Water Pump & Hot Water Heater Question

[ChowBoss]

Hi all this is my first post and I'm new to camping in a TT. I bought a 2011 Freedom Express Hybrid late last fall that was already winterized. I brought it home and parked it until today when I went out to santize the water system. Filled the tank as instructions stated, ran water thru faucets (cold water) everything fine. Then I noticed that water pump with all faucets turned off was running a couple seconds then off for a couple seconds then back on again, went outside and the outside shower head was dripping water at a pretty good speed. When I turn the pump off the water slows and then finally after several min. stops dripping. However, when I turn the pump back on and there is pressure in the lines the shower head starts dripping water again. I'm thinking after I flush the lines out in a few more hours that I'll take the shower head off and see if there is a washer or something that I might be able to replace to fix the problem. Do you all think this would be a logical place to start to fix it? My dealer like others on this forum is 1 1/2 hrs away and I would hate to have to haul the TT back there just for a washer or something easy.

My next question is about the water heater. After accessing the back of the water heater I have three values. One on the red line and one on the white line (both of these were in the closed position) I also have one on a small piece of pipe that runs between the red and white pipe this was in the open position (parallel with pipe). This is how it came from the dealership. My quesiton is this, when I was flushing the air from my lines for the santizing of the cold water, I turned on the hot water faucet in the kitchen and water came out. I have NOT turned on the hot water heater and was wondering if there should be water coming out of the hot water side of the faucet if the hot water heater was shut down? My dealer used the "blow out" method for winterizing. So I'm not worried that there was water in the tank during winter just not sure what all the valves were for and what valve did what. I don't dare turn on the water heater until I know for sure there is water in the hot water tank but if there is water coming out now and the valves look closed I'm not sure how to actually tell if there is water in the hot water tank or not. I'm attaching a pic of the shut off valves and hope someone can help me figure out what does what. Tent camping was hard on my back but this is really hard on my brain. LOL

[DAISY BOYKIN]

The hot water tank is in the bypass> When the valves are aligned with the pipe they are open (handle that is) Open the top & bottom valve, One is water going into the tank, one is water coming out of the tank. Close the valve that is in the short line between the two lines. This would be the correct set up for use.

The outside shower head leaking , you should be able to close the Hot & cold water valves at the control for the shower head. The pump is a demand type pump. Turns off and on due to a leak or a faucet being open. As pressure builds in the system, it will turn off. Check to make sure the "LOW POINT DRAIN VALVES OR PLUGS ARE CLOSED" You can view these under the TT sticking through the bottom insulation.

[ChowBoss]

Thank you very much for the info on the hot water tank. I think I understand now. I don't know why I was thinking that if water was coming out of the hot water faucet (even if it was cold) that it had to go thru the tank. DUHH I see now that when I turn on the hot faucet water would still come thru just not Hot water. OK....

Now for the shower head.. I have both hot and cold knobs turned to the off position and it's still dripping. So now I'm thinking it's like your house kitchen faucet, if it drips that means it could be a problem with the stem seat? Or is there something else I could check because this sounds like a trip back to the dealership to get the faucet handles fixed. I saw the red and white lines coming out from the enclosed bottom of the trailer right under the hot water heater as well as back by the back bumper. The plugs are holding and no leaks have been seen. I also check the plug on the water tank and it's holding. So apparently the pump shutting on and off is being caused by the shower head. Would that also be everone elses train of thought on this?

[sherdep]

as stated above about the line for the hot water heater is in Bypass but I think you got that figured out.

On to your shower head - Mine had a white button you could push to one side to open and the other side to close - almost sounds like you have one of the faucet knobs still on and the head is turned off - reason why I say this is because that is what mine did.

Another idea is you could go to Home depot and got a shut off valve and add it to the line to shut it off and see if it keeps turning the pump on and off.

[bikendan]

just a suggestion.

since your trailer isn't made by FR, but by Keystone, there should be a Keystone owners forum or club, similar to this forum, where you could find fellow Express owners that have the same brand as yours.
they would be more helpful with specific things about your trailer.

if there isn't, you've always got this forum, with its very helpful members.
and members in the Expandable/Hybrid section here, can help with hybrid-specific questions.

[ChowBoss]

Well folks thanks to all your VERY helpful info I have solved the dripping shower head issue. Sherdep had it spot on....I had the button pushed to the off position but the hot water knob was still on. After I finally figured out which way (opposite directions)to turn the shower knobs it stopped dripping and the pump now only runs when the faucets are open. After years of tent camping it's a entirely different world having all these systems to learn. But with all the help from folks like you I'm sure we will be camping like pro's (well maybe not exactly pros LOL) before long.

Bikendan, sorry if I used the wrong forum but I came to this one because so much of my paperwork had FR on it along with Coachmen that I thought this was the correct forum. I'll check for a Keystone forum and sign up if I find it. However, I can't promise I won't come back here where I know there are knowledagble people who are on target with their answers. :-) Happy camping to all and hope everone had a nice Easter.

[bikendan]

ChowBoss, my apologies!
Keystone calls its hybrid line, Express SL under its Passport line, so that where i got confused. Coachmen has their hybrids under the Express LTZ and the Apex line.

seems to me, there's some brand name infringement going on.

not sure if the Coachmen brand has any sections here, at FRF. i don't think there is.

[sherdep]

Originally Posted by ChowBoss

Well folks thanks to all your VERY helpful info I have solved the dripping shower head issue. Sherdep had it spot on....I had the button pushed to the off position but the hot water knob was still on. After I finally figured out which way (opposite directions)to turn the shower knobs it stopped dripping and the pump now only runs when the faucets are open. After years of tent camping it's a entirely different world having all these systems to learn. But with all the help from folks like you I'm sure we will be camping like pro's (well maybe not exactly pros LOL) before long.

Bikendan, sorry if I used the wrong forum but I came to this one because so much of my paperwork had FR on it along with Coachmen that I thought this was the correct forum. I'll check for a Keystone forum and sign up if I find it. However, I can't promise I won't come back here where I know there are knowledagble people who are on target with their answers. :-) Happy camping to all and hope everone had a nice Easter.

thats pretty awesome that is what what I said - Glad I could be of help - I am not always right but atleast sometime's I do help someone which is a good thing

It takes time to figure things out - we dont become pro's overnight

Happy camping and Happy Easter to you as well

[TopGobbler]

You are in the right place for Coachmen tts. They are a Forest River product. We don't have our own forum yet but maybe someday. . .Good luck wih the trailer.

[DAISY BOYKIN]

ChowBoss, your outside shower could be hooked up backwards as with most Forest River's products. When you look at the shower control ON/OFF, cold/hot knobs they should be with the shower hose protruding out of the control, the knob on the left of the shower hose should be the hot. You have to view the set up as the hose is protruding down from the control, not up! If you view it this way, again the knob on the left is hot and the right is the cold. If they are reversed, you will have to do two things, switch the hot/cold markers on the knobs and the lines that feed the control from behind.

As I stated, Forest River's shower connections are mostly reversed for some unknown reason. The water systems are tested by a "AIR PRESSURE"
test (I believe) at the time of manufacture, therefore the factory does not know the the hot and cold is reversed.

Your brand of RV may be also hooked up backwards.

[sherdep]

Hey Sid,
The Hot and Cold shower on the back of my 2306 were / are NOT hooked up wrong - so it must be certain units or a certain person that is installing them wrong if your anology is correct. just my .02