house water pump trouble shooting

[Deb]

I have gotten all of the pink stuff into my plumbing, except into the filtered water tap (ran out because i do not have the water heater bypass
installed yet. Went to do that & there were so many connections and T's and Y's that I didn't want to start messing around with it on the off-chance
I screwed something up and wasn't able to get it all back together before the freezing weather hit. Wanted to get the winterizing done). Last week
everything ran just great! I have the pump converter kit and sucked it straight out of the jugs. Today I went to do a just in case run on the
filtered water and it wouldn't draw into the pump. Blowing out through all of the house lines though - air &/or pink seems to be moving through the
system although seems a bit puny for pressure.

I uninstalled all of the pieces from the kit and tested them one at a time for "air-tightness" and they are all fine. Pulled the filter off the
in-coming side of the pump and it was also nice and tight (and filthy!!! Cleaned it while it was out). While everything was off I turned on the pump
and put my hand over the ingoing port. Got some suction, but minimal.

Seems like I have a leak somewhere in the pump housing, or a bad diaphragm? Would this be worth pulling out and trying to track down the source of
the problem, (I have all winter now) or just replace it? Could there be an air-lock inside the pump? Seems unlikely since it is pumping out and I
can't see it being able to pump out without being able to suck something in first. Should I find a clean funnel and try pouring some pink directly
into the pump through the bypass hose and see if that does anything?

Any chance that it could be a simple fix? Not worried about putting a new pump in there. It's been there a while! Just a bit of frustration since
it was perfect last week, and today, Phth-t-t! If it has given up the ghost I am just happy that it did it now and not in the middle of a trip next
spring.

Thanks for any insight.
--
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
"Li'l Sister"
'77 Kingsley, 403, EBL EFI;
TZE167V101404
It's Bigger on the Inside!

 

[Matt Colie]

>
> Seems like I have a leak somewhere in the pump housing, or a bad diaphragm? Would this be worth pulling out and trying to track down the source
> of the problem, (I have all winter now) or just replace it? Could there be an air-lock inside the pump? Seems unlikely since it is pumping out and
> I can't see it being able to pump out without being able to suck something in first. Should I find a clean funnel and try pouring some pink
> directly into the pump through the bypass hose and see if that does anything?
>
> Any chance that it could be a simple fix? Not worried about putting a new pump in there. It's been there a while! Just a bit of frustration
> since it was perfect last week, and today, Phth-t-t! If it has given up the ghost I am just happy that it did it now and not in the middle of a
> trip next spring.
>
> Thanks for any insight.

Deb,
If it is the old PAR belt drive pump, chances are good that it got frozen and one point and that bent the plates that make it do anything at all. The
repair kit can cost as much as a new/modern pump. You can fight with it for days and you may not win. While the more modern pump may not last as
many years, it may well last as long as you need it to.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[Deb]

Thanks Matt. I have the 2088 ShurFlo pump in there. Don't know the actual date of installation. It didn't freeze, since last year and this i did
get everything winterized before the freezing temps hit. Since everything before and after the pump seems to be fine, there's obviously something
wrong inside (and it did seem to be a fair bit noisier than usual, tho it's hard to say, since it's generally covered by a bed!). So I have ordered a
replacement - Shurflo 4008 - which seems to be a very common replacement pump that I've noted in the forum, and for $120 seems to be a decent price.
Will be here in plenty of time to get it in before it gets too cold out there.

I will dismantle the old one just to see what's in there just for fun
--
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
"Li'l Sister"
'77 Kingsley, 403, EBL EFI;
TZE167V101404
It's Bigger on the Inside!

 

[emerystora]

There is often a problem with the diaphragm in the pump which can easily be replaced.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO

>
> Thanks Matt. I have the 2088 ShurFlo pump in there. Don't know the actual date of installation. It didn't freeze, since last year and this i did
> get everything winterized before the freezing temps hit. Since everything before and after the pump seems to be fine, there's obviously something
> wrong inside (and it did seem to be a fair bit noisier than usual, tho it's hard to say, since it's generally covered by a bed!). So I have ordered a
> replacement - Shurflo 4008 - which seems to be a very common replacement pump that I've noted in the forum, and for $120 seems to be a decent price.
> Will be here in plenty of time to get it in before it gets too cold out there.
>
> I will dismantle the old one just to see what's in there just for fun
> --
> Deb McWade
> Logan Lake, BC, CAN
> "Li'l Sister"
> '77 Kingsley, 403, EBL EFI;
> TZE167V101404
> It's Bigger on the Inside!
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[Deb]

Thanks Emery. Went out and checked the date on the pump - she's a '97 manufacture date. I think that after possibly 20 years service she doesn't owe
me anything. I am just happy that she gave me that one afternoon in order to get the pink into the system. I will replace it with the updated
Shurflo 4008.

I am going to open it up and see what's up with it tho'. Might be some crap in the diaphragm (or could be totally blown in which case I will track
down a diaphragm kit on sale). But since I will have to remove it completely just to open it up (due to placement of the pump & plumbing) it will be
easier to replace it and possibly service this one and use it for other things at home - like pumping the sanitizer into the system. I no longer have
a passive water input. The PO reconfigured the plumbing in order to expand the service bay and removed that port. I only have the city water port and
with the check valve in it, anything going in through that has to be under some pressure. This spring I had to work under the bed and disconnect some
lines to be able to pour 3 gallons of bleach solution into the fresh water tank. Awkward and spilled some - at least the coach smelled clean .
--
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
"Li'l Sister"
'77 Kingsley, 403, EBL EFI;
TZE167V101404
It's Bigger on the Inside!

 

[Ken H.]

Deb,

I also eliminated the gravity water port (if the Birchaven ever had one).
When I need to add something to the tank, I just funnel it into the water
hose before hooking it to city water. That way I don't have to disconnect
anything except the hose.

Ken H.

On Sun, Oct 14, 2018 at 2:59 PM Deb McWade via Gmclist <

> ... The PO reconfigured the plumbing in order to expand the service bay
> and removed that port. I only have the city water port and
> with the check valve in it, anything going in through that has to be under
> some pressure. This spring I had to work under the bed and disconnect some
> lines to be able to pour 3 gallons of bleach solution into the fresh
> water tank. Awkward and spilled some - at least the coach smelled clean
> .
> --
>

 

[Deb]

Hi Ken. My city water port has a check valve right at the inlet. Not sure what your configuration is. This past spring I tried to pour the bleach
solution in through the hose (or a shortened version of it) and it just backed up (thats when I discovered the check valve ). That valve needs to
be pushed in for anything to get past it. I can push the little button in with my finger, but nothing happens if I just screw on the hose. I need to
add some water pressure.

I suppose I could try to make a somewhat stronger solution of bleach that won't quite fill the 50' hose and try that. It's a 6 of one situation I
suppose. Dilute the bleach first (making 3 gallons), add that to the tank, followed by city water till full, or add a hose worth of more concentrated
bleach and push it in with city water. Final concentration ends up the same. Maybe I'll do a measurement and find out the volume of a white 50'
fresh water hose.
--
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
"Li'l Sister"
'77 Kingsley, 403, EBL EFI;
TZE167V101404
It's Bigger on the Inside!

 

[johnny]

My city water port is capped because the (aftermarket cheeeep PVC) check valve froze and split last winter. Very seldom used it anyway, because I had
to go turn the spigot off whebn I left the coach at a park. Visions of coming back in the evening to several inches of water in the coach. Fill the
tank and run the pump is me.
I have a December '07 2088 I took out, if you want it. Shipping from Georgia probably costs as much as an Amazon Prime buy though.

--johnny
--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased

 

[Deb]

Thanks Johnny, but I think you're right about the $ of shipping a pump. $120 for the new one from amazon. But I appreciate the thought.

I also never use the city water - always fill the tank and use that instead. Might fill it at the campground and save myself some weight while
traveling. One of my biggest reasons is that, since the level indicator for the black tank doesn't work, like most folks, I empty the black tank and
fill the fresh tank at the same time so i know when the black tank may be getting full.

My question regarding the check valve was really about figuring out how to get something other than water into the tank (like the bleach solution)
past that check valve. But I can make it work again. managed last year.
--
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
"Li'l Sister"
'77 Kingsley, 403, EBL EFI;
TZE167V101404
It's Bigger on the Inside!