Veebyes
Bermuda & Maryland Eastern Shore
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Joined: 11/24/2003
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Disconnect at the output side of the pump. Hold your thumb over the pump outlet & turn it on. Pressure? Yes? Suction is fine. No? No suction. Trace backwards. Pump itself plus fittings. It does not take much for an air leak on the low pressure side.
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter
2007 Alpenlite 34RLR
2006 Chevy 3500 LT, CC,LB 6.6L Diesel
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opnspaces
San Diego Ca
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Joined: 12/22/2004
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The next time it happens I would disconnect both the inlet and outlet and use my fingers to plug the ports with the pump running. If it's a bad diaphragm it should be obvious.
2001 Suburban 4x4. 6.0L, 4.10 3/4 ton
2005 Jayco Jay Flight 27BH
1986 Coleman Columbia Popup.
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1320Fastback
Vista, Ca
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Joined: 12/04/2016
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When filling from dry tanks I usually open the pressure release on the water heater. As the tanks fill eventually the water heater fills and water will spit out. Then I close the pressure release and continue filling the tanks. Once they are full I pull the kitchen drawers out and make sure the water filters have water in them. If not I remove them and fill them up, sometimes I change the filter cartridge also. Tighten up the water filters and then open the bathroom faucets and kitchen faucets and turn the pump on. Generally it primes somewhat quickly. Do remember a few times I was wondering if it ever was going to though.
1992 D250 Cummins 5psd
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wnjj
Cornelius, Oregon
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A few years ago I found the water pump had been left on in storage. Once the tank level had evaporated enough it was running continuously for days/weeks/months. While diaphragm pumps can be run dry for at least a while, it never was the same. It would no longer prime unless the tank (located below it) was almost full. It would lose prime when traveling.
I cheated for a couple years when I found you could put the winterizing valve half way between settings and suck tank water up into the winterizing tube with your mouth. Then I could get the pump to prime if I opened a faucet, ran the pump while on winterizing mode AND while blowing as hard as I could into that tube. Once it started to take I could switch back to tank and it would prime up. Once primed, it would last the whole time we stayed in that spot and didn’t leak down or run unless a faucet was open.
I took the pump apart 2x looking for issues or debris in the diaphragm but it always looked and felt fine. Finally I decided to swap the pump and it all works just fine again. This was with the same inlet pipe and filter so it wasn’t an air leak. Obviously the diaphragm just couldn’t pull enough of a vacuum when dry.
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gtnsmlr
On the road
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Joined: 12/14/2004
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wa8yxm wrote:I agree with the new pump only that price seems high (But then it's been some years since I replaced one.
One make sure fresh tank is FULL
Two.. open faucets. Kitchen and bath before turning on pump.
3 Insect lines for valves and holes.
Opening the faucets works everytime
The older we get, the faster we go
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whjco
Lexington, KY
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Joined: 01/26/2007
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IB853347201 wrote:For about $70 you can buy a new Shurflo pump on Amazon and be done with your issue,,,just saying,,,
And for an additional $14 you can buy new valves for the old pump and have a spare. (I just did this).
Bill J., Lexington, KY
2006 Starcraft 2500RKS 25' Travel Trailer
2015 Ram 2500 Big Horn 6.7 Cummins.
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whjco
Lexington, KY
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wa8yxm wrote:I agree with the new pump only that price seems high (But then it's been some years since I replaced one.
One make sure fresh tank is FULL
Two.. open faucets. Kitchen and bath before turning on pump.
3 Insect lines for valves and holes.
I just paid $72.50 for a new SureFlo pump on Amazon. I also bought a new replacement valve assembly for the old pump for $13.13 so now I have a spare pump.
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StirCrazy
Kamloops, BC, Canada
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Joined: 07/16/2003
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LouLawrence wrote:
What I don't understand is how you can disconnect the input line and not have water flowing everywhere. That line should be full of water and supply lots more water to your pump than a funnel could provide. Is the pump above the tank?
Most RV's have the tanks under the floor and the pump on the floor. so most rv water pumps are above the tank. Truck campers would be a large exception for the most part though.
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
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debrhardt
wisconsin
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Joined: 08/27/2022
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after 18 years the old pump gave out. bought a new shurflo 4008 on amazon lat year but mine was only $46. amazon is pretty crafty. if the website determines that you have been looking at things previously, the price goes up. they must figure that we are getting desperate.
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LouLawrence
Traveling the US fulltime since 2000.
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Joined: 03/16/2021
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Quote:
Most RV's have the tanks under the floor and the pump on the floor. so most rv water pumps are above the tank. Truck campers would be a large exception for the most part though.
Most? I have never seen a class A or class C with that kind of setup. I do now understand that this was the OP's setup, however.
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