Cavitated Shurflo water pump during winterization?

[kermitvb]

I was winterizing my new-to-me Arctic Wolf 5th wheel. I've winterized my previous TT, no problems. I used compressed air and anti-freeze before and was using the same. Everything went great until I turned on the water pump to suck up the two gallons of anti-freeze in the fresh water tank. The pump kicked on, then started a rapid and quieter pumping sound. It sounded like the pump was trying to suck up fluid, but unable to. I added another gallon figuring that maybe the intake hose was uncovered. No dice, then I added four more one at a time (in for a penny, in for a pound). No dice. I took opened the access panel and the pump sounds like it wants to suck up fluid, but it obviously isn't. Even thought the pump was working, I checked the 10 amp fuse. It's good. I checked the forum about pumps not working and they suggested opening faucet(s) to prevent back pressure from building and keeping the pump from doing its job. No dice here either.



I went ahead and finished the winterizing process putting anti-freeze into the P-traps and making sure air was in all of the lines.


I have to move my RV to the storage lot because my HOA will have a hissy if it stays another day. So off to the storage lot it goes.


What am I doing wrong? What can I do right? If the pump doesn't have anti-freeze in it over the winter since it's only sucking air, will it be damaged when it freezes this winter?


I'm open to any and all suggestions. Thanks a bunch.

[A32Deuce]

I run my pump to get the water out of it when I blow out the lines. No freezing so far since 2012.

[Mnflyboy]

My Class A Georgetown did the same thing yesterday. I cycled the pump a few times and then just left it on and let it cycle on its own...it suddenly just took off and sucked. Finished pumping in the rest of my antifreeze trouble free.

[CHICKDOE]

oh no! do not put antifreeze into the fresh water tank. it will take a long time to flush it out. do you have a winterization valve? typically these are in the water pump input hose and they allow you to redirect the pumps suction from the fresh water tank to the antifreeze input hose. by any chance did you move that valve to the antifreeze input hose and still put antifreeze into the fresh water tank? if so the pump will not draw from the fresh water tank in that position. if this is the case move the valve back to use the fresh water tanks as the source.

[TheWolfPaq82]

I guessing you didn't have valves set right or if you dumped it into the FW tank...which was replied to as "DON"T DO IT" which is correct...you may have never got enough into the tank to be picked up in the hose for the pump. I can run my tank dry with the pump, open the tank drain valve and get another 4 to 5 gals of water out of it.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

I guessing you didn't have valves set right or if you dumped it into the FW tank...which was replied to as "DON"T DO IT" which is correct...you may have never got enough into the tank to be picked up in the hose for the pump. I can run my tank dry with the pump, open the tank drain valve and get another 4 to 5 gals of water out of it.

Yes... this ^^^^


I'd think a new rig would have a winterizing valve that you would set to draw antifreeze out of a bottle instead of drawing water out of the fresh water tank. If you do, I suspect you have this valve set to draw out of the bottle but you don't have the "draw hose" in a bottle so your pump is sucking air.

Do you have a valve like this or the one in this post ==> #1?

[D W]

Originally Posted by kermitvb

I was winterizing my new-to-me Arctic Wolf 5th wheel. I've winterized my previous TT, no problems. I used compressed air and anti-freeze before and was using the same. Everything went great until I turned on the water pump to suck up the two gallons of anti-freeze in the fresh water tank. The pump kicked on, then started a rapid and quieter pumping sound. It sounded like the pump was trying to suck up fluid, but unable to. I added another gallon figuring that maybe the intake hose was uncovered. No dice, then I added four more one at a time (in for a penny, in for a pound). No dice. I took opened the access panel and the pump sounds like it wants to suck up fluid, but it obviously isn't. Even thought the pump was working, I checked the 10 amp fuse. It's good. I checked the forum about pumps not working and they suggested opening faucet(s) to prevent back pressure from building and keeping the pump from doing its job. No dice here either.



I went ahead and finished the winterizing process putting anti-freeze into the P-traps and making sure air was in all of the lines.


I have to move my RV to the storage lot because my HOA will have a hissy if it stays another day. So off to the storage lot it goes.


What am I doing wrong? What can I do right? If the pump doesn't have anti-freeze in it over the winter since it's only sucking air, will it be damaged when it freezes this winter?


I'm open to any and all suggestions. Thanks a bunch.

I've had this happen before. Try going outside to the city water connection and pushing the check valve button inside the inlet. Stand off to the side though as you may get a bath. Often pressure builds on the city water side and the pump can not overcome it. The pump then goes to by-pass mode and stops pumping. Try it.

[Dirt Sifter]

When my pump acted like this it had an air leak in the system. Found a small crack in the filter cover. Once air was in the line it just spun until it became a closed system again. Good luck!

[5picker]

Originally Posted by kermitvb

I was winterizing my new-to-me Arctic Wolf 5th wheel. I've winterized my previous TT, no problems. I used compressed air and anti-freeze before and was using the same. Everything went great until I turned on the water pump to suck up the two gallons of anti-freeze in the fresh water tank. The pump kicked on, then started a rapid and quieter pumping sound. It sounded like the pump was trying to suck up fluid, but unable to. I added another gallon figuring that maybe the intake hose was uncovered. No dice, then I added four more one at a time (in for a penny, in for a pound). No dice. I took opened the access panel and the pump sounds like it wants to suck up fluid, but it obviously isn't. Even thought the pump was working, I checked the 10 amp fuse. It's good. I checked the forum about pumps not working and they suggested opening faucet(s) to prevent back pressure from building and keeping the pump from doing its job. No dice here either.



I went ahead and finished the winterizing process putting anti-freeze into the P-traps and making sure air was in all of the lines.


I have to move my RV to the storage lot because my HOA will have a hissy if it stays another day. So off to the storage lot it goes.


What am I doing wrong? What can I do right? If the pump doesn't have anti-freeze in it over the winter since it's only sucking air, will it be damaged when it freezes this winter?


I'm open to any and all suggestions. Thanks a bunch.

Adding antifreeze to the fresh tank is NOT the preferred method of ingesting antifreeze into the plumbing.

Two gallons in the fresh tank may simply not been enough antifreeze to reach the suction port on the tank as they are often not on the very bottom of the tank. The pump was likely just sucking air and a little antifreeze.

[kermitvb]

Good evening. I wanted to update everyone who helped me with my thread on my water pump cavitation issue. After your replies and watching a few YouTube videos, I purchased a CAMCO Winterization bypass kit and installed it today. The pump was able to suck up antifreeze from a gallon jug, so the pump will work. I was then able to pressurize the lines in the RV and check that the faucets had antifreeze in them. Now my Fiver should be ready for the St. Louis winter.


One thing, the pump still did not pick up the antifreeze that was in the FW tank. To me that means one of two things...1) there is a hole in the pick up line above the level of antifreeze in the FW tank (6 gallons), or 2) there simply isn't enough antifreeze in the FW tank to cover the end of the pick up hose. Either way, I'll check this out when I dewinterize before my first trip in early March.


Thanks again everyone for your inputs. They helped. That's why I joined this forum.

[5picker]

Super outcome! Thanks for reporting back.

I'm still betting you simply don't have enough liquid in the tank for the pump to suck properly without cavitation.

Several gallons left in a tank when the pump quits drawing is reported here often. Many have moved the suction line and tee'd into the drain line to utilize all the water in their fresh tank.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Glad you got it worked out and let us know. Get that FW tank drained and flushed out when you can. You don't need all that AF sitting in there.

[D W]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

Glad you got it worked out and let us know. Get that FW tank drained and flushed out when you can. You don't need all that AF sitting in there.

X2. Get that antifreeze flushed out of the FW tank as soon as possible. There's something about the polymers in tank plastic that absorb the "pink stuff", if left in there for any period of time. It will effect the taste of the water.