Replaced my OEM water pump - amazing!

[Pduggs]

My OEM water pump has been making a lot of noise for a long time, but continued to work. I bought a replacement pump last October on Amazon (Remco Aquajet 55 5.3 gpm 12 vdc) which is the same pump as the OEM, but the names have changed. I didn’t install the new pump until yesterday. Unfortunately the pump was damaged during delivery, but I didn’t know this until yesterday. The inlet port plastic fastener is broken causing the pump to pull air and not pressurize my water system. The broken piece is part of the pump head and not fixable or replaceable. 
 

I call Remco the manufacturer of the pump and was told they don’t sell on Amazon. What? They can do nothing for me, but sell me a new pump. I couldn’t find a phone number for the Amazon seller, who claims to be Remco. Weird. 
 

I’m way past my return window, but my son says call Amazon and they’ll fix it. I do this and amazingly I’m to receive a new pump tomorrow at no cost. 
 

The reviews on Amazon have several people complaining about the the poor shipping. It comes in a flimsy box without any packing material to protect the pump and the box isn’t even sealed. My box was damaged and open upon delivery. 
 

I’m not sure if I can post a picture or link of the Amazon site I purchased the pump from. If site rules allow this, I can. 

[JDCrow]

So, you are going to replace your OEM pump?  
 

Let me know how it goes when you get it in. I bought a replacement from local shop to keep in the coach in case I’m in the middle of nowhere and my pump dies. If you say it performs well, I might just update sooner then wait for a failure 

[vito.a]

I replaced our original 12v water pump with an Aqua Jet 55 also.   They're great pumps.  

[weighman695]

37 minutes ago, Pduggs said:

My OEM water pump has been making a lot of noise for a long time, but continued to work. I bought a replacement pump last October on Amazon (Remco Aquajet 55 5.3 gpm 12 vdc) which is the same pump as the OEM, but the names have changed. I didn’t install the new pump until yesterday. Unfortunately the pump was damaged during delivery, but I didn’t know this until yesterday. The inlet port plastic fastener is broken causing the pump to pull air and not pressurize my water system. The broken piece is part of the pump head and not fixable or replaceable. 
 

I call Remco the manufacturer of the pump and was told they don’t sell on Amazon. What? They can do nothing for me, but sell me a new pump. I couldn’t find a phone number for the Amazon seller, who claims to be Remco. Weird. 
 

I’m way past my return window, but my son says call Amazon and they’ll fix it. I do this and amazingly I’m to receive a new pump tomorrow at no cost. 
 

The reviews on Amazon have several people complaining about the the poor shipping. It comes in a flimsy box without any packing material to protect the pump and the box isn’t even sealed. My box was damaged and open upon delivery. 
 

I’m not sure if I can post a picture or link of the Amazon site I purchased the pump from. If site rules allow this, I can. 

Paul,

 

I have a similar noise problem on my Remco Aquajet 55 5.3 gpm 12 vd water pump.  Let us know if the noise issue goes away after replacing your pump.

 

Thanks...

[Scotty Hutto]

48 minutes ago, Pduggs said:

I’m not sure if I can post a picture or link of the Amazon site I purchased the pump from. If site rules allow this, I can. 

This things:

1. You are welcome to post a link or picture.

2. I’ve had very good luck reaching out to Amazon about products that were past the return date (i.e., they’ve never told me “no”).  Once was a phone call and the other time was simply a chat with customer service.

[Pduggs]

6 minutes ago, Scotty Hutto said:

This things:

1. You are welcome to post a link or picture.

2. I’ve had very good luck reaching out to Amazon about products that were past the return date (i.e., they’ve never told me “no”).  Once was a phone call and the other time was simply a chat with customer service.

Amazon is amazing. To give me a new pump after I bought it 8 months ago is amazing. 
 

Here is the pump I bought on Amazon which apparently is not sold by Remco, but is a Remco pump.

 

[Dr4Film]

There are numerous vendors listed on Amazon who are selling the Remco 5.3 gpm 12 VDC water pump. Chances are none of them happen to be Remco directly. They are all third-party vendors.

I try to buy Amazon products that offer Free Shipping & Free Returns in case there is a problem with the item then I can ship it back Free and get a full refund. I did just that recently when I purchased a ceiling TV mount that once it was installed the raised auto-locking mechanism would not operate as described. I called the company directly and asked for help. Well, they wanted me to jump through hoops just to verify my purchase. I gave them the order number which they could not find and proceeded to tell me I would have to supply multiple this and that, well SCREW that! I simply ordered a new one and returned the defective one. The new one functions exactly like it should.

Mount-It! Flip Down TV and Monitor Mount | Ceiling Kitchen Overhead and Under Cabinet Mount | Fits Flat Screens 13 15 17 19 21.5 24 27 32 37 Inches | VESA Compatible 75 - 200 | Height Adjustable : Electronics (amazon.com)

Free shipping and Free returns is the only way to go if they offer it.

[jacwjames]

I've pretty much limited my on line shopping to either Amazon or Ebay.  On Ebay I use Paypal which has a good return policy or money back policy. 

When I use other on line sites I use Paypal for a payment method as they have a good return policy.  A couple years ago I thought I found a good deal on a 50 amp cord from my rig, once I processed the payment the site went dark.  No shipping info, no response to emails and what was worse (I was missed this when I placed the order) there was no telephone contact info which is a be red flag.  But Paypal came through and refunded me my $$$$!

[Bob Jones]

2 hours ago, Pduggs said:

My OEM water pump has been making a lot of noise for a long time, but continued to work. I bought a replacement pump last October on Amazon (Remco Aquajet 55 5.3 gpm 12 vdc) which is the same pump as the OEM, but the names have changed. I didn’t install the new pump until yesterday. Unfortunately the pump was damaged during delivery, but I didn’t know this until yesterday. The inlet port plastic fastener is broken causing the pump to pull air and not pressurize my water system. The broken piece is part of the pump head and not fixable or replaceable. 
 

I call Remco the manufacturer of the pump and was told they don’t sell on Amazon. What? They can do nothing for me, but sell me a new pump. I couldn’t find a phone number for the Amazon seller, who claims to be Remco. Weird. 

I bought the same pump from the same people on June 09 and it's still not here.....because of all the poor reviews I opted for the $15 two-year additional 3rd party warranty that Amazon offers. Also, because the Internet is FULL of posts from people that Remco denied warranty to regardless of where they bought it from. It seems that Remco's warranty is dependent, first, on returning it to the place you bought it, and then second, on their approval. So if you bought it from an RV store in Florida, and are in Washington state, they want you to return it to the store in Florida.....no kidding. Of the people that jumped through those hoops, it looks like about 50% of the claims were denied by Remco anyway......just an FYI.

You're lucky to get one so quick from Amazon. Like I said, mine is taking the better part of a month to arrive and the tracking is really screwed up so I can't even see where it actually is. This causes me to wonder if I'll be like everyone else and get a very beat up box with shipping damage. Apparently, if you're insistent, Remco runs the serial numbers on the pump, knows it was sold on Amazon, and who sold it, and then outright denies the claim. 

I hope mine shows up soon but I suspect this gong show may just be starting given the time it's taken and all the other people's experiences. You might want to consider leaving the appropriate feedback on Amazon about your experience and add it to the pile?

Edited June 23, 2022 by Bob Jones

[Steve P]

What is another good choice besides anything Remco?  I can't see myself putting up with their run-around silly nonsense. 

[Bob Jones]

5 minutes ago, Steve P said:

What is another good choice besides anything Remco?  I can't see myself putting up with their run-around silly nonsense. 

This one below is well liked by a lot of people. I have used several of it's little brothers, the $98 Max-Flow Flow Max DS-01230-D2 and it's excellent. The 55 series is apparently their high end version.

SEAFLO 12V Water Pressure Diaphragm Pump 5.5 GPM (20.8 LPM) 60 PSI

The 55-Series is our all new heavy duty water pressure pump with the most heavy duty pressure switch on the market. It provides high volume water flow with reduced pump cycling and smooth flow thanks to the large five-chamber diaphragm. It provides up to 5.5 gallons per minute. The 55-Series pumps are self-priming, can run dry without damage, and are performance reliable. This automatic demand water system pump has a built-in pressure switch which automatically starts and stops the pump when the faucet is opened and closed. Easy to install service and winterize. This pump works best when paired with a SEAFLO Accumulator Tank.

Technical Specifications
Voltage: 12 VDC
Dimensions: 8.25" X 5.30" X 6.0"
Inlet / Outlet: 1/2″-14 MNPT
Flow Rate: 5.5GPM
Amps: 8.0 (17.0 Max. Amps)
Shut-off Pressure: 60 PSI
Weight: 6.1 lbs

Edited June 23, 2022 by Bob Jones

[Pduggs]

14 minutes ago, Bob Jones said:

I bought the same pump from the same people on June 09 and it's still not here.....because of all the poor reviews I opted for the $15 two-year additional 3rd party warranty that Amazon offers. Also, because the Internet is FULL of posts from people that Remco denied warranty to regardless of where they bought it from. It seems that Remco's warranty is dependent, first, on returning it to the place you bought it, and then second, on their approval. So if you bought it from an RV store in Florida, and are in Washington state, they want you to return it to the store in Florida.....no kidding. Of the people that jumped through those hoops, it looks like about 50% of the claims were denied by Remco anyway......just an FYI.

You're lucky to get one so quick from Amazon. Like I said, mine is taking the better part of a month to arrive and the tracking is really screwed up so I can't even see where it actually is. This causes me to wonder if I'll be like everyone else and get a very beat up box with shipping damage. Apparently, if you're insistent, Remco runs the serial numbers on the pump, knows it was sold on Amazon, and who sold it, and then outright denies the claim. 

I hope mine shows up soon but I suspect this gong show may just be starting given the time it's taken and all the other people's experiences. You might want to consider leaving the appropriate feedback on Amazon about your experience and add it to the pile?

Thanks Bob. I suspect Remco knows exactly who is selling their product on Amazon. The guy I spoke to at Remco claimed they have complained to Amazon to no avail. That sounds fishy to me. Plus my call to Amazon CS, which by the way took all of 10 minutes to resolve amazingly, resulted in a new pump shipped to me at no cost. Is Amazon just taking pumps from this seller from the warehouse without the seller’s approval?

I installed the pump I received that was damaged and was impressed how quiet it was. 

[Bob Jones]

Hi Paul - companies, like Remco, are still stuck in the past with respect to the design of their sales & service. Not many companies today require you to send the product back to the specific vendor you bought it from and require them to check the install and create the warranty claim on your behalf. This illustrates 30 year old thinking, and indicates that Remco does not understand their target market, the RV industry, and that their customers are mobile....meaning they usually can't return it to point of sale. Or, if you're cynical, do they? 🙂 One of the most common phrases Remco seems to use is 'replace the pump' Nice way to increase sales and decrease warranty claims.....

It's an ancient process, one that has been relegated to the dustbin of history for most modern companies. It originated from the idea of protecting the profits for their distributors/sellers by using rigid rules and processes they call the 'channel'. Companies that adhere to this process then take on a near religious fervor of 'protecting the channel' The distributor selling to Amazon is short-cutting that process and basically wholesaling to the public, which is now the norm. It's a commodity item - it should be treated as such. 

The problem for companies adhering to such antiquated strategies is that when a competitor comes along with a similar performing pump, that bypasses the channel, and offers a real warranty, sales at Remco drop because another company offers the same product at a lower price without forcing the customer into a straight-jacket. Usually at that point the antiquated company is near bankruptcy because of their practices and then HAS to change or die. Maybe there's someone at Remco taking a Charleton Heston-like stand. You can take my channel strategy from me when you pry it from my cold, dead hands! 🙂 It would be better for them to take a mantra from the marines, either adapt, improvise or die on that hill ! 🙂 

I'm thinking of cancelling the Remco and replacing it with a Seaflo 12V DC 5.5GPM 60PSI 55 Series which will at least arrive quickly, be trackable, and probably packaged correctly. And the chances of the warranty process actually working, should something arise, is quite good. Oh, and it's less money too and has 5,583 positive ratings.....

My kingdom for a quality pump that you can get parts for and repair yourself !!!

I'd love to hear how the replacement works out. My experience has been when I get to the point of cancelling an order in favor of another, the original order usually shows up the next day! Of course, all that could be addressed if I could only track the @#$% package in the first place!

[JDCrow]

1 hour ago, Bob Jones said:

Hi Paul - companies, like Remco, are still stuck in the past with respect to the design of their sales & service. Not many companies today require you to send the product back to the specific vendor you bought it from and require them to check the install and create the warranty claim on your behalf. This illustrates 30 year old thinking, and indicates that Remco does not understand their target market, the RV industry, and that their customers are mobile....meaning they usually can't return it to point of sale. Or, if you're cynical, do they? 🙂 One of the most common phrases Remco seems to use is 'replace the pump' Nice way to increase sales and decrease warranty claims.....

It's an ancient process, one that has been relegated to the dustbin of history for most modern companies. It originated from the idea of protecting the profits for their distributors/sellers by using rigid rules and processes they call the 'channel'. Companies that adhere to this process then take on a near religious fervor of 'protecting the channel' The distributor selling to Amazon is short-cutting that process and basically wholesaling to the public, which is now the norm. It's a commodity item - it should be treated as such. 

The problem for companies adhering to such antiquated strategies is that when a competitor comes along with a similar performing pump, that bypasses the channel, and offers a real warranty, sales at Remco drop because another company offers the same product at a lower price without forcing the customer into a straight-jacket. Usually at that point the antiquated company is near bankruptcy because of their practices and then HAS to change or die. Maybe there's someone at Remco taking a Charleton Heston-like stand. You can take my channel strategy from me when you pry it from my cold, dead hands! 🙂 It would be better for them to take a mantra from the marines, either adapt, improvise or die on that hill ! 🙂 

I'm thinking of cancelling the Remco and replacing it with a Seaflo 12V DC 5.5GPM 60PSI 55 Series which will at least arrive quickly, be trackable, and probably packaged correctly. And the chances of the warranty process actually working, should something arise, is quite good. Oh, and it's less money too and has 5,583 positive ratings.....

My kingdom for a quality pump that you can get parts for and repair yourself !!!

I'd love to hear how the replacement works out. My experience has been when I get to the point of cancelling an order in favor of another, the original order usually shows up the next day! Of course, all that could be addressed if I could only track the @#$% package in the first place!

This is a great post, and I know exactly where you are coming from. 
 

I worked at Les Schwab tires for years. They had their own brand “wild country” and then were exclusive to Toyo for a very long time. Well Toyo went big and Schwab was not happy because people could buy Toyo anywhere, for cheaper. Schwabs claimed they had to “service” tires they didn’t sell. (They can keep track of everything they sell) Anyway they thought they could strong arm Toyo because they sold so much, Toyo did take a hike. They then tried to get them to create a Schwab branded tire, which Toyo said no. So Schwab now has “open country” these are made by Sumitumo tire. 
 

I say this as I had a falling out with the local Schwab over their refusal to put on 2 new steer tires I bought for my coach. They had Firestone or Michelin for sale, both overpriced so I passed. They would put on any used tire they sold, but no new tires. Anyway went to the local tire store and no issues. 
 

Schwab recently sold. The Oregon Cost of doing biz tax had to be enormous for them. The writing was also on the wall for the above post on antiquated practices.

Sorry off topic 

 

[Pduggs]

2 hours ago, Bob Jones said:

This one below is well liked by a lot of people. I have used several of it's little brothers, the $98 Max-Flow Flow Max DS-01230-D2 and it's excellent. The 55 series is apparently their high end version.

SEAFLO 12V Water Pressure Diaphragm Pump 5.5 GPM (20.8 LPM) 60 PSI

The 55-Series is our all new heavy duty water pressure pump with the most heavy duty pressure switch on the market. It provides high volume water flow with reduced pump cycling and smooth flow thanks to the large five-chamber diaphragm. It provides up to 5.5 gallons per minute. The 55-Series pumps are self-priming, can run dry without damage, and are performance reliable. This automatic demand water system pump has a built-in pressure switch which automatically starts and stops the pump when the faucet is opened and closed. Easy to install service and winterize. This pump works best when paired with a SEAFLO Accumulator Tank.

Technical Specifications
Voltage: 12 VDC
Dimensions: 8.25" X 5.30" X 6.0"
Inlet / Outlet: 1/2″-14 MNPT
Flow Rate: 5.5GPM
Amps: 8.0 (17.0 Max. Amps)
Shut-off Pressure: 60 PSI
Weight: 6.1 lbs

That looks like a good pump and it’s $100 cheaper than the Remco. 

[Bob Jones]

55 minutes ago, JDCrow said:

Sorry off topic 

 

Not at all, I get it. I used to work in the computer industry as well as the automotive industry. I've watched otherwise good companies screw the pooch 😞

26 minutes ago, Pduggs said:

That looks like a good pump and it’s $100 cheaper than the Remco. 

It's something to keep in mind. At least with Amazon, returning it would be easy if it turned out to be unsuitable.

Now if only I knew where my Remco was in the delivery chain! 🙂 

[bret trickett]

did you have to redo the pipes?

I have not got my new one in yet the pex piping is 4" long to the output side and the new pump output is offset 2 more inches from the wall.

I am deciding to re pex or add a piece of flexable hose (i did this in my travel trailer so the pump does not shake the lines).

 

 

[JDCrow]

4 minutes ago, bret trickett said:

did you have to redo the pipes?

I have not got my new one in yet the pex piping is 4" long to the output side and the new pump output is offset 2 more inches from the wall.

I am deciding to re pex or add a piece of flexable hose (i did this in my travel trailer so the pump does not shake the lines).

 

 

That’s an awesome idea! The flex pipe

[StephenW]

When I recently replaced my water pump I used the shut-flo flex connector kit. I had the same problem of the pex pipe not lining up to the new pump and the flex kit worked great. Kit has two 24" flex pipes and two plastic pipe nipples to connect to existing pex swivel fittings. I put a loop on each side and was able to relocate the new pump away from the wall to make servicing and/or replacing the pump much easier.  Pump runs quiet and am very happy with the results.  Good luck with the project.

[Bob Jones]

Mine came in. First glances, it puts out LOTS of volume and pressure. It pumps up to 100 PSI and then vents air from the head of the pump. 

I took the accumulator out of play thinking it may be interfering with the pump shut off. It still goes up to 100 PSI and the head still has the sound of air escaping from it. (No difference)

Next step is to redo the hose fittings to ensure they are not allowing air in somehow. We'll see after that. 

For noise, it's pretty darn loud and that's with long flex hoses going to it. Really loud as compared to the old one. 

It's early still but it's not looking too good at this point.....but...I wouldn't read too much into it yet.

[Dr4Film]

Not sure what you mean by "air" escaping from the head. Mine only pumps water until there is no more demand then it shuts off. I have never heard any air escaping from the head.

[Bob Jones]

As the pump gets up to 100 PSI it has not cut out yet. I believe it's close to the cut out pressure. But...as the pressure increases the sound of air escaping from the pump head increases. This appears to be causing the pump to fail to cut out as it never reaches cut out pressure. 

I will take a much closer look at it shortly and re-do the hose connections to eliminate them from the equation. 

[Ivan K]

Isn't it a bit risky to run it into plumbing at over 100 psi, not even considering the hot water loop? As far as I read, most set the city water regulator at about half of that.

[Bob Jones]

Just now, Ivan K said:

Isn't it a bit risky to run it into plumbing at over 100 psi, not even considering the hot water loop? As far as I read, most set the city water regulator at about half of that.

Yes. There have been several reports of the Remco running well past 100 to the point where it burst pipes in some Monaco's and blew out 'manablocs?'.

In my specific case, I'm pretty fluent in the plumbing of my unit so that's less of a concern than the benefits of high water pressure (basically, I'm willing to work for it). But the pump itself appears to have an issue but it's not conclusive yet. For anyone else, I would not chance it. I'm fortunate to have a gage so I can see exactly how high the pump is pressurizing the unit. 

[Dr4Film]

I thought the Remco water pump was supposedly set to turn off at 65 psi not 100 psi. Something is not correct with the pump you received.

Edited June 27, 2022 by Dr4Film
corrected the shut off psi