Water pump not working

[PEAS_PA]

First season with our 2015 233S. Dry camped once and used water pump to flush at the dump station multiple times. Pump worked great most of the summer. Recently I'm pretty sure my water tank filled while at a site using city water. Possibly a check valve issue, but it only happened once. Then the pump seemed to work half power. Now the pump makes a low noise but doesn't pump water. It's under warranty and I'll have it checked by dealer later, but wondering if anyone has any ideas. Any quick fixes I could try, or is it just fried?

[Bama Rambler]

Are you sure the fresh water tank has water in it?

Also check the suction strainer for debris?

I assume that everything works on city water (faucets, toilet, etc.)?

[5picker]

Bamas right... you said your 'pretty sure' the fresh water tank is filled because of a check valve issue but do you know for sure?

When you said the pump worked at 'half power' did you mean it sounded like the pump was running slow or that it was only pumping half the amount of water you expected.

That comment sounds to me like the classic, "the suction strainer has debris in it" symptom which Bama also mentioned.

A pump starving for supply water, will sound much differently than one under normal circumstances. This different sound (when starved) doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with the pump. I'm also not saying there isn't something wrong with it. I'm just saying that because it "makes a low noise" (as you called it) it could just be starving for water.

[PEAS_PA]

Thanks both for your replies.

I am positive that there was water in the tank. I had added water myself this through the fill port and could see that it was at least half full. What I meant was that I am pretty sure that on a previous trip the tank became full, but I don't recall putting water in it. It may have filled itself due to a check valve issue. That only happened once. Just added that statement to fill in the whole picture.

When pump was operating "half power", I could hear that it sounded different, it wasn't as loud and it pulsed more, and the water didn't come out with as much pressure.

Now the pump runs constantly when turned on, but it isn't as loud as when it was operating at full pressure (that's what I meant...lower volume noise). But no water output.

Water works perfectly fine when hooked up to city water supply.

I will check the suction strainer. I need to look that one up, though. Can you tell me where it is to save me some time?

Thanks again for your help.

Todd

[5picker]

The suction strainer is mounted to the inlet side of the pump.
It is the clear/black part in the lower right of this photo.
Typically the clear part turns off of the black body for servicing.


EDIT:
Here is just the suction strainer.

[5picker]

This was once a popular style of strainer too.
Don't see as many of these but some.
This one has two downfalls...
1. Not as easy to service because of the way it attaches.
2. They were notorious for working loose (on the threaded part) from vibrations of the pump and sucking air. (won't pump water)

Suction Strainer Cleaning Video

RV water pump preventative maintenance.

[syogerst]

Are the little strainers blocked on your faucets. That happened to me this summer. Just unscrew and check. Also did you bleed the air out of the water heater?

[SimchaSabre]

We had similar symptoms. Pump had problems priming. FR replaced the pump at the Goshen rally...but symptoms continued. Finally, I moved the pump closer to the tank an eliminated about 4ft of suction side tubing. I also moved the tank end of the suction tube from the side of the take to the drain port on the bottom. Pump has worked great ever since.

[PEAS_PA]

At camp this weekend. Took some time to check the pump. The screen did have some gunk in it. Feels like a lubricant of some kind. But it didn't seem to be constricting water flow. I decided that the pump likely lost prime. Took the water hose and fed water into the anti freeze inlet. Turned the valve and ran the faucets with water flowing through the pump. Noticed that the pump wouldn't operate under pressure. I'm sure this is by design.

After running a little water through I turned off the hose and relieved pressure at the faucet. I switched the valve back from inlet to tank. Turned on the pump and you could tell it was priming. Ran some water and all is good now.

Thanks again all for your help. This seems to have been a simple priming issue with a simple fix.

[Bama Rambler]

Thanks for letting us know what you found.

Those pumps are good at self priming from the fresh water tank. You possibly had a piece of debris in the check valve along with stuff in the strainer. It possibly came out during the work you did.

Hopefully it won't happen again.

[PEAS_PA]

Well. It did happen again. Lost prime again at the dump station. I think I may be running too much water. I like to fill and dump the toilet a few times to flush the tank. I was able to use the remaining water in the anti-freeze fill line to get a prime back. And got it working again. Will be more careful in the future.

[bubbles]

Can't run to much water using a good pump. Might want to check that the holding tank vent (overflow) tube is clear. There's sometimes a screen over the end of that tube that gets clogged. Just a thought.

[Bama Rambler]

If the system is properly sealed and vented, there's no way it should lose prime. Even if the tank vent is stopped up (which is a possibility) it would eventually stop sucking water, but wouldn't lose prime. I think you have a small leak on the suction side of the pump.

It could be that you have a stopped up tank vent as Bubbles said, and a suction leak that's not leaking until you get a little suction on the tank.

Check the vent screen and all the line and fittings between the pump and tank.

[D W]

Just a thought here. Many times folks will utilize city water instead of FW from the tank. When disconnecting from the CG water a residual pressure will be left in the city water inlet. Then they attempt to use the FW via the pump. It works at first then stops pumping and the pump goes to a low volume hum. With Shurflo 2088 & 4008 Series pumps this is a bypass mode where the pump circulates within itself without any output. Basically, the pump can't overcome the residual city water pressure remaining in the line. Thus an air lock forms and you have pressure equalization. Turn your water pump off. Go outside to the city water connection, remove the cap and gently remove the screen washer. Stick you finger in the inlet and push the valve button (make sure you stand off to the side because there will be pressure coming out and you may get a bath). Relieve all the pressure, replace the screen washer and cap. Your water pump should start working as soon as you flip the switch. I always have the wife open both kitchen faucets when I turn off and disconnect city water at the CG to relieve internal residual pressure.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by D W

Just a thought here. Many times folks will utilize city water instead of FW from the tank. When disconnecting from the CG water a residual pressure will be left in the city water inlet. Then they attempt to use the FW via the pump. It works at first then stops pumping and the pump goes to a low volume hum. With Shurflo 2088 & 4008 Series pumps this is a bypass mode where the pump circulates within itself without any output. Basically, the pump can't overcome the residual city water pressure remaining in the line. Thus an air lock forms and you have pressure equalization. Turn your water pump off. Go outside to the city water connection, remove the cap and gently remove the screen washer. Stick you finger in the inlet and push the valve button (make sure you stand off to the side because there will be pressure coming out and you may get a bath). Relieve all the pressure, replace the screen washer and cap. Your water pump should start working as soon as you flip the switch. I always have the wife open both kitchen faucets when I turn off and disconnect city water at the CG to relieve internal residual pressure.

You shouldn't have to push open the check valve at the city water connection. Just open a faucet. See attached.

[Mowgli64]

Sounds like the same issue I had with ours, brought it in and dealer replaced pump. The check valve was faulty in the pump.

[D W]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

You shouldn't have to push open the check valve at the city water connection. Just open a faucet. See attached.

All things being equal you'd think that's all it would take, but in my case the flow from the faucet just stopped and the pump went into by-pass mode. Same symptoms PEAS PA stated. I made quick call to FR and explained the situation to the Tech. The first thing he said was "tell me you didn't replace the pump". He said he has received dozens of calls where the owner has replaced the pump to the tune of $100, and they still have the same problem. He explained what the problem was and talked me through the steps over the phone (that I posted), and in 5 minutes my problem was solved. No pump relocation, no suction strainer disassembly, no pump valve replacement, and no pump replacement! So for now my money is on the FR Tech.

[bikendan]

Great that your problem is solved.