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Old 05-15-2021, 07:07 PM   #1
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Need help troubleshooting water pressure

Tested city connection, works fine. Went through two fresh fills and still can't get steady flow. Pump runs continuously. Water heater acts like air is built up. Water feed to pump had a major kink from the factory, I installed a 90 elbow (only way I could see to easily solve that). There are no water leaks anywhere. Valves I'm pretty sure are in the run positions. Strainer screen on pump has been cleaned. I've spent all day trying to get air out of the system. I'm hesitating taking the top off the pump to see if the valve is stuck. Need some guidance before I hit it again tomorrow and have to call the dealership, 1 hr. drive. Thanks
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Old 05-16-2021, 12:18 AM   #2
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Any chance you have a screen inside a clear plastic bowl, next to the pump, and it's sucking air in? ...Maybe the seal is bad?

I have never replaced one, so I'm not talking from experience.

...Or your water is circulating.

Does your shower and sink have normal hot water?

...Again, I'm not talking from my own experiences, but it seems to me if you have an outside shower and your hot water valve is open, and your cold water valve is open, maybe this is why you can't build pressure? ...Can someone please tell me/us if this is possible?

Normally, one would see water flowing out of the ouytside shower head, but what if the inside shower (single handle) cartridge failed. Can this mix the hot with the cold and not allow a system to build pressure? IDK. I'm asking?
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Old 05-16-2021, 07:44 AM   #3
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One idea for diagnosis: You might try valving the pump to pull from a big jug of water (winterization hose there) instead of the tank.

If the air clears out, seems like the pump/strainer are not the issue. Maybe then the suction line from the tank becomes more of a focus.

If the system is still sucking in air, then tank connection is probably fine and it's worth confirming good seal on strainer basket and/or looking at the pump more seriously.
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Old 05-16-2021, 09:04 AM   #4
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Hi Jim,
I was checking-out the Operator manuals, and for "2020 Towables," I see on page 7-1 that there is a "System Use" setting. Perhaps that, or something in that section, would give an indication as to what is happening? Good luck.
Thanks, Eagle5
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Old 05-16-2021, 09:49 AM   #5
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Water Pump Air Gap Fix

I think I may know what the problem is and I forgot this happened to me 1 week ago, because it was so easy to fix.

Note: I got this tip from another forum member.

Water flows into the pump on the left and out the right side of the pump. There I have a "T-Fitting" ...with one line out supplying pressure to the RV SUPPLY SIDE, and the other side of the "T" goes to a drainage hose that just sits in my water bay... and it has a ball valve.

All you do is open the ball valve and run the pump for 2-4 seconds and it purges the air gap!

I hope this fixes your pump problem.
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Old 05-16-2021, 10:10 AM   #6
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Since we don't get the good info on trailers, we have to make some assumptions, so check that we we say is the same for your trailer?

Lett's start with and easy one to check and take a look at the fill port where you attach the hose. Looking straight in you should see a small White(?)? disk laying flat on the inside of the fill port to close it as a check valve. Maybe looks something like a shirt button?
To build pressure in the system so the pump knows to shut off this check valve has to close to keep air from just going out and no water pressure being built. If it is broken in half or cocked sideways to not seal, that will do it. If flipped on the side, try gently probing with something like a pencil to flip it down flat again. Happens often!

To test pump without taking it apart, try using a bowl of water, stick the suction tube in and set the valve to the suction with the handle normally aligned with the suction hose and start the pump. If it sucks water from the bowl, pump filter and that part is good!

To remove air from water heater, try flipping the lever on the pressure relief valve open to blow it out. Stand back and better not to do this when there is hot water!
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Old 05-16-2021, 11:30 AM   #7
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Thanks for the replies. Where I'm at right now, the strainer screen has been cleaned and inspected already. There is no button type valve inside the fresh fill port, doesn't appear to have been meant for one, no sign of it. My model, 2021B 2108DS doesn't I believe come equipped with a water system use switch. What I tried this morning was to drain everything and slowly refill and pressure the system with city connection first. After I heard the water tank stop filling I purged the cold faucets one at a time. Then I disconnected the city fill and filled the fresh tank and slowly turned on and off the cold faucets one at a time. No air, decent pressure as you can expect from a tiny pump I guess. The one thing is I thought, the pump is supposed to shut completely off when not pumping water. It runs continuously but very quiet.
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Old 05-16-2021, 11:45 AM   #8
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Per Morich: If the check valve inside the pump turns out to be the problem, can you take pictures?

I have never seen this valve myself and I'm not sure where it is located?

Morich is suggesting...

To build pressure in the system so the pump knows to shut off this check valve has to close to keep air from just going out and no water pressure being built. If it is broken in half or cocked sideways to not seal, that will do it. If flipped on the side, try gently probing with something like a pencil to flip it down flat again. Happens often!

Morich, can you circle the location of this check valve in my pump picture below and repost? (Thank you!)
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Old 05-16-2021, 12:13 PM   #9
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QUESTION: If that "City Water" to "Tank Fill" valve is broken, then won't the pump just push water into the fresh water tank? ...And keep running because the water is recirculating?

To check the Flare-it 3 way valve:

* Position the valve handle pointing up


* Unscrew the cap after you remove the handle

* Remove the guts carefully and note the position of those 4 fingers and how the rubber valve body is only meant to go back in 1-way!

Here's a picture of my 3-way valve I just replaced, because my water pressure was poor on city water, but it was not leaking water into (and filling up) my fresh water tank, which is the normal cause for replacing the guts inside.

Remember, you do NOT need to or want to replace the Flair-it valve plastic body. Just replace the guts you remove from buying a complete new 3-way valve or any Flair-it valve you find. The guts inside are all the same. (I have been told.)
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Old 05-16-2021, 12:38 PM   #10
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For those who don’t have Micro Minnie trailers, the trailer water systems are dead simple. The cold water system has two separate inlets. One is the city water hose connection (toward the back of the trailer) and one is from the pump (tank) which is near the middle of the trailer. There isn’t a valve to switch between them.

I believe the pump has an internal valve on the discharge side. If it isn’t generating much pressure with water flowing and is continuing to run with the faucets off, I’m guessing this valve is stuck recycling some water back to the pump suction. Or there is a leak... but I’m thinking that would be obvious by now.
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Old 05-16-2021, 12:51 PM   #11
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I found this video posted by Morich on another thread that explains a lot about the ShurFlow 4808 pump model that may be more common than my ShurFlow 4900-0211.

This video shows where the internal check valve is located and how to adjust it from the outside with an Alan wrench.

https://youtu.be/aL_3kz7y2zM


I now see why my older (IMO, better) water flow diagram includes a "T" fitting so you can purge the air lock without opening the screen cap and poring water into it!

...Those cheapskates! They took the T-Fitting out in other model RVs, and maybe a lot of newer RVs, just like they don't include a winterizing valve and suction hose to make it easier to winterize your coach.

...But you can add the T-fitting and the Winterizing hose (using a one way valve) very easy. Just just need to know where to put it.
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Old 05-16-2021, 01:53 PM   #12
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I do not go with the airlock idea too far as these are normally "self-priming" pumps which means they are designed to drawn a vacuum when turned on, even if they are above water line, so they do just pass the air through as long as that air is a limited amount and not a full open letting air in as the pump works to pass it out!

When we have moved for one site to another, we often expect to find a burst of air comes out of the faucets the first time we open them. But clearing that air does require the pump to be able to get water to put in the lines to push the air out.

Yes, a broken valve, if of the plastic type will leave an opening for the waterr and or air to mess with our minds.

But that is where looking at what system we have and deciding if it can be improved is really something worth doing. RV specific items often have two things that make them different than the normal items. One is they are often terribly cheap plastic and two is that they are almost always way overpriced!

So if you have a fill port and valve built as one unit, you may be stuck with the RV replacement item. But if you have a fill port for the hose and a stand alone item for switching from filling the tank to normal use you've got a good chance to improve things and save a ton of money!

What the diverter valve does is close off the flow to one tube after the water comes through a TEE. If you system is of the type which water comes from the source to a tee and then is either open to go to the tank or closed so that it is forced to go inside to the rest of the RV, changing the broken plastic with a metal stop valve from the hardware will save you about $50-560 as well as last nearly forever! In this case, it "diverts" the water by simply stopping it flowing to the tank. So a simple quarter turn stop valve is fine if you find one that fits.
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Old 05-16-2021, 03:10 PM   #13
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You know what they say: "Always start (rule out) with the easiest things first."

1. Air gap...

If you don't have a stopcock or ball valve to drain the water, you can partially unscrew the out hose and "burp" the system.

If this fixes your problem then I would put a T-Fitting and ball valve or come up with a cheaper, easier drain option so you can deal with this easy fix in the future when it happens again... and it will!

* Just last week this happened to me so I know it works and I have a self-priming pump too. Albeit, it is different model, and I still have not verified if I have a check valve in my style of pump, but I will look for one then next time I open my water bay doors.

2. Inspect the Flair-it 3-way valve; and only replace the gut and not the whole valve. These things will last 15 years and it's too much trouble to remove the plastic outer shell.

I will agree they charge too much for this Flair-it fitting, but Amazon has them cheaper.

4. Make sure your outside shower valve is tight. These old style 2-handle faucets leak a lot too. That's why I almost never use mine when the water hose is right there.

5. Monkey with your pump check valve as explained in the video above.
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Old 05-16-2021, 03:40 PM   #14
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I’m with Backtrack on this one. First thing to do is put winterizing tube in a bucket of water, then open the wh pressure relief valve, then turn on pump. This should purge all the air out of the system. When I took delivery, the winterizing valve was not completely closed, so I couldn’t figure out for awhile why I still had air. Check that valve to make sure no air is entering by putting a little soapy water on it. I don’t believe City water connection has anything to do with pump pressure system.
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Old 05-16-2021, 04:49 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marine359 View Post
I’m with Backtrack on this one. First thing to do is put winterizing tube in a bucket of water, then open the wh pressure relief valve, then turn on pump. This should purge all the air out of the system. When I took delivery, the winterizing valve was not completely closed, so I couldn’t figure out for awhile why I still had air. Check that valve to make sure no air is entering by putting a little soapy water on it. I don’t believe City water connection has anything to do with pump pressure system.
That is where I was not at all sure what I was assuming would be correct for trailers as they do have lots of differences from the other Rv, making assumptions more like guesses!

Also I see this is not the common Surflo water pump as many RV have but a Seaflow, which adds more doubt to how it may operate differently than what I have seen.
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Old 05-16-2021, 05:02 PM   #16
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Just finished doing the tube in bucket, wh, thing. No improvement, went through 2 tanks of fresh water this weekend trying to purge the system. No water leaks anywhere, can't say about air leaks, these hoses run in crazy places and some I can't see. Hoping it's not related to pick up in the tank. The pump never would shut off.
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Old 05-16-2021, 05:10 PM   #17
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The pump should shut off when there is no demand, so - as others have said - it sounds like it is either running a loop or your pump is bad.
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Old 05-16-2021, 06:19 PM   #18
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With respect to the pump continuing to run, have you tried adjusting the pressure adjustment screw? It might be set a bit too high (pump unable to achieve set pressure). But... considering you say the flow/pressure is weak when you are running a faucet, maybe the pump just needs to be rebuilt.

I think the fact that you still got air when running from the bucket (tank valved-out) means the air is probably entering right near the pump on the suction side. I’m guessing your tank connections are fine.
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Old 05-23-2021, 06:12 AM   #19
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I know you’ve been working on that rear bumper project as well this week. When you do solve this one, please let us know what caused the issue.
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Old 05-23-2021, 08:18 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by imnprsd View Post
Any chance you have a screen inside a clear plastic bowl, next to the pump, and it's sucking air in? ...Maybe the seal is bad?

I have never replaced one, so I'm not talking from experience.

...Or your water is circulating.

Does your shower and sink have normal hot water?

...Again, I'm not talking from my own experiences, but it seems to me if you have an outside shower and your hot water valve is open, and your cold water valve is open, maybe this is why you can't build pressure? ...Can someone please tell me/us if this is possible?

Normally, one would see water flowing out of the ouytside shower head, but what if the inside shower (single handle) cartridge failed. Can this mix the hot with the cold and not allow a system to build pressure? IDK. I'm asking?

I had a friend who had no water because all of the faucet aerators were clogged because of an earlier hot water tank cleaning. Remove one of the aerators.
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