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Sooners67 · 03-28-2014, 04:52 AM

Problem :I want to run fresh water with my water pump on a site that has not external water hook up. The pump runs but no water thru lines when dis attach from city water pressure.

2006 34' classic airstream

My water pump is less than year old and works. I can hear it when I turn it on.

Water does run through the line when there is an outside water source.

THe knobs under the sink are set in place by the manual. There are 5 knobs for controlling the direction of water. A B C are the knobs designated by manual for controlling the flow of water. Tese knobs are over the hot water tank. B is turned perpendicular with A and C turned parallel. There are two other knobs , one goes to the toilet and it is turned parallel with water running in toilet. And the 5th one I think runs outside and it is turned parallel to water line.

I left external water running to RV to allow filling up of fresh water tank. It was 45 minutes. The indicator light said it was not full. I don't know what to do.
How do I know water is going to fresh water tank?
How do I know it's full?
How much does it hold?

Can u help me trouble shoot?

Thank you

Protagonist · 03-28-2014, 07:12 AM

The freshwater tank fill is separate from the municipal water inlet. The freshwater tank fill should be somewhere close to the municipal water inlet, maybe behind a small door.

Silver Goose · 03-28-2014, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sooners67

... I left external water running to RV to allow filling up of fresh water tank. It was 45 minutes. The indicator light said it was not full. I don't know what to do.

How do I know water is going to fresh water tank?

How do I know it's full?

How much does it hold? ...

45 minutes sounds like a long time. The FW tank is often either 39 or 60 gallons. Assuming a slow flow from the hose of 3 gpm it shouldn't take more than 20 minutes to fill a 60 gal FW tank. With normal pressure and flow it should be at least half of that. Have to assume water is not running out the bottom of the trailer while you're filling up, right? The filler is very similar to the gas tank on your car. When it's more than full it starts running out where you're putting it in. Just before that point it stars spitting and sputtering out the vent next to the fill pipe.

Your description sounds like the pump is not getting a prime from the tank. Check the connections to the inlet of the pump for tightness. There should be a round strainer in line just before the pump inlet, unscrew the cap and make sure the screen is clean, then put it back together and check the plumbing going to the FW tank for other connectors that may be loose and allowing the pump to suck air.

In particularly stubborn cases, I've heard a person could open a faucet, switch on the pump and holding an air hose in a cupped hand over the fill pipe use the compressed air to apply a slight pressure to the tank to get the pump primed. These pumps normally don't have a problem getting a prime if there's water in the tank and the connections are snug.

HowieE · 03-28-2014, 08:27 AM

The 3 valves next to the hot water heater are the winter service bypass valves and have no effect on the flow of water when using either source. When repositioned they bypass the heater so you don't have to use gallons of antifreeze when winterizing.

The valve by the toilet is just a shut off valve for the toilet.

Not sure on the other valve. You should have 2 valve going down through the floor as drain valves. Again they are for winterizing and should be in the off position during the camping season.

I don't think your year Airstream has the Auto Fill feature for the fresh water tank. If it does there will be a switch on the control panel with a indicator light showing when that switch is on. Also if that switch is in the on position it will shut off the pump.

To fill the fresh water tank you will find a port on the side of the trailer directly oven one end or they other of the fresh water tank. Generally on the curb side of the trailer. To fill the tank you have to put a hose into the port. There should be indicator lights on the control panel that show the level of water in the tank when you push a switch on the panel for that question.

Now to the question of the pump. If you have never put water in the fresh water tank the pump can deliver water to the system. Put some water in the tank and try again. If the pump does not pick up water at this point, pump may not lift a dry line, Disconnect the line at the input side of the filter just before the pump. Put a small piece of tubing on the filer and pure water into it and them turn the pump on for a second. This should prime the pump and you can reconnect the line to the filter and try again. Once the pump is primed it should work after that

Silver Goose · 03-28-2014, 08:41 AM

To elaborate a bit on the city water connection... When you hook the hose up to the threaded fitting, it supplies water pressure to the sinks, etc through a 1-way valve. The output tee's into the outlet of the water pump and the pump does not allow water to flow backwards through it into the FW tank. From the point of the tee, water can come to the sink from either the city water inlet or the pumped water from the tank or both. In cases where the city water pressure is low, it is ok to run the pump to increase water pressure, the 1-way valve prevents the pumped water from going back out the hose just as water doesn't come out that fitting when the hose is disconnected.

Sooners67 · 03-29-2014, 06:15 AM

Thank you for your responses. I am going to try it on Tuesday my next day off. I think there is an inlet into the fresh water tank to allow fresh water into it. I will scope the pump and attempt to prime it.