Water Pump Intermittently Runs

[BZP]

I have a 2004 Winnebago Journey motor home. During a recent trip the water pump began intermittently operating when no water was being used in the coach. I know this is reflective of a leak in the system that allows the pressure to drop. However, my RV has no visible water leaks. I think the problem is a leaking tank fill isolation valve that is allowing water to leak from my pressurized water system into my storage tank. Does this analysis sound correct? Could the problem be something else?

I have A 1/2 inch plastic ball valve for this isolation that I think I could replace myself if this is likely the problem. Another clue worth noting is that I have also noticed that my water tank sometimes fills with water when the isolation valve is closed and the coach is using a city water supply.

I would like some input from more experienced RV owners before I start attempting this fix. Has anyone run into a similar issue?

Thanks for your help.

[Kiawah]

If your pump is sureflow, it probably has two small adjustments you can tweak, read the adjustment specs.

The way I tell whether I have a leak, or the pump is just internally bypassing, is I disconnect the water from the coach and hold my palm over the pump output. If pump continues to cycle, it's the pump bypass. If it stops with the palm, and then continues when reconnected, then you know it's on the coach side of the connection.

Could by the valve you mention, or could be a real leak. Like you, I find it difficult to track down whether there really is a leak.

[Gary RVRoamer]

There are two ways to leak back into the fresh tank:
1. Through the pump itself, e.g. a leaky diaphragm or check valve
2. Through the tank fill bypass valve.

They are about equally likley

[Smitty77]

Also do check all around the wet bay and elsewhere, for leaks. A leak in the wrong place, could take along time to make it to the ground where you can see it!

Check under sinks, check access to back of your shower to check that area too, if you have washing machines take look behind them, Aqua/HdroHot - yep, check around them too.

We have our pump kicking on from time to time too. Not real frequently, and like yours just long enough to build up pressure again. We just did all of that inspection process yesterday, and have not located the leak. (Ours is leaking under the wet bay area, but the wet bay area - including inside the access panel we have to work on the pump and drain valves and pressure regulator - is dry. Just to be safe, I also opened up and checked the whole house water filter area too - dry.

I have one more place to check, and that is in an access panel above our Hydro Hot. (It was raining and cold in Cheyenne Mountain area of Colorado Springs the last few days. So left most of the outside work for a warmer day!) We just turn off the water pump until we need it!

Good luck on your hunt!
Smitty

[TechWriter]

Do you have an RO (Reverse Osmosis) unit in your coach?

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by TechWriter

Do you have an RO (Reverse Osmosis) unit in your coach?

Sure did not want to hijack his this thread, was just sharing the places I've looked so far for leaks. So if asking me, no RO. But, I did leave out that as we were looking over our water system, I left out two things:

-In addition to our coaches whole house filter. We also have a ceramic filter under the kitchen sink to provide a higher filtration and cyst protection water faucet.

-And we also have an ice maker line with a small inline charcoal finisher filter, to our Samsung. But it is turned off, as we use trays to make our ice.

Those are also two good locations to look for a leak.

I'll get out in the AM, and look over the Hydro Hot area in our coach, as well as remote the access panel from above it, as it provides visibility to the top of the black/grey tank, and from memory - can see across to the water bay side to.

OP - Best to you, as you are not (Maybe yet!) seeing water leaking, the pump and back flow are two prime areas to research.

Please let us know what you find, as it might help others (Heck, me!) too...
Smitty

[BZP]

I have no reverse osmosis system.

[BA-in-Mich]

Mine has been leaking back through itself for 17 years. We turn on the pump when we need it and shut it off when were through. If we hear it run because someone left it on it gets shut off. You also don't have to worry about a line breaking and flooding the place.