Author Topic: Water Pump  (Read 3411 times)

Jerry Emert

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Water Pump
« on: May 11, 2019, 02:37:16 PM »
On the road yesterday the Sure Flow water pump quit working.  12 volts good when switch on and 0 volts when switch off.  I forgot to empty the fresh water tank and it emptied (tried to) when I unhooked the water inlet to the pump.  Replaced the pump and it works with the switch as it is supposed to.  Problem is no water flow.  I checked water in tank and it is full.  Even dumped a little to verify.  Took off the water inlet to pump.  Where yesterday the water just started flowing, today no water.  Nothing else has changed except new pump and two new shark bite connectors to extend fresh water line to fit new pump.  Do I have to prime this somehow?  Pump is supposed to be self priming.  Water fill valve is off.  Any ideas?  Thanks in advance.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2019, 02:51:04 PM by Jerry Emert »
Jerry, Chief USN Retired
2003 Patriot Thunder Lexington 40' 3 Slides
C-12 Ser#  2KS89983
4000MH

Bill Sprague

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2019, 03:05:23 PM »
Try disconnecting the inlet, turn on the pump and put your finger over the inlet.  If it is working correctly, you will feel the suction (gently) pull your finger tight.   

If you don't feel that suction, it may have some dirt in it.  You might be able to run the pump with a gentle stream of water from the supply hose pushed on it as a "prime". 

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Jerry Emert

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2019, 03:15:57 PM »
Try disconnecting the inlet, turn on the pump and put your finger over the inlet.  If it is working correctly, you will feel the suction (gently) pull your finger tight.   

If you don't feel that suction, it may have some dirt in it.  You might be able to run the pump with a gentle stream of water from the supply hose pushed on it as a "prime".

I did try that, sort of.  I took the filter bowl off and stuck my hand on the suction and didn't feel anything.  New pump.  Bad?  Hmmm!

Jerry, Chief USN Retired
2003 Patriot Thunder Lexington 40' 3 Slides
C-12 Ser#  2KS89983
4000MH

Jerry Emert

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2019, 03:25:29 PM »
Just took the water bowl off and put finger on suction side.  I do not feel any suction.  Does this mean the new pump is bad?  I bought it from the campground store.   
Jerry, Chief USN Retired
2003 Patriot Thunder Lexington 40' 3 Slides
C-12 Ser#  2KS89983
4000MH

Gerald Farris

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2019, 03:31:04 PM »
jerry,
It sometimes takes a few minutes for a new pump to pump the air out of the lines to prime itself. If the water tank is full, and the bathroom and kitchen faucets are full open to allow the air to escape, the new pump should prime itself and start pumping water in a couple of minutes. If it will not prime and you do not feel or hear air at the faucet, you have a bad pump.

Gerald
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Jerry Emert

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2019, 06:23:33 PM »
Problem fixed.  Not really sure what the issue was.  I took the filter bowl off as noted above.  Put my finger over the inlet again because I was having a hard time believing that the pump was bad.  Left my finger for about 30 seconds and I felt suction start to develop slowly.  Put it all together, put 6 gallons in the FW tank and water started flowing.  So no clue what fixed it but I have water now and hopefully it will continue working.  Thanks again.
Jerry, Chief USN Retired
2003 Patriot Thunder Lexington 40' 3 Slides
C-12 Ser#  2KS89983
4000MH

Fred Brooks

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2019, 08:12:44 PM »
Hi Jerry,
  It is not unusual for a new pump to act that way. It is called cavitation. A water pump can't pump air, just water. The way I always install new pumps includes leaving the outlet connection loose. Turn on the pump and wait until you hear it start to slow down and operate under a load, that's when the outlet will start to squirt at the loose fitting. Tighten it up and go bleed the fixture farthest from the pump.
  Blessings, Fred Brooks
Fred & Cindy Brooks
2000 Marquis, Jasper
C-12 Wild Cat (U of A)
2014 Honda CRV
Proverbs 3: 5 & 6
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Jerry Emert

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2019, 02:01:25 PM »
Thanks Fred!  I wish someone would write all these little tidbits of wisdom down for us mechanical dummies!  Have a great day.
Jerry, Chief USN Retired
2003 Patriot Thunder Lexington 40' 3 Slides
C-12 Ser#  2KS89983
4000MH

Fred Brooks

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2019, 02:31:33 PM »
   Thanks Jerry,
  We are not all dummies, just challenged. We bought these Coaches because we love the Adventures that come along with them. Thanks for the kind words!
 Blessings & Joy, Fred
Fred & Cindy Brooks
2000 Marquis, Jasper
C-12 Wild Cat (U of A)
2014 Honda CRV
Proverbs 3: 5 & 6

Bill Sprague

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2019, 04:06:12 PM »
Jerry,

On my last rig my water pump refused to pump after storing it dry for a few cold winter months.  I went straight to the nearest RV store, bought a pump, replaced it and all was good. 

Curious about why the old one quit, I took it apart.  It looked fine.  I put it back together, hooked it to a spare battery and it ran perfect.   Internet reading suggest there was a small piece of something in it that interfered with the pumping diaphragm.

I now have a spare for me or anyone I'm camped next to that has a failure!

Bill Drout

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2019, 06:28:05 PM »
Does anyone carry a spare pump with them?  I'm thinking that may not be such a bad idea.  Just wondering if that's a reasonable thing to do or if I'm just a paranoid newbie :-)
Bill Drout
1998 Beaver Patriot Monticello - 40'
CAT 3126B

Mike Shumack

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2019, 06:43:06 PM »
I keep a spare pump in my Amazon Wish List. If I ever need it I can move it to the Cart and have it in two days (or less).

Gerald Farris

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2019, 08:48:44 PM »
Bill,
I carry a spare used pump that I removed when upgrading to a higher volume pump, but even though I have installed it on two different coaches to help out fellow Beavers, even though I have carried it for years, I have never used it on my coach. A complete failure on a water pump is so rare that it is not worth the space and weight for the average owner to carry one. If the check valve or shaft seal start leaking, you will have enough time to get a new pump then.

Gerald 

Jerry Emert

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Re: Water Pump
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2019, 12:55:26 AM »
Funny y'all should mention a spare pump.  I also upgraded to a higher flow pump 5 years ago.  I've been carrying the old pump around since then.  We left our place in TN the 25th of April.  It is an off the grid cabin that is part 1973 rebuilt travel trailer.  I have expected the pump in the "cabin" to go bad so I left the old pump there when we left.  The pump I just bought is a 3 GPM pump so I'll have to upgrade again when I get home.  Thanks for all advice and comments.
Jerry, Chief USN Retired
2003 Patriot Thunder Lexington 40' 3 Slides
C-12 Ser#  2KS89983
4000MH