My Dad has a 2013 Coachman TT (not sure of model) and lives in SC. He was going to use it this weekend so fired up all of the systems and ran water through all of the lines. Problem he ran into was the water pump wouldn't pull water from the FW tank. Pump runs fine but all he gets is a burst of air when turning on a faucet. All water lines are working normally on city water and he did undo the bypass on the WH.He called Camping World in Myrtle Beach where he bought it and they said it is normal when the TT sits for a while to develop an "air lock" situation. He would need to access the water pump and blow air back through using an air compressor?Have any of you heard of this? What is the fix? I live in ND so I have never had this issue as it gets totally drained and pink stuff put in the pump. I can't help him, wondering if you guys could provide some guidance/lessons that I can pass along. Thanks!

If the camper has a winterization kit there is usually a valve at the pump that switches between the fresh water tank and the line for winterization, is it possible that this valve has not been switched?

I would check the fittings and water filter to make sure they are tight and not sucking any air.

I would check for proper valve set-up and ensure that there is water in the fresh water tank. You might also have him check the suction strainer at the pump and ensure that it is clean. JMO

Is it perhaps still filling the water heater? That can take a long time and act like you describe.

Leave a faucent open and let the pump run until water comes out. It does not hurt the pump to run without water, so let it run.

Water pump airlock?? | Good Sam Community

17 Replies

CT_WANDERER
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
I know one year, when I winterized I used air to blow my line out. In the Spring I could not get the pump going until I ran water thru the winterize line. My pump is on the floor plan and the water tank is below floor level.
RJsfishin
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
Every RV I've had, the pump sets on the same floor plane as the water tank. No priming the pump because if a facuet is open, its always primed whether you want it to be or not.
As far as the question that no one answered, no, no such thing as air locked if even only 1 faucet is open.
ernie1
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
He has to leave the faucet open while running the pump so that the air is expelled from the water heater. Leave faucet open until water comes out.
hyattjlbb
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
He claims to have run the pump for about 30 minutes with no luck. I will verify with him and try some of these other ideas, thanks again!
jrnymn7
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
This is why I prefer to gravity feed even self priming pumps.
ernie1
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
My water pump does it each and every time I get the rv ready for trip. It's because I always drain the water heater and so it takes a few minutes to fill it back up and will expel air in the process.
whiteeye42
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
turn pump on open faucet in the kitchen and place mouth over end and suck just like taking a drink through a straw
Bull_Rider
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
Sometimes I have to prime the water pump too, but I take the shower head off of the shower hose and suck on the hose to pull water into the water pump. You can hear the pump change pitch as the water gets to the diaphragm.

Don't forget to open the cold water tap at the shower when you're doing the deed.
wnjj
Explorer II
Mar 05, 2015
Our Flojet pump also doesn't move water on its own. After it sits a long time or after travel I have to manually prime it. I've taken it apart a few times and the diaphragm is soft, clean and intact. I pull water into the winterizing tube by sucking on the hose with the valve turned 1/2 way. Then I turn on the pump and move the valve to winterize mode. It chugs for a second then starts to pump and that's when I switch the valve back to the tank.
CT_WANDERER
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
Could let it suck some water thru the winterizing line, than switch over to the FW tank. Kind of priming the pump and also see if it is working. Gary

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Water pump airlock??

17 Replies

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