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- CLOC-AdminNeed help and advise. We’ve lost pressure with our fresh water. Here are the facts leading up to this:
1. Everything was working fine in sub-freezing temps. I was unhooking the water supply in the evenings when temps dropped below 32 degrees and blowing out the hose with air compressor.
2. We used our onboard water with water pump until the next day when temps rose above freezing and would hook water supply back up until temps dropped again in the evening.
3. Next night failed to turn water off due to unexpected delay getting back to trailer and water supply hose was frozen up.
4. Turned on 12v water pump, ran briefly, then it quit. Ran a couple of other times quitting briefly each time with no more water pressure.
5. Next day, thawed everything out all lines were clear, but our water pressure had dropped to less than half of normal pressure. Turned on the water pump and it would not come on. Checked fuse in fuse box, it was OK, checked inline fuse behind docking station, it was OK. Neither switch (inside trailer, inside docking station) would activate the pump. The lights on the switches would come on but no pump.
6. Cleaned out all aerators at each faucet including shower head. Did get a lot of sediment/debris from aerators but still low pressure.
7. I’m showing 60 psi on gauge at supply bib and pressure appears to be that going into trailer.
Questions:
1. Does the water supply going to the trailer feed through the water pump?
2. If so, if obstruction/debris got lodged at pump, could this perhaps caused the pump to fail?
3. Could that also explain the loss in water pressure throughout the trailer?
At this point, I’m sure I’ll be ordering a new water pump but just wanting to know if all of this is the culprit for the sudden low water pressure.Thanks for any and all suggestions/feedback.
B.W.Posted: 8:30 PM – Dec 11, 2013B.W. did you check the screen filter by the pump. My water pressure is not what it was and I’m thinking I need to clean out that filter. The problem is it’s facing a side wall, so first I need to move it a bit to get to it.Posted: 8:48 PM – Dec 11, 2013Traveler, I haven’t checked the screen filter yet. It and the pump is buried behind a maze of hoses, tubing, wires, etc. on the back side of the docking station. When I replace the pump, I’ll be re-locating the filter and pump to a different location.B.W.
Posted: 8:51 PM – Dec 11, 2013To answer you first question1. Does the water supply going to the trailer feed through the water pump? No
Make sure your check valve at the city water inlet wasn’t damaged when the water line froze. This would cause sudden low pressure. This happened to a friend of mine just a few days ago.
Chip
Posted: 9:12 PM – Dec 11, 2013falconhunter wrote:Make sure your check valve at the city water inlet wasn’t damaged when the water line froze. This would cause sudden low pressure. This happened to a friend of mine just a few days ago.ChipThanks Chip, I’ll check that in the morning after it warms up a bit and see if I can rule that out.
B.W.
Posted: 10:34 PM – Dec 11, 2013Our recent experience with reduced water pressure was evidenced by noisy water lines near the pump. We removed the water filter and put the bypass plug in its place and immediate increase in water pressure and no longer noisy water lines and pump back to usual sounds. We now have the B3 filter installed, plus we have heat tape in the water line to the rig.As an aside, your are in Texas and we are in Canada. I would expect frozen lines where we are, but not Texas – that is a snowbird destination
Posted: 9:09 AM – Dec 12, 2013rwb_wl wrote:As an aside, your are in Texas and we are in Canada. I would expect frozen lines where we are, but not Texas – that is a snowbird destinationThanks “rwb”, I’ll be taking a closer look at the filter and water inlet today.
When you’re in North Texas, you’re about half way to Canada from South Texas. Don’t you just love Texans.Posted: 11:50 AM – Dec 16, 2013B.W. did you come up with a solution to your loss of water pressure? I was able to move the screen around so I could see how dirty it was, but found little in it, but now I can get to it, before it was facing a back wall.Posted: 4:33 PM – Dec 16, 2013Traveler wrote:B.W. did you come up with a solution to your loss of water pressure? I was able to move the screen around so I could see how dirty it was, but found little in it, but now I can get to it, before it was facing a back wall.Jim,
Thanks for the follow-up. I’ve replaced the 12v water pump (shorted out inside), and I replaced the screen filter (wasn’t that bad with little debris). I also re-located the pump and filter for easier access. The pressure is great now when using the pump but when using city water, flow starts out great then slowly diminishes to about half. I’ve blown out the lines and everything appears to be fine up to the trailer intake. I also replaced the intake. Really has me mistified. I don’t know if maybe a small pebble may have got lodged somewhere in the line (lots of 90’s) or what???? Everything I’m replacing, I’m putting inline screens & filters.Thanks again,
B.W.Posted: 5:21 PM – Dec 16, 2013This leads me to another inquiry. Can you run the 12v pump while hooked up to city water without causing complications or problems?B.W.
Posted: 5:38 PM – Dec 16, 2013Clogged water filter?Posted: 6:36 PM – Dec 16, 2013B.W. wrote:Traveler wrote:B.W. did you come up with a solution to your loss of water pressure? I was able to move the screen around so I could see how dirty it was, but found little in it, but now I can get to it, before it was facing a back wall.Jim,
Thanks for the follow-up. I’ve replaced the 12v water pump (shorted out inside), and I replaced the screen filter (wasn’t that bad with little debris). I also re-located the pump and filter for easier access. The pressure is great now when using the pump but when using city water, flow starts out great then slowly diminishes to about half. I’ve blown out the lines and everything appears to be fine up to the trailer intake. I also replaced the intake. Really has me mistified. I don’t know if maybe a small pebble may have got lodged somewhere in the line (lots of 90’s) or what???? Everything I’m replacing, I’m putting inline screens & filters.Thanks again,
B.W.Hi B.W.
You would have ruled out plugged aerators, as water pressure from the pump is great. Have you suspected a drop in water pressure at the park? I have purchased a water pressure gauge that screws on to the hose bib. We intent to use our 5 micron exterior water filter reduce contaminants entering the coach.
Rick
Posted: 6:39 PM – Dec 16, 2013Likewise we are experiencing the same thing; starts out with good pressure and drops in half. Good pressure while using the pump, but now the pump has starting to run periodically and I think it’s the check valve in the pump, I’m not seeing any leaks. I’ve replaced the pressure regulator with a new one, I’ve put a new 3M filter on, and I’ve removed the little white aerator in the kitchen faucet, (helps a bit). The puzzle is why it starts off with good pressure, but than cuts in half when on city water, but not with the water pump.B.W. I have run the water pump while I’m hooked up to city water, but it doesn’t help, only if I turn the city water off.
Posted: 8:21 PM – Dec 16, 2013A couple questions for BW and Traveler.Do both of you have water pressure regulators installed at the hose bib?
If so have you tried just hooking to the bib without the regulator and see if you have better or constant pressure?
Chip
Posted: 8:33 PM – Dec 16, 2013falconhunter wrote:A couple questions for BW and Traveler.Do both of you have water pressure regulators installed at the hose bib?
If so have you tried just hooking to the bib without the regulator and see if you have better or constant pressure?
Chip
Yes, we do use one, I did buy a new regulator thinking that might be the problem, but it didn’t change a thing. We’re off to a new campground tomorrow and will try hooking the city water up without one.
Posted: 9:16 PM – Dec 16, 2013Chip,
Yes, I use a gauged regulator. My gauge is showing 60 psi. I’ll try it tomorrow without the regulator and see if the pressure inside still drops.B.W.
Posted: 9:24 PM – Dec 16, 2013I have experienced this same thing when I use my cheaper preset regulator. I get a sudden burst of good pressure then in a few seconds it cuts almost in half. When I use my Watts whole house regulator or hook directly to the bib I don’t have this problem. I had to rebuild my watts earlier this year due to it freezing up on me while at Bryce Canyon this spring. The ice ruptured the rubber diaphragm inside. Also there is a stainless steel fine particle filter inside the watts regulator that can get clogged. You have to take it apart to access the screen.
ChipPosted: 9:30 PM – Dec 16, 2013Here is a PDF with all the Watts repair parts and kits. The section cutaways show the screen Im talking about.
ChipPosted: 10:30 PM – Dec 16, 2013It’s only going to start it the city water pressure drops low enough. Can’t see where it would cause a problem. Maybe something in your city water check valve not letting it flow full stream?Pilgrim
Posted: 5:13 PM – Dec 17, 2013Pulled into a new campground this afternoon and hooked up the water without a pressure regulator, first time in RVing that I’ve not used one; makes me nervous. The results is no drop off on water pressure, again Chip is right on.I ask the serviceman at la Mesa if i could hook up hose without regulator. He said the water lines in the camper are not intended to have pressure like at home. They could blow out.Posted: 11:35 AM – Dec 23, 2013I have also had intermittent problems with water pressure. I finally got tired of it and bought the adjustable regulator with gage at camping world. At $80, its a bit pricey, but I have not had a water pressure problem since.B.W.Gentry
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2007 Carri-Lite XTRM5
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