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- CLOC-AdminWe have an external water softener between the city water and the trailer. The other day I turned off the water to recharge the softener. My wife needed some water so she turned on the pump for a short time. The fresh tank was about half full at the time. I finished the recharge and turned on the city water as usual. Next morning I went outside and found the fresh tank full and overflowing out of the fill tube. I had to completely drain the FW tank to get it to stop filling. This is the second time in two years that this has happen. First time I noticed that it was filling before it overflowed. Anyone have any idea why this is happening? Thanks in advance.Posted: 1:08 PM – Jan 12, 2013Sounds like your check valve on pump is not working letting water flow back into tankPosted: 1:43 PM – Jan 12, 2013We had to replace the check valve in our water pump. When hooked up to city water the check valve keeps the city water from going through the water pump into your tank. Sometimes a piece of debris gets in the valve. Try turning off the city water and using your water tank and pump, sometimes it will clear the valve. In our case we had a bad valve and had to replace it.Posted: 2:11 PM – Jan 12, 2013Our check valve did the same thing twice.To prevent the city water from filling the fresh tank there is a built in check valve in the pump. It is located behind the 3 screws where the wires hook up to the pump. Got where I couldnt trust the check valve in the pump. I cut the line coming out of the tank and installed a brass flapper style check valve. Never happened again.
Posted: 10:03 AM – Jan 13, 2013I had the same problem (fresh water tank filling up when connected to city water) and I put a shutoff valve in the line going to the fresh water tank to the pump. After two years the pump has failed, it will run but it will not pump any water. The rig is two years old and I will have to replace the pump. The only problem is, the pump was placed behind the water lines, TV cables lines and some electrical lines with little room to move around.Nate
Posted: 10:26 AM – Jan 13, 2013NateMy pump did the same thing that your pump is doing. I havent used my pump in over a year or so and went to use it the other day and it would run but wouldnt pump. I called Sureflo and the tech told me the check valve in the pump was stuck closed. To prevent the city water from filling the fresh tank there is a built in check valve in the pump. It is located behind the 3 screws where the wires hook up to the pump. The tech at Sureflo told me to remove the 3 screws and behind the plate was a check valve that sometimes get stuck in the closed position. There is an O-ring that gets pushed in too far and has to be pushed out again. I told him my pump was in a tight spot and he said I could blow 30 psi through the intake side of the pump to try to free it up but he said he hadn’t had much luck freeing them up with air pressure but said it was a good place to start. I haven’t tried it yet. He did say to unscrew the screen filter from the pump first and hook another line to the pump because the screen assembly could be damaged by the air pressure. My pump is buried like yours is so if I ever take it out or get a new one it will be relocated to a better spot.
Posted: 12:11 PM – Jan 13, 2013Chip,Thanks for the great info. The pump needs to be located to a better place anyway. I will need to keep an eye on the filter cleanness and to remove and replace the filter in its present location is somewhat a pain. I have cleaned the filter out before and it does take a little time to get the filter in and out again.
Nate
Posted: 5:15 PM – Jan 13, 2013Falconhunter. I like your idea of installing the brass check valve in the line since it’s so much work to replace/clean the one in the pump. And thanks for the pictures. I checked the big box web sites and all of the check valves that look similar to yours say for horizontal installation only. Can you tell me what valve that you used or manufacturer part number. Thanks.Jerry
Posted: 6:42 PM – Jan 13, 2013JLS wrote:Falconhunter. I like your idea of installing the brass check valve in the line since it’s so much work to replace/clean the one in the pump. And thanks for the pictures. I checked the big box web sites and all of the check valves that look similar to yours say for horizontal installation only. Can you tell me what valve that you used or manufacturer part number. Thanks.Jerry
I purchased the valve at Lowes, probably a Watts. I have it mounted horizontally. Well slightly angled but only a few degrees. The valve is directional. It can be mounted slightly tilted back in the closed position but not forward.
Posted: 6:45 PM – Jan 13, 2013JLS wrote:Falconhunter. I like your idea of installing the brass check valve in the line since it’s so much work to replace/clean the one in the pump. And thanks for the pictures. I checked the big box web sites and all of the check valves that look similar to yours say for horizontal installation only. Can you tell me what valve that you used or manufacturer part number. Thanks.Jerry
The pic that I took was looking straight on.
Posted: 7:38 AM – Jan 14, 2013If you do relocate the pump, don’t mount it much higher than half way up the water tank. It my be easier to work on but if you run the tank dry, it is a bear to prime. The larger Surflow pumps are much quieter and way better at keeping up flow to the shower if someone opens a second tap.Posted: 10:34 AM – Jan 14, 2013Thanks JohnD222,The folks at Carriage mounted the pump in my unit at the very top of the compartment the fresh water tank is installed. This puts the pump above the water tank. I guess they did not know it was incorrect.
Nate
Posted: 4:48 PM – Jan 14, 2013Warthog,With that location your pump may be fine, albeit less than ideal when 2 folks are using water and one is in the shower -maybe it just lost its prime.
warthog wrote:Thanks JohnD222,The folks at Carriage mounted the pump in my unit at the very top of the compartment the fresh water tank is installed. This puts the pump above the water tank. I guess they did not know it was incorrect.
Nate
Posted: 5:58 PM – Jan 14, 2013Yup, mine is located as high as you can get in the compartment. I’ll lower it, actually I’m going to replace it with a Jabsco marine style- something more in the 4 gallon a minute range..Posted: 6:38 PM – Jan 14, 2013CarriLite Max1 wrote:Yup, mine is located as high as you can get in the compartment. I’ll lower it, actually I’m going to replace it with a Jabsco marine style- something more in the 4 gallon a minute range..Is the “Jabsco” a good replacement pump? I do not want to replace the pump over and over again due to it’s odd location.
Nate
Posted: 8:23 PM – Jan 15, 2013I’ve installed both brands in the yatchs I’ve built. For us it was more a matter of owner preference or price.
Jabsco has been around a long time though…
Check out the ParaMax 4 series pumps.Posted: 8:59 PM – Jan 15, 2013Thanks for the great info.Nate
Posted: 9:03 AM – Mar 05, 2013falconhunter wrote:JLS wrote:Falconhunter. I like your idea of installing the brass check valve in the line since it’s so much work to replace/clean the one in the pump. And thanks for the pictures. I checked the big box web sites and all of the check valves that look similar to yours say for horizontal installation only. Can you tell me what valve that you used or manufacturer part number. Thanks.Jerry
The pic that I took was looking straight on.
Thanks for the idea of adding a brass check valve. I installed one, now for some reason when I turn my pump on it keeps running real slow after a bit, sounds like an old windup mantel clock. I think the leak is in the pump itself, it didn’t do it until I added the new valve, but the water pump had started to fill the water tank when hooked up to city water, new valve stopped that. Now all I need to do is replace the pump and Surflow has sent me a new one. Our pump is located back against a wall, hard to get at, so I will need to just take my time.
Posted: 7:25 AM – Feb 26, 2014Just a quick thank you to everyone for this thread. This happen to us yesterday so we now know the fix. When the rain quits we will see about fixing it.Posted: 8:00 PM – Feb 26, 2014I had the same problem with the fresh water tank filling when hooked to city water almost a year ago. I had ordered a rebuild kit for the pump but it was not going to come in before I wanted to leave so I just bought a new pump and installed it. Worked great for about a week or so then the same thing happened, water filled the tank again. Thats when in installed the brass check valve. Have not had a problem since. So changing the pump or a rebuild kit may not be the answer. I think the check valve is the only true fix.
PilgrimEXCELLENT!!!!! I too had this phenomenon occur and thought I was loosing my mind. I didn’t remember filling the FW tank. Been scratching my head since, until today!!!! Thank you.Posted: 1:39 PM – Oct 14, 2014I use the winterizing bypass valve installed in the line between fresh water tank and pump. I replaced the clear plastic tubing with a closed cap and when hooked up to water I turn the lever to bypass position. That way if the check valve fails water cannot get into the tank. When I am dry camping and use the pump I turn the lever to the non bypass position.Posted: 9:22 AM – Oct 15, 2014I have been full-timing and without internet for some time. I purchase a back flow preventer from an RV store for $69 and it sprung a leak in a few days creating a small flood. It was installed directly after the pump. Shurflow is sending me a kit, but I would like to know where you got your brass pump from so I can order it on the internet. I would like to solve this problem too once and for all. ThanksB.W.Gentry
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2007 Carri-Lite XTRM5
Breckenridge, TX
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