Trying to diagnose fresh water problems

[born2travel]

Pump runs but there isn't any water from the faucets. We have replaced the pump. Still pump runs, but we don't get water from the fresh water tank.
There is water in the tank, however, no water comes out of the supply. Removed the supply fitting, no water comes out from bottom of fresh water tank. Which is 12" from fresh water drain. When opened water pours out of drain.

[007matman]

Do you have a winterizing kit in there? What's the position of the valve?

[born2travel]

Yes there is a winterizing kit. The valve is inline with the fresh water line coming in from the tank.

[born2travel]

Originally Posted by born2travel

Pump runs but there isn't any water from the faucets. We have replaced the pump. Still pump runs, but we don't get water from the fresh water tank.
There is water in the tank, however, no water comes out of the supply. Removed the supply fitting, no water comes out from bottom of fresh water tank. Which is 12" from fresh water drain. When opened water pours out of drain.

The pump is just not priming. It is a new pump. There is a gurgling sound around the hot water heater.

If anyone can help us find out the problem so we do not have to take it to a service location. We will sincerely appreciate the help. This trailer is only a year old. It is a Rockwood Mini Lite 2512s 2019.
Thank you

[cbty]

Is it possible the winterizing valve is bad? Will it take water from the winterizing hose? Could the check valve in the city water connection be bad? I'm just throwing ideas out.

[born2travel]

Originally Posted by cbty

Is it possible the winterizing valve is bad? Will it take water from the winterizing hose? Could the check valve in the city water connection be bad? I'm just throwing ideas out.

Thank you for your suggestion. Moreover, when you say the winterizing valve is bad? Do you mean a valve inside to the pump or to the hot water heater? Or outside the trailer, where the antifreeze goes into the Trailer?

[TitanMike]

If you are hearing gurgling in the Hot Water tank that's air that the pump is pushing through. That might be a separate issue but first, this statement would be the first thing I'd address:

There is water in the tank, however, no water comes out of the supply. Removed the supply fitting, no water comes out from bottom of fresh water tank.

If you removed the supply fitting and no water came out it seems clear that there is a blockage inside the tank. When you got water from the drain means nothing if there is a piece of saran wrap, a glob of goo, some wood chips, a leaf, etc, etc, etc, blocking the water outlet to the pump supply.

With the supply fitting out try clearing the opening with a stiff piece of wire that has a hook on it. If somehow something got into the tank you might be able to hook it and pull it out through the opening.

Unrelated but a similar problem occurred to me with an aftermarket fuel tank. Every once in a while the engine would just quit. Had to remove line and blow it out to get engine running again.

Then one day I pulled the fuel filter and found a chunk of gasket material sticking out the inlet. When the fuel gauge was installed someone used a whole tube of RTV Silicone Rubber to seal the gauge body and enough oozed into the tank to create floating plugs. Since it was an aftermarket tank it had no screen on the intake.

First fix the issue that is keeping water from flowing out of the tank. Then make sure fittings on supply line, including the bowl on the strainer on the pump inlet. to make sure no air is sucked into the pump along with the water you will be supplying after the clog is cleared

[dbledan]

If you put the winterization hose into water or antifreeze does it pump through?

If it does the problem is either something plugging the inlet at the tank or a leak in the hose, strainer, or a connector somewhere between the pump and the tank. Using winterization port removed everything up to the valve (not including the valve). Sometimes the valve is just not set all the way.

You can try blowing the intake line out manually and listen for bubbling or try to prime it manually before hooking up....this may reveal the air leak somewhere.

[born2travel]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

If you are hearing gurgling in the Hot Water tank that's air that the pump is pushing through. That might be a separate issue but first, this statement would be the first thing I'd address:



If you removed the supply fitting and no water came out it seems clear that there is a blockage inside the tank. When you got water from the drain means nothing if there is a piece of saran wrap, a glob of goo, some wood chips, a leaf, etc, etc, etc, blocking the water outlet to the pump supply.

With the supply fitting out try clearing the opening with a stiff piece of wire that has a hook on it. If somehow something got into the tank you might be able to hook it and pull it out through the opening.

Unrelated but a similar problem occurred to me with an aftermarket fuel tank. Every once in a while the engine would just quit. Had to remove line and blow it out to get engine running again.

Then one day I pulled the fuel filter and found a chunk of gasket material sticking out the inlet. When the fuel gauge was installed someone used a whole tube of RTV Silicone Rubber to seal the gauge body and enough oozed into the tank to create floating plugs. Since it was an aftermarket tank it had no screen on the intake.

First fix the issue that is keeping water from flowing out of the tank. Then make sure fittings on supply line, including the bowl on the strainer on the pump inlet. to make sure no air is sucked into the pump along with the water you will be supplying after the clog is cleared

Thank you for your suggestion. I think we will give it a try.

[born2travel]

Originally Posted by dbledan

If you put the winterization hose into water or antifreeze does it pump through?

If it does the problem is either something plugging the inlet at the tank or a leak in the hose, strainer, or a connector somewhere between the pump and the tank. Using winterization port removed everything up to the valve (not including the valve). Sometimes the valve is just not set all the way.

You can try blowing the intake line out manually and listen for bubbling or try to prime it manually before hooking up....this may reveal the air leak somewhere.

Thank you for your suggestion. We will keep this in mind.

[Skip12]

You got some good advice here. If these good ideas don't work, I suggest simplifying. I would remove the winterization valve and connect the freshwater hose directly to the in side of the pump. Then connect the winterization hose to the outlet of the pump and dangle it outside or in a bucket. Then solve for that simpler problem. Once you have that flowing, connect output of the pump to camper and get that working. Then add the winterization bypass valve and solve for that.

Hope that helps.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Skip12

You got some good advice here. If these good ideas don't work, I suggest simplifying. I would remove the winterization valve and connect the freshwater hose directly to the in side of the pump. Then connect the winterization hose to the outlet of the pump and dangle it outside or in a bucket. Then solve for that simpler problem. Once you have that flowing, connect output of the pump to camper and get that working. Then add the winterization bypass valve and solve for that.

Hope that helps.

Not saying the winterizing valve can't be an issue of sorts but the OP needs to focus on why the water isn't flowing out of the tank when the fitting has been removed from the tank. No water at that point and the rest is for later, maybe.

[Briorick]

Interesting enough we had a similar situation just today when returning home.

Before leaving the campgrounds we had opened the fresh water drain valve to drain any excess water from the tank. It appeared we had used all of our fresh water, even though the "useless" fresh water indicator was giving a false reading of 2/3 full. Nothing was flowing out, so we proceeded on our way home.

After winterizing, we noticed that there was in fact water dripping out of the fresh water tank valve ( I left it open ) and that caught our attention. Upon further inspection we found that the tank was still approx 1/3 full.

We took off the valve, and utilizing some pipe cleaners and a cylindrical wire cleaning brush we unclogged the drain valve which was plugged with silicone bits, just enough to stop the water flow, giving the impression the tank was empty. Keep in mind it took 2 years for this to occur.

Now the tank flow is great! So possible that there is a clogged "something or another" in your flow line, or entry point.