68 water pump-should the pump cycle?

Gen Disarray · 08-03-2006, 02:15 PM

My water pump kicks on for a few seconds every 15-20 minutes. Is this normal? I don't see any leaks. Is there a one way valve down stream of the pump that might be leaking? If it isn't normal I need to do a better leak search.

**Chuck** · 08-03-2006, 02:42 PM

yeah, its loosing pressure, somewhere...very slowly. check the city hookup. does it drip.....drip.....drip....? there's a check valve in there somewhere that keeps the pump from just sending the contents of your fresh water tank right out the back. could also be internal to the pump.

mine cycles alot more often than that. (because my check valve is shot). Even when I have the plug in the city hookup. unless you teflon-tape the threads and knuckle it down, it isn't really sealed up perfectly, so there's always a little leakage. earlier this season, I found that my fairly new plug had a pin hole in it. guess how?

the stream was so thin, it was only detectable when I was standing in it. I thought some ill-mannered canine was marking his territory, for a split second.

I'd like to replace the check valve...even bought a replacement...but its unreachable.

the bathroom will need to be removed in order to get at the damn thing.

uwe · 08-03-2006, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

My water pump kicks on for a few seconds every 15-20 minutes. Is this normal? I don't see any leaks. Is there a one way valve down stream of the pump that might be leaking? If it isn't normal I need to do a better leak search.

Check for leaks - as in right now. Could be that something is dripping in a hidden place, promoting wood rot.
Could also be the toilet flush valve, or a one-way valve in the pump itself going out. One way valves keep the pressure in the system from releasing back into the tank. The one you're looking for is most likely integral to the water pump.

**azflycaster** · 08-03-2006, 04:03 PM

It is not normal. After I purge the air out of my lines, the pump never comes on unless I open a valve.

68 Overlander · 08-03-2006, 07:55 PM

It is most likely the check valve but could be a leak somewhere else too. Grit and/or calcium deposits can prevent it from closing or the seal could be shot. Mine has two and when the pump started cycling last year, I replaced them. One had a bad seal and one just needed cleaned out. Happened again this year so I unscrewed it, cleaned it and no more cycling. This is also the first year I didn't run a filter so its my own fault but fortunately I have easy access to both of them. I would look there first Gen.
In edit, the Airstream I was referring to is not my 68 Overlander but they all have check valves. You might not have two.

**Janet** · 08-03-2006, 10:26 PM

Rodney, What you are describing is how we've found every leak, loose connection ind pinhole we ever had.....sorry.

Gen Disarray · 08-04-2006, 10:40 AM

I was afraid it might be a leak, cant find it yet if it is though. In the mean time I am turning off the pump when I am not using water.

**Stefrobrts** · 08-04-2006, 02:07 PM

That's what we do. The waterpump going off by itself sets me on edge because I know there's a leak somewhere. This last trip it went off once in the middle of the night, and I jumped up and started checking the usual places for leaks. Mostly we leave it off when we're not using it (and i never use the city water hookup).

Good luck hunting it down!

**Chuck** · 08-06-2006, 11:11 AM

update: fixed mine! check my latest in this thread: http://www.airforums.com/forum...ues-24978.html