Hi gang – we used the water pump in our new 2004 Safari last week for the first time and noticed that it is cycling on and off about every 2 – 3 seconds! Seems excessive to me. I know there is no accumulator in the line to balance out the pulsing water pressure. Is there some adjustment on the pump itself? At this rate, the thing will bite the dust within a year. Or is this normal?
The water tank is full. We are not hooked up to city water. What gives? I will be taking it back to my dealer because I think this should be a warrantee repair but he’s new in the game and I’d like to give him a few ‘hints’ about what might be wrong.
Any ideas??
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Regards,
Bob Hastings
'06 Classic 28'
'04 Ford F250 V8
Remember : Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. Margaret Lee Runbeck
Well, I think that there is a check valve which might not be working correctly and or there is a leak some place. Ours also cycles when not in use, but prob only 1 time every few hours if not longer....every 2-3 seconds though clearly is far too much. Have you checked the water heater and made sure that everything is properly closed? Does it cycle this way with the water heater by-pass on and off? Also, you can access the pump, see the tank and check valve from those little square doors under the streetside pantry and closet doors. I'd open those doors up (they are on hinges too, just no handles) and shine some light in there to see what's going on...you might see the issue right out of the gate since outside of the water lines around the coach, the main action happens right in that area.
Any way you look at it, I would think it's a warranty repair if it's still under warranty.
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Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 11/91
Same thing happened to me once on my '04 CCD. There's a screw on the end of my water pump that adjusts the outgoing water pressure setting. A/S HQ told me to adjust it, which I did, to correct the problem, which it did.
Yeah, a leak. If the system used to work normally it is unlikely the pump sensitivity changed itself in the meantime.
The check valve/water inlet may be where the leak is. That part of the system gave out on me a few years ago leading to the symptoms reported. It was easy to find because it sprayed water when the pump was on and dripped down when the pump was off.
There could also be an Aquajet pump installed if you have the LS package.
__________________
Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 11/91
Great suggestions, gang!!! I HOPE HOPE HOPE it's not leaking somewhere. I've looked under the cabinet at the pump and there appears to be no water under there. I didn't realize there would have to be a check valve on the supply side of the pump but it makes sense that the pump would need something to keep the pressure from bleeding back into the fresh water tank. The pump never cycles by itself - only when a faucet is opened. Then it goes into speedy mode, cycling every couple of seconds. That may rule out a leak or a failing check valve. I will look for the pressure adjustment first. That sounds like the simplest approach. Thanks again.
__________________
Regards,
Bob Hastings
'06 Classic 28'
'04 Ford F250 V8
Remember : Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. Margaret Lee Runbeck
The pump never cycles by itself - only when a faucet is opened. Then it goes into speedy mode, cycling every couple of seconds.
That sure sounds to me like proper operation for the pump or do I not understand your observations.
The pump, if operating and installed properly, should create pressure and stop running - once it reaches the pressure level calibrated to the pressure switch. If you don't open any valves (or there are no leaks) the pump should not cycle again for an extended period of time.
When a valve is opened the pump (if providing adequate line pressure) will activate, cycle on and off while the water is flowing, and continue to operate after the valve is shut until the pressure sensitivity is reached. Then it will stop.
If there is air in the lines, or somewhere air is being pulled into the lines (like a gasket on the in-line filter) then the pump will run faster than it would normally, although when the valve is closed - air or not - the pump should stop and remain stopped.
When I replaced my 20 year old pump in the '85 with a SureFlo, I can pressuriize the system, turn the pump off, return days later ... turn the pump on again and it will not cycle. My system will maintain pressure for days, even weeks it if I allow it.
Any time a pressure pump cycles it is because the line pressure has fallen below the sensitivity level of the pressure switch. Sometimes the pressure switches go bad & sometimes the 'check valve' can weep, but a totally solid system will hold the pressure placed into it for an extended period of time.
This stands true, as long as you have adequate water in the tank!
__________________ NORM #3305
"... there is nothing you can't fix yourself ...
... if you're handy ...
... with a check book! ..."
On our last trip out, our water pump seemed to go crazy when we took showers. The sound was awful, and I could actually hear the sound of PEX tubing rattling against the shell of our unit. It was a rat-a-tat-rat-atat sound.
It was almost a real exagerated house-hold-water-hammer type sound.
Here is what I found: Shower spray on, pump would cycle normally for 10 seconds, and then suddenly go into "rat-a-tat-rat-atat" mode. If I shut the sprayer off (even for one second) using the on/sorta-off switch on the spray head, and then turned it back on, the pump would run fine again for 10 seconds or so, and then go into "rat-a-tat-rat-atat" mode again.
Jonathan
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I'm out of my mind right now, but will be returning shortly......
My bad....my take too was that this was when no faucets were open. If there is such a beast to adjust, then I agree, I'd look there.
__________________
Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 11/91
Shower spray on, pump would cycle normally for 10 seconds, and then suddenly go into "rat-a-tat-rat-atat" mode.
Check your plumbing lines to make sure they are securely attached. I also had the "rat-a-tat" noise but was able to silence it once I secured the lines.
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Water pump cycling every 1-2 sec?? 
I HOPE HOPE HOPE it's not leaking somewhere. I've looked under the cabinet at the pump and there appears to be no water under there. I didn't realize there would have to be a check valve on the supply side of the pump but it makes sense that the pump would need something to keep the pressure from bleeding back into the fresh water tank. The pump never cycles by itself - only when a faucet is opened. Then it goes into speedy mode, cycling every couple of seconds. That may rule out a leak or a failing check valve. I will look for the pressure adjustment first. That sounds like the simplest approach. Thanks again. 
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