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Old 01-10-2025, 04:57 PM   #1
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2021 27' Globetrotter
Malibu , California
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Water pump issue (Urgent: CA Wildfires)

Hi all,

Our ranch got hit by the Palisades Fire and I’m living in my Airstream (27F Globetrotter).

The water pump usually makes a loud buzz until it reaches a certain pressure, then turns off until you open a faucet.

Right now it makes a constant but more subtle buzz and the water flow is minimal.

- the fresh water tank has been empty for months
- tank is now full
- we occasionally get an hour of city water when the firefighters are not drawing that much. I get good flow with city water, I tried running the water pump simultaneously and no difference
- I opened the cabinet and the pump looks fine, you can hear the buzz but you can’t see any water in the clear plexi bubble with the filter. I also opened the Winterize latch and nothing changes.

My amateur guess is that it is just pumping air. Would appreciate any instructions so I have access to water tonight.
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Old 01-10-2025, 05:31 PM   #2
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Sorry about the fire! I've got friends who lost homes in the Palisades.



I recall the water pump manual says it will prime up to 6 ft. Mine doesn't. So after checking your strainer to make sure it's tight, my solution is to pull the winterizing tube out from under the heat ducts, etc. then manually fill the winterizing tube with water, make sure the valve is in the winterizing direction and open a faucet. Water should disappear from the tube. You can do a second test after the first and fill the winterizing tube with water, stick it into a pail of water and open the faucet.


If you get success you ought to be able to suck water from your fresh water tank.


Steve
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Old 01-10-2025, 07:11 PM   #3
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Hmm, if the pump continues to run, maybe the outside shower is on?
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Old 01-10-2025, 09:12 PM   #4
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Is the water strainer basket tight? Mine has loosened over winter and created air intrusion...albeight from winter in the Northeast.
That could suck air and not let the pump prime? It sounds like an air intrusion so lack of pump prime.
Sorry for such a lame answer in your terrible situation.
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Old 01-11-2025, 08:07 AM   #5
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Just a guess, but it sounds like the pump has not "primed." As others have said, it may take a little fidgeting to make it work. Here's the method we sometimes need to utilize:

1) pump off.

2) open all faucets to warm setting so both cold and hot lines are in use.

3) turn on pump - it will run and run and run with just a trickle of water coming through - eventually reaching "prime" and then pumping water at a more normal rate but probably still slow.

4) turn off all faucets and turn off pump.

5) next step is to bleed the air from the lines - open the faucet furthest from the pump then turn on the pump and allow the air to spit out of the line. Turn off the faucet then turn off the pump. It may be necessary to repeat this several times at the far faucet.

NOTE the sequence - pump off, open faucet. Close faucet, pump off.

6) do this at each faucet as needed to bleed the air from the lines.

After bleeding all the lines be sure to use the system as intended which involves a slightly differently sequence - Pump on, open faucet. Close faucet, pump off. In other words, regular operation is that any time the faucet is open the pump should be on prior to opening the faucet and the pump should be turned off only after the faucet is off.

By the way, if you have a tank in your water heater, your water heater may have been empty and the pump was spending its time and pressure filling the water heater tank.
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Old 01-11-2025, 10:13 AM   #6
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another thing you can try is to open the valves below your tank. the are two of them.

I hope it's not a clog to your pump.
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Old 01-11-2025, 10:30 AM   #7
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The first sentence describes how it should work - a buzz till pressure is reached and then silent until you open a faucet.

The next sentence doesn't sound good with the constant buzz and low flow - likely either you've got air getting into the line, a blockage, or some other issue on the intake side. Like mentioned earlier, check to see if the strainer came loose or something is clogging it.

Is the flow the same at both the kitchen and bathroom sinks?
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Old 01-11-2025, 10:32 AM   #8
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Hi

If it is the pump, they are pretty easy to find at a store. Replacing one is not a super insane project.

Best guess is as mentioned above, one of the drain valves didn't get fully closed after winterization. It's going drip drip drip somewhere ....

Bob
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Old 01-11-2025, 10:59 AM   #9
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Water Pump Issue

Have you checked the strainer at the water faucet outlets? I had low water pressure and pump issues similar to yours and a clogged faucet strainer was the problem. A simple $5 fix.
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Old 01-11-2025, 11:15 AM   #10
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Sorry for what you are going through. Can only imagine. Glad you have your AS as backup.

Following…
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Old 01-11-2025, 11:50 AM   #11
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I don't have much to add, but I can say I added a lot of extra tubing in order to move the pump, the system was empty but it had no trouble priming and refilling the system. I had to bleed each tap, but there wasn't an issue with it pulling water from the tank and expunging air. So, I'd look for a blockage or a leak first.
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Old 01-11-2025, 01:55 PM   #12
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There is s small allen screw at the end of the cylinder on the body of the pump. This adjust top and bottom pressure points. I learned this from a virtual Airstream video that I did while on the road. You can turn this small screw to set adjustment so pump shuts off correctly when it reaches factory set pressure. Try this.
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Old 01-11-2025, 04:57 PM   #13
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I know I had a clogged water filter once on my classic. Since I very rarely use my tank but I immediately knew of a campground that I annually go to and remember when I filled a jerry can there the can was loaded with silt at the bottom. After that experience I never used their water again and always filled my tanks before going on our annual trip there. Wasn't noticeable visually but the pump sounded different and the water flow was really poor. I ended up pulling the filter off and using a long nail to scrape the screen on the suction side of the filter. Just that little scrape changed the color of the screen and I realized it was fine sediment that was covering the entire screen. Replaced the filter and all was good. Very easy to replace.

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Old 01-11-2025, 09:43 PM   #14
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I had something similar happen after some rough road boondocking. Turns out a rock partially knocked open one of the low point drains underneath. Worth a check.
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Old 01-11-2025, 10:00 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CMHM View Post
Hi all,

Our ranch got hit by the Palisades Fire and I’m living in my Airstream (27F Globetrotter).

The water pump usually makes a loud buzz until it reaches a certain pressure, then turns off until you open a faucet.

Right now it makes a constant but more subtle buzz and the water flow is minimal.

- the fresh water tank has been empty for months
- tank is now full
- we occasionally get an hour of city water when the firefighters are not drawing that much. I get good flow with city water, I tried running the water pump simultaneously and no difference
- I opened the cabinet and the pump looks fine, you can hear the buzz but you can’t see any water in the clear plexi bubble with the filter. I also opened the Winterize latch and nothing changes.

My amateur guess is that it is just pumping air. Would appreciate any instructions so I have access to water tonight.



There is a little plastic cap on the pump. Unscrew it and pour a little water in it until it is full with a paper cup to prime it. Put the cap back. Turn on faucet. Remove cap again and add a little more water in the little area with the cap. Turn on faucet again. Repeat until water runs normally. This will prime the pump and get the air out of the pump that got in there when it became empty.
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Old 01-12-2025, 09:03 AM   #16
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P.S. The clear plastic cap that covers the tiny water reservoir for priming is located on a water line near the pump, not on the pump itself. I’m not near my trailer, but it’s only a few inches away. Remove the cap, fill the reservoir, replace the cap, run the water, and repeat if necessary as mentioned above. I just woke up and realized I said "on the pump" instead of "near the pump." Hope this works for you! This has happened to me many times when we accidentally sucked the fresh water dry. When air gets into this small area with the cap, the pump won’t work. Everything else is probably fine; at least that’s been my experience in the past.
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Old 01-18-2025, 09:00 PM   #17
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Hi folks,

I ended up having to be in the city to have my eyes and lungs checked (I fought the fires for three nights and managed to save it all, including the Airstream).

Anyways, back in the Airstream tonight and the little clear strainer basket wasnt tight. Such an easy fix, thank you.

The pump now seems to work, but the water stutters at all faucets. I let it run for 3mins now and there's still air coming out. With faucet closed the pump now works continuously, probably trying to clear the air.

Let me know if I should let the faucets just run?

Thank you all, S
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Old 01-18-2025, 09:31 PM   #18
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Had similar trouble, check for air leaks even down to the holding tank its a bit of a reach but if can get some grip on it those connections are threaded. should be able to get it from the cubby pump door
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Old 01-19-2025, 08:29 PM   #19
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Had similar trouble, check for air leaks even down to the holding tank its a bit of a reach but if can get some grip on it those connections are threaded. should be able to get it from the cubby pump door
Genius, the threaded connection going into the strainer basked was very lose. All sorted, thanks so much!
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Old 01-20-2025, 10:41 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CMHM View Post
- the fresh water tank has been empty for months
- tank is now full
That's indicative of a leak in the internal check valve in the pump. Mine did the same thing. (Along with too often a "brrrrp") I ended up replacing the pump and it cured both problems. A new ShurFlo 12v. is about $70, and I decided to rebuild my old pump as a spare. Everything lined up and I used WAGO electrical connectors so next time will be simpler.
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