On Board Water Pump Question?
I've read posts about this before, but when searching can't land on any of them now. I'm looking for answers, if anyone else experienced this, what was YOUR cause. Ever since we've owned our Outba...
Forum Discussion
To bring closure to this thread, I may have found the solution.
It was not low-point drains, as I thought. They are bone dry. But when checking again, there was water standing behind the outside panel where the water heater is. I dried up the excess and wait and sure enough, it eventually got wet again.
It is not the pressure relief valve, it's the anode rod, drain hole. I normally drain the water from my heater after every trip, and never over tighten when replacing the plug. This would account why sometimes the pump comes on more than others, the anode rod is sealed tighter sometimes, and sometimes not. As said, I never over tighten, and I never use any kind of thread sealer, like Teflon tape.
So, considering we're sleeping in the camper every night at home and using water in the camper and the water heater is on, I loosed the anode rod and simply retightened it again, reseating it. Well, I waited for the pump to kick on again. As far as I know, we went all night and it never pulsated again.
Been in the camper every night since, and the outside water heater compartment is dry, and have not heard the pump pulsate any more.
I think, maybe the water escaping from the water heater via the anode rod drain hole is so hot, it sometimes evaporates. When I looked in the past, I missed it, poof! evaporated! This time, I must have hit it just right to catch the water standing there.
This would also explain why sometimes it acts up more than others, considering I drain the tank when we're not using it.
I think my mystery is solved. We're heading out for another State Park (actually in about 10 minutes), and am not draining the tank. It will be interesting after bouncing down the road and setting up tonight again if it pulsates again. We'll see.
But I do think this is the source of my problem. I'm about 90% sure. I just need to test it out now a bit better.
Next time I drain the tank, I'll replace the anode rod with that Teflon tape and see if that prevents any drips!
Thanks everyone one... actually, it was the low point drain investigation that led me to this conclusion. Thanks for the suggestion! It led me to the right path.
It was not low-point drains, as I thought. They are bone dry. But when checking again, there was water standing behind the outside panel where the water heater is. I dried up the excess and wait and sure enough, it eventually got wet again.
It is not the pressure relief valve, it's the anode rod, drain hole. I normally drain the water from my heater after every trip, and never over tighten when replacing the plug. This would account why sometimes the pump comes on more than others, the anode rod is sealed tighter sometimes, and sometimes not. As said, I never over tighten, and I never use any kind of thread sealer, like Teflon tape.
So, considering we're sleeping in the camper every night at home and using water in the camper and the water heater is on, I loosed the anode rod and simply retightened it again, reseating it. Well, I waited for the pump to kick on again. As far as I know, we went all night and it never pulsated again.
Been in the camper every night since, and the outside water heater compartment is dry, and have not heard the pump pulsate any more.
I think, maybe the water escaping from the water heater via the anode rod drain hole is so hot, it sometimes evaporates. When I looked in the past, I missed it, poof! evaporated! This time, I must have hit it just right to catch the water standing there.
This would also explain why sometimes it acts up more than others, considering I drain the tank when we're not using it.
I think my mystery is solved. We're heading out for another State Park (actually in about 10 minutes), and am not draining the tank. It will be interesting after bouncing down the road and setting up tonight again if it pulsates again. We'll see.
But I do think this is the source of my problem. I'm about 90% sure. I just need to test it out now a bit better.
Next time I drain the tank, I'll replace the anode rod with that Teflon tape and see if that prevents any drips!
Thanks everyone one... actually, it was the low point drain investigation that led me to this conclusion. Thanks for the suggestion! It led me to the right path.
