Help: 28.5RSTS pumping "air" only

DavidJay · 07-30-2017, 12:37 PM

This is our first visit to a park without water at the site. Got to the campground Saturday and filled up with water. Settled into our site and the water pump started pumping "air" - occasional spit of water but mostly air. Pump never shuts off.

I am figuring that I need to close a valve somewhere that is letting air into the system.

The Fresh water tank is full. This is a 2015 so it has the "combo" inlet with a valve with choice of "fill tank" or "city water". Does this valve need to be in a specific position? Do I need a plug on that inlet to prevent air infiltration? I have had a lot of RVs over 30+ years but I am befuddled...

What I have tried:
1. I could hear the air bubbling into the water heater so I bypassed it. No improvement.
2. Tried running with the inlet valve in both the "fill" and the "city" position, no difference
3. Checked the winterization valves, the antifreeze pickup line valve is turned off and the valve from the water tank is turned on.

Any help would be appreciated, living without water is a pain.

Grumpy · 07-30-2017, 12:40 PM

Valves should be set for "normal"..

DavidJay · 07-30-2017, 01:12 PM

This is an Eagle HT. It does not have anything in the manual suggesting a "normal" setting.

ALJO · 07-30-2017, 01:17 PM

Follow the line from the pump intake and see if there is a T with a valve and psc. of suction hose............be sure that is closed.

DavidJay · 07-30-2017, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALJO

Follow the line from the pump intake and see if there is a T with a valve and psc. of suction hose............be sure that is closed.

Yes, the "antifreeze" valve is closed and the "fresh water tank" valve is open.

ALJO · 07-30-2017, 01:35 PM

Suck some water through the Anti Freeze line hose to prime and then close the valve. Be sure your water tank(s) are filled. If it still doesn't suck you have to follow the suction line to the tank. It also takes a while to fill a WH. if you did bypass it the pump should built up pressure.

DavidJay · 07-30-2017, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALJO

Suck some water through the Anti Freeze line hose to prime and then close the valve. Be sure your water tank(s) are filled. If it still doesn't suck you have to follow the suction line to the tank. It also takes a while to fill a WH. if you did bypass it the pump should built up pressure.

Thanks, I will try priming with the antifreeze line.

I don't think I can follow the suction line - the 28.5 has the pump below the bath, just behind the front storage. The tank is in the very rear of the trailer. That line looks to be some 20 ft. Long.

RVermont · 07-30-2017, 04:31 PM

I had a similar problem
I had the tank filled and during the night I heard the pump running. I shut it off to prevent it from burning out. The next day I was in a panic thinking I needed a new pump. I played with it and found the fitting in the filter was leaking. I tighten this down but still no water. I then decide to hook up to a pressurized hose and ran the pump. This finally pushed out the air and the unit has run fine the past 4 camping trips.

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DavidJay · 07-30-2017, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVermont

I had a similar problem
I had the tank filled and during the night I heard the pump running. I shut it off to prevent it from burning out. The next day I was in a panic thinking I needed a new pump. I played with it and found the fitting in the filter was leaking. I tighten this down but still no water. I then decide to hook up to a pressurized hose and ran the pump. This finally pushed out the air and the unit has run fine the past 4 camping trips.

Thanks, I will try this when I get home and see if it works.

DavidJay · 07-31-2017, 05:28 PM

Well, we definitely have an air leak. I ran city water to purge the lines and briefly switched the valve to "fill tank" to make certain that the line to the tank didn't have air in it. I turned on the pump and immediately it started blowing air out of the faucet.

As an experiment, I turned off the tank valve AND the antifreeze valve. The pump just kept on pumping compressed air (at the open faucet).

Has anybody ever heard of a shur-flo with an internal air leak? The inlet connector has been reefed-on with a vise grip or a channel-lock, this was a known problem when the trailer was traded in...

ALJO · 07-31-2017, 05:49 PM

Those connectors from the pump are hand turn as they have a rubber rings (check if they are in place). Or they have a cone connector.
With start up from the pump or city water there's always air coming from the taps till everything is purged. As you did try suction from the winterizing line (antifreeze line open - W-Tank line closed). But did you do this long enough? The system takes lots of water. And be sure you bypassed that WH. If that pump is sucking then it is not the pump. Since that line is only short it has to be in that area. If all fails it might be the pump head at fault.

DavidJay · 07-31-2017, 06:35 PM

Found it! It is where the tubing is crimped onto the outlet of the "tank" shutoff valve (please don't ask how I found it...).

Now, how does one fix a crimp-style water-line fitting at home?

ALJO · 07-31-2017, 06:56 PM

I always have a crimp tool with me as hose clamps don't work very well with Pex plumbing lines. Those crimp tools you can get at any hardware store.
Always carry electrical tape or duck-tape for emergency situations.
Glad you found the culprit.

DavidJay · 08-03-2017, 08:49 PM

Well, there were multiple leaks. I ripped everything out and put in all brass fittings and shutoff valves.

She pulls great from the antifreeze line now - empties a gallon jug in about 20 seconds.

Still won't pull from the tank. I don't know if I am doing something wrong with the diverter valve or if a check valve is not working properly, letting air into the line.

Any thoughts?

DavidJay · 08-03-2017, 08:56 PM

I think my next step is to see if the air is coming from the diverter valve plumbing.

There is a tee at the inlet of the tank shutoff valve (the valve you close to pump antifreeze), one side goes to tank and the other goes to the diverter valve for filling the tank. I am thinking that there is something wrong in the plumbing around the diverter valve that is letting air into the system. I can eliminate that possibility by dropping a ball valve in that line.

I can't find anything online about how these diverter valves are plumbed or even the proper operation (I.e. where do you position the valve when using the pump)

DavidJay · 08-05-2017, 02:04 PM

We are all set, everything is working!

Thanks for all the suggestions...

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