Water pump running non-stop/water system problem

Glad you found your problem! Over the years I've had plenty of issues with pumps that were fixed by just taking them apart, looking at them, and reassembling them. Trash in the valves is usually so small that you never see it fall out when you take the pump apart.

I pressurized the system with "city water" and I didn't hear anything running and it held pressure, even with the supply shut off, so I figured it wasn't my worst nightmare - a cracked pipe.

So call me a total noob... This year was the first winter I drained the hot water heater completely (rarely gets below freezing here.) So... You're right, the hot water heater hadn't filled up yet.

Thanks fort the help all. Vacation saved!!!

Mfan wrote:
Sounds like water heater isn't full yet.

X 2 on this

depending on a 6 or 10 gallon hot water tank it may take several minutes to fill up....and until then the hot tap will just "hiss" and then start flowing once tank is full.

Give it time and see if the tank fills before tearing anything apart.

Many rigs have a "city water" / "Fill" valve. If the valve is left in the "Fill" position, the pump will just recirculate water and never shut off. Given a pump with sufficient GPM capacity, it will still flow water to an open faucet.

Sounds like water heater isn't full yet.

If you have a tube and valve before the water pump to suck up anti freeze to winterize, try putting the tube into a bucket and see if the water pump sucks up the water.

Some rigs have a valve that must be turned either one way for hose connection to the outside so water does not fill the tank, or the other way to build up pressure just using the pump from the tank. Pump use without that valve just causes water to recirculate.

Pumps often suck up a piece of debris that lodges in the diaphragm. Take the head off the pump and rinse all the parts off.
I have fixed a bunch of these this way!