Pump forces water out city H2O connection

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Telemark46

Telemark46

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 3, 2015
Posts
82
Location
Sacramento
A new problem popped up when we got to our Boondocking site in Newfoundland. When the water pump comes on, it pushes water out of the connector where the city water would connect. I think it would’ve drained our freshwater tank in 10 or 15 minutes, but I blocked it with a Y that has a shut off in it. That’s only a temporary solution and I’m trying to remember if the one-way valve that should prevent that is in the connector that’s built into the travel trailer wall or if it’s part of the pump assembly. We may be able to get a short notice appointment at an RV repair place tomorrow, but I would like to find out as much as I can before we get there. I’m better at searching for information on my laptop which I can’t use without shore power and we don’t have a great signal here to use the phone so any help you can provide is greatly appreciated. The trailer is a keystone passport with a separate gravity feed water tank filler separate from the city water hose connection.
 
The city water inlet is a check valve There are many things that can cause a check valve to fail.. Now some folks warn what I'm about to suggest will ruin it (Well it is already broken so what's the risk???) remove the filter screen/washer Carefully you want to put em back)( using a pencil or other like shaped device you will see a "Button" inside the valve body.. NOTE YOU WILL GET WET..
WIth the pump on push the button a time or two.
one of the failures.. Some bit of debris blocked it from closing (this may flush it out)
Another.. Did not seat properly (This may seat it(
If it works. Great.. If it does not.. Remove the screws in the benzel aroudn it. Pull it out a bit. unscrew it and replace with a plug (half inch pipe plug) or with a new inlet from your local rv place.
Optionally.. IF it's a trailer the plug someone else replied with or if it's a motor home a quarter turn garden hose valve from any hardware store
 
John From Detroit said:
The city water inlet is a check valve There are many things that can cause a check valve to fail.. Now some folks warn what I'm about to suggest will ruin it (Well it is already broken so what's the risk???) remove the filter screen/washer Carefully you want to put em back)( using a pencil or other like shaped device you will see a "Button" inside the valve body.. NOTE YOU WILL GET WET..
WIth the pump on push the button a time or two.
one of the failures.. Some bit of debris blocked it from closing (this may flush it out)
Another.. Did not seat properly (This may seat it(
If it works. Great.. If it does not.. Remove the screws in the benzel aroudn it. Pull it out a bit. unscrew it and replace with a plug (half inch pipe plug) or with a new inlet from your local rv place.
Optionally.. IF it's a trailer the plug someone else replied with or if it's a motor home a quarter turn garden hose valve from any hardware store
Click to expand...
That’s great info. It seems like with filters and screens It would’ve been hard for any particles to get in there and lodge but maybe not impossible. Maybe something came out of the filter. I think I will just keep our temporary plug in there and see if hooking up to a city water hose tonight dislodges whatever it is or allows the valve to seat properly.
 
Using a plug like Western Slope suggested is a good idea, not only as an emergency fix for a stuck check valve but also as a preventative measure. If you keep the fresh water inlet covered when it's not in use it won't collect dust and debris that can be forced into the check valve when you connect to city water.

Along the same lines I always run some water through the fresh water hose before connecting it to the RV for the same reason - to flush out anything that may have accumulated inside it.
 
I was about to post the same thing as Lou just did. It has been my experience that since I began to use one of the plugs like in post #2, the check valve is much less likely to fail, probably because it isn't subjected to outside dirt and debris. But at the same time, it really wouldn't matter if it did.
 
Easy fix, definitely the check valve at the inlet. Try as mentioned, stand back and push in a few times to attempt clearing, but if that doesn't work, just replace it. Test before putting the sealer on and screws in.
 
Lou Schneider said:
Using a plug like Western Slope suggested is a good idea, not only as an emergency fix for a stuck check valve but also as a preventative measure. If you keep the fresh water inlet covered when it's not in use it won't collect dust and debris that can be forced into the check valve when you connect to city water.

Along the same lines I always run some water through the fresh water hose before connecting it to the RV for the same reason - to flush out anything that may have accumulated inside it.
Click to expand...
Ours has a little rubber plug on a short leash, but it looks pretty bad from the dirt roads we’ve taken, so I’m not sure it’s keeping the dirt out. I do flush water through the hose before hooking it up partly to get the air out. before I hook up the hose I run a little water out of the tap to get the earwigs out.
 
Telemark46 said:
Ours has a little rubber plug on a short leash, but it looks pretty bad from the dirt roads we’ve taken, so I’m not sure it’s keeping the dirt out. I do flush water through the hose before hooking it up partly to get the air out. before I hook up the hose I run a little water out of the tap to get the earwigs out.
Click to expand...
The plug Western Slope suggested doesn't just push into the inlet, it's threaded like the end of a hose so it should seal pretty well.
 
Telemark46 said:
Ours has a little rubber plug on a short leash, but it looks pretty bad from the dirt roads we’ve taken, so I’m not sure it’s keeping the dirt out. I do flush water through the hose before hooking it up partly to get the air out. before I hook up the hose I run a little water out of the tap to get the earwigs out.
Click to expand...
This style of plug is only to keep dirt out. The OP’s problem is water comes out of the fitting when the pump is on and under pressure.
 
$1.61 is the price of the plug online. It will require an additional 1 to 2 seconds of time unscrewing it in order to hook up a hose to the city water connection though versus replacing the one-way valve and not having to deal with a plug.
Screenshot_20230915-124428_Chrome.jpg
 
Western Slope said:
$1.61 is the price of the plug online. It will require an additional 1 to 2 seconds of time unscrewing it in order to hook up a hose to the city water connection though versus replacing the one-way valve and not having to deal with a plug.
View attachment 167586
Click to expand...
I happened to have a brass 1/4 turn valve with me, so I don't even have to stop at a hardware store! We're now in a park hooked to city water and I hope that will either push out any debris OR allow the one-way valve to seat properly. If not, I'll probably include a plug like you recommended on our next Amazon order. Thanks for looking that up.
 
After being hooked to city water for three days, the check valve is still not working! I will continue using the brass shut-off as a plug, then try pushing in the check valve sometime when it's not raining. Thanks for all the help.
 
Telemark46 said:
After being hooked to city water for three days, the check valve is still not working!
Click to expand...
I am not surprised. You have two options, either replace the city water connection or use one of the plugs. Your brass shutoff valve will work but in time it will also get enough dirt into it to become a problem. I would also think that the weight of it on the present fitting might damage it in time.
 
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