Water pump not working

[Twotoes]

I have a 2015 Itasca Ellipse 42QD. I am in a campground with FHU. Before I arrived 2 months ago I boondocked a couple of nights on my way and used the fresh water tank. When I got here I topped off the fresh water tank. I am leaving in a couple of weeks. I turned off the city water at the connection and turned on the pump. It’s been awhile since I used the fresh water tank and I wanted to use it up and refill with fresh water before leaving. I can hear the pump running but no water at any faucet. I know it is supposed to get up to pressure and stop running but it just keeps running. Everything worked fine before, nothings changed. Don’t know why the pump is not reaching pressure. The fresh water level indicator reads a full tank. Everything works fine on City water. 

[Kirk W]

8 hours ago, Twotoes said:

I can hear the pump running but no water at any faucet. I know it is supposed to get up to pressure and stop running but it just keeps running.

Does your RV have a valve to fill the freshwater tank from the city water connection? If so, I would bet that the problem is that valve is open. When that happens your pump will draw water out fromthe bottom of your tank, then push it into the water system to where the city water connection is located and from there it goes through the open tank fill valve and back into the freshwater tank. For that reason the pressure never builds up and the pump runs continously.

PS: Guess how I learned that could happen?  🤣

Edited September 6, 2019 by Kirk W

[Twotoes]

Thanks Kirk. I thought of that so I went outside and switched the lever from city water to fill tank, with the pump off, thinking that maybe my fresh water tank gage was off and the tank was empty and not full. I saw water running underneath the middle of my rig. It is raining but I don’t think it was rain water, so I believe I have a leaky hose on my between the water filter and the tank. After it stops raining I will look at it again and crawl underneath. Everything works fine on City water and the pump runs but no water on the pump so that leak may be the cause. 

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, Twotoes said:

I saw water running underneath the middle of my rig.

If the tank is full, water will come out of the tank vent line and that usually exits out of the bottom of the RV where the tank is located. If you have good access to your potable water tank you may be able to tell how much is or isn't in the tank and can probably also see the vent line. 

[Twotoes]

Well I crawled underneath the rig with the water fill switch activated I can see the water leaking out of a plastic tube that is hanging. It must be the fill line to the tank. No water leaks when the lever is in the city mode. I can’t reach it to reattach. Called a mobil repair guy. Waiting for his return call, should be a simple fix, just reattach the hose and clamp it down. Don’t know why this affects the pump not being able to reach pressure since it’s not a vacuum system between the tank and the fill hose. 

[oldjohnt]

17 hours ago, Twotoes said:

I can see the water leaking out of a plastic tube that is hanging. It must be the fill line to the tank

If your RV happens to have a GRAVITY FILL hose ???? its typically 1 1/4 inch and if it has a top of the tank OVERFILL VENT HOSE that's likely around 1/2 inch exiting out the bottom. However, neither of those leaking should prevent the fresh water pump from working as long as the water level is sufficient. I cant say if the leak you mentioned is one of those OR a city water fill hose ??? If it was the pressure fill hose that's leaking when water is on it would be more like a huge spray versus a "leak"

If its NOT one of the causes mentioned above Id take a look at the water tanks outlet connection and hose to the pumps inlet and any filters or restrictions or leaks in that area as the problem. Since you have a tech coming to look I'm sure he will fix the problem, let us know what he finds.       

PS sorry if I double post,  I tried earlier but it didnt work ????

John T

[Kirk W]

20 hours ago, Twotoes said:

It must be the fill line to the tank.

Are you sure that the potable water tank isn't full and that is the vent/overflow line? That is what it seems to me as probable. Your discription of the situation sounds like the tan, is running over, but that doesn't explain the pump issue. 

Let us know what your mobile tech has to say. 

[oldjohnt]

On ‎9‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 6:59 PM, Twotoes said:

I can see the water leaking out of a plastic tube that is hanging.

Is it a larger 1 1/4 inch (maybe a gravity fill line if it happens to have such)

OR smaller, maybe 1/2 inch out of the top of the tank (maybe the overflow vent Kirk & I are asking about) 

 I ask because a city water inlet would be more hard plumbing like pipe or PEX or high pressure hose NOT what I would call a "plastic tube" .

Any even small leak in the suction side of the pump (tank bottom to pump inlet) can prevent it from working correct and if there was a leak in the pressure fill and it was on you wouldn't get a leak more like a flood lol 

 

The tech will figure it out

 John T

 

Edited September 8, 2019 by oldjohnt

[Ray,IN]

A simple test for water to the pump is, remove the inlet hose from the pump, if you get wet, the pump is getting water; unless your fresh water tank is lower than the pump.

[Twotoes]

Thanks for all of your replies. The mobil tech has not yet called me back. I will give home a call again on Mon. For now I’m just running on city water. When I have more info I will repost. 

[Chalkie]

19 hours ago, oldjohnt said:

and any filters

Yep, this. I recently had the same symptoms after using the pump on several occasions. I found that the top of the inlet filter had cracked somehow and with that the pump was unable to get suction. I had envisioned an expensive fix like a pump replacement but it ended up simple and cheap.

[Twotoes]

Update. The mobil tech came yesterday. The water pump was fine. The problem was an air bubble in the line. He opened the valves on the outside showerand the air passed out. I have never used this shower or opened those valves so not sure how the air got in. He said that the outside shower valves were the closest to the location of the pump and that is why the inside faucets didn’t let the air bubble out and the outside shower did. Cost $140 his minimum 1 hour charge. Next time I will just take an outside shower lol lol lol 😆 

[Kirk W]

10 minutes ago, Twotoes said:

The problem was an air bubble in the line. He opened the valves on the outside showerand the air passed out. I have never used this shower or opened those valves so not sure how the air got in. He said that the outside shower valves were the closest to the location of the pump and that is why the inside faucets didn’t let the air bubble out and the outside shower did.

That is a new one on me, but as long as it works.😳 I hope it keeps working as the explaination sounds pretty strange. 

[oldjohnt]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, usually if there's any leak whatsoever on the suction INLET side of the pump that will cause them to not work correctly buttttttttttttt air in the lines on the pressure OUTLET side should allow the pump to still run even if it for some reason the pump couldn't develop enough pressure to shut off the pressure switch  ??????????

Hey, I'm not there so have no idea of your situation but regardless I'm glad its working and thanks for the feedback.

We should have told you to take a shower lol but I was thinking more along the lines of a problem on the SUCTION INLET side be it an air leak or a restriction. Oh well never too old to learn

John T

 

[Sehc]

I can see an air pocket preventing the pressure switch from opening.  I don't understand why it had to be a specific faucet. I would think having any faucet open would eventually get air out of the line.  I'm glad it was such a simple fix. Think what you would have paid for a replacement pump at those prices.