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Old 05-05-2020, 02:35 PM   #1
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Pump will not suck water out of fresh water tank

Have been trying to figure out what to do and frustrated as ever. So far I’ve tested the check valve and it appears to be working fine. Blew water back through the line and it comes out the overflow in fresh water tank...so I know it goes back there but can’t figure out why I can’t suck water out of the tank. When I disconnect the water hookup, and turn on the pump I get water out...but it slowly goes to a trickle and eventually stops. I’ve check all connections at the pump and sinks and have no leaks. Checked fittings where pump connects to the bypass valves and no leaks. I’m not sure what else to try and hoping someone has some suggestions.
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Old 05-05-2020, 02:37 PM   #2
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Check the sediment filter before the pump. Clear cover unscrews.
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Old 05-05-2020, 05:10 PM   #3
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I had one RV that I had to remove the water line from the inlet side of the pump and allow water to flow unto all the air was out then reattach it to the pump and turn it on to get it to prime. I only had that problem with that one unit, and it made no sense because the pump was well below the tank so it should have primed with gravity with no problem, but it didn’t. That silly thing would do it every time I drained the fresh tank.
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Old 05-05-2020, 06:05 PM   #4
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Have to ask, "Is the winterizing valve in the wrong position where the pump is just sucking air from the "antifreeze suction port"?

The Water pump will keep water from flowing back into this port when hooked to city water but you'll get no suction from water tank. Doesn't have to be all the way into the wrong position, just enough to suck air from the winterizing port.

Just a thought.
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Old 05-05-2020, 06:12 PM   #5
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Check the small clear filter strained attached to the pump. If you used air to winterize, there could have been some water in it which can freeze and crack it allowing air to enter the pump.
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Old 05-06-2020, 03:43 PM   #6
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I have to prime the one in my 3008 every time as it sits above the tank.
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Old 05-06-2020, 03:46 PM   #7
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Do you a bypass my 2012 did
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Old 05-06-2020, 03:47 PM   #8
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Thanks for the info. I’ll give it a try. Will try anything to see if it will work....I’ve run out of ideas so appreciate your response.
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Old 05-06-2020, 04:13 PM   #9
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It sounds like you have the diverter switched to the winterize/antifreeze suction position instead of the fresh water tank position.

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Old 05-06-2020, 04:57 PM   #10
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Water Pump Not Sucking from Fresh Water Tank

I agree with all of the above suggestions. They are the most likely issues.
I also think you might check to be sure you have water in the fresh tank. I overfill mine and the overflow siphons the tank almost dry. There are a lot smarter people than I on here and I would try their suggestions first. I also have had valves in wrong position several times. I have two water heaters and two times the chance to mess up. But some would say two times the chance to learn to do it properly! Ha Ha!!
Good Luck
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Old 05-06-2020, 05:05 PM   #11
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You didn't mention this, so one other possibility...a long shot.

Many RVs have a pickup point for RV antifreeze just prior to the pump. The valve functions much like the bypass valves for the hot water heater.

Turn it one way and it draws from the fresh tank. Turn it the other way and it draws from a jug of RV antifreeze.

My new RV has this, and it's a first for me...never had this in previous rigs. It took me a moment to figure out what was happening.
The behavior you mention - short burst of water followed by a trickle then nothing - sounds familiar.

I was sanitizing my new rig for its maiden voyage. I have an "in-line" chlorine dispenser for my main feed hose from the house. It attaches to the hose bib and chlorinates EVERYTHING from the house to the grey-water dump. So, the whole rig was full of water, and all air was purged. Things were going great, or so I thought.

After sanitizing through the city water line, I filled the fresh tank with chlorinated water, and let it "steep" overnight. The next day, I began working on it. But the pump "didn't work." I turned on the pump with all valves closed, and residual water from the city water that had fed the lines was still in the PEX. The pump literally built air pressure and was using that air pressure to push residual water out of the faucets each time I opened a valve...but only an intermittent sputter.

I opened the lid in the dinette (where my water pump is) and saw the valve and pickup hose...again, a first for me. I scratched my head for a moment, then I turned the valve 90 degrees and bam, water!

The pump was sucking air - pumping air - through the antifreeze pickup hose and pressurizing the PEX just enough to give me a good burst of water followed by a trickle. Close the valve, reopen and another burst. Eventually much of the water left in the PEX had been blown out by the air from my water pump.

Doh!!

Again, it's a long shot. But if your pump is relatively new and you're kind of new at this, you might double check this valve.

ALSO: Assuming this doesn't solve the problem...while you're messing with the filter screen, see if you can help prime the pump by pouring a small amount of clean water into the filter housing before you reassemble it. Turn on the pump and use a turkey baster, catsup squirt bottle or similar tool that can dribble water slowly into the housing. As the pump picks up the water and pumps it away, having a decent amount in the tool will enable you to keep feeding more water. If the pump is bone dry, feeding it a bit of water may freshen up the seals in the pump and get it going. Once primed, the seals will get better and better with use. I had to do this once to resurrect an older pump.

Note that often times the filter/screen housing is not well oriented for this trick, but you should be able to twist the housing one way or the other so the open housing is pointed "up" and will accept the water to prime the pump.

To be fair, that old pump was in my previous rig - the PUP - and it eventually gave up the ghost. It pumped water, but the check valve couldn't do the job anymore, and it cycled on and off every few minutes as the pressure leaked back though the check valve. But that didn't prevent the pump from priming and pumping.

P.S.
NOT RV Related:
Years ago I had an 1837 farmhouse with a well. The well had a "jet pump" (the pump was not in the well, but much like the RV pump, it sucked water from the well rather than pushing it up from the well as in-the-well pumps do). It, too, had a check valve -- at the "foot" (bottom) of the well. Between the pump being old and the seals worn, and the likely possibility that the check valve was leaking a bit, and the fact that the well could run "dry" now and then...the pump could suck air...and lose its prime. I had to keep a 5 gallon container of water at the ready to prime the pump if it couldn't catch prime. Fun times.

But I digress.
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Old 05-06-2020, 05:52 PM   #12
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I had same problem with our Rockwood, the water diverter in the shower was in the almost closed position, this diverts shower back to the fresh water tank. As soon as I completely closed it the pump started working, well as soon as got all the air out of the lines.
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Old 05-06-2020, 06:12 PM   #13
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Had this problem with the water miser being in open position in the bathtub.
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Old 05-06-2020, 08:11 PM   #14
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I had a similar issue on mine, took the pump out several times couldn't get it to even pump on the bench. Took the head off the pump and is there a valve about the size of a nickle that was suck so hard I had about decided it was part of the casting, finally tapped it with a small hammer and it broke loose. Put it back in and it's still pumping away but it was a real head banger.
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Old 05-06-2020, 11:36 PM   #15
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And don't forget the ever popular screen at the faucet being full of sediment. I know that one got a few of us in the past....
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Old 11-19-2020, 07:44 AM   #16
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Check your "Water Miser" if you have one. The one in our 2020 Rockwood 2905S had got us twice. The first time the pump would not suck water from the full FW tank, I thought it was a bad pump or a disconnected water line. Took it back to the dealer and they said they replaced a gasket in the water line. Seemed to fix it. The very next time out though, the same thing happened - no water from a full FW tank. This time we discovered that the "Water Miser" valve was not fully closed and was allowing air to be sucked back into the water system. Once we fully closed the "Water Miser" valve everything worked.
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Old 11-19-2020, 09:10 AM   #17
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Thanks for the info. Our trailer is a 2012. We don’t think it has this, but we’ll check to be sure
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Old 11-22-2020, 06:11 PM   #18
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Having this issue tonight. Water spits and sputters air and little water. I checked all valves. Not pulling from antifreeze hose. All valves correct to water heater. Water heater bypass closed.

From above possibly a priming issue, but I’m not clear on how to do that. Help please?
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Old 11-22-2020, 07:42 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DJ1 View Post
Having this issue tonight. Water spits and sputters air and little water. I checked all valves. Not pulling from antifreeze hose. All valves correct to water heater. Water heater bypass closed.

From above possibly a priming issue, but I’m not clear on how to do that. Help please?
Sounds like your pump is sucking air from somewhere. ASSUMING the pump diaphragm is intact (does the pump build pressure and shut off even if it's just air?) then most common causes are 1) the sediment bowl on the pump intake is loose; 2) a fitting on suction hose is broken or loose; 3) suction hose has a hole in it from puncture or chaffing; 4) (sorry, i have to mention this) Do you have water in the tank???
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Old 11-22-2020, 09:01 PM   #20
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6 months and still having the same problem ??
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