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04-13-2015, 05:10 PM
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#1
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Rivet Master
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Berlin
, Maryland
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,787
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Water pump runs during the night
Our water pump seems to have a mind of its own lately and turn itself on even if no faucets are open. Can anyone explain why?
Thanks
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04-13-2015, 05:14 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1994 34' Excella
Warren
, Manitoba
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,253
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You either have a very slow drip at one of the faucets, a drain valve dripping, toilet valve passing water into the toilet, or the check valve in the pump is not holding. Could be any one or a combination. I would check the pump to see if it is the check valve with a bit of grit first. Good luck, Chris
__________________
ACI #7394
2012 GMC 2500 HD Duramax Denali
1994 Excella 34'
1987 Limited 34', 1976 31', 1976 Argosy 22' Gone to new homes
Hensley Hitch
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04-13-2015, 06:13 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2013 27' FB International
El Dorado Hills
, California
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,023
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Mine does that sometimes. Maybe once a night. I've never found a leak.
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04-13-2015, 07:30 PM
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#4
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Site Team
1974 31' Sovereign
Ottawa
, ON
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 11,219
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Why not just put in a switch to kill the power at bed-time?
Assuming this only happens when you are boondocking? On our '74, the pump is not needed when we're on city water...
__________________
“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ...John Wayne...........................
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04-13-2015, 07:43 PM
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#5
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begorragirl
2017 25' Flying Cloud
Denville
, New Jersey
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,029
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I only turn my pump on when I need it, then turn off, weird little habit.
__________________
2006 Bambi CCD ("EireStream!!")
2010 Funfinder
2005 T@B
2001 Teardrop, Mountain Hardware Tent
For some perfection takes a little longer...
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04-13-2015, 08:16 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
1999 34' Excella
Currently Looking...
Hillsboro
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,408
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If the pump is coming off and on, then the pressure must be dropping. Since it is not a leak, it must be the check valve going weak. They don't seem to 'totally fail'.. but instead just 'leak/bleed down'.
I also turn off the pump until I need it.. One 'flood' is all I need..
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Peace and Blessings..
Channing
WBCCI# 30676
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04-13-2015, 08:21 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2002 19' Bambi
Lafayette
, California
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,569
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We had a pump that did that until it slowly died. Replaced it with a new one rather than trying to figure out what was wrong.
Tim
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04-13-2015, 08:30 PM
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#8
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3 Rivet Member
2013 30' Flying Cloud
Cincinnati
, Ohio
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 205
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if the water pump turns itself on during the night, chances are it will during the day too. As the others have said, it may be a leak inside the pump. Mine had such a leak on our first camping trip. Also when we were hooked up to City water, water would leak out the other side of the trailer through the fresh tank overfill. It turned out that the same internal leak to the pump was causing both problems. My leak was a lot worse than yours however - the pump came on every 60 seconds or so, for only a second or 2 to re-pressurize the system. I installed the new water pump myself rather than take the trip back to the dealer or factory. Now that was fun! Good luck on tracking down the cause and with the fix.
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04-13-2015, 09:01 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1960 22' Safari
in the wilderness
, The great Mojave Desert
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,077
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Ours has been doing that since new. Pressure leak somewhere.
Since we boondocks most of the time. Turning off the pump when we don't need water is just one of the things we do not to burn elec.
Also only turn the water heater on when we plan on wanting hot water.
__________________
I'd rather be boon docking in the desert.
WBCCI 3344 FCU
AIR# 13896
CA 4
Yes, we have courtesy parking for you. About an hour North of Los Angeles.
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04-13-2015, 10:08 PM
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#10
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3 Rivet Member
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake
, Minnesota
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 231
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Our pump has not come on by itself, but we do leave it on during regular inspections of the systems to ensure the plumbing is tight. Otherwise we turn it and the water heater off at night, or when not being used during the day.
cheryl
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04-14-2015, 06:26 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,669
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I guess this is just another instance of my anal retentive perfectionist coming out. Water systems should be completely free from leaks of any sort. I'd also suspect the pump check valve, but I couldn't accept it and turn the pump on and of. I'd have to fix it.
__________________
-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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04-14-2015, 09:43 AM
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#12
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Wise Elder
2010 30' Classic
Vintage Kin Owner
South of the river
, Minnesota
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,169
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They sometimes do come on as a result of the water pressure dropping as the water cools, especially if you shut off the water heater at night.
Cold water is less dense, takes up less room, so the pump runs.
It's the flip side of the situation where you can sometimes end up with the relief valve dripping a little bit as the water heater heats up.
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To learn to see below the surface, you must adjust your altitude
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04-14-2015, 10:56 AM
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#13
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3 Rivet Member
2005 28' International CCD
San Jose via Winnepeg, Toronto, Orlando, Saratoga and Groton
, California
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jammer
They sometimes do come on as a result of the water pressure dropping as the water cools, especially if you shut off the water heater at night.
Cold water is less dense, takes up less room, so the pump runs.
It's the flip side of the situation where you can sometimes end up with the relief valve dripping a little bit as the water heater heats up.
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Actually, cold water is more dense - to a point and takes up less room - to a point.
The density of water is greatest at about 42 degF. As you get colder, the water will expand - and break pipes if a suitable pressure relief is not found, or the pipes are kept warm.
__________________
2005 28' CCD International
2x120W Solar Panels/22A GoPower Controller
1200# Equalizer Hitch
2007 GMC Yukon XL SLT
"Where are my keys?"
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04-14-2015, 11:55 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Excella
Princeton
, New Jersey
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,070
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If the pump is coming on YOU HAVE A LEAK.
My system will hold pressure for several days and I do that every spring to ensure I have not developed a leak.
A leak will eventually rot the floor. My daughter never used her pump, city water every time, and after the front of the trailer rotted off the floor I discovered the leak was on the output side of the pump. While hooked up to city water it just dripped for 4 years. Never enough to drip on the ground over a weekend just saturate the floor.
Find it now or fix it later.
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WBCCI 12156 AIR 3144 WACHUNG TAC NJ6
2004 Excursion 4x4
1991 34 ft. Excella +220,000 miles, new laminated flooring, new upholstery, new 3200 lbs axles
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04-14-2015, 12:15 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
2012 23' FB International
Woodstock
, Ontario
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,426
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I'm with everyone above...It could be a leak...very serious and wood floors are expensive and messy to replace...or it could be just the check valve in the pump. Your pump is not that old. Maybe it picked up a bit of dirt or fiber in the check valve. You can purchase a new head and repair the pump...much cheaper than a new pump. But I would be watching under the belly pan for evidence of a water leak...got to do this when it is dry out since all kinds of rain water dribbles under the pan. The Pex plasic piping fittings are known to leak on occasion, but fortunately most fittings are visible under the counters or closet spaces
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04-14-2015, 12:57 PM
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#16
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Rivet Master
2007 30' Classic
Oswego
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 13,669
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IIRC, you can get to the check valve in many pumps and inspect/clean. I know I did on a really old Surflow...like 1993 vintage.
__________________
-Rich-
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." - Red Green
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06-09-2015, 03:59 PM
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#17
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Rivet Master
2019 27' International
2014 25' International
2006 23' Safari SE
Boulder City
, Nevada
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,703
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CHECK THIS before spending any money.
Quote:
Originally Posted by urnmor
Our water pump seems to have a mind of its own lately and turn itself on even if no faucets are open. Can anyone explain why?
Thanks
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******
If you do not flush the air from your hot and cold water lines, you probably have some air trapped in the line. Most likely the shower as that is the last place I even bleed the air out of our system.
If you have considerable amount of air in the system, it will run and not get to pressure to stop running.
If it is a small amount of air in the line somewhere, toilet, sinks or shower(s) the pump will run for a second or two and quit.
Take a water hose on and attach it to your outside "city water" fixture. Run water into the system and bleed your interior fixtures any air. It will spit and bubble. When it begins to run clear, go to the next. Then when they all seem to be bled, one more time. Sinks, toilet and shower. Even the outside shower could be the culprit. The water pressure from your outside hose will do the job.
When traveling ALWAYS have the water pump OFF.
When pressure is not needed, just flip the pump to OFF. When pressure is needed, ON.
Since we are usually off the grid, we are on battery power and do not need the water lines under pressure until we need it to be.
I flush the water lines every time we are ready to leave home. You also need to have enough water in your fresh water tank so that the water pump does not push air back into the system. Otherwise, you go back to the beginning of this post and bleed them again.
This works perfectly... if not, then you can go to option B to Z.
__________________
Human Bean
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06-09-2015, 04:12 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
2005 30' Classic
Burlington
, Ontario
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,743
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dznf0g
I guess this is just another instance of my anal retentive perfectionist coming out. Water systems should be completely free from leaks of any sort. I'd also suspect the pump check valve, but I couldn't accept it and turn the pump on and of. I'd have to fix it.
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Haha,
I used to be exactly the same! if the tiniest thing was not working properly on any piece of mechanical oe electrical equipment I owned, then whether I used it of not I could not rest until it was fixed because it was "Just not right!"
I do find however that as I age, these things fade into having less significance, I'm not sure if it is just a philosophical thing or just increasing laziness coupled with less energy!
Brian.
PS - we only switch on our pump when we need use it, otherwise it is off. (But it doesn't seem to leak down anyway whenever I have tested it.)
__________________
Brian & Connie Mitchell
2005 Classic 30'
Hensley Arrow / Centramatics
2008 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD,4x4,Crew Cab, Diesel, Leer cap.
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