RV Water Pump Troubleshooting
89Intro To RV Water Pump
Today I will be telling you how to fix many of the problems that you might be having with your RV water pump. Few people actually understand how the water system works in their RV. If you have a 5th wheel, motor home, camper, or tent trailer, they are all basically the same so you've come to the right place to learn about them.
Chances are that if you found your way here, you are having problems with your RV water pump. Fear not. The system is relatively simple and easy to repair. The RV water system consists of a fresh water holding system, plastic or copper water pipes, a 12 volt RV water pump, a gray water tank, and a valve for dumping.
We're only going to cover the RV water pump in this article. RV water pumps are relatively simple devices. The most common manufacturer these pumps is ShurFlo. These pumps are nearly always powered by 12 volt DC electricity. Even if you are plugged into a 120 volt AC power at a RV campground, they still use 12 volt power. This is accomplished by the 120 volt AC power being directed into a power converter than changes the 120 VAC into 12 VDC electricity.
The RV water pump is an on demand system. This means that the pump only kicks on when it's needed. They work by pressurizing your water pipes to a preset PSI (pounds per square inch). This is usually about 30 PSI but most pumps are adjustable. When the power is switched on to the pump, it starts pumping. If any faucets are open, the pump continues to run providing the necessary flow of water. When you shut the faucet off, the pump continues to run until the preset water pressure is built up in the plumbing lines. When this pressure is reached, the pump automatically turns off. These pressure in the line is maintained until you open a faucet again. When you open the faucet, the pump senses a drop in pressure and begins pumping again.
Some older RV water pumps work differently. You have to manually turn the pump on when you want water. You open the faucet, turn the pump on and water flows out of the faucet. When you want to turn the water off, you turn the switch off to the pump and then close the faucet. It's important to do things in this order. These older pumps don't shut off when the water reaches a preset pressure in the line. Leaving the pump running will either overheat the pump or burst a plumbing line.
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RV Water Pump | Troubleshooting
Like any system in an RV, there are things that can sometimes go wrong. Below are the procedures for troubleshooting your RV water pump.
- Is there water in the holding tank. Believe it or not this is often overlooked. It's possible for the water gauges to accumulate residue on them and read full when they are in fact empty.
- Make sure there is power to the pump. Is your RV battery fully charged? If not, you can plug into 120 volt power to make sure you have power to the pump. There is usually a fuse in the positive wire somewhere near the pump. Check the fuse to see if it is blown. If it's blown, replace it and your problem is usually solved. Check to see if the connections to the pump are good. Since RV's usually travel the road, it's possible for these connectors to come loose. If the fuse is good, use a 12 volt test light or better yet a multi-meter to check for power at the pump. If you don't have power, check the connections at the battery and the power converter. If they are bad, repair them and your problem should go away. If they are good, you want to inspect the wiring for breaks or shorts. If there are bad spots in the wiring, you will need to repair or replace the wiring. Another thing that can fail is the switch to the pump. The easiest way to test this is to bypass the switch and connect the RV water pump directly to the positive and negative wires. If you do this and the pump functions normally, the switch needs to be replaced.
- If the pump comes on but doesn't pump water, it's possible that the diaphragm in the pump has debris in it or it is punctured. There are three screws that attach the pump head to the pump casing. Remove these screws and inspect the rubber diaphragm. If it is damaged, replace it with the repair kit that you can get from the manufacturer. You can usually buy these at your local RV parts dealer. If the diaphragm looks okay, clean it thoroughly with a gentle detergent and flush the pump head to remove any debris that may have entered it. If it still doesn't work after doing these procedures go the next step.
- Check to see that supply line from the fresh water holding tank to the RV water pump isn't blocked for punctured. Sometimes there is a shut off valve on this line. Make sure that it's open. If the line is blocked with debris or ice, you'll need to clear it somehow. I have found that I can often disconnect the line at the pump and blow compressed air through the pipe. Be sure and turn the pressure down low on the compressor. You don't want to blow the line and cause a leak. If there is a leak in this supply line, it will need to be repaired or replaced. You may also want to check the connection at the inlet side of the pump to make sure it isn't sucking air.
- If the pump doesn't shut off. You likely have a leak somewhere in the system. It's either at the outlet connection on the pump, in the plumbing, or at the faucet. Find the leak, repair it, and you'll be back in business.
That's all I can think of off the bat that can go wrong with the system. If none of these things fix your RV water pump sent me and email and I'll try to help you out.
RV Water Pump Repair Disclaimer
You and you alone are responsible if something should go wrong while repairing your RV water pump system. If you are not skilled and competent with electrical wiring or plumbing, you should have an authorized dealer do the repairs. There is always a risk of fire when working with electrical wiring. If you should make a mistake on the plumbing, it's possible for your RV to floods and cause damage.
If you mess up, don't count on me to foot the bill for the repairs. The information contained in this page is only the opinion of the author. This is what I would do if my RV was having problems with the RV water pump system.
Make any repairs at your own risk.
RV Water Pump Video
Here's a short video that will teach you how to replace an RV water pump.
RV Water Pump CommentsLoading...
Thank you! I hope others find it helpful as well.
I just removed my bowen hot water heater from an RV. Can I hook the hose directly to it and get hot water???
Thanks,
Charlie.ford@ymail.com
Can I use my 12V water pump to augment my city water pressure in my Montana fifth wheeler without filling my holding tank, or will that run the pump dry?
Jerry
The 12v water pumps are set up to draw water from the holding tank. When you are hooked up to city water, the pump is usually bypassed and the pressure comes from the city.
what if the fuse just blows and the pump doesn't run at all.
all wires appear to be intacked.
One more troubleshooting item. In winter, I drain the system and blow out with compressed air. Next spring, water pump ran but didn't supply water. When empty, normally some water is in tube below pump. But, when blown empty, only air, and pump won't draw water over more than about 6" head of air. Depending on relative mounting height, you may need to completely fill an empty tank then run pump several minutes before that air column is displaced and the pump works normally.
bo,
You might have a shorted out motor inside the pump. It's pretty easy to remove the pump and test the motor.
Took sure where to start. Headed out this Friday, so I decided to dewinterize my RV. Pump runs, but weak pressure. Gurgling sound coming out of City Water Input. If I switch the valve to Tank Fill, water comes gushing out of the City Water input.
I took off the intake and output pipes on the water pump to check for blockage. Cleaned the little intake filter. Took off the output. I found a check valve ball, but no spring. Isn't there supposed to be a spring with the check valve ball?
At one point, after having the city water attached, I switched over to the pump and had great pressure. Seemed to be working great. Then I turned it off and turned it back on on and now have the weak pressure and gurgling problem.
Help.
Thanks.
my holding tank must have a leak. the flooring under it is wet and needs replacing. i can't find any info on how to get the pump and tank out. what is that part of the rv even referred to? any ideas on hoe to replace it?
thanks!!!
is the water pump supposed to go on each time you open a faucet? It's been 2 years since we used our tent trailer and I don't remember the pump going on every single time we turned on the faucet. Thanks
Yes, it's perfectly normal for the pump to turn on when you open the faucet. This is the way they are designed to work. They're actually called on demand pumps. When you open a faucet, the water pressure in the pipes drops thereby triggering the pump to turn on. When you close the faucet, the water pressure builds to a preset level and shuts off.
My rv water pump turns on and off momentaryily.I have checked for leaks and found none.I heard there is a check valve that may allow the system pressure to bleed off.Is this a possibilty.Thks.
My rv water pump turns on and off momentaryily.I have checked for leaks and found none.I heard there is a check valve that may allow the system pressure to bleed off.Is this a possibilty.Thks.
When I turn on the pump the water pushes out the city water connection and not the lines to faucets ????
my pump is sucking air from somewhere. I have check the supply line to the pump (from tank) and out from pump to supply lines. I can not find any water leaks, but I keep drawing air from somewhere. Any advise where to look next?
Our water pump is only working to pump cold water and not hot water. Any idea why? Isn't there only one line in to the pump and one line out, then the water goes to the water heater? Any ideas?
@vince - There may be a valve for winterizing your rv that is switched in the wrong position.
@Jeffrey D - If there isn't a leak between your supply line and the pump inlet then it's not sucking air. That's the only place it could happen. Sometimes a leaky faucet is mistaken as sucking air because the pump cycles on and off.
@John - There is only one inlet into the pump and that's cold water from the holding tank. The cold water outlet from the pump branches off to the cold water side of the faucets and the water heater. The outlet of the water heater then goes to the hot water side of the faucets. Sounds like your water heater isn't working.
Like Jeff, I have air entering my water system when using the pump. There are no leaks. The faucets are not leaking. I have run the city water through the system with the faucets open and bleed all the air out. Then shut it off and turned on the pump. It would now be in an off cycle. When turning on the faucet and that run to allow the pump water to get there, that's when the air starts coming. Now with the air in the system the pump won't shut off. So I know all that but can't find where the air is entering into the system. Many line can't be seen. This problem just started on an 06 Montana.
There's got to be an answer here somewhere. Valves turn the wrong way? This unit is new to us but all valve seem to be in the correct position. Thanks folks, B
I have an rv when I turn on the water pump water sprays out from the water inlet ?? I'm new to this and this is my first rv
I have an rv when I turn on the water pump water sprays out from the water inlet ?? I'm new to this and this is my first rv
Justin - I'm no expert but just experienced the same issue with water spraying out of the 'city' water inlet. It appeared to me that the one way valve must have disintegrated as I found the screen and part of the valve in the drive way. Perhaps a few more seasoned veterans will comment soon...
Many of you here are having problems with air in the water lines and pump kicking on and off and other issues...I'm very new to owning a travel trailer but I am now a Maintenance man and had many years working as a plumber...I would suggest to first check all the water lines the best you can for loose fittings, cracked fittings and any cross threading of fittings...Then check the R.v. to make sure it's level cause what feels level standing on the floor may not be ...The reason I tell you this is because it matters where the water draws from the holding tank and if the water is leaning to one side due to improper leveling then this could result in air being pulled through the line leading to the inlet side of the water pump...If you take a straw and put it in a glass of water and lean the glass to one side while holding the straw to the other you will find you draw air..Now level the glass and you will suck the water out till it's gone...Also cut a little hole in the straw and try sucking water..You find it's having a hard time getting the water up...This is just a simple way of showing how the pump may suck air...Water will always be level and if you can crawl under your R.v. and have a white poly water tank you may see the water line and it will tell you if the trailer is unlevel unless your water tank is built to lean one way so the water will drain by gravity...I'm no expert but hope it helps some of you somehow...God Bless, Keith
OK I was surprised when after I disconnected the City Water from my RV and filled my Fresh Wtr tank 1/4 full whne traveling that the water gushed out the inlet connection ??? What happened !!
I have a RV and sometimes the pump works and pumps water and sometimes it doesen't. We can wait a bit, sometimes a minute or two and it starts pumping again, then sometimes it's 15 or 20 minutes before it'll start pumping. I thought I had a short, but have checked all connections and everything seems fine. All connections are tight and it's getting power. Any idea why it would work intermitently?
I just bought a 2000 Coleman Niagara Elite popup camper. The water pump is not working. I removed the water pump and put power to it and it works fine. I replaced the switch with a new one and the in-line fuse looks fine as well...still not working. I checked all of the fuses in the panel and they look fine too. Any suggestions?
I am having a the same problem as another guy with very little pressure on the hot water taps.You said that it may be the water heater. The water is hot though. Explain please?
Hi
I have a 2002 Holiday Rambler Presidential 5th Wheel. this last weekend we camped and noticed that he pump was much loader than before. The pump also occasionaly would activate when nothing was on, possibly due to a faucet slighly opened, althoug I did not see this. It was also noted the the pump did not run smoothly and constantly when the water was on. I did not notice any change in the preasure. Is this the sign of a worn our pump or part?
I have a 2000 35 foot Carrie-Lite 5th wheeler that we purchased used about 5 years ago. We tried "dry camping" this past summer for the first time. We had our water tank full but the water pump wouldn't pump the water out. We just got through winterizing out 5th wheel for the winter and when we tried to pump the antifreeze up through the plastic tubes, it wouldn't work either. We had to blow through the hose to get it started in the pump (prime it) and then it started sucking the antifreeze up. Do you think our pump is going bad? My husband said it should have enoughing sucking power to pull the antifreeze up by itself. Should we just replace the water pump?
I have a 1988 COleman Sequoia that has a manual switch to turn om the water pump and a manual water pump faucet. What is the purpose of the water pump. Does it just prim the faucet? Once I turn the pump off I can still manually pump water through the faucet.
I am restoring a 46 year old camper. I do not plan to have a 12 volt system. Is there an AC house current pump made for this?
when I turn on my water pump, water comes out of the city water fill connection. all valves are in the correct postion. this just happended for the first time while dry camping. any suggestions... thank
Okay. I'm having the same problem some others are having. I turn on my water pump and water sprays out of the city water fill port. I'm not seeing much here that troubleshoots this problem. Can anyone help?
Hi Guys, Please can anybody help me? my RV has lost its water pressure its gone really low just a trickle in the shower and is very frustrating! the site I am on had very poor pressure so I took my water regulator off and this helped, but then the site decided to fix the pressure on site repairing some leaks so the water pressure was much better,this all happened unbeknown to me so I had not put my regulator back on my van from the city water supply, since then the water for a day was spluttering and sounded like had air in system then has now dropped to almost non-existent. I have re-attached the regulator but still no joy. It makes no difference also if I run my water pump the water still just trickles rather than flows.I have also checked that the water from stand pipe and my hose seems fine. Any ideas that may help me solve this would be greatly appreciated! ;0) Many Thanks Sam.
If your montana is pushing water out the city water connection or the pump comes on for a few seconds an then shuts off it is most likely your water inlet check valve. Remove water inlet box and replace check valve. Easy to do.
thanks joe val was not sure where my check valve was pulled inlet 2 screws very easy check valve is part of inlet
My water heater froze and gotm a leak, pump also. I shut bypass valves to w/h and replaced water pump. Now no water but it comes out the inlet until tank is dry. Pump runs, but no pressure. Works fine with hose hooked up. Suggestions anyone ???
I have a 94 Lance Camper. It has the Shurflo 2088-403-14X water pump. It is very loud - as in you can hear it pump 30 ft away from the camper - is this normal ?? If so can I fix the pump or replace it?
I think I may have same problem as Wes above. Filled holding tank up. Turned on pump. A tiny stream of water out faucet but the rest of the water is just gushing out the city water hookup (garden hose type looking hook up). Can't find any valve to block it off anywhere. All my water is just going out the side of the RV. Help :(
Filled holding tank, was running water through facets but then the water stopped running through the facets. It runs great through the toilet, but no water is coming out at all from the two facets. What is going on there?
I have a 2000 Fleetwood Bounder with a On Off Switch inside the Coach on the wall, when you push the toggle it turns the Pump on, & to turn it off you push the Toggle again,& it also lights up to let you know the Pump is on. Just recently the switch light has decided to stay on all the the time.The Pump is working fine & water comes out when the Faucet lever is lifted.I have checked all connection near the Pump & everything looks fine. There is a small computer board near the Pump & that looks fine also.Could my switch be bad?
I have a problem with my RV water system. The cold water supply works great, but the hot water supply does not work. I have 3 seperate hot and cold faucets and all the cold work fine but none of the hot work. The hot taps are fed from a hot water tank, but I get no water comming out.....any ideas ? Cheers
After further testing, if I open a cold water and hot water faucet on another sink, the hot water tap on my handwash sink, then starts to work, but only if I have the hot and cold faucet on another sink open ??? Help
I have a 95 Fourwinds fifth wheel, Everything works electrically off the 12 volt, except the water pump..The pump is is good working order. Is there a relay or something I can check to find out the problem? Thanks
Patty - my '06 Winnie Sightseer's pump runs full time but does not pump water. I looked at it this morning and the clear plastic container (that holds the wire strainer) has broken off and their is no vacuum. How easy is that to replace?
My water pump works fine when the trailer is conncected to 120 V, but the pump will not shut off when running on battery. Do I have a pump problem or a battery problem.
Thanks, Don
I have a Colemen CT320BS. Can you tell me where the water pump is located?
Camping this weekend and was hooked up to city water and noticed that water was pouring out of our fresh water holding tank. It was as if the water overfilled the tank and we had no choice but to disconnect the city water. Used the water pump and it appeared to work correctly except that it ran often even when water was not in use. Also, when we hooked up to city water and I used the water for the first time, huge amounts of air/water came flying out soaking the walls and me. Any ideas?
@Don - Sounds like a batter problem to me. If the pump can't build enough pressure because the battery voltage is too low, the pump won't shut off.
iam have a pro with my pressure it works fine when i use my pump but when i hook up to the city water i have low pressure
Last time we were camping we seemed to have a leak coming from the water pump. Now when we tried to use the pump to winterize the camper it is not working at all. Any suggestions on what we should do? Does the pump need to be replaced? Or is there something else we can try?
I have a '97 Catalina Coachman motorhome. The water pump works fine until I turn on the hot water heater switch to heat up the hot water, then the water pump just quits working. Sometimes it will work again after a few hours, but this time it isn't.
Any ideas?
Here is my problem. 2001 fleetwood jamboree, We blow a 5am fuse when we use the water. The system works fine when we are connected to city power. The lights all work on 12v but everything goes off when we turn on the water or use the toilet, shower or sink. I'm assuming it has something to do with the water pump. The connections all look good and it works fine when we are plugged in to power. Can anyone help?
I have a 2006 Prowler camper with slide out...everything in the begining worked great but now have problems...We have had a couple of nites where the weather has gotten real cold and I ran the water to keep the lines from freezing up....everything was fine to start with now having problems...as far as I know nothing ever froze up but I came home the other day and the water wouldnt work at all in the camper...now im not talking using the water pump im talking hooking directly up to the city water....i have clean the filter where you connect the water hose up to the camper but it still wont work no water is coming out....now if i turn on my water pump and fill the tank I get water....but why cant I get any water while hook up to the city water??? Are there other filters I dont know about??? Any help you can give me would be appreciated!!!
Our waterpump doesn't stay primed. We suspect a small leak that allows air to enter the line. We don't have a good method to find the leak. Water never leaks out of the water lines, that go from the tank to the pump
Hi. I need your help pretty quick!! We live full time in BC Canada in a 34ft 1996 Fleetwood Savanna My pipes going into the trailer froze. Got them heated up enough to get water flowing into the trailer. Water works in the bathroom but isnt coming out of the kitchen faucet. More than likely the pipes have probably frozen somewhere between the washroom and the kitchen? What do I do to get the water flowing again and what do you think the problem is? Could it be frozen somewhere else? Also,did is mention that the hot water tank fried a while back and we havent had any hot water for a bit!!! argghhh!! Does this have anything to do with the septic tank freezing as says we have heated/enclosed tanks? If so, if not, how do we unfreeze the septic tank? Espcially if enclosed(wood box) Would enclosing more and heating from underneath with a small heater or work light work? Heard of using a hairdryer but...seems futile? What about venting hot/warm air into the tank from through the toilet? Tried to empty but...either I have a skating rink in there, or just frozen T valve. Tried pulling but...stuck. Its gonna be -minus temperatures for next next while and we need help fast. Wouldnt have money to do any major repairs for a cpl weeks so..... Is there anything we can do? Emergency here!!!! :( Please get back asapp Thanks Is there a chatroom or anything here where people can chat/talk in real time?
If the water is flowing but not to kitchen, your pipes are frozen somewhere between the bathroom and the kitchen. You'll have to figure out a way to get heat into the area where the pipes are to thaw them out. I can't imagine that your water heater would have anything to do with the black water tank freezing. Thawing a black water tank is a chore. Again, you'll need to gradually heat it up enough to slowly melt the ice in it. Too much direct head and you could burn a hole in it.
I really feel for you. We used to be full time in a 5th wheel and my husband was always trying to thaw the black water tank. He eventually had to enclose the bottom of the trailer and heat that area too.
You might want to try reading this article. It shows how to build a micro water jet that we used to thaw our pipes with.
Thanks for the advice. Got the water flowing to the kitchen again by cranking the furnace BUT after letting it run for a bit it didnt drain and now I do believe that the fresh water tank is frozen as the water backed up...argghhh...one thing after another. So we had to close the valve in the kitchen and now the pipes froze again :( Would a rock salt and water combo work to help melt the ice in the fresh water tank? Valve has been left open to allow it to flow into the sewer if it melts. Didnt see the link to the article you mentioned in your message for the micro water jet. Please get back to us with ANY info or help you can. My wife has been battling with....think "pink" and this situation is not her frame of mind and postive thinking that we need. Thanks for your time and hope to hear back soon, Mike
It wouldn't be your fresh water tank that would cause the sink to back up. Your fresh water tank is the one that you draw water from for things like faucets and showers. It would be your "grey" water tank that is frozen.
They grey water tank holds waste water from your drains. The black water tank holds waste water from your toilet.
I'm not sure if adding salt to the tank would work or if it would hurt the tank.
Let me try adding the link again in this comment.
There are 3 tank that we can see. The black we know(Tvalve marked), the grey we know(Tvalve marked) which is right beside the black, and the one under the kitchen. Were not using the fresh water tank for fresh water. We are plumbed in all the way around. Our black tank is hook up to the city sewer. We keep the tank closed and about every 3weeks, open the T-valve and it goes directly into the sewer. Close the valve repeat in 3 weeks. Our grey tank is under the bathroom, the valve is open so all grey water from the shower, sink, and washer dryer flows directly into the sewer also and is flowing. Under the kitchen, there is a tank, not sure which it is now but its enclosed, with insulation and I believe heated also(furnace air)Was under there today and there a flap, open and could basically see just insulation and a bit of the bottom of the tank. Where the water flows out of this and travel to the sewer, its open and a 4 or 5 inch PVC pipe, travelling on a slant down to the sewer( jerry rigged by the previous owner). The water from the sink has always been going thru the tank underneath and to the sewer without a problem and seems to be hollow when checking last night. Tried snaking the pipes in the trailer last night and seem to be clear. So just found something that said what tanks we have lol After all the typing!! So it IS a fresh water tank thats being used but just as a connector for the outflow pipe to the sewer. DOES THIS HELP? I will stay online for a bit if have the time to answer Thanks Mike
Are you saying that the previous owner re plumbed it so that your fresh water holding tank is now extra capacity for your grey water holding system?
If water is backing up when you pour water into the drains, the only explanations are that the drains are frozen, one or both of your grey water tanks are full and frozen, or the pipe that connects the two grey water tanks to each other are frozen.
If you build one of those little micro water jets that is shown in the article that I linked to, I think you can get the frozen pipes that you can't easily access thawed.
I mean its like an extra grey tank but water supposed to be flowinng directly thru it and out. Ancd sorry for not responding a fast as I should have. Had another issue and waswith a plumber. haha cant win
Then like I said, either the first trank is frozen, the pipe connecting the two tanks is frozen, the second tank is frozen, or all three are frozen. Anyway you cut it, you're going to have to figure a way to thaw them.
I would throw together one of those micro water jets and get it thawed out that way. You may have to to use some form of a pump to get the warm water that you pump into the tanks out or it will just end up forming a larger ice dam.
The water jet idea is truly genius and would have worked better than what I had to do to get the water actually running into the trailer again. But would it work de-icing the frozen tank itself from above here in the kitchen? Where would the warm water flow to. Out or back up the pipe. Its 1 1/2" or 2" pvc. Pex tube wouldnt help as smaller diameter than the pvc. Did alot of water flow back to the bucket or just basically blast thru like a water saw type thing. Wondering if as much water would come back up as the pvc IS bigger? Hmmmmmm......? Patty......thanks alot for all the time youve spent. Alot of the stuff helped and or confimed some things for me. Dont know where your from but considering youve been more helpful than any so called friends, we truly appreciate all your help so far. Hopefully, these will be my last questions. Thanks Mike
HELP PLEASE!! I hooked up an old 12V DC sureflo pump to my solar system..it's a replacement. The pump goes on but never shuts off. The longest i've let it run is 15 min. I can find NO leaks. Another part or the situation is ...the pump has a red and blk. wire coming from the bottom of it and the motor has 2 red wires coming from it. Neither of those wires is connected to anything..they're just hanging loose.Could one or both of them have to do with the pump not shutting off??
Hi,
I filled up my water tank and forgot the water was on and it blew up. The tank is a little bent but now visible problems. I notice tho when i turn on my pump, i can hear water spraying and its leaking outside under the sink. did I damage my pump?? Or did I do something I know I cant afford?? :(
You're most welcome Shewy. Yeah, that little water jet has saved our bacon numerous times. if you used the water jet to thaw the gray tank, the excess water would flow back up through the drain that you are feeding the line into. You would then have to pump keep warming the water because the ice that is being thawed would cool it. You could also try feeding a small line into the drain of the gray water tank that is connected to a pump to get the cold water out.
Are you sure that the pump you bought is equipped with a pressure shut off? Some of them aren't. I'm not sure what those wires go do without seeing them.
You shouldn't be able to blow a tank up by leaving the water on. Most RV's have two inlets. One is for the holding tank and this one usually doesn't have threads. The other is for when you want to bypass the pump and just run off of the water supply at the camp ground. You need to find the leak to know what you're dealing with.
Hi Patty,
When we were filling the water, and it was full, the hose somehow was lodged in and we heard and explosion. All my neighbors came running outside. The hose did finally come out and it looked like a geyser. I just thought the hard plastic tank bent out of shape. SOMETHING blew up..:( What else can be damaged from the water beibng left on? The pump still works, it just lets water spray (SOMEWHERE) when its on and i see it coming out frm under the sink on the outside of the RV. It looks like a tank of some sort. Yes, my husband is the one who dealth with all of this. He is away on business. I really was hoping to pinpoint what i did and get it fixed before he comes home...Not that he will be mad, just that I feel really stupid and forgetful. Just kind of wanted to know what kind of $$ I was looking at. I was also hoping someone would have known what this was by experience......Thank you for your help..:)
I would think that a fitting would burst before the tank would but that' just a guess. The only way to know for sure is to closely examine the exact location of the source of the spraying. It could be the tank, a fitting, the fill tube. The cost will vary depending on what actually burst and whether or not you are capable of fixing it yourself.
When water pump is turned on the water gushes out if the city water connection. Only a weak stream comes out of the faucets. The pump runs until we turn it off. What has happened? We have a Gulfstream, Tourmaster.
Not sure. Our 5th wheel has a check valve on the inlet from the city water source to prevent back flow. Maybe yours is missing?
Thanks, Patty. However, ours has been working properly for over 3 years. It even worked the day before yesterday!
The check valve could be stuck in the open position. It might be worth taking it off and seeing if you can tell whether it's stuck. If you can't tell, you might try replacing it. If it's functioning properly, water should not be able to escape through this fitting.
We unscrewed the hose from the "city water" connection and noted that the strainer/screen/gasket was inverted towards the coach and pump. When removed, the button on the check valve popped out and the problem was solved! We replaced the strainer with the screen everted towards the water source/hose. It now works properly.
Glad you got it sorted out. I figured that it was probably something to do with the check valve.
Thank you Patty. Can you tell me a site to find out where the waterpump IS in my 99 Pace Arrow RV? I think you are right and its the Pump or a hose or fitting that blew when I overfilled my water tank. I dont know if I can still use it while waiting for a repair. The water leaks outside, but if its leaking INside, then it would cause mold. So I dont even know were it is to look at it. I only see water pouring out from the tank under neath the sink.
I don't know of a site. I would just look for the owners manual online. If the water is leaking onto insulation under the RV, you might have to replace the insulation if you keep using it and it keeps getting wet.
Still can not get my water in my camper to work with out running the water pump...it use to work with the city waters pressure but now it wont...no the line isnt frozen...what else could it be???
My guess would be the check valve is stuck.
WE purchased a used 1998 carrilite we are wondering how to figure out if water is in fresh water holding tank the light on hood says it is 3/4 full how can we tell
Make sure the pump is turned on and open the faucet. If the water comes out and you're not hooked up to a water source at an RV park, there is water in the fresh water holding tank. If you hear the pump humming but no water is coming out, the gauges are probably giving you a faulty reading and there isn't any water in the tank.
Don Bobbitt Level 6 Commenter 2 years ago
I am an RVer, and this Hub is very clear and informative. I appreciate the detail of the Hub, and will keep it a a reference for the future. Keep up the good work!
DOn Bobbitt