Water pump or owner malfunction - Update

[avan]

I've full timed for 15 yrs, vacationed RV'd for a decade or more before that and for the past 3 years have RV'd 6-7 months per year. I have never had the below problem and have never read about a similar problem.


My current water pump was installed 2 yrs ago and has been working fine. I've been on the road since mid April and its performance has been flawless.

Last night I stayed in a comm'l campground because I needed a fill on my water tank and a dump on my grey/black water tanks and felt like doing that from the 'comfort' of a campsite. So I did the normal water fill - hooked up the hose with pressure regulator to the screw on water fill, switch the lever that's there from "normal operation" to "water fill" and proceeded to take on a full tank of water. Have done this hundreds of times and this was no different. Switched the lever back to 'normal' and disconnected the water and pressed the plug back into the water fill opening.

I travel this morning and when I set up camp, I turn on the water pump using the inside switch and though the taps were not open, the pump starts running continuously. Thinking maybe I have some air in the lines, I tried each tap to see if air would come out. It didn't and I got a decent stream out of each faucet. So I just turned the pu mp off.

I tried again this afternoon with the same result but I did go outside this time (it wasn't raining anymore) there is water leaking a lot from the area of the fill. So I opened the little door to look and the plug has been blown out of the fill and there is a big stream of water pulsing out where water should be going in. Thinking the plug might be old and not holding any more I tried to hand hold it in. Lots of pressure pushing back at me and water escaping around the sides of the plug. Tried flipping the lever back and forth between 'normal' and 'fill' - no difference. I notice a switch in the water compartment (I'd not seen it before and thought maybe I'd accidentally had hit it.) No change. I think that switch is to turn on the pump to run the outside sprayer?

All I can think of is that the pump is all of a sudden working in reverse though I am getting sufficient water through the taps and to the toilet.

Did my pump just got bezerk? A clog or pinch in some water line resulting in a lot of back pressure? Any clue anyone?? No big deal to pick up a new pump and put it in but if that's not the problem, seems dumb to do that. Help?

[2_many_2]

loggenrock wrote:
Glad it worked out! Nice to see the update posted, too! ST

X2 :B

[loggenrock]

Glad it worked out! Nice to see the update posted, too! ST

[avan]

Update. Everyone is right. Probably unimaginable to you who have the answers how someone like me can be in their 7th decade and be so mechanically ignorant but...

Knowing I can't get on my knees and don't have a partner to turn it on and off inside while I get wet outside (that one made me chuckle) and seeing that replacement would involve either taking off that nice white cosmetic panel or somehow getting behind it, I thought I'd get a pro to help. I remembered a RV supply store nearby to my location from being in Pentwater, MI two years ago so I drove there and put on my best male version of a female needing help and they moved my rig to the back, used a mirror setup to see what they were doing behind the panel, removed the old 'whatever that whole setup is called', pulled the right replacement off the shelf, put it in and had me on my way in about 15 total minutes.

Thank you all for letting me know what the problem was so that I could act a bit knowledgeable at their shop. Makes me know I'm not being taken advantage of. $15. for the part, $25 for the labor and expertise and $0 for all the good and correct advice. Happy camper!

[StarkNaked]

Here are instructions on how to take the check valve apart and put it back together.

Don't ask me how I know how to do this....

P.S. It can be a pain if the inside connection is difficult to access. And putting it back together may take two people, one inside and one outside.

Clicky

Another temporary fix is to use a screw in plug where the hose screws into the city water check valve.

Inlet Plug

[wa8yxm]

Pump is working fine, THe inlet check valve is not.

Now: some folks will warn "You will ruin it if you do this" but.. Well, you can not make it WORSE than it is by doing this so.....

Remove the plug, reove teh washer and screen (Screen hose washer) you will see a plastic "Button" NOTE YOU WILL GET WET.. Have partner turn on pump and using a pencil eraser or other "rod" press the button and release.

It will either stop leaking, or it will continue leaking when you release'

If it continues,, Use a hard screw in plug for not but go get another inlet assembly, only about 10 bucks.

[pasusan]

avan wrote:
..snip.. So I did the normal water fill - hooked up the hose with pressure regulator to the screw on water fill, switch the lever that's there from "normal operation" to "water fill" and proceeded to take on a full tank of water. Have done this hundreds of times and this was no different. Switched the lever back to 'normal' and disconnected the water and pressed the plug back into the water fill opening. ..snip..

I think it is that valve (the one with the lever on it that you turn to change where the water goes) that is bad. It is letting the pump push back into the FW tank. At least that is how mine works - if I forget to turn the valve back into normal position after filling the tank the pump will run and run because it never builds up pressure.

[loggenrock]

Think "1-way valve" - supposed to only let water in, not out. I've never rebuilt one, just replaced them. ST

[avan]

Ok, I'm not sure what you are talking about or what a check valve looks like or how to get at it but I think I know where to look (where the water is gushing out) and maybe I can figure out how to dismantle it. I'll check UTube to see if something is there about a check valve replacement or whatever on a RV.

[beemerphile1]

There is a check valve in the water fill port, yours either has debris in it, has failed, or the O-ring is out of position.

[corvettekent]

Your check valve in water line is leaking. It's easy to take apart and reinstall the O ring that rolled off the plunger.