No water from pump

[Castaway]

I started to de-winterize our 2010 22'sport today. I had no problems when hooked up to city water,but I am unable to get any water when using the pump. I know the pump works, I put the inlet hose from the pump into some water and it pumped ok. When I try to use it from the fresh water tank no water comes out of the faucets or toilet all I hear are bubbles comming from them.

Any suggestions?



Gary

[wkerfoot]

You have water in the tank, right?

Could have a hole in the line from the tank to the pump and all you are drawing is air.

Bill

Originally Posted by Castaway

I started to de-winterize our 2010 22'sport today. I had no problems when hooked up to city water,but I am unable to get any water when using the pump. I know the pump works, I put the inlet hose from the pump into some water and it pumped ok. When I try to use it from the fresh water tank no water comes out of the faucets or toilet all I hear are bubbles comming from them.

Any suggestions?



Gary

[dznf0g]

Is the in-line strainer in the line between the tank and pump tight? If it's loose it will draw air.

[Mikethefixit]

Consider if you left water in the Fresh Water tank that it may be frozen yet. Its enclosed under the belly pan and does not get any sun and possibley with take a while to thaw. I dont have a drain but I do pump my tank dry in the winterizing process.

[TG Twinkie]

Disconnect the hose on the intake of the pump and see if water comes out. If you have a valve on the discharge of the tank, make sure it is open. The inline filter may be plugged as well.

[Dan@LED4RV]

You may also look for a small crack in the clear plastic filter on the in-take side of the water pump. Adding to what Bill Kerfoot and dznf0g said in post #2 and#3.

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by Mikethefixit

Consider if you left water in the Fresh Water tank that it may be frozen yet. Its enclosed under the belly pan and does not get any sun and possibley with take a while to thaw. I dont have a drain but I do pump my tank dry in the winterizing process.

If this is the problem, you can add some water to the tank which should melt the ice enough for it to float so that the pump should pick up the water.

I think that I would add some water anyway just to be sure that what was there didn't somehow escape during the winter.

[Castaway]

Originally Posted by wkerfoot

You have water in the tank, right?

Could have a hole in the line from the tank to the pump and all you are drawing is air.

Bill

After blowing air back through the line I now have water in the glass screen thing

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Is the in-line strainer in the line between the tank and pump tight? If it's loose it will draw air.

See above

Originally Posted by Mikethefixit

Consider if you left water in the Fresh Water tank that it may be frozen yet. Its enclosed under the belly pan and does not get any sun and possibley with take a while to thaw. I dont have a drain but I do pump my tank dry in the winterizing process.

the tank was empty over the winter, I filled it before starting and today it is 47 degrees, so it is not frozen

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

Disconnect the hose on the intake of the pump and see if water comes out. If you have a valve on the discharge of the tank, make sure it is open. The inline filter may be plugged as well.

The filter is clean


After talking to Woodland Travel it looks like it may be a bad pump, I will try a few more things tommorrow to check this out.

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions


Gary

[Silver Otter]

I had a similar experience. Could not get the pump to draw with the tank 2/3 full. Talked to a buddy. He said these little pumps can't pull air too well, and that I should fill the tank to overflowing and try again. He also said I had to open the taps to allow the built up air to escape. She ran dry for about ten minutes and then filled very nicely. Like you, I was on the verge of buying a new pump. Whew, dodged that bullet this Spring. The redbud is out and the dogwoods are just showing white. We're going camping!

[KYAirstream]

I had a similar problem this past winter and was about to give up. Before quitting, however, I decided to open a drain valve on the outlet side of the pump. I opened the valve while the pump was running, and the pump started working right away. I have no idea why this worked...perhaps air in the line was interefering and allowed out?

[Castaway]

I found the problem today. Last fall I attached a 20 inch line between the pump and the filter that I used to suck up anti-freeze into the pump. This 20 inches is apparently enough length to diminish the vacum enough that it cannot suction from the water tank. I removed that and everything works as it should. It should be noted that Woodland Travel was a big help trouble shooting over the phone,they even sent a replacement pump to try.

Thanks for all of the ideas and suggestions


Gary