water pump

[joe0508]

I have a surflow water pump 40psi.I went to winterize it.I drained all the water from the water heater and bypassed it.I than drained the fresh water tank using the water pump and letting the water pump out the holding tank.Than after i saw the water was slowing down from the faucet i shut the pump off and let the water stop at the faucet.Than i took my jug of antifreeze to the pump where i took off the fitting from the tank to the pump.Than i fitted a straight pipe with an elbow so i could put it down in the antifreeze.After i got all that put together.I turned on the faucet than the pump.The pump operated but didnt pump out any antifreeze from the jug and nothing from the faucet not even a spit.I think i need to prime it but dont know how?

[grampscamper]

I do my Passport exactly the same as you. I remove the inlet hose from the tank and install a short hose going to the antifreeze jug. I turn the pump on and have to open a tap. Once the tap is opened it primes.
I would think if you fill the line with antifreeze it would prime easier.

[joe0508]

joe0508 wrote:

Itinerant1 wrote:
Thats why I was asking about the pepcock at the fresh tank area. I would think without shutting that off your sucking air through the fresh tank.

I take the inlet line off the pump and attach another line to go to the jug.The tank is unhooked from the pump.

Do you think my priming techniques is the way it works?I think since i am taking the tank out of the equation it is obsolete?I hook a separate line to the pump in place of the one going to the tank to go to the antifreeze jug..It is the same one i used last year and it worked.If for some reason it had failed to prime on its own do you think if i fed the line going to the pump with antifreeze manually before stating the pump and than when the line is full start the pump for a second.Would this be the way to prime it manually?

[joe0508]

Itinerant1 wrote:
Thats why I was asking about the pepcock at the fresh tank area. I would think without shutting that off your sucking air through the fresh tank.

I take the inlet line off the pump and attach another line to go to the jug.The tank is unhooked from the pump.

[Itinerant1]

Thats why I was asking about the pepcock at the fresh tank area. I would think without shutting that off your sucking air through the fresh tank.

[beemerphile1]

RV water pumps are self priming, you are sucking air somehow.

[joe0508]

grampscamper wrote:
I had a trailer that gave me trouble in the past. I would have to close all taps then open only one for it to prime. Sometimes I would have to open and close it a couple of times. Keep the siphon hose as short as possible. Place the antifreeze jug close to the pump and make sure it isn’t getting sucked to the bottom of the jug. I cut my hose on an angle.
Good luck.

Yea.I think the length of pipe i have leading to the jug is a little long.I took the original pipe off and replaced it with one of my own.The pipe is 3 foot to the jug an elbow with another foot and half down in the jug.Im thinking maybe i need to bend that elbow up and fill it up with antifreeze and turn the pump on.. that might just get it to working again?

[grampscamper]

I had a trailer that gave me trouble in the past. I would have to close all taps then open only one for it to prime. Sometimes I would have to open and close it a couple of times. Keep the siphon hose as short as possible. Place the antifreeze jug close to the pump and make sure it isn’t getting sucked to the bottom of the jug. I cut my hose on an angle.
Good luck.

[joe0508]

Itinerant1 wrote:
Joe0508 hopefully you figured out the problem. When you added the connection to draw from the anti freeze jug did it have a pepcock to stop drawing from the fresh tank?

No.It doesnt have any valves at or near the pump or the tank.The only valves i have is on the back of the hotwater heater.I have the two that runs from the hotwater heater off and the middle one that connects the two on.I have done this before with no problem.This time i drained the tank using the pump but i didnt think i runned it dry because it was still flowing when i shut the pump off.the water stopped shortly after..Im pretty sure its a priming problem because it worked fine when i shut it off.I just wasnt sure how to self prime it.I think i got it.I think i need to feed the antifreeze directly with a turkey baster or something similar and than once it excepts it shut the pump off and put it in the antifreeze?I tryed to open faucets and toilet but not for very long.It will take me a while to get back to to try these things because it is in storage and i am over the road but i will have to get back to it soon before the weather gets bad.Thanks for all the replies as always.Great forum

[Itinerant1]

Joe0508 hopefully you figured out the problem. When you added the connection to draw from the anti freeze jug did it have a pepcock to stop drawing from the fresh tank?

[DutchmenSport]

You are doing it wrong! Been there, done that. BEFORE turning on the water pump ... TURN OFF ALL FAUCETS...then turn the pump on and let the lines re-pressurize. When the pump turns off, THEN start opening faucets one at a time.

I know ... been there done that ... and learned by trail and error.

[3oaks]

All three previous replies are excellent advice. One or more should solve your problem. :@

[mobeewan]

Make sure the fittings you added are tight and not sucking air. That will keep the pump from priming and antifreeze from being sucked from the jug.

[Johno02]

use a funnel into the pipe. old it higher than the pump, and pour in antifreeeze untill it gets to the pump.

[grampscamper]

Make sure the hose in the antifreeze bottle is just off the bottom of the jug. I just turned my pump on and open a tap and it primed o.k. It wouldn’t prime until I open a tap.
Maybe try opening and closing the tap a few times with the pump running.