Check valves

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Txmale361

New member
Joined
Dec 14, 2017
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3
Hello,

Dumb questions here but I?m fixing an RV my dad had but passed, and due to hurricane Harvey I?m forced to fix up. Long story.

I?m working on the plumbing and had a case where water was coming out of the city water inlet and I read it might be a defective check valve. When I removed this it didn?t appear to be a check valve, or this valve had broke. Also there was no check valve coming from the water pump which I read there should also be one. So my question is how many check valves are needed. This is my list as I have seen

* from water pump outlet
* from city water outlet
* from hot water outlet

Question is should there also be one for the water heater cold water inlet also. I promise my questions will be more intelligent in the future ?
 
First, welcome to the forum.
There is a check valve where your water hose would hook up to. If you remove the hose look at the fitting and you should see a screen. Remove it and then look in the hole and what you'll be looking at is the check valve. The only time this would leak is when the water pump is on. While the pump is on, take a pencil with a eraser on it and push in on what you see. Water will rush out but it may clean the check valve.

Typically there is no check valve at the water inlet (bottom pipe). It's rare, but some do.

There is a check valve at the water heater outlet if you have a 1 or 2 valve bypass system. If you have 3 valves for bypassing the water heater, there will not be a check valve.

The water pump does have a check valve which prevents water from going to the water tank when you're hooked up to shore power.
 
The check valve in the city inlet is usually part of the inlet itself. If it fails you can add a separate check valve immediately behind the inlet, but its usually just as cheap & easy to replace the inlet.  The water pump check valve is internal as well, but you can add one on the pump inlet side if needed.

Rene gave a solid explanation, so I won't add any more.
 
Thank you so much Rene and Gary ?. I have the water working and it is thanks to y?all. Y?all were a lifesaver!
 
Water pump didn?t have a check valve. I replaced other lines with Sharkbite connections as well.
 
Lack of a check valve at the water pump would let water in the lines drain back into the tank. If on city water, it fills the tank till it overflows. If using the pump, the pump never fully shuts off because it cannot maintain water pressure.
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Yeap, already advised him of that. Apparently he needed to add one, so I'm guessing it was not working properly.

Yes, and I reiterated the point when he posted that the pump didn't have one. I just wanted to make sure he understood how the setup is supposed to work.
 

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