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viper28574 · 01-11-2014, 07:59 AM

This past Tuesday when the temps fell below 0 here, I left my water dripping and evidentally it wasn't enough and I woke up with a loud hum or buzzing sound coming from behind my drawers at the sink and after my hose thawed as long as the switch is on it keeps humming or buzzing and will get louder and louder the longer it stays on. It does sound like its trying to push water through but it only comes in spurts, and if I turn the switch off no water will come out. I as well stay hooked up to the city water connection being I live in it full time. I'm not sure what's wrong but if someone could help me I would be greatly appreciative. The camper is a fifth wheel Coachmen Cascade. Im not sure the year or model or how to know.

jesilvas · 01-11-2014, 09:07 AM

Sounds like you left your water pump on? Not sure why you'd do that if you're on city water.
Let it thaw and you'll have water.

Also, tenth character in the VIN is the year model. Numbers by the entry door are the model.

jimcumminsw · 01-11-2014, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viper28574

This past Tuesday when the temps fell below 0 here, I left my water dripping and evidentally it wasn't enough and I woke up with a loud hum or buzzing sound coming from behind my drawers at the sink and after my hose thawed as long as the switch is on it keeps humming or buzzing and will get louder and louder the longer it stays on. It does sound like its trying to push water through but it only comes in spurts, and if I turn the switch off no water will come out. I as well stay hooked up to the city water connection being I live in it full time. I'm not sure what's wrong but if someone could help me I would be greatly appreciative. The camper is a fifth wheel Coachmen Cascade. Im not sure the year or model or how to know.

I am not familiar with your camper but what switch our you turning on in the camper? Is it the water pump for the holding tank, or the water heater?

Now it does sound like the water pump for the water tank is trying to pass water and this may still have ice in it. So I would open up whatever drawers and or cabinets’ doors that you can so heat can get in there to thaw the pump out.

Now you say that you are on city water do you have a water regulator on this line? It may be frozen too and needs to be thawed out also. I would also check the water connection point for the city water and the camper to insure that ice is not there either. I would also check your water lines in the basement to insure they are not frozen too.
Just some ideas for you to work with.

Jim W.

wingnut60 · 01-11-2014, 12:49 PM

Water will go where it is easiest to flow. No flow, something is blocked.
Disconnect the water hose and make sure it is not frozen. If temps are at 0 at night, sounds like you ought to be running off the water tank and not the hose. Fill the tank when it is low with the unfrozen water hose, and use the onboard water pump.
If no water with the unfrozen hose, then there is a blockage inside the trailer--possibly an ice plug just near the wall. Also, there may be a check valve in the line and that is not opening--possibly the hum you hear.
As mentioned above, open all cabinets to allow heat to the piping. A hair dryer may help if you can find where the water line comes in from the outside.

It is not unusual for lines to freeze that are located near an outside wall at the temps you mention. You may have to start tracing the water lines--both from the hose inlet and the pump...also, check the pump, it may have frozen also.

Good luck.

Joe

wa8yxm · 01-11-2014, 04:49 PM

Buzzing or humming is water pump

Your fresh tank perhaps is empty?

OR... PEX (the type of "pipe" used in most motor homes) is fairly immune to the effects of freezing.. Just thaw it out and it's still good,

The plastic T's. Couplers and Elbows used with it however.. May not be as, shall we say, accomodating.

You may hve split a fitting or two on the water pump intake side,, Up to and including the inlet screen on the pump itself.

viper28574 · 01-11-2014, 06:36 PM

today I did find the pump its a sureflo and I tried priming it since it was going the night it froze without water and that was no luck, as for the city water connection I do have water coming out of the outside where the line runs from outside water faucet to the city water connection so that's not frozen and I don't live in a rv park its behind my landlords house and they had 3 campers they would rent out. so none of them know anything about campers nor the owners and its been 4 days without water so I was just trying to figure it out myself. as well another question being im running straight city water would I even still need a pump, or shouldn't the water bypass that and come out straight reguardless pump or not.

MartySQ · 01-11-2014, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viper28574

today I did find the pump its a sureflo and I tried priming it since it was going the night it froze without water and that was no luck, as for the city water connection I do have water coming out of the outside where the line runs from outside water faucet to the city water connection so that's not frozen and I don't live in a rv park its behind my landlords house and they had 3 campers they would rent out. so none of them know anything about campers nor the owners and its been 4 days without water so I was just trying to figure it out myself. as well another question being im running straight city water would I even still need a pump, or shouldn't the water bypass that and come out straight regardless pump or not.

You shouldn't need the pump if you are running water in from a city water source that screws onto your motor home/ camper. The fill for your fresh water reservoir is usually a little cup shaped entrance with a hole that is not threaded and in older models at least, it usually is on the opposite side of the camper as the electric and city water. I could be incorrect on which side it is but the fill for the tank is not threaded.

wingnut60 · 01-11-2014, 07:03 PM

There should be a hose thread connection on the side of your trailer where the water hose attaches--did you have water before something froze? Can you find where the water hose connection comes thru the wall and starts to the rest of the plumbing? If you can find that and get to it, take the connection off and have someone turn the hose on while you watch. If water comes thru, the you just need to start following that line to another connection point. If the connections are crimped, this will not allow you to take the line off. Probably not an easy task with the temps you mentioned. Have you opened all the cabinets under everything to allow warm air to get in there? Somewhere you should be able to determine where the water is being stopped. Also look for an odd-looking item in the line itself--this would be a check valve that may be stuck closed.
Joe