping on top of jobs like this is easier with a proper checklist. We use our Caravan Maintenance Schedule to keep track of what’s done and what’s due.
