Community Forums

Tigerfan1 · 03-09-2014, 08:34 AM

Last Fall I winterized my coach using the coach water pump. I went to Florida for January and February and am now traveling back to Michigan. The water pump runs but doesn't prime and just keeps running. I thought it might need a new pump so I changed it and still have the same problem. I checked all the fittings and made sure the water fill valve was closed. When it was hooked up to city water, everything worked fine. I need to winterize the coach. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

shaman52 · 03-09-2014, 08:59 AM

1. Water tank full?
2. Air leak on inlet side of pump. Was water filter removed and housing not fully tightened. Check pump and all fittings to tank for tightness.
3. If your DSDP has a check valve between pump and tank it could be stuck.
4. To eliminate all plumbing on output of pump disconnect outlet hose.
Good luck!

PDR John · 03-09-2014, 10:46 AM

You might need to blow back threw the line from the tank to the pump. Could be a little piece of something restricting flow.

It won't take much pressure, a can of duster spray would do it.

Logrady · 03-09-2014, 11:03 AM

after you winterized, did you reverse the bypass value to the pump when you drew up the pink stuff?

dennis45 · 03-09-2014, 12:33 PM

You are not really clear on what you are trying to do.
Are you trying to Winterize again or Summerize?

Winterize,
Valve from pump suction line (Clear Plastic) open. Valve from fresh water tank suction to pump closed. Fresh Water Fill Valve closed. Water to Black Tank closed. All taps in the coach closed. Outside shower closed. Valves at the Hot Water Tank are in the By-Pass Mode. Anode Rod removed and the heater drained.

Clear plastic line inserted into a jug of Pink Antifreeze. Turn the pump on with the switch in your water bay. Pump should start and run long enough to reach shut off pressure and be drawing Pink from the jug. If it keeps running, you have a valve open somewhere in the system and the pump cannot build up pressure to shut off. Go back to square one and recheck your valve positions. Make sure the clear line is fully inserted into the Pink Jug.

Summerize,
Clear Plastic Line (Winterize Line) to Pump Suction Closed. Pump Suction Valve to Fresh Water Tank Open. Valves at the Water Heater in the Flow Through Mode, leaving the over pressure valve on the heater open to bleed off air when turn the water on. Anode Rod installed. Water Pump switch is turned Off at this point. All taps in the coach are turned Off.
Now, turn on the City Water Supply and watch the Over Pressure Valve on the water heater and shut it off when you have water flowing.
Open the outside shower valve and run both hot and cold till you have no air and no Pink.
Now go in the coach and run hot/cold on each tap and the toilet until you have removed all the Pink. If you have a washer, you will need to run it through a short cycle on warm. Turn on the Fresh Water Tank Fill and run a few gallons into the tank.
At this point, you have removed all the air from the system and if you turn on the water pump, it should not run but for a short time to pressure up the system. Note, you need water in the tank at this point..
If it keeps running, as above, go back and re-check your valve positions.
Keep this in mind....... The Water Pump will run as long as it has a place to dispose of pressure. Once that opening is closed, it will run for a few seconds to pressure up and stop......
It will also run if the Pump Suction Line is open to air cause it does not have liquid to pick up. IE: Empty water tank or Winterizeing Valve open...

Good Luck

Rotten-Red · 03-09-2014, 07:04 PM

It sounds like you can't get the pump to prime. If you have water in the tank, turn the pump on and then open your tank fill valve to relieve any pressure build up on the outbound side of the pump. These pumps can be hard to prime if they are pushing against pressure.
If your drawing anti-freeze from a jug, make sure you have your valves in the right positions and turn the pump on. But instead of opening the tank fill valve open your cold water valve on the outside shower to relieve the pressure.

"007" · 03-09-2014, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dennis45

You are not really clear on what you are trying to do.
Are you trying to Winterize again or Summerize?

Winterize,
Valve from pump suction line (Clear Plastic) open. Valve from fresh water tank suction to pump closed. Fresh Water Fill Valve closed. Water to Black Tank closed. All taps in the coach closed. Outside shower closed. Valves at the Hot Water Tank are in the By-Pass Mode. Anode Rod removed and the heater drained.

Clear plastic line inserted into a jug of Pink Antifreeze. Turn the pump on with the switch in your water bay. Pump should start and run long enough to reach shut off pressure and be drawing Pink from the jug. If it keeps running, you have a valve open somewhere in the system and the pump cannot build up pressure to shut off. Go back to square one and recheck your valve positions. Make sure the clear line is fully inserted into the Pink Jug.

Summerize,
Clear Plastic Line (Winterize Line) to Pump Suction Closed. Pump Suction Valve to Fresh Water Tank Open. Valves at the Water Heater in the Flow Through Mode, leaving the over pressure valve on the heater open to bleed off air when turn the water on. Anode Rod installed. Water Pump switch is turned Off at this point. All taps in the coach are turned Off.
Now, turn on the City Water Supply and watch the Over Pressure Valve on the water heater and shut it off when you have water flowing.
Open the outside shower valve and run both hot and cold till you have no air and no Pink.
Now go in the coach and run hot/cold on each tap and the toilet until you have removed all the Pink. If you have a washer, you will need to run it through a short cycle on warm. Turn on the Fresh Water Tank Fill and run a few gallons into the tank.
At this point, you have removed all the air from the system and if you turn on the water pump, it should not run but for a short time to pressure up the system. Note, you need water in the tank at this point..
If it keeps running, as above, go back and re-check your valve positions.
Keep this in mind....... The Water Pump will run as long as it has a place to dispose of pressure. Once that opening is closed, it will run for a few seconds to pressure up and stop......
It will also run if the Pump Suction Line is open to air cause it does not have liquid to pick up. IE: Empty water tank or Winterizeing Valve open...

Good Luck

x2 this should solve it, Denise beat me to it.

Tigerfan1 · 03-12-2014, 08:56 AM

Thanks to everyone who posted, finally go home (Mich. and 10 in snow storm) and found the problem. My newer high flow water pump went bad. When I installed the replacement spare pump (original equip.) it was at night and didn't realize that one of the rubber washers from the line connection on the suction side of the pump had stuck to the old pump and I was sucking air. Replaced the washer and all is well. Thanks again for everyone's help.

PDR John · 03-12-2014, 09:27 AM

Thanks for posting your solution.

A reminder to check the simple things first.

dennis45 · 03-12-2014, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tigerfan1

Thanks to everyone who posted, finally go home (Mich. and 10 in snow storm) and found the problem. My newer high flow water pump went bad. When I installed the replacement spare pump (original equip.) it was at night and didn't realize that one of the rubber washers from the line connection on the suction side of the pump had stuck to the old pump and I was sucking air. Replaced the washer and all is well. Thanks again for everyone's help.

Glad to hear it worked out for you and thanks for your reply. Shoulda called in sick and stayed in Florida.