Community Forums

deputybulmer · 12-21-2009, 03:17 PM

Hi all.. I am new to this site, so not sure how to manuver around yet, but hope its pretty easy. I have a 36' 2006 Mobil suite by Double Tree. I have been having problems with my water pump constantly running even when water valves are turned off. It doesn't run or make the same noise it does when the valves are open. its a quieter humming sound. I still have decent pressure, checked for any leaks and doesn't appear to be any. The pump is a shurflow 5.7 model #5900-0201. Anyone have any suggestions on how to stop it, or maybe need to bleed it, something.. Thank you.

Andy

Flagelpater · 12-21-2009, 04:25 PM

FWIW If the pump is running it is displacing water. That said, I agree, you do not know if it is a leak or compressing air in the system. Normally, once the air is compressed, temperature being stable, it stays compressed just like water. Either way you must have a leak, water or air. If you have one of the pumps that vary the RPM, and it is just humming, you may have an internal leak within the pump or around the pump. I would be very concerned because a very small leak could, over time, cause considerable damage. If you have valves that can eliminate parts of the system try turning them off. Sometimes toilet paper is handy to find very small leaks. Place a sheet under, or around, a suspected area. It will show up fast and from a distance as well. Don't forget to check the outside shower if you have one.

deputybulmer · 12-21-2009, 05:51 PM

Flagelpater, thank you. I have checked outside shower no leaks there. I have checked around the unit itself and its all dry and no wood stains on the platform they made for it. All areas in and around the unit and the water muffler and lines i have put my hand in and around the insulation they used (white fiber type) and all appears dry and not signs of ever being any type of water leaking. It sits on a slab and ground not wet, so IF there is a leak, im hoping its not in an internal place that cant be seen. I know that lines they have installed in this unit are high quality heavy load lines they say with some kind of pressure clamp, i don't know. But i will try the toilet paper idea and see, right now i only turn pump on when i need water and then turn it off. but like i was saying its a differant type of sound, I cracked the sink valve and let it drip to see if it stays a quiet type humm that its doing, or if it starts the pumping sound, and when i just let water drip, it makes the pumping sound after a couple of minutes, thats what has me scratching my head.. If there was a leak somewhere, i would think it would make that same pumping sound as opposed to the Humming it does when water valve is shut off. I even went and closed the main valve that goes to the pump and the humming stayed the same, so maybe its a seal on one of the quick connects to the pump?? maybe?..

Andy

EngineerMike · 12-21-2009, 06:29 PM

two possibilities:
1) you have a city/tank-fill valve, and you filled the tank recently but forgot to switch the valve over to City when you got done. If so, the plumbing has a crossover that lets the house pump take tank water & pump it over to the city side, which then recirculates to the tank endlessly (that is till you use up the water or the pump burns up).
2) pump gone mad. I had a 5.7 that just started pumping one day and kept it up till it was hotterna fire cracker. At that point I'm pretty sure it melted up the seals or something in the head, as it wouldn't pump much even while it ran continuously.

The 5.7 pump has a "born-on" date on it, and a 3 year warranty from that date. A ShurFlo dealer handed me an exchange pump for the one that when wild and self destructed. Yours may be outa warranty by this point if it is original. Check the date, but first check if you have a fill valve that needs to be reset.

And BTW, Welcome to iRV2!! You'll like it here.

Aircraft · 12-21-2009, 08:37 PM

Hi, Starvation of water. My pump has a filter inline, matter of fact it is threaded at the inlet side of the pump. Fine mesh screen. All I did, remove the water line, remove the filter from the pump. Seperate the filter halfs (halfs lock together) remove the screen, wash and replace. Pump works great.

Dan

deputybulmer · 12-21-2009, 10:33 PM

Mike and Dan, thanks for your thoughts. I don't know about a valve to switch from city to pump. I bought this new in Oct. 2005 and never had problems till about a month ago. I will have to take a picture of the set up, as well as the location of the pump so you can see what i mean and post it tomorrow. I will also take out the filter and clean it again.
Mike thanks for the welcome, this seems to be a great site with a lot of knowledgable and helpful people.

Andy

RedneckExpress · 12-22-2009, 03:51 AM

Hey Deputy, is your water heater full and the air purged out of the lines? Have you checked your low point drains to make certain they're closed? How much water is in your fresh tank?

Have you tested this with the city water unhooked and the dirt plug removed to see if the backflow valve on the city water connection is working? Have you opened all your faucets and burped all the air from the system?

Have you checked the pipe fittings underneath your shower/bath area to see if the fittings are leaking?

Have you checked the connections at the pump itself to see that the hand tightened nuts are snug? Does the humming sound slower or faster when the faucets are off? For the shurflo extreme series (5.7 and 4.0, I just installed the 4.0) the motor slows down as pressure builds up, however, if its got air in the pump it tends to be a bit louder and make a different sound than when it has water in it.

deputybulmer · 12-22-2009, 11:21 PM

Hi All, I have up loaded some photos so you can see what i am looking at. I didnt see any valves that seperate city from tank water. I isolated the flow of water from the pump, so no water leaves into the r.v from the outlet of the pump, so that eliminates any possibilities of leaking lines with in or under r.v. pump still humms, so maybe its something to do with the pump? i tried to tighten up all visible screws i could see on pump but all were tight. well I tried to cope some pics on here but no luck.. If you think you maybe able to tell by looking at the pics, send me email address and i will forward them to any of you. If not, I sincerly Thank all of you for your assistance. My email address is deputybulmer@hotmail.com

Andy

MonacoMama · 12-22-2009, 11:39 PM

deputybulmer -
Where did you upload the photos? I went looking in the photo albums area and did not find an album for you....

deputybulmer · 12-22-2009, 11:58 PM

I tried to load them in this box. is there another way to do it?

Andy

MonacoMama · 12-23-2009, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deputybulmer

I tried to load them in this box. is there another way to do it?

Andy

You can follow the instructions at this link.... many folks find it is easy to do that way...
You can also post your photos into albums here and then put links to the photos OR follow the second instructions in the first link.

Good Luck... let me know if you need more help...

EngineerMike · 12-23-2009, 12:04 AM

Andy- I can't tell for certain from the specifications on the DRV website, but it looks like you don't have an option to run the coach off city water pressure, but can only fill the tank and run off the house pump.

If that's true, I'd carry a spare pump regardless. Its a pain when you are stranded w/out water. I'd also do a "dry run" changing out the house pump, as you have no idea what tools are required for your specific installation. For mine, I had one soft hose to the 5.7 pump and one hard plumbed line. I changed to two soft hoses for less telegraphed noise to the plumbing, and because I can use hose pinchers to close off both lines and I can avoid draining the tank just to change the pump.

If you have no city water pressure option, then it sounds like the 5.7 has gone wild, and needs to be replaced. Before doing so, there should be a phillips screw right in the center of the head. That is the adjustment screw. Turning it full right to its stop, then backing it out 1/4 turn gives you the most positive sensitivity on the pressure sensing. If that doesn't stop the pump (with nothing running in the coach), call tech support at ShurFlo 800-854-3218 and confirm w/them that the pump has gone off the reservation.

deputybulmer · 12-23-2009, 12:09 AM

Ok just figured out how to up load photos. so they are posted in the photos section..

pretty easy if I would have taken a moment and looked lol..

Andy

deputybulmer · 12-23-2009, 12:13 AM

I can run city water and often do. However there is no valve that you have to switch between the two that i am aware of. you can see the location in photos i posted. I need to get what i was told to be a mobil home water pressure regulator so i can regulate the water pressure going into the unit to avoid any potential problems. I will call that phone number for shurflo thank you, i need to see if extended warranty will cover that pump, it should but will check on it.

Andy