HELP PLEASE water pump runs continuously

[Dave_Monica]

Originally Posted by RVChick

Well it ended up that we were low on water. Even though it kept saying we were down to 1/3 tank! Odd that it kept trying to pump water. Lesson learned! Thank you all for helping so quickly! This forum is such a peace of mind when you need help! Oh and this pump is super quiet too! If it hadn't been so quiet in here, I would never had heard it running!

It's not unusual for the no water situation even though the monitor still show 1/3 full. The suction line for the pump usually isn't on a sump at the bottom of the tank...the connection to the tank is on the side or end. You may be surprised by the amount of water still in the tank below the pump suction connection.

I recall someone on here moving the pump suction line to the tank drain connection on the sump of the tank with a 'T' connector. Then use can use every gallon in the tank. The downside is that any debris in the tank may clog the pump suction line.

Dave

[btxlr]

Hi,

Our new 395amp has a pump that runs continuously & noisily. We know we have water, because we filled it to overflow. We were told it is a faulty pump. We also seem to have a faulty FW gauge also, as it jumps between 2/3 Full & Empty. Luckily, our dealership is sending us a new pump for now, as we are snowed in (but not 'froze-in'!). Thanks for the input here- every bit helps, as the manuals are extremely generic.

[btxlr]

We just filled our 395amp FW tank, and for the past 20 minutes water has been running out of a blue rubber hose under the middle of the unit that has no fittings or valve... as much water as we've put in has run out. It isn't the low point drain- what IS it? The service mgr at the dealership couldn't identify it over the phone. We understand there is an overflow valve, but how long/how much should run out if that's what it is?

Also, our water pump (which will be replaced) is sending only cold pressurized water to our bathroom, and no water at all to the kitchen. Is this strictly a pump issue? The hot water tank is fired up and full but no water is getting out.

We are in a snowy area, but we have the underbelly skirted/insulated, and tank heater has been on.

Thanks,

Brian & Terri

[RVChick]

Btxlr did you check the bypass at the hot water tank. If that is open, it won't go thru the hot water tank. Just a thought!

[VinceU]

Its the tank overfllow, many have similar problem. Vent is very low, when tank fills its begins to siphon, and will drain the tank till the vacuum breaks. Could to < 1/3 tank remaining. Some have raised vent couple feet inside to prevent this.

[btxlr]

Thanks Vince, Hopefully thats it, can you tell us where this vent is. Do you think that's why we don't have any water to kitchen and only cold to restroom?? Thanks for all the help as this is our first RV. We're looking at 10 below tonight. Could this siphon issue drain the hot water tank too.
Thanks for your expertise.

[btxlr]

Thanks RVChick,
Yep we found out the hard way after de-winterizing that we even had a bypass valve. The sytem was fully funtional until we ran low on water,our FW monitor showed 2/3 full at time of actual empty a couple of days ago. I just can't get that there is no modle specific manual for greenhorns. We are learning all this in 12" of snow and neg temps ugg!!

[VinceU]

Two words go South!! -10 not good for humans or rv, more later from keyboard....

[btxlr]

Vince,

Wish we could go south, but not for a few more weeks! Thanks for any and all input- we appreciate it during the learning curve-

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Almost all pumps are designed to run dry
Without harm.

I agree the pump can run dry with no damage, I would start to look for a leak somewhere, the pump is not pressurizing. You could also have a bad seal in the pump but highly unlikely. you could have also picked up some garbage from the tank holding the valve open now. Also you can set the on and off on the better pumps by pressure also if you are low on H2O in the tank you might not be able to pressurize.... I do not know which model you have.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by btxlr

We just filled our 395amp FW tank, and for the past 20 minutes water has been running out of a blue rubber hose under the middle of the unit that has no fittings or valve... as much water as we've put in has run out. It isn't the low point drain- what IS it? The service mgr at the dealership couldn't identify it over the phone. We understand there is an overflow valve, but how long/how much should run out if that's what it is?

Also, our water pump (which will be replaced) is sending only cold pressurized water to our bathroom, and no water at all to the kitchen. Is this strictly a pump issue? The hot water tank is fired up and full but no water is getting out.

We are in a snowy area, but we have the underbelly skirted/insulated, and tank heater has been on.

Thanks,

Brian & Terri

Ok back to the subject the "blue tube" sticiking down is probably 3/4" pex tubing, like all the other piping on the unit but larger. It is probably covered in screen to keep critters out and secured to the tubing In my unit and many others it simply exits the top of the tank and immediatlely makes a 180 deg. turn and down. If the unit is off level or the tank is off level the water reaches the vent early and fills. Only 6" higher than the water a siphon starts the the water starts to leave the tank, there is no other openings to stop the vacuum. I've seen here in this forum, many people install a valve to stop the overflow early duing the transit and then open at the destination. A much better way to do it is to raise the 180 at least a couple of feet fitted with a vacuum break valve (avail in major and smaller hardware stores. Then you could fill and overflow safely and end the tank shortage. The vent does not have to go straight up. You can find a closet or hollow wall nearby route over to that space then insall your 180. The anti syphon valve will not let flow into its occupied space it simplly will not allow the line to go under vaccum. The the tank 1/2 full the water can slosh to the vent, fill it and start the syphon effect untill it sloshes back. If you decide to plug you must remove the plug to use the pump system, tank damage will result otherwise.

As for the hot water, some systems have three valves 1. cold water into heater, 2. Hot water from heater and the bypass valve you are familiar with. For service 1 and 2 open and bypass shut, for winter 1 and 2 closed and bypass open.