wigpro
Senior Member
Well the past two days have been very frustrating and when I finally realized the real problem I have to think that this is a very poor design.
Now keep in mind I have been around pressure water systems on boats for well over 30 years, owned and lived aboard and cruised well over 50 thousand miles and rebuilt pumps, re-plumbed pressure water systems etc. Not that different from a typical RV.
I don't spend a ton of time in campgrounds, and when I do I rarely hook up to the city water, for a number of reasons, one is last year in this new to me camper I experienced a bad water leak at the head due to high water pressure. I have bought two pressure regulators and both have broken or not worked at all, so I fill my on-board tank and use the pump, works fine and have no problems.
I pulled in for a very lengthy stay in Kingman and decided to go ahead and hook up, but I filled my on-board tank first. The weather promptly turned to freezing and my uninsulated hose froze stiff as a board. I unhooked it and put it in the shower to thaw and went back to attempting to use my onboard system. When I removed the hose the plastic quick disconnect I had cracked and I had to remove both the female end on the hose and the male end on the camper. Didn't think much about it.
Go in the camper and turn on the pump and it just keeps running, so I think things are frozen and open all the access panels and set up a fan in my normal place to keep things thawed and wait, all night! This morning I was nearly out of water, having used almost none? So I panic and thing I must have a broken pipe and search all over for loose water...none inside. I go outside and there is a decent puddle but not a tank full so I try to turn on the park (frozen) valve and hook up the hose to fill my tank again. Had to boil water and pour it in the park side connection to get the valve open and water flowing which I do. Now I am bound and determine to get this fixed because I am positive I have no inside frozen pipes.
So I fill the tank and go inside and turn on the pump...very little water comes out of the faucets and the pump just continues to run. Shut it down and begin to stand on my head to access the pump (just let me catch the bastards that put these pumps in where they do) to get the part number so I can get a new diaphragm, figuring that is the problem. While doing so and laying on the fresh water tank I look and it is nearly empty?? Remember I just filled it.
So I go outside again to look for the leak and sure enough there is a huge puddle right underneath the city water connection on the RV. I go inside turn on the pump and run back out and sure enough the pump is pumping water out the connection. OK bad check valve!
Go back inside, contort myself into a pretzel and trace the pipe from the pump back towards the city water connection, it goes straight to a T with no check valve.
Now I know the Sureflo pump has a check valve built in to keep the city water from filling the tank, but shouldn't there be a check valve between the T and the hose bib on the camper where I hook up for city water?? At one time when I first got the camper there was a plug you put in the hose connection, I figured it was to keep bugs and crap out while traveling and when I installed the quick disconnect it got put away somewhere and of course at my failing age who the hell knows where that is now.
So quick thinking of a solution and even though it will freeze tonight - I put the hose back on and hooked it to the closed valve on the park connection. Come back inside and turn on the pump and everything is fine.
So my second question is...do most have a check valve or just a plug?
Did I mention that the T and city water inlet connection is in a closed passage way under the dinette right where the wheel whell is and nearly impossible to get to without dismantling half of the trailer.
I tend to like to fix things correctly and I am thinking of solutions....I would rather install a check valve than just buy a 50 cent plug, but that would be the easiest. I could move the inlet to a more accessible position and do away with the old and put in a check valve, but I was wondering if this is normal on a camper to just use a screw in plug on the hose connector on the RV??
Suggestions and you can laugh at me as well....
Jim
Now keep in mind I have been around pressure water systems on boats for well over 30 years, owned and lived aboard and cruised well over 50 thousand miles and rebuilt pumps, re-plumbed pressure water systems etc. Not that different from a typical RV.
I don't spend a ton of time in campgrounds, and when I do I rarely hook up to the city water, for a number of reasons, one is last year in this new to me camper I experienced a bad water leak at the head due to high water pressure. I have bought two pressure regulators and both have broken or not worked at all, so I fill my on-board tank and use the pump, works fine and have no problems.
I pulled in for a very lengthy stay in Kingman and decided to go ahead and hook up, but I filled my on-board tank first. The weather promptly turned to freezing and my uninsulated hose froze stiff as a board. I unhooked it and put it in the shower to thaw and went back to attempting to use my onboard system. When I removed the hose the plastic quick disconnect I had cracked and I had to remove both the female end on the hose and the male end on the camper. Didn't think much about it.
Go in the camper and turn on the pump and it just keeps running, so I think things are frozen and open all the access panels and set up a fan in my normal place to keep things thawed and wait, all night! This morning I was nearly out of water, having used almost none? So I panic and thing I must have a broken pipe and search all over for loose water...none inside. I go outside and there is a decent puddle but not a tank full so I try to turn on the park (frozen) valve and hook up the hose to fill my tank again. Had to boil water and pour it in the park side connection to get the valve open and water flowing which I do. Now I am bound and determine to get this fixed because I am positive I have no inside frozen pipes.
So I fill the tank and go inside and turn on the pump...very little water comes out of the faucets and the pump just continues to run. Shut it down and begin to stand on my head to access the pump (just let me catch the bastards that put these pumps in where they do) to get the part number so I can get a new diaphragm, figuring that is the problem. While doing so and laying on the fresh water tank I look and it is nearly empty?? Remember I just filled it.
So I go outside again to look for the leak and sure enough there is a huge puddle right underneath the city water connection on the RV. I go inside turn on the pump and run back out and sure enough the pump is pumping water out the connection. OK bad check valve!
Go back inside, contort myself into a pretzel and trace the pipe from the pump back towards the city water connection, it goes straight to a T with no check valve.
Now I know the Sureflo pump has a check valve built in to keep the city water from filling the tank, but shouldn't there be a check valve between the T and the hose bib on the camper where I hook up for city water?? At one time when I first got the camper there was a plug you put in the hose connection, I figured it was to keep bugs and crap out while traveling and when I installed the quick disconnect it got put away somewhere and of course at my failing age who the hell knows where that is now.
So quick thinking of a solution and even though it will freeze tonight - I put the hose back on and hooked it to the closed valve on the park connection. Come back inside and turn on the pump and everything is fine.
So my second question is...do most have a check valve or just a plug?
Did I mention that the T and city water inlet connection is in a closed passage way under the dinette right where the wheel whell is and nearly impossible to get to without dismantling half of the trailer.
I tend to like to fix things correctly and I am thinking of solutions....I would rather install a check valve than just buy a 50 cent plug, but that would be the easiest. I could move the inlet to a more accessible position and do away with the old and put in a check valve, but I was wondering if this is normal on a camper to just use a screw in plug on the hose connector on the RV??
Suggestions and you can laugh at me as well....
Jim
