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06-17-2022, 04:03 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Pleasant hill
Posts: 53
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Water pump cycles on and off
Our water pump cycles on and off constantly when not being used. This started the last time we used it, but after a shower it stopped and I thought maybe worked itself out. Set up yesterday and worked fine for hours then started doing it again. I’ve checked best I can and have not discovered any leaks anywhere. Any ideas? I tried to attach a video but it won’t work. Basically it’ll run for 2-3 seconds then stop for 3-5 then run then stop until I turn it off.
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06-17-2022, 04:07 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,357
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First thing is make sure all the air is purged. You need to open every faucet valve and run it for about 15 seconds, this includes the outside shower if you have one. If that doesn’t work, then you may have water pump issues.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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06-17-2022, 04:28 AM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,998
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Additionally, don't forget to check the low point drains to be sure the caps are on tight/valves completely off, check the water heater pressure relief valve, the anode threads in addition to purging all the air out of the system.
If none of these are found, then it's time to start looking for a loose fitting, split hose, leaking city water connection inlet valve. If none of those are found, possibly freeze damage from winter storage, so lots of "belly work".. But, before starting that, I'd look at the water pump to make sure it's working properly. Many (maybe even most) water pump cycling issues are caused by trash or plastic drill shards being drawn into the pump diaphragm from the fresh water storage tank. Those things wind up in the FW tank during construction of the trailer and without a strainer on the water pump inlet, they create havoc for the water pump.
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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06-17-2022, 04:59 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Florissant
Posts: 703
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Flush the FW tank's low point drain with plenty of water. If you have a FloJet pump, get an inlet filter. If running water with all the valves open as suggested above doesn't dislodge the bits of junk, you may need to take the pump apart. It is fairly easy.
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Skids
2019 Bullet 248RKS
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06-17-2022, 05:25 AM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Pleasant hill
Posts: 53
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I will try all of the above. How do you flush the low point drain?
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06-17-2022, 05:38 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Las Cruces
Posts: 4,665
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Low point drains just need to be closed, not flushed. If there’s any small leak that allows pressure to escape it’ll cycle to pump, including the low point drains. It doesn’t take much. To give you an idea, I was sanitizing my system the other day, I just finger tightened the anode rod, I knew it would leak. There was a very small, snow leak coming from it and my pump did the exact same thing. I finally got the sockets out and tightened it because it also wanted to make sure the system pressurized properly and I don’t have any leaks. In my case, all was good. The point is, any small leak will do exactly what you’re describing. Hopefully it’s something simple and purging the lines will fix your problem.
__________________
Brent
2013 Alpine 3500RE
2019 Silverado 2500HD Duramax
U.S. Air Force Retired (25 yrs)
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06-17-2022, 05:46 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Florissant
Posts: 703
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason.rhodes86
I will try all of the above. How do you flush the low point drain?
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Really I should have said to flush the FW tank out of the low point drain. Just open the white petcock and drain water. You may want to and more into the fill port a few times to chase out all of the offending bits.
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Skids
2019 Bullet 248RKS
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06-17-2022, 06:29 AM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Pleasant hill
Posts: 53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skids
Really I should have said to flush the FW tank out of the low point drain. Just open the white petcock and drain water. You may want to and more into the fill port a few times to chase out all of the offending bits.
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Ok so you’re saying just open the low point drain to let some water flow thru
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06-17-2022, 06:42 AM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,763
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If it's construction debris the best thing you can do after clearing the pump is to add a strainer on the intake line of the pump. Simply flushing out the FW tank may not be effective. Have you ever pulled the stopper to drain a sink after washing dishes and have to wipe stuff off the bottom of the sink basin?
RV holding tanks are typically shallow and very flat. Getting floating objects to flow down a drain requires a fast flowing high volume drain. A lot of folks report that adding a strainer can capture debris for some time, even years. IMO it's easier to clean out a strainer a couple of times vs tearing apart the pump several times.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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06-17-2022, 08:33 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: Nampa
Posts: 237
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I find if I go from tank water to city water I get air in system on change. FYI
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2018 Cougar 1/2 ton 28sgs,
2023 F350 SD, Crew, long bed, gooseneck puck, 5th (B&W Companion), and Class V bumper hitch. 6.7 PowerStroke.
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06-17-2022, 09:19 AM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Pleasant hill
Posts: 53
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Well I ran all the faucets and then opened the low drain valves purged them and still no luck. That’s about I can try here so I’ll have to dig more into it when get home I guess. Just strange it worked fine for first few hours now this. Thanks for the help.
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06-17-2022, 09:29 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Indiana
Posts: 2,720
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Just a though.... are you attached to city water and do you have the city water / shore water faucet turned on AND your water pump turned on? Or are you completely disconnected from shore water. When I am on shore water (which is very, very seldom) and I don't turn my water pump off, mine acts very similar.
But more than that, I almost always forget to flip the valve from "Fill" to the "Normal Run" position after filling my tanks. The pump will cycle for a second about ever 20 minutes when I forget to flip the valve. And if I flip the wrong valve and flip the winterizing valve, the pump runs constantly as it's trying to suck air. I have my "Oh Duh!" moments too ... far too often!
__________________
2019 Montana High Country 375FL
2014 Chevy Duramax HD 6.6 - 3500 Diesel Dully Long bed Crew Cab
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06-17-2022, 09:32 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Pleasant hill
Posts: 53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchmensport
Just a though.... are you attached to city water and do you have the city water / shore water faucet turned on AND your water pump turned on? Or are you completely disconnected from shore water. When I am on shore water (which is very, very seldom) and I don't turn my water pump off, mine acts very similar.
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Not in city water. Filled the tank on arrival
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06-17-2022, 01:20 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Pleasant hill
Posts: 53
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Random thought but would the trailer not being level possibly affect tbis? I was kind of rushed setting up yesterday and looking today it’s not crazy off, but it also isn’t level as I would like it.
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06-17-2022, 01:28 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Las Cruces
Posts: 4,665
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Being off level a little shouldn’t affect it at all.
__________________
Brent
2013 Alpine 3500RE
2019 Silverado 2500HD Duramax
U.S. Air Force Retired (25 yrs)
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06-17-2022, 01:53 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Pleasant hill
Posts: 53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bsmith0404
Being off level a little shouldn’t affect it at all.
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Ok thank you
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06-18-2022, 03:17 AM
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#17
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Quakertown, Pa
Posts: 67
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`
Make sure you have nothing leaking such as a faucet, outdoor shower, toilet flush valve. Also check the fittings on the pump as they might be leaking as well and also check the water heater pressure relief valve and related valves and fittings. Something is causing the drop in water pressure. It can also be the pump itself as they rely on a diaphragm to start and stop the pump based on pressure drop. Good luck..
__________________
2018 Keystone Springdale 252rl
2015 Copper Canyon 333 FWFLS
1996 Starcraft Comet pop-up
2013 Jayco 26RLS
1996 Sunline 21' TT
1977 StarCraft Galaxy 8 pop-up
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06-18-2022, 03:31 AM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Pleasant hill
Posts: 53
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Starting to think it’s toilet related. It magically started working fine yesterday evening but then in middle of night right after I flushed toilet, back to doing it.
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06-18-2022, 05:38 AM
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#19
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,357
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason.rhodes86
Starting to think it’s toilet related. It magically started working fine yesterday evening but then in middle of night right after I flushed toilet, back to doing it.
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See if you can repeat the problem.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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06-18-2022, 05:51 AM
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#20
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,763
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The question trailer being level, shouldn't have an effect unless the water level is very low inside the tank. If the tank is nearly empty then the water will pool to the low side and could expose the pickup hose allowing air in the line.
The toilet is not the cause. By flushing the toilet you used water, no different than if you drew water from any other point. Once you used water and the pump came on it lost the pressure to keep it turned off. Go pull your pump and see what's going on.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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