No water!

[KevandSyl]

Prepping for our first trip in 2016 FR3 30DS - wanted water for toilet while on road. Filled fresh water tank 1/3 full and turned on pump - hear the pump - no water. Thought ok, maybe needs to be full first time. Still nothing. Previous years of renting it was simple. What are we missing? Thank you in advance.

[RSchleder]

Could be several things!

1) Are you sure you winterizing syphon valve is closed? If open, your pump will suck air.
2 )Not knowing your fresh water tank fill configuration, is the "fill valve" closed?
3) Did you open the faucet closest to the pump? This allows air to be expelled while the pump primes and fills the system.

Let us know what you find.

[KevandSyl]

this photo shows the way the valves were during the walk through and the way that they are now. According to the tech- this photo shows the top and bottom valves are open and the middle one closed. My husband seems to think that the middle one looks to be open and should be closed. Is that why no water when water pump turned on?

Sorry - photo is turned - red is top and blue is bottom

[Zoom]

You may have a valve at the pump itself. Make sure that is open.

[DSurette]

Those valves look to be your water heater bypass valves. In normal operation the middle valve should be closed and the other two open. That's the way they should be now. You need to close the middle one. To bypass the water heater for winterizing the middle one is open and the other two closed. Then you would drain the water heater. This has nothing to do with your problem of no water and I'm not familiar with the FR3 so I can't help you there. It does sound like something simple like a valve in the wrong position.

[WFD]

Your husband is correct...the middle one is in the open position, thats where you want it to winterize. In order to get hot water that one needs to be turned. The other 2 appear to already be in the open position which is what you want for normal operation.

As to why no water from your pump...do as others have suggested, make sure that if you have a bypass valve near where the pump is that it is turned in position to draw water from the tank and not the bypass tube used for winterizing...also check to see if you can get water from other faucets. Then make sure to let us know what you found.

[RSchleder]

Your picture is NOT the valves I am speaking about in post #2.

Find your water pump and see if there is a valve that leads to a "short tube" used to syphon antifreeze from the jug into your system when winterizing. THAT valve must be CLOSED to stop the pump from sucking in air.

Do you have a fill valve on your Rv that turns from "Fill fresh water" to "city water"? If so, you must turn that valve to "city water" AFTER filling your fresh water tank or using city water through your hose

[KevandSyl]

Thank you all so much. It is dark here in Fairfax, we are tired and he is frustrated. He is just re-reading the "your husband is correct" sentence over and over right now to soothe this wound. Back to it tomorrow.

[KYSam]

I also have a 30ds and you might need to add more water to the tank. The suction line is on the side and it will start drawing air when the level is low. Add enough water to get 1/2 of a tank and try again.

If that does not work then make sure that the winterization valve, which is inline on the suction line of the pump, is set to draw from the water tank. You can tell by the position of the handle and it will be lined up with the tank suction hose. The suction side of the pump is the one that has the filter.

The winterization valves on the tank will not cause you not to get water to your rv, but it will prevent you from filling up you water heater. If you turn on your water heater without it being filled it will cause damage to it. Remember to bleed the air from the water heater by opening the relief valve on the tank.

If your system is dry, then it might take some time to get the lines filled with water and also your water heater, it is 6 gallons.

[KevandSyl]

the tank is almost full - he is back out there again with hopes that the winterization valve is the culprit. He is thinking that the hot water tank needs to be filled prior to operation.

How can people that sell RV's actually know so little. I don't understand that.

[WFD]

As was stated earlier, the hot water valve will not prevent from getting water, but will prevent you from getting hot water. Some water will still get through to the hot water tank, but with the middle valve in the open position cold will mix with hot and thus feels like you are getting very little hot water.

I agree with RSchleder...given the dealer still had you in winterize mode i would not be surprised if the valve by the pump to suck water from tank vs RV antifreeze jug is likely in the wrong position, which is not allowing you to draw from the tank...first thing you need to do is let us know if you are getting any water at all, from any source with the pump...the water heater valve will not prevent you from getting any water.

But again...your husband is correct..., the water heater needs to be full prior to operation, or you risk burniong out the element.

BTW...there many dealers just like yours, hard to imagine but the industry is riddled with them.

[KevandSyl]

This is Kev now. Got it! Center valve was in the open position and it needed to be closed. The "short tube" was also in the open position. Took the cap off and could tell it was drawing air. That is how I knew to close it. Then I thought - wow this forum is awesome! Water is flowing from shower and both sinks! Thank you all so much!!

p.s. not one person at the dealership knows anything.

[KevandSyl]

"But again...your husband is correct..."

All is right in his world now.

Syl

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by KevandSyl

the tank is almost full - he is back out there again with hopes that the winterization valve is the culprit. He is thinking that the hot water tank needs to be filled prior to operation.

How can people that sell RV's actually know so little. I don't understand that.

By the way, yes, unless the water heater is intentionally bypassed, the heater tank needs to be filled. That will take the first 6 gals. (if that's your capacity) when you hook up to city water for the first time in the year, or when you first fill your FW tank after de-winterizing or after otherwise draining the hot water tank, such as to clean it out.

If first filling the water system (such as in the spring, or after cleaning the water out) with the FW tank and pump rather than city water, you will hear the pump run for a while filling up the lines and the hot water tank.

[RSchleder]

Outstanding!!!!! As important as it is for us to offer suggestions, it's a "tip of the hat" to YOU for listening and being willing to try different things until "you got it" Congratulations!!