Community Forums

Lakeman1 · 02-13-2013, 05:56 PM

My Pacearrow has a valve to use the fresh water hook up connection to fill the fresh water tank. If I am at a location where I have 40 lbs or less of water pressure water will leak into the fresh water tank, with higher pressure no leak. I think there is a check valve somewhere. I have to drain the fwt every 2 or 3 days and make a muddy mess. Any help? Thanks

ahicks · 02-13-2013, 06:07 PM

I think the check valve you're looking for will be in the water pump. They've been known to fail and cause exactly what you're describing.

csrrsr · 02-13-2013, 06:12 PM

We also have the "Y" valve that when turned sideways runs water into the FWT and when turned down runs directly into the coach. There is a check valve. You can hear it when water is running in either direction. But, I don't think the check valve has anything to do with the direction of which way the water is directed. That's the "Y" valves job. So I would presume your "Y" valve is leaking in both directions at the lower PSI. Replace the "Y" valve.

njs42 · 02-13-2013, 06:30 PM

As for draining I had the same problem and before I was able to fix it I spliced a hose connection into my fresh water dump hose so I could either run the water down the sewer drain or if no drain you could run it away from your coach at least.

My problem was a leaky city water/tank valve.

Lakeman1 · 02-14-2013, 06:34 AM

Thanks for all the help, keep the ideas coming. Ahicks so what we are saying is that the water is running from the pluming system backwards thru the FW pump and into the FW tank? It was subjected at one time to save money to add an external check valve and not replace the pump. This would be on the pump "outlet" side if my thinking is correct. This is a flexible hose screw on fitting, would anyone know what size. Thanks again for all the help.
Not sure how water pressure would change a valve leak, but would not surprise me.
The "Y" spliced in would work.

ahicks · 02-14-2013, 07:44 AM

Yes, you have it, and the check valve you're talking about (placed on/near the pumps outlet) would work fine. You could confirm that this is the problem by temporarily blocking the pump off from the city water side to see if your problem continues.

Usually though, these check valves built in within the pump, when they start leaking it's a good time to start thinking about rebuilding the pump. If the plan is to keep the coach for a while that's how I would approach the problem. Rebuild parts are available for most pumps, and easy to install for most do it yourselfers.

Also, there is a slight possibility that there's a piece of crud (plastic shaving?) that's found it's way into the pump preventing a valve from sealing. You might want to pull your pump down to check for something like that prior to buying a kit?

Personally, I might look on this problem as an opportunity to get one of the newer style variable output pumps, so I don't have to deal with the on/off/on/off cycling when I'm just looking for a little water flow? -Al

Tony Lee · 02-14-2013, 07:50 AM

Normal RV pumps have internal valves to prevent backflow and any other external check valve is just there to provide the primary non-return function and protect the pump from the very high mains pressures found at some locations..