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Old 07-27-2020, 04:09 PM   #1
Tony E
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My water system won't bleed all air out of lines

Hello all,
Today I installed a new Shurflow water pump into my 2018 passport 239ml. The original pump was so loud that I could hear it at other peoples campsite so it had to go. The shurflow is suppose to be very quiet. The switch over was quit easy. I installed it and now I am bleeding the air out of the lines but it is taking forever and it is still bubbling away in the taps. I have been bleeding the lines for about an hour now. I have the outside shower and cook area with the sink so I tried doing everyone individually but that didn't work after 30 minutes. I opened all of the taps just a little so my pump could keep up the pressure and push the air out but after 20 minutes of that the sink is still bubbling away. There are no leaks that I can tell. What can I do to fix this or bleed the lines? Thanks for your help.
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Old 07-27-2020, 04:20 PM   #2
Bill-2020
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Have you tried hooking up to the city supply with a regulator to help push all the air out of all the lines first, then fill the fresh water tank all the way and let that run? Sounds like you're sucking air somehow (if I was to guess). I'm not a fresh water pump expert. I've been lucky and haven't had to install one.
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Old 07-27-2020, 04:21 PM   #3
Tony E
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p.s. my water pump wont shut off either and keeps running. When the taps are open its louder then when all the taps are closed. It gets very quiet but never shuts off. thanks again
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Old 07-27-2020, 05:03 PM   #4
flybouy
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Sounds like the intake is sucking air. Is the winterizing valve closed off all the way? The easiest way to purge the system of air is to connect city water, open all faucets and wait for a solid flow. Shut everything off the try the pump.
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Old 07-27-2020, 05:25 PM   #5
dwdlt
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I just had a similar issue. I changed out the pump at end of last year, and this year, the pump would not shut off and I could not get lines bleed. My issue turned out to be a missing gasket/grommet on the intake line connection to the pump. As a result, the pump could never get pressure up enough to engage the pressure switch on the pump and shut it off. It was sucking more air than water.

My suggestion is to check all the lines on the intake side. Not only if the connector is tight, but twist the elbow itself to see if it moves easy in the connector. If it does, pull that line off and look inside the connector to see if the grommet is still there. I found the grommet laying loose in under the pump.

I'm no expert, but if the correction to my issue can help somebody else, then so be it.

Also, not sure which Shurflo pump you installed, but on the 4008 model, the pressure switch adjustment is on the head of the pump. it take a 5/64 Allen wrench. You can adjust the pressure on the switch and control/adjust how long the pump runs after a load or faucet is shut off. I'd google it before doing so and watch the you tube videos though. also, you want to fix the air leak before doing any adjustment to the pressure switch.

Hope that helps

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Old 07-27-2020, 05:29 PM   #6
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Also, I agree with flybouy. If possible, use your city water connection to bleed the lines and save the use of your water pump.
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Old 07-27-2020, 07:51 PM   #7
Tony E
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Thanks for all your advice. I did the "hook up city water and run it until all of the air is gone" thing. It worked great for getting rid of the air but then I turned off the city water and went to pump power and then there was lots of air again. I am assuming that it is a leak where the pump connects to the lines as one side just had a regular hose that I could use the connector that came with the pump to connect to. On my other side I have a blue line with another line coming off of that main hose and its different. I can hold the fitting and turn the hose so does that mean it is slipping and possibly letting in air? I can try to put another clamp on it if you think that might help? Also it is not the white soft hose but the blue stuff but it had the right black plastic connector to just screw on to my new pump so I was happy. "was" happy.
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Old 07-27-2020, 08:18 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony E View Post
Thanks for all your advice. I did the "hook up city water and run it until all of the air is gone" thing. It worked great for getting rid of the air but then I turned off the city water and went to pump power and then there was lots of air again. I am assuming that it is a leak where the pump connects to the lines as one side just had a regular hose that I could use the connector that came with the pump to connect to. On my other side I have a blue line with another line coming off of that main hose and its different. I can hold the fitting and turn the hose so does that mean it is slipping and possibly letting in air? I can try to put another clamp on it if you think that might help? Also it is not the white soft hose but the blue stuff but it had the right black plastic connector to just screw on to my new pump so I was happy. "was" happy.
Note the part of your response I bolded. The outlet side of the pump CAN NOT suck air. If there was a leak in the outlet side, you would spray water at that fitting and it would be immediately noticeable. You can not "suck water into a pressurized tube or fitting"...

So, the water is being sucked into the pump at the fitting on the INLET side of the pump. Rather than creating a vacuum and sucking water from the fresh water tank, there is a fitting (loose or defective) or a tube (usually white garden hose) that is split. Either of those will allow air to enter the pump and then it's forced through the pump and into your pressurized water lines where it "causes the faucets to spurt air"...

Go to your pump, check the INLET fittings carefully, chances are it's either not properly seated or tightened, an O-ring is damaged or not seated or you have a damaged fitting or split hose (white garden hose) from the FW tank to the pump.
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Old 07-28-2020, 04:23 AM   #9
Tony E
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OK JRT, I shall go and focus on the inlet side and make sure that is 100 percent. Thanks
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Old 07-28-2020, 05:31 AM   #10
Tony E
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OK so I took all of the air out using the city water pressure which only takes a minute and was a great suggestion. Then I took the plastic fitting off of the intake part of the pump and made sure that it was ok which it was. I also check the hose out and made sure that it had no cracks or leaks which it never. I then replace the clamp with a new one to make sure it worked fine which it does. I turn on the pump after all of the checks and the pump works with no leaks but then the air bubbles in the tap start spurting and it continuously keeps spurting out air. The other thing is the pump that was in there before never had the air problem. It was just annoying loud so it must be related to what I have done so far with this pump or the pump is defective somehow? The pump was starting and stopping fine for a few tries and then the last few tries it would pressure up like 85% and then keep running which again indicates a slow air leak. Any other ideas before I take this pump off and return it to Mr Amazon?
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Old 07-28-2020, 05:47 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Go to your pump, check the INLET fittings carefully, chances are it's either not properly seated or tightened, an O-ring is damaged or not seated or you have a damaged fitting or split hose (white garden hose) from the FW tank to the pump.

As John said, the problem is on the inlet side of the pump. If you are ABSOLUTELY positive the intake hose and the fittings that attach it to the pump are OK, then your pump is defective. There was mention in a different thread the other day about a missing gasket when the intake hose was being reattached. Make sure yours is complete.
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Old 07-28-2020, 05:59 AM   #12
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If you are POSITIVELY sure that the inlet fittings and hose from the FW tank are intact, then the only other possibility is the pump head/diaphragm. Apparently, (assuming it worked previously) the pump head suffered freeze damage this past winter or it failed this spring. I'd suppose it's possible that the pump was dropped during shipping and the plastic pump head or inlet side of the head was damaged. Alternatively, it's freeze damage from the pressure against the plastic as the water in the pump head froze.

Typically, using the water pump to draw antifreeze into the fresh water system precludes water in the pump, but using only compressed air or an alternative way to winterize may leave water in the pump head, resulting in this type of damage...

If you can get a replacement pump, order it. Amazon's "return window" is relatively short, so you may have to rely on the manufacturer's warranty. On FloJet and ShurFlo pumps, I believe it's a 2 year warranty, but it does not cover freeze damage, so be aware they may deny your warranty claim if the pump has evidence of being frozen.

ADDED: As an afterthought, you are using Teflon plumber's tape on all the fittings, aren't you ???? If not, on plastic fittings, many will leak and not seal properly... So if you are not using that, before returning the pump, wrap all the threads with Teflon tape and try again.....
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Old 07-28-2020, 07:40 AM   #13
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Does your pump have a winterize valve? There would be a "T" connection on the INLET side of the pump with a valve and a section of hose that doesn't connect to anything. That open hose is to place into a gallon of TV antifreeze to winterize the pump and water Ines.

That valve must be fully turned to the water tank to prevent the pump from losing it's prime. If you have that system, then place the hose in a clean container of water and if it draws down the water then the valve is not closed.

When you replaced the pump did you pull out the hose that goes to the water tank? Are you sure there's sufficient water in the tank to cover the pick up hose in the tank. Water, like air, electricity, and teenagers will take the path of least resistance. ANY pathway for air in the suction line will create your issue. ANY pathway to air on the pressure side will lead to water flow (a leak). If you want a demonstration the take a straw and place it in a drink. Take a pin and punch a hole in the straw somewhere between your mouth and the liquid. Try and take a drink. If you hold your finger over the hole it will work. Remove your finger and you only get air.

So, if you know all avenues for air infiltration have been eliminated on the suction side of the pump then it would have to be the pump itself is defective. Hope this helps.
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Old 07-28-2020, 07:57 AM   #14
Tony E
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Success!!

Success!!! I took the pump out again right out of the trailer and into the garage just to look it over and make sure there were no loose screws or anything. What I found was some of the plastic threads on the water intake side were stripped and a bit worn so I brought out the silicone as a last resort and put a tiny bit around the threads. I then put on the female part and got it snug and let it set for a while to cure. I then reinstalled the pump and instantly it pressured up and stopped pumping. I then turned on the tap and its got good pressure with no bubbles in the line!!! The only bad thing is that fitting is never coming out but who cares as it is on the water intake hose side so it does not ever have to come off again. This pump is at least 50% quieter than the one we had in there before and I still have to do some more fixes in there to possibly quiet it down even more. Thanks to everyone for your help as always you guys saved me!! thanks again
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Old 07-28-2020, 09:12 AM   #15
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Congrats on finding the problem and a "permanent solution"... That said, how do you plan to winterize the trailer if you can't remove that fitting to use the inlet side of the pump to draw antifreeze into the system ???
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Old 07-28-2020, 09:17 AM   #16
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Foam pipe insulation around the Pex anywhere it touches the walls or goes through a hole will quite the pump much more than anything else.
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Old 07-28-2020, 11:35 AM   #17
Tony E
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Oh JRT you are always such a worry wart....lol. No actually I didn't think that I had to ever remove that fitting to winterize the RV. I thought that there was a fitting that goes directly on to my city connection that I use along with a compressor and I blow everything out. Also my buddy had a way that he does his that is suppose to be pretty simple and have nothing to do with that fitting. I am just glad that i got the pump working and that it was not all for nothing. I am going to put foam around everything in that area to make the pump even quieter but first I have to run some 12 volt wires through that area for some boon docking power related equipment and then after that I will foam up everything. I am working with a smaller trailer and not many areas to install and run cords and mount equipment. Thanks again to all that helped me out. JRT I will probably be back here in a couple months doing up another post asking you about how to blow out my water lines ....lol.
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