Winterization-Water Pump not pulling antifreeze

[Bhbldr]

I have read many of the threads on this forum concerning winterizing my 2014 8289WS Fifth Wheel. This unit has never been winterized, and we have never used the fresh water tank/water pump because we have left it in Florida for 2 years during the winter. We have traveled extensively and have always stayed at RV parks with water supply. During one of two return trips to the factory for various major repairs, it was told to us that the water pump had a leak and that they replaced it. (This was not on our list of repairs.) I told Floyd we do not use the water pump, so we wouldn't have found out. Now, however, life has changed and we are going to winter in Virginia and need to winterize. I have followed the directions that I have read here, and that Rockwood gave me when it was new under "commonly asked questions." Here is the delima. I have blown out all water lines, I have followed all of the directions, which worked well until I was to pump the RV antifreeze into the lines. I have rotated the three way valve to the correct position. I have gravity fed some RV antifreeze into the pump to prime, however, when the pump is turned on, there is no suction. I have used a small 1/4" clear tube with adapter, no luck; I have used a 1/2" 5' section of water hose, no luck. I have no suction whatsoever. When the switch is turned on, the pump comes on. I can see some antifreeze in the bowl on the back side of the pump from the gravity fed prime. I'm a 45 year construction supervisor, and I"m about out of tricks. Could it be possible that the water pump, having never been used, is either plugged, damaged, or when the factory put it on, never was tested? Does anyone have any ideas? I'd appreciate some help!

[tom39]

I had an old Sunline that would never self-prime. My solution for that was to apply low level suction to the kitchen faucet with a shop vac with the pump running. Once the pump started it would continue on it's own.
This may not work with your situation but it may be worth a shot.
Hope it helps,
Tom G

[KyDan]

If you are connecting a suction line directly to the pump and it's not
pumping- it's probably the pump.
One thought- my rig occasionally won't pump if it's dry and there is
still pressure in the system from a previous connection to city water.
Open a cold faucet to be sure there is NO pressure in the system and
try the pump again.

Follow up thoughts... can you somehow put water pressure on the suction side while the pump is running. Connect it temporarily to city water- even a city hose that's on very low flow- just force some water thru it. If it won't pump after that-I'd say it's time for another one. You can get a new unit-see below for nearly as cheap as a "repair kit" for yours. At least that's what I found when I went looking a few years back.

Also just FYI this is a very popular pump. In fact it's the same model as
the one that came in my new rig. This is the average price on Ebay including shipping. Probably a lot cheaper than at a dealer. Look around on Ebay for this model. I'm not necessarily recommending this particular seller but the price is good and he has good rating..... New SHURflo 12V 3.0 GPM RV Water Pump 4008-101-A65 Revolution
Also under $60 is a good price including shipping!
Good luck!

[Flybob]

Try opening a faucet. There may be pressure in the water lines.

[D W]

If your rig is equipped with a Shurflow pump you shouldn't have any antifreeze in the strainer (bowl). The antifreeze inlet fitting should be between the pump and the strainer, so verify your configuration. When the lever is flipped the passage to the strainer is closed off and the passage to the pump is open. It sounds to me that your pump is in the bypass mode, thus not pumping. This happened to me. Pump at a quiet run, faucet open, nothing pumping. Couldn't figure it out. Called FR. The tech told me to remove the screen from the city water inlet (outside) and press the valve inside. Make sure you stand off to the side when you do this because if you do have an air lock you will get a bath. Once I did this the pump worked fine. The tech told me he has fielded dozens of calls with folks having this problem who have replaced the pump thinking it was bad, but still had the same problem after replacement. Just thought I'd pass this along.

[Ham Camper]

After reading this post several times I am at a loss what u are doing exactly. This is what I do. Bypass the hot water tank and drain. Drain all water from the fresh water tank. replaced drain cap and put about 6-7 gallons of antifreeze into the fresh water tank. Turn on your pump and let the antifreeze flow through each faucet into each drain. Flush the toilet until pink comes out. And if you have an outside shower make sure you run it until the pink antifreeze comes out of there. Now if you want you can pour some antifreeze into each drain as a further precaution but it probably wont need it. These pumps are self priming and after a few minutes of pumping air they will pump the antifreeze into the water lines.

[Witch Doctor]

Check your fresh tank water line there is a valve installed, if you don't shut it off you can't suck through the pump had the same problem till I found that valve

[ronzo101]

The same thing happen to my shurflow pump when I went to run the antifreeze through the system....pump made noise, no prime...took the pump out, took off the outer housing and found the pressure switch stuck closed. Pushed it open with my finger, bench tested it, reinstalled the pump and worked as it should.
I also don't use my fresh water pump system at all throughout the season and only use the pump when I winterize. Obviously some sort residue from last years winterizing antifreeze was the cause.

[grangalo1812]

First time we winterized our Rockwood, the pump was running but not pulling the antifreeze in the system....after a while, I dedided to lift up the gallon that was sitting on the ground with the hose in it and....the antifreeze went right in!! Might look stupid but...when you're new at this, you just learn along the way!!

[rockfossilman]

Originally Posted by Bhbldr

I have read many of the threads on this forum concerning winterizing my 2014 8289WS Fifth Wheel. This unit has never been winterized, and we have never used the fresh water tank/water pump because we have left it in Florida for 2 years during the winter. We have traveled extensively and have always stayed at RV parks with water supply. During one of two return trips to the factory for various major repairs, it was told to us that the water pump had a leak and that they replaced it. (This was not on our list of repairs.) I told Floyd we do not use the water pump, so we wouldn't have found out. Now, however, life has changed and we are going to winter in Virginia and need to winterize. I have followed the directions that I have read here, and that Rockwood gave me when it was new under "commonly asked questions." Here is the delima. I have blown out all water lines, I have followed all of the directions, which worked well until I was to pump the RV antifreeze into the lines. I have rotated the three way valve to the correct position. I have gravity fed some RV antifreeze into the pump to prime, however, when the pump is turned on, there is no suction. I have used a small 1/4" clear tube with adapter, no luck; I have used a 1/2" 5' section of water hose, no luck. I have no suction whatsoever. When the switch is turned on, the pump comes on. I can see some antifreeze in the bowl on the back side of the pump from the gravity fed prime. I'm a 45 year construction supervisor, and I"m about out of tricks. Could it be possible that the water pump, having never been used, is either plugged, damaged, or when the factory put it on, never was tested? Does anyone have any ideas? I'd appreciate some help!

I wonder if your pump is losing the prime when you dunk the hose into the jug. Had exactly the same problem yesterday with our 2604ws Rockwood. Struggled with it for about 20 minutes, until it dawned on me that the system was dry and the pump needed to be primed--it was running, but was trying to pump air which is very compressible. I held the hose end up in the air and poured antifreeze into it so that it was running downhill into the pump, then quickly dunked the hose end into the antifreeze jug. The pump quickly drained the jug. I had to repeat the process twice to finish filling all the lines--kitchen sink, bath sink, shower, toilet and outdoor shower in that order. It was cumbersome, but worked.

Next year adjustment to process:
1. Start with just kitchen sink faucet open, hot side first, then cold.
2. Use a funnel to pour antifreeze into hose--less spillage likely.
3. Enlist DW to turn pump on and off, open and close faucets inside.
4. Use a shepherd's crook to hang jug or bucket at a level higher than the pump--might eliminate the need to prime.

Living and learning--I usually learn the hard way!

[rockfossilman]

Originally Posted by Ham Camper

After reading this post several times I am at a loss what u are doing exactly. This is what I do. Bypass the hot water tank and drain. Drain all water from the fresh water tank. replaced drain cap and put about 6-7 gallons of antifreeze into the fresh water tank. Turn on your pump and let the antifreeze flow through each faucet into each drain. Flush the toilet until pink comes out. And if you have an outside shower make sure you run it until the pink antifreeze comes out of there. Now if you want you can pour some antifreeze into each drain as a further precaution but it probably wont need it. These pumps are self priming and after a few minutes of pumping air they will pump the antifreeze into the water lines.

That's the method I used with our Wildwood; our Rockwood has a convenient hose connection that feeds directly into the water lines via the pump.

Pump will likely prime much faster if jug is held at a higher level than the pump.

[5picker]

Several things...
Not all ShureFlo pumps have the antifreeze inlet between the pump and strainer. Mine is a Sureflo and the strainer is attached directly to the pump. Take that for what it is worth.

Second, there have been reports that the handle on the three way antifreeze valve has broke loose from the valve inside. It appears you are turning valve but you are not.

You are likely going to need to remove the line at the pump and fashion something on the inlet to see if you can get it to prime.

One other thing you might try is put some antifreeze in that 5' hose you mentioned. Turn on the pump and blow on the hose. You should be able to easily push some antifreeze in the pump and get it to prime. If not, either your valve is bad, the inlet screen is blocked or your pump is bad.

[D W]

The OP asked for some help, but his silence is deafening. Guess he'll figure it out for himself.

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by D W

The OP asked for some help, but his silence is deafening. Guess he'll figure it out for himself.

You're right but hopefully others have read and picked up a few tips as well.

[rockfossilman]

Originally Posted by D W

The OP asked for some help, but his silence is deafening. Guess he'll figure it out for himself.

Give OP a break! When I post a question, I don't sit at the laptop waiting for the response--I go about my life: continue to work on the problem, take DW to dinner, go to grandson's hockey game, watch PSU beat Iowa....

By the way, what does "OP" mean?

[5picker]

Originally Posted by rockfossilman

Give OP a break! When I post a question, I don't sit at the laptop waiting for the response--I go about my life: continue to work on the problem, take DW to dinner, go to grandson's hockey game, watch PSU beat Iowa....

By the way, what does "OP" mean?

Original Post
Original Poster

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by rockfossilman

Give OP a break! When I post a question, I don't sit at the laptop waiting for the response--I go about my life: continue to work on the problem, take DW to dinner, go to grandson's hockey game, watch PSU beat Iowa....

By the way, what does "OP" mean?

No one was kicking the Original Poster but just mentioning that this happens fairly often. Someone posts a question- lots of answers and suggestions pour in (Yay for all you helpful folks!!) and we never hear from the OP again.
It just leaves us wondering if they got the help they needed or did they post and run and haven't even seen the response?

Hopefully they are winterized and sipping a hot coffee over their Sunday paper!

[Bhbldr]

Thanks for all of your input. Here’s what I’ve done already. I disconnected the city water. I have drained the black water tank, both grey water tanks and the fresh water tank. I have then shut the valves to these tanks. I opened all hot and cold water in the kitchen, bath sink, and shower, removed low point drain plugs. After pressure was released, I removed water filter bowl, cleaned, threw filter away, and reinstalled. I went to kitchen access panel for the water heater, turned bypass valve on, also turned off the input valve for the cold water and the output valve for the hot water at the rear of the water heater. I went outside and removed the anode rod with the pressure relief valve open. I hooked up my clean out tool to city water hose and cleaned the debris out of the water heater. I left anode rod out, closed all valves. I inserted blowout valve in city water intake. I turned my compressor on at 40 lbs. PSI, then went inside camper and one at a time, drained water from kitchen, hot & cold, bath, hot & cold, to include shower and toilet. Only air was left blowing in all. I closed valves afterwards, went outside & did same at outside shower, then hot and cold low point valve. I removed blowout tool. I turned the three way valve at water pump to bypass position. I cut an old 1/2” hose to a 3’ section and attached it to the antifreeze intake. I set a jug of antifreeze on a ladder, inserted the hose at the same level. I had my wife turn on the water pump inside the camper. Nothing. I noticed that there was no suction at the end of the hose. I went to Home Depot and purchased a two way male hose adapter and a hose adapter that people can use with their garden hose that reduces down to a 1/4” to use to wash off if they do not have a power washer. I bought a small 1/4” clear tube, along with a clamp. I cut the tube to 3’, attached clamp, put assembly into antifreeze port, inserted tube into antifreeze, had my wife turn on the pump, Nothing. Please note, the pump runs, but nothing pumps. I removed the assembly, installed the 3’ garden hose again into antifreeze port, filled hose with antifreeze, had wife turn pump on, raised hose straight up, put my hand over the end of the hose and blew as hard as I could. Nothing. Decided to take new approach. I took the bowl off of the water filter and filled 3/4 full with antifreeze and reinstalled. I attached the 3’ hose to fresh water intake, filled with antifreeze, and back filled lines by raising the hose and blowing in the hose. I noticed that the antifreeze filled the rest of the bowl in the water filter and the bowl filter at the water pump. I then felt I had antifreeze at both ends of the water pump. I reinstalled hose to antifreeze inlet, filled hose with antifreeze, had wife turn on water pump, runs but does not suck. After a few unprintable words, I decided to take a break. I then, first asked for help on the forum. With the great input, I’m going to try the suggestion with the shop vac attached to the kitchen sink to try to obtain pressure to get the water pump working today. I noticed in a different thread, a suggestion by a senior member that if all else fails, I will use a water hose, attach it to the fresh water intake, fill the hose up with antifreeze, use my blowout valve, hook up the air compressor, and push the antifreeze into the lines. I know this will take quite a while, and is not preferred, but at least I would have antifreeze for this winter. For in the spring, I intend to return to the factory in Indiana and have them repair some other items related to warranty. Since they installed this water pump last year, they can put a new one on. Thanks for all of your help and suggestions. I will keep you posted if the vacuum does the trick.

[D W]

I still think you need to relieve the pressure behind the CW inlet check valve. Once I did that with mine the water/air shot out of the inlet in single four foot burst and the pump immediately began pumping pink juice through the system. I was done chasing ghosts.

[LindaNTom]

BHBLDR After reading your last post and looking at mine which maybe different, But on my pump near the inlet side I have a valve that i turn to either CW supply or anitfreeze port. I am sure you checked that but just an idea.