ScubaSteve
Full Timer
Being new to RVing, we were disappointed with the flow from the water pump but we chalked it up to crappy parts and "I guess that's just how it is". After reading a few other posts about water pumps, I started thinking we may have a problem. So, yesterday when I was troubleshooting the coax system that I'll post about in an appropriate section of the forum later, I looked at the pump again.
Here is the problem. When dry camping, the pump runs which means that Heartland did better with the water pump than they did with the water heater. All faucets off, it will run for 5-10 min until pressure climbs high enough and shut off. Good that it shuts off, bad that it takes so long. These times are after system is full from city water connection and pressure was let off from the kitchen or front bathroom sink faucet. I always release the pressure from the system when travelling to reduce the ridgitiy in the plumbing while bouncing down the highway.
When you open a faucet, the water flows and flow drops as pressure drops. The pump kicks on and water flow falls until it trickles out of the faucet. I'm guessing it's in the range of 1 gallon per hour, but that's probably high.
Yesterday when looking into the coax layout, I looked at the pump. It's a 5.7 gpm surflo. I was happy to see a higher capacity pump than I expected. I checked the strainer which was clean and had water in it. So, I shut off the city water and turned on the pump (yes, the fresh water tank is full, verified by draining the tank, checking for proper function of level indication, refilling until water came out the vent.
Once set up, I had the wife man the kitchen faucet (it doesn't matter which faucet you use, it's still a trickle.) I had her open the faucet while I observed the pump. The water flowed while pressure dropped, the pump kicked on and the flow continued to decrease to a trickle. The suction line looks shrivels like it's struggling to get water from the source. I turned the winterizing valve to winterize and the pump flowed momentairly until it sucked air from the winterizing line.
It looks like my problem is somewhere in the line going to the fresh water tank or in the fresh water tank. I'm planning on disconnecting the line from the winterizing valve and running the pump from a bucket of water to verify full flow, then hooking up the pump directly to the line leading to the fresh water tank to rule out the winterizing valve.
My questions are:
Anyone have this problem before? What was the problem?
If I do confirm that it is the line to the fresh tank, how do I get access this line since it disappears into the floor? Do I have to take down the plastic underbelly cover or is there an easier way to access the fresh tank and supply line? Where exactly is the fresh tank? I'm assuming directly above the fresh tank drain line.
Anyone have any other items I should check like inline valves?
Here is the problem. When dry camping, the pump runs which means that Heartland did better with the water pump than they did with the water heater. All faucets off, it will run for 5-10 min until pressure climbs high enough and shut off. Good that it shuts off, bad that it takes so long. These times are after system is full from city water connection and pressure was let off from the kitchen or front bathroom sink faucet. I always release the pressure from the system when travelling to reduce the ridgitiy in the plumbing while bouncing down the highway.
When you open a faucet, the water flows and flow drops as pressure drops. The pump kicks on and water flow falls until it trickles out of the faucet. I'm guessing it's in the range of 1 gallon per hour, but that's probably high.
Yesterday when looking into the coax layout, I looked at the pump. It's a 5.7 gpm surflo. I was happy to see a higher capacity pump than I expected. I checked the strainer which was clean and had water in it. So, I shut off the city water and turned on the pump (yes, the fresh water tank is full, verified by draining the tank, checking for proper function of level indication, refilling until water came out the vent.
Once set up, I had the wife man the kitchen faucet (it doesn't matter which faucet you use, it's still a trickle.) I had her open the faucet while I observed the pump. The water flowed while pressure dropped, the pump kicked on and the flow continued to decrease to a trickle. The suction line looks shrivels like it's struggling to get water from the source. I turned the winterizing valve to winterize and the pump flowed momentairly until it sucked air from the winterizing line.
It looks like my problem is somewhere in the line going to the fresh water tank or in the fresh water tank. I'm planning on disconnecting the line from the winterizing valve and running the pump from a bucket of water to verify full flow, then hooking up the pump directly to the line leading to the fresh water tank to rule out the winterizing valve.
My questions are:
Anyone have this problem before? What was the problem?
If I do confirm that it is the line to the fresh tank, how do I get access this line since it disappears into the floor? Do I have to take down the plastic underbelly cover or is there an easier way to access the fresh tank and supply line? Where exactly is the fresh tank? I'm assuming directly above the fresh tank drain line.
Anyone have any other items I should check like inline valves?