water pump
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6399
Printed Date: 25 Apr 2024 at 10:00pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: water pump
Posted By: Lauralee
Subject: water pump
Date Posted: 10 Jun 2015 at 11:24pm
| Hi, my first post on the forum! I was de-winterizing and changed the valves, turned on the pump and waited for the hot water tank to fill and it appears it did not and water is just sputtering out of the faucets. The pump doesn't sound right, either. Only the one by the water heater sounds like it is running and the one that usually makes noise under the sink is not making any noise. I am really hoping I did not do something that damaged the pump. It was working when I first started draining the pink stuff. I think I remember the valve accessed outside the tank (outside the RV) releasing water and mine is just releasing air, so it appears the tank is not filling in addition to the pump not running. I plan to check the valves again tomorrow but appreciate any help! My model is the 171. |
Replies:
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 11 Jun 2015 at 1:26am
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Sounds like the winterizing valve is open. The one under the sink, connected to a short hose used for sucking in antifreeze. Make sure that's closed. The rest of your story is a bit confusing. Is the potable water tank full? What valve are you talking about outside the RV? Which tank isn't filling? And there is only one pump. It sounds like you are saying there is one by the WH and one under the sink. Check the valve under the sink with the 2-foot suction hose. Make sure it's closed. Fill the potable tank, turn on the hot and cold water in the sink and bathroom and let the hot run until all air is gone. The water filling the hot water tank has to push 6 gallons of air out of the tank before you will get nothing but water out of the tap, so it can take 2 or 3 minutes. Welcome, by the way! If my advice is wrong or confusing, let us know. If you've looked around here much you should see that you will most likely get your problem solved here. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Lauralee
Date Posted: 11 Jun 2015 at 7:13am
| Thanks so much! I will try as soon as I get home from work today and let you know! |
Posted By: Lauralee
Date Posted: 11 Jun 2015 at 11:29pm
 I checked the hose for the antifreeze and it was open, so once I closed it and then let the tank fill, my pump sounded normal again and the water came out normally! On my model there is a release valve outside the RV that will release all the water in the tank for winterizing. Now that valve is releasing water, yay! I am sanitizing right now and tomorrow will flush it all, add fresh water and be on my way! Thanks so much for your help!
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Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2015 at 12:37am
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Thanks for reporting back! It's always good to know a problem was solved!! TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2015 at 9:26am
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Great! ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Q7-retired
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2015 at 9:25pm
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I learned about that winterizing valve today the hard way, just like Lauralee. Since I have no idea where are the fresh water check valves, and since I deeply mistrust open hoses, I put a ball valve inline with the suction valve. Now I KNOW it's safe! Where should I have been able to read about the valve? I can't find anything in any manual about it. Oh, by the way, I also hate the wasp nest I found in the water heater external access. There is now preventive screen to frustrate those biters. Since Darling Wife is allergic, I have to weigh the reduced air flow against medical risk. I've used expanded metal sheeting, cut to shape, in the refrigerator air vents. How would one gauge whether air flow is insufficient? thanks again to the forum for all the help! Jim |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2015 at 7:26am
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Your dealer should have told you about the winterization valve, and how to use it. Other than that.. well.. the internet. Your added ball valve won't hurt a thing, but also doesn't help a thing. The check valve is built into the front of the pump housing. If the winteriztion valve is closed, it's a closed system. If it's open, no harm, as has been seen by many owners who filled tanks and/or used pods a lot, before discovering it. As far as air flow and the fridge.. if it doesn't cool well now, the issue could be airflow. If you have a problem, add another pancake fan. ------------- |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2015 at 10:56am
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Q7, that is why we started the online "manual" here. See the link in my signature. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Q7-retired
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2015 at 11:47am
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Doug, thanks for this. I read the sections that mention the suction hose. Not to
say I'm an expert, but my experience with check valves makes me glad I
added the positive closure. I can't find the low point drains, except for teh fresh water tank drain. Can you please point me to them? I appreciate the help! ------------- Best regards, Jim 2015-RP178 TV 2015 Audi Q7 TDI and 2017 Ford F150 At home in "Our Pod" |
Posted By: Mountainrev
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2015 at 1:09pm
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Q7: Only the fresh water tank has low-point drains. The fresh water tank on my 177 has two low-point drains. Stickers on the side indicate their general proximity. ------------- 2014 177 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Turbodiesel "I lift my eyes to the hills." 
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Posted By: Q7-retired
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2015 at 1:19pm
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Thanks much!
------------- Best regards, Jim 2015-RP178 TV 2015 Audi Q7 TDI and 2017 Ford F150 At home in "Our Pod" |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2015 at 2:14pm
They are usually right behind the road-side wheel. I've heard that sometimes the expanding foam they fill just about every crack with might at least partially obscure them, so you might need to get down on your back and crawl under, and even feel around for them. They shouldn't be hard to find though. They ought to be very close to the outside edge of the pod (road-side) and not far behind the axle. If the foam is in the way cut away enough to reveal the drains and turn the caps easily. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Mountainrev
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2015 at 5:28pm
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When you think about it, you really, really wouldn't want the black and gray water tanks to have low-point drains (especially the black!). Imagine what would come shooting out at you when you got under the camper and opened them up.
------------- 2014 177 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Turbodiesel "I lift my eyes to the hills."
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Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 13 Jun 2015 at 6:58pm
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Well, there are, sort of, low water drains on the black and grey tanks. They are the 4" things you hook the stinky-slinky up to to drain into dumping stations. They take all of the liquid out of those tanks, which is the idea of a low-water drain. You don't want anything left in those tanks that can freeze and break the tank or lines and those drains serve that purpose. Those aren't usually thought of as low-water drains though. For that matter neither is the drain on the bottom of the fresh water tank. It's just a drain. And since it's fresh water, you can dump it anywhere. Low water drains are usually thought of as drains that can be opened to let all of the water out of the RV (or home) plumbing lines. Most homes don't have these unless they are vacation homes often vacant in the winter. There are two such low-water drains behind the road-side wheel axle. Both are for fresh water. One for the hot water and one for the cold water in the lines going to the kitchen sink and bathroom. After you drain all of the water from the fresh water tank under the pod, there is still water in the lines. To drain that for the winter you have to take the caps off of the two low-water drains under the pod and open the valves in the kitchen, shower, and hold the valve open in the toilet so that all the water can go out those drains. Then, because there still might be some water left, you suck some RV antifreeze into the lines through the special antifreeze sucker hose under the sink until the pink stuff runs out of all of the outlets. (That's really another subject and there is more on this elsewhere in the forum.) TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Q7-retired
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2015 at 9:19am
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Doug, would you please add this drain location info to the manual?
------------- Best regards, Jim 2015-RP178 TV 2015 Audi Q7 TDI and 2017 Ford F150 At home in "Our Pod" |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Jul 2015 at 9:58pm
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Added. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: mcclurey
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2015 at 8:23pm
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I have two sets of low water drains. Two in front of axle and two behind. Can someone tell me the difference? Thanks ------------- Missouri Matt |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2015 at 10:00pm
------------- |
Posted By: mcclurey
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2015 at 10:38pm
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Ok, thanks for the info. I have a 2015 179 and it has the two sets. I'll make sure to drain both. ------------- Missouri Matt |