Back flushing water lines?
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Printed Date: 12 Jul 2025 at 2:34pm
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Topic: Back flushing water lines?
Posted By: cgarb
Subject: Back flushing water lines?
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2018 at 5:57am
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Is it possible to back flush the cold water lines in the bathroom? The toilet and cold water faucets in there are barely dribbling and it looks like we would have to totally take things apart, risking tearing the walls taking out the caulking around the faucet panel. I am thinking of making sure the water pump is turned off and using the garden hose to try to shoot water backwards through the toilet and the cold water faucet. I am assuming the water tank would have to be drained and left open to clear out the grit that the pump must be picking up. When I first turned on the pump and water faucet it shot out air and water for just a moment. We dry camp and don't usually even carry water in the tank, but are getting it ready to sell now. I already cleaned grit out of the kitchen faucet and the hot water is running fine both places. Is there any downside to trying to back flush the cold water lines? Thanks for any advice!!!! ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Replies:
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2018 at 8:48am
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Can you just remove the lines from the faucet and toilet connections and see if you can then let the pump (or city water) push the obstructions out? You may still need to backflush the faucet and valve, but you would not need to then worry about the tank and pump ends.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2018 at 9:48am
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There is no way to get to the faucet lines without taking off the whole panel that is screwed and caulked to the wall. That is where I am afraid we might tear the wall paper. We unscrewed the back of the toilet, and ran the pump, but only a dribble of water came out. ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2018 at 10:00am
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Are you getting a good stream of water anywhere? There is a screen in front of the water pump. Check it before you do anything else? TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2018 at 10:31am
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You have a 177.. there should be an access panel in the "bedroom" wall.
------------- |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2018 at 5:50pm
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As TT mentioned above, check out the water screen by your water pump. Ours looks like a small plastic bowl that you can see through with a screen just above it, pretty easy to access under the sink and should not be too difficult to unscrew by hand. You will need a flashlight or use the light on your smartphone to see its location.
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2018 at 6:02pm
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Thanks for the suggestions! I will have to see if I can find the water pump. I looked under the sink a few days ago, but had no idea what I was looking at. I just found the panel on the wall behind the fabric pockets. No idea it was there! I"ll try all these suggestions tomorrow when it is cooler. The toilet water flow seems like a harder one to fix. Again, I really appreciate all the expertise and help all you r-podders are so willing to share! ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2018 at 6:18pm
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Ok, on our 177 the water pump is located on the floor, to access it you have to take out 4 tiny screws (we have since replaced them with 2 plastic fingers for quick access) on the panel below the sink, the panel is about 18.5" x 8.5". Anyway there is enough room to see the pump to your left and find the little plastic bowl. Also, make sure your slide is out, that way you only have to reach less than a foot to get to the water pump. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 08 Jul 2018 at 6:38pm
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Thanks! That will be my project for tomorrow! ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 09 Jul 2018 at 10:21am
I got the bathroom faucet cleared of grit so that works now. The toilet still has only a dribble of water coming in. i wonder if the Hood River edition 177 has different placement for the water pump. There are only lines disappearing through the floor when I looked behind the panels under the sink. No pump or bowl. I am surprised that none of the info that came with the trailer shows placement of the water pump. there has got to be a way to clear the toilet line!  ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 09 Jul 2018 at 12:47pm
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Well, partial success is better than none. Unfortunately, having a 179, I can't help you with the location of the pump on the 177. Try to use the sound of it to zero in on the location if you can.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2018 at 8:50am
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Well, the water pump seems to be under the bed with no visible access panel. Odd placement for something that can use periodic maintenance! Oh, well. A trip to our RV service shop will certainly take care of it. Just wish we could have done it ourselves. It needs to be done well so we can get it sold. It is hard to let it go, but backs aren't what they used to be for getting the hitch and all done. Thanks for all the suggestions and help! ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2018 at 9:49am
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On some HRE 177 I have heard of the water pump being under the bed. Just remove the 4 screws holding the luan sheet down that the mattress sits on, and you can access it. That is also where your water heater is. Most 177 owners pull the bed panel, and cut the section over the water pump etc free, and secure it separately with new screws, so the couple times a year they need to get in there, it is much easier. ------------- |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2018 at 10:00am
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What a strange place to put it. Herniated disks are going to keep us from wrestling with the mattress, unfortunately. Even a few months ago we could have done it. Thanks for the info, though! ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2018 at 11:28am
I do not know why they put it there on SOME 177's at least 99% of them I have dealt with, it was under the sink. But, a few we know for sure that is where it is at. I actually thought it a good place, since generally, the only time you mess with it, is winterization and de-winterization.. and you need to be in there to set the bypass valves anyways.. ------------- |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2018 at 5:48pm
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Really interesting. We did get the water pump uncovered, but there doesn't appear to be a filter anywhere. The water lines go directly into and out of the pump and on under the floor or through the wall and into the water heater. The pump info says a strainer must be installed in an accessible place for the warranty to be good, but there doesn't seem to be one. Hmmmm.... ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2018 at 7:12pm
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Problems solved! I called the service dept where we bought the pod and he said that there is no screen/filter on the system unless we add one ourselves. He suggested using an air compressor, at low pressure, to blow down the water pipe going to the toilet to break up any obstruction. It worked! When we turned on the pump again, a lot of grit came out with a great water flow! Now the whole system is grit free, for at least a while, and is working fine. Thanks again for all the input and advice from all of you! You are so very kind to give so much support! Now we just have to get our dear Rpod-Dpod sold. ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2018 at 7:18am
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You absolutely are supposed to have one of these.. you can fight the dealership, or spend a couple bucks and install it yourselves. https://www.amazon.com/SHURFLO-255-313-Twist-Pipe-Strainer/dp/B000V2W0GE ------------- |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2018 at 7:42am
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I agree with Furpod, and I hope there was some misunderstanding with your dealer. As far as I know, this strainer is standard equipment and I'd be surprised if it's not on the inlet side of your pump. If it isn't, it definitely should be. Cheap and easy. All of the pump fittings are hand tight. No tools. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2018 at 7:46am
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Just have to see if there is room to put it in. It is pretty tight in there between the pump and the water tank. I'll give it a try. ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 8:20pm
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We received the screen/strainer today and put it in. it has to go in upside down to fit. Turns out the dealer replaced the water pump 6 years ago, though the service dept. denied it at first, and never put the strainer back in. When I talked to the service dept. he insisted that there wasn't supposed to be a strainer there unless we wanted to add one. I talked to Kate at Forest River warranty office and she said there definitely was one there and to call her back after I talked to the dealer again. Since it has been 6 years, the dealer's service dept said they wouldn't pay to put one in. It was easy enough to do ourselves, as it turned out, but we will be doing a bad review for Pan Pacific in French Camp, CA!!! ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 8:38pm
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Glad you got it worked out even if the dealer didn't pay for it. The strainer won't solve all of your problems, but will take care of most of them. Some things big enough to get past the strainer sometimes accumulate at the sink aerator. You just unscrew it, back flush, and maybe clean with an old toothbrush. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: cgarb
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 9:59pm
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Yes, I cleared a lot of grit out of the kitchen faucet, caught in the aerator, and a lot in the bathroom cold water faucet, reached through the panel in the wall by the bed, as advised here, then blew air down the pipe behind the toilet to clear that one out. Now with the strainer in place and knowing that we should keep water in the tank to cut down on calcification, hopefully the problem will be taken care of and we can advise whoever buys it how to fix it should the problem come up again. It sounds like others have had the same experience. Easy to fix with all the help and advice from you guys! Saved us $300-$400 at the RV repair shop! ------------- Carol 177 HRE rpod 2014 Honda Pilot |