Water pump troubleshooting?

[joebedford]

I'm slowly checking out components in my 5er that's been sitting idle for over two years. So far I've found a faulty propane regulator and faulty? water pump.

When I was replacing the water softener in the house, I thought it would be a good idea to have an alternative source of water - we've used the RV for that purpose before. I half-filled the tanks and started the pump. It ran for a couple of seconds and when pressure built up it stopped as expected. When I opened the galley tap to clear the antifreeze from the pipes, a bit came out, then nothing.

The pump is running, but nothing comes out. I'm going to see if it will suck from a bucket through the antifreeze.

Assuming it DOESN'T take water from a bucket, is it worth trying to repair the pump or just replace it? Are there any other tests I could try?

The pump is a Flojet 03526144 which is an exact replacement of the original pump I replaced in 2017. Maybe I should consider another type of pump if this kind is going to croak every 5 years. I want one with identical fittings because it's a total rats' nest in that compartment - changing fittings will not be easy.

[JimK-NY]

joebedford wrote:
Oh my. I have twenty years RVing experience but how quickly one forgets after a couple of years off.

The valve was set to WINTERIZE. The pump works fine.

Many thanks Doug!

We have all done this! I now winterize and then set all valves back to their normal positions so avoid this happening next Spring.

[BurbMan]

Glad you found the issue! love the simple fixes! If you have problems in the future, one more thing to look at is the strainer assemble installed just ahead of the pump. If the pump fails to suck water from a bucket, you may have a hairline crack in the clear plastic over on that strainer, or possibly a bad gasket, etc., that allows air into the suction side of the pump. I've had that happen to a couple times over the years to the point where I now carry a spare.

FYI, a new pump is about $82, the diaphragm kit is only $27.

[joebedford]

Oh my. I have twenty years RVing experience but how quickly one forgets after a couple of years off.

The valve was set to WINTERIZE. The pump works fine.

Many thanks Doug!

[dougrainer]

The test for any RV pump is what you are going to do. Install a suction hose and put in a bucket of water. If the pump will not pull the water out, the pump is bad. Odds are the inner components have "dried" out and the pump needs replaced. You can save a few dollars rebuilding yourself, but it is best to just buy new. At a Service Center it would cost more in labor to rebuild so we replace. YEARS ago(more than 30) Rebuilding could be done for about the same price as replacing. IF your test shows the pump will pull water(you NEVER have to prime), then the suction tube from the pump to the tank has an Air leak, or you have a winterization valve turned OFF for the water pump suction side. Doug