Fresh Water Pump help

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Dauninge

Dauninge

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
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70
Location
Oklahoma
I'm at a loss on figuring this one out. Can't wrap my head around it or any diagrams I Googled.

My city water hooks up to a point on my MH. There is a valve there to fill the fresh water tank from the same connection. It is off, but my fresh water tank keeps getting filled. (At a slow rate) The shutoff valve is working and not leaking.
At the suggestion of Rene, I thought i would check the check valve at the pump.

I shut off the city water. I took one line off of the water pump. When I turned the city water back on, no water came out of that line until I turned the tank fill valve on.
I hooked that back up to the pump. I turned the tank fill valve off. I took the line off from the other side of the pump. When I turned the city water back on, water came forcefully out of that line.

Which is which and goes to the fresh water tank? My thought was to just cap whichever end leads to the tank, as I never use it. I'm sure it's simple, but I just can't wrap my head around it. 
 
Dauninge said:
Got it sorted. All is good now. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I had an answer for you but it looks like you figured it out. Is the tank still filling when hooked up to city water?
 
Rene, no, the tank is not filling any longer. All I did was take the line off from the side that had pressure from city water and put a water spigot in the line there as I had one handy. No leaks, no water tank filling. I should be able to just put a check valve between the pump and that line, right? Or would it be on the other side of the pump? I still don't quite understand the water flow, but I got the immediate issue resolved.

When I had the 1st line off, no water came out of that until I turned the tank fill valve. When I shut the valve off, water sort of pulsed out of the pump where that line would go. So, still not sure which is which, and exactly where I would put the check valve.

I'm always receptive to any insight. Thank you!
 
Sounds like the 1st line you disconnected is the line from the tank. When you open the tank fill valve, water went to the tank and then out that line. Try removing that line again after you shut the tank fill valve, open the valve you installed which will be on the discharge side of the pump, make sure that line is connected to the pump then turn on the city water. Look at the pump and see if you have any water coming out of it on the tank side. Remember, that line will be disconnected. If you get water out of the pump, (it won't be much flow), the pump check valve is dirty.
You can get away with installing a check valve on either side of the pump. Or you could just leave the valve, which you installed, there. You'd just have to remember to open it whenever you wanted to use the pump pulling water from the fresh water tank. The check valve would be a better option because the pump will continue to cycle because water would still be leaking by the check valve in the pump. With that, do away with your valve and install a check valve in it's place.

Now you may be able to disassemble the pump and clean it out and that may fix it. Others here may have a definite answer for that.
 
Yes, it does come out of the pump on the side that has the fill tank hose. So, confirmed, bad check valve. I would think it easier to just put in a separate check valve. So, the line that comes from the tank to the pump and the city water bypass/fill valve is the suction side? So if I put a check valve in that line, I would have the flow arrow pointing away from the pump or towards it? I know it shouldn't be that difficult to grasp, and I am really good at figuring most things out, but I just can't grasp this one.

What do you do when a blonde throws a hand grenade at you?
Pull the pin and throw it back.

Yes, I am a blonde.
 
The water flow when using the pump is from the tank to the pump, and then from the pump to the service line. Putting an external check valve on either side of the pump will work with the arrow directed towards the pump in the tank line, and away from the pump on the service line. I suggest putting it in the service line since then you can disconnect the pump for service and still supply water to the RV from the city water connection.
 
OK, I think I actually grasp it now. I will go to Lowes and buy a check valve and install it on the service line.

Thank you Rene and Dutch for the help!
 
Dauninge said:
OK, I think I actually grasp it now. I will go to Lowes and buy a check valve and install it on the service line.

Thank you Rene and Dutch for the help!
Click to expand...

You are most welcome. 

On a second note, does anyone know if the pump can be taken apart in order to clean the check valve?
 
Rene T said:
You are most welcome. 

On a second note, does anyone know if the pump can be taken apart in order to clean the check valve?
[/quote

Yes, Shurflo and most other RV water pumps are serviceable, Rene. Amazon even carries most of the available parts. The link below goes to their listing of the parts for the common Shurflo 2088 pump used in many RV's for many years. They also have parts for the newer 4008 Revolution pumps.

Shurflo 2088 parts
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Dutch. I see they even have a check valve kit. That's the way I would go. At  minimum, take the pump apart and try cleaning it first.

https://www.amazon.com/SHURflo-94-237-00-2088-Check-Valve/dp/B002SSG808/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1521074240&sr=8-7&keywords=shurflo+2088+parts
 
Rene T said:
Thanks Dutch. I see they even have a check valve kit. That's the way I would go. At  minimum, take the pump apart and try cleaning it first.
Click to expand...

:))  Yep, giving it a good cleaning would certainly be my first approach too.
 
NY_Dutch said:
:))  Yep, giving it a good cleaning would certainly be my first approach too.
Click to expand...

It's a 13 year old pump so could be really dirty.

It looks like it may be right behind the pressure switch at least on this model. Just 4 bolts holing it together:

http://riverbendind.com/content/MiscPDF/Shurflo-2088-Series-Parts.pdf
 
Rene T said:
It's a 13 year old pump so could be really dirty.
Click to expand...

Yep... The first time I took my now 17 year old pump apart, the primary problem was scale buildup rather than dirt or other debris. I did eventually replace the complete head on it though, when the pressure switch was failing about the same time the check valve was acting up again. Right now I'm testing a used 4008 Revolution pump I was given and cleaned up. If it proves itself worthy, I'll leave it in and keep the 2088 as a spare.
 
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