UH-OH ... Do I have water pump issues?

[chaajoad]

After a few days of unseasonably cold weather, I went out the MH this afternon. Everything seems fine EXCEPT ... no response when I go to turn on the water pump. I would think there'd at least be a solenoid switch kid of sound or mechanical grinding ... but I'm new at this.

So - this may be a stupid question - but does that indicate a fried water pump? Frozen water in the pipes? Burst pipes? Or maybe wait until everything thaws? In the 40's here today.

Dang.

 

[Tom]

Did you turn on the coach/house battery isolator?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

When you say "no response" do you mean no water flowing form the taps or just no sounds per your description?  There is no solenoid and no whirring or pumping sound if the pipes are already pressurized (the pump has a pressure sensor that turns it on/off). What you turned on is merely the power source for the pump, so the pump may or may not run immediately after flipping the switch.

But if the water doesn't flow, something is wrong. Could be a freeze up somewhere, but that usually results in a leak(cracked pipe)  rather than no action at all. More likely something less drastic, like a blown fuse or the battery disconnect set to off position.

 

[chaajoad]

Okay - here's more "newbie" stuff ... I'm not sure what an isolator switch is. I'm running shore power and I turn the two battery switches to "off" when doing that. I did flick them "on" - still hooked to shore power - same results.

When I hit the water pump switch near the kitchen sink and in the bathroom, nothing. Not a sound, no water. And the red indicator light stayed off. I'll check fuse panel when I get home - I'm assuming that's what you're talking about ... the main fuse box in the dining area of the coach.

It's just odd to work fine and then - nothing. I'm just a weekend warrior handy man but even if the pipes were frozen and/or burst, I think I'd hear the water pump cycle up when turned on.

 

[tyefighter]

You wont hear  any pump noise if it is still frozen.  I had this happen last month when we have single digit temps and the wife had shut turned off the heater.  The weather was in the 70s on the weekend and she had opened the doors and windows to air it out.  When I closed the it up in the evening, I didn't check to see if the heater was left on, after all it was set to kick on at 45degrees.  Ran out of time to winterize that Sunday and Saturday had attended a class for maintenance, winterize your RV.  So when Tuesday's cold snap rolled in and we had 7 degree temps at night and 30 degree days the pump and lines froze up.  The after two days of running the furnace the pump thawed out and I put the antifreeze in the coach.  Now I can only hope that none of the pipes burst, I hate plumbing.

Mike

 

[John From Detroit]

Having just experienced the same problem (Frozen water) I can tell you.. IN my motor home under normal conditions my wife can not hear the pump run (Sometimes when it really starts a-knockin' she can but normally she can not,  I can

When the fresh tank froze and no water was being sucked out of the tank  I had to touch it to tell if it was running (it was)

Thankfully everything thawed (I was expecting 19 (F) got -6, So long about 5 degrees I fired up the aux compartment heaters (light bulbs)

and the only serious damage is one hose or connector on the city side of the quick fill valve,  So it is currently isolated and thus not leaking,  And will be replaced, most likely tomorrow, or Saturday (If it's beyond repair) 

The only portion of the water system I can isolate,  And the easiest to fix... Perhaps it's good I'm in Lost Wages, NV tonight, With luck like that I should be here   (Alas, I know the hard way my luck leaves the instant I look at a slot machine, virtual or not)

 

[Ned]

If the light didn't come on when you turned the pump on, then it's not getting power.  Almost certainly a fuse is blown.  If you have multiple switches for the water pump, then the switches don't actuate the pump directly, but are connected to a controller that turns on the pump using a relay.  That's another possibility, but an unlikely one.  Even if the pipes were frozen, the pump should still come on with the switch.

 

[Karl]

Everything Ned said is correct. One little modification: If the fuse is blown and the water pump itself is frozen, you'll probably blow the fuse again. It draws a lot of power when power is applied but it isn't turning. Use a hair dryer or one of those cube heaters to defrost it. Use low heat; you don't want to melt anything (except the water).

 

[chaajoad]

I hope you guys will see the 'new message' indicator and check this post out ...

I delayed going into the coach until tonight because I'm a bit depressed, thinking bad news. From what I've gathered here, I'm thinking a blown fuse for now. A few days back during the cold spell I turned on the water pump switch near the sink and the red led indicator light flashed briefly, then nothing. No sound, no light. Same thing tonight, even the weather is considerably warmer.

I checked the fuse box near the dining table - they all look good and none of them seem hooked up to the water pump anyway. Looked under the dash - no fuse marked anything like water pump. Soooo - the question would be - where would the water pump fuse be located?

Also - when we used the coach this last summer, when left on, the water pump would "whirrrrr" every few minutes. I'm thinking it's because the '99 Bounder is an older, entry level coach and higher price rigs would be silent ... is that a correct assumption?

Third - if it IS a water pump gone bad with no pipe damage, is that something I can pop in myself?

Last - and this may be silly - how do you know if a pipe burst? Water leaking on the ground is the obvious answer, correct? I've learned to not "assume" a lot so I ask the obvious questions ...

Thanks, guys -

Danny
Poulsbo WA
 

 

[Jim Dick]

Danny,

Don't despair yet! Many times the manufacturer puts an inline fuse near the water pump. Take a look there and see if that isn't the case here.

 

[Tom]

Danny,

Jim is right, I've seen numerous cases where there's an in-line fuse near the water pump. In some cases they're attached to the water pump with a plastic cable tie.

If you can find the pump, you should have little problem removing and replacing either the fuse or the pump.

If you have a burst hose/pipe or a leaking fitting inside the coach, you'd see signs of water on the floor of whichever cabinet the leak is in. If the hose it split in the bay, you should be able to see or feel it.

 

[N Smock]

<Also - when we used the coach this last summer, when left on, the water pump would "whirrrrr" every few minutes. I'm thinking it's because the '99 Bounder is an older, entry level coach and higher price rigs would be silent ... is that a correct assumption?>


Not a good assumption. The pump runs when the line pressue drops and the pump runs to recharge the presure. It would seem that you may have a faucet not closed completely or a small leak.

Nelson

 

[Weewun]

In one of the notes you stated that the Battery switch is off, try turning it on.

 

[chaajoad]

Thanks, guys ...

I almost hate to ask, but ...

where is the water pump?

For those who don'tknow - I bought the rig used, no manuals. I'll nose around but I'm thinking one of  you can point me right to the thing ...

 

[Shayne]

It should be in the area of your city water hookup.  On MH  it's usually tucked down where it's invisible  at 1st look.  You generally have to reach down inside to reach it.  At least all of ours have been

 

[Ned]

The water pump will usually be close to the water tank.

 

[Jim Dick]

Thanks, guys ...

I almost hate to ask, but ...

where is the water pump?

For those who don'tknow - I bought the rig used, no manuals. I'll nose around but I'm thinking one of  you can point me right to the thing ...

As Ned mentioned the water pump is usually very close to the water tank. On some bounders the tank is in the rear. The pump might be in a compartment just forward of the tank. In any case it will be fairly close to the tank location.

 

[Karl]

On my Bounder, the water tank is on the passenger side and the pump is in a small outside compartment on the driver's side in front of the rear wheels. It has a fuse inline with the power feed only a few inches from the pump. When you check fuses, don't rely on how they look. Automotive type fuses can be blown and look perfectly normal. Pull them individually and measure with an ohmmeter.  The pump switches don't actually turn the pump on and off as they can't handle the current; instead, they operate a relay that can. It's usually a square, black unit about 2" x 2" x 3/4" with several wires attached. Should be near the water pump.

 

[Jim Dick]

Karl,

>>On my Bounder, the water tank is on the passenger side and the pump is in a small outside compartment on the driver's side in front of the rear wheels<<

That's why I said usually! ;D ;D

 

[Tom]

On our Pace Arrow the water pump was inside the coach, behind a panel under the refrigerator.