pump not working 2016 Casita

[Mike Retired]

I have a 2016 Casita that we took Coast to Coast last year. In the process of de-winterizing it yesterday, I sanitized the fresh water system by running a weak bleach solution through the freshwater tank. Everything seemed to work fine.

I re-filled the freshwater tank with clean water to flush everything out, and the pump does not work. No noise, no water.

I have checked the fuse and it appears fine. My connection to shore power seems good because the AC works.

Any suggestions on how to trouble shoot this would be appreciated. (how / where to check for loose connections / how to determine if the pump died etc).

Thanks,
Mike

[EricAllyn]

If it is 12v - make sure the connections to the battery are good, and that you have good fuses from the battery to the panel. You may also want to wiggle all the connections, that simply takes any slight corrosion off and makes a better connection. Did it have any water in the pump? You might want to replace fuse just to make sure it is okay, and see if all the other 12v systems work.
Just some ideas to try

[Mike Retired]

Thanks for the input. There are other 12 volt systems that are working, so I will get in there with a multi-meter and see if I can tell where the power is getting to.

There is a switch for the pump so that is another spot that could have failed.

I'll post an update if I learn anything.

[Mike Retired]

So I am still stumped. I've rapped on the pump (solution for possible stuck pump). I've also completely unhooked from shore water and opened faucets to relieve any back pressure.

I am having trouble accessing connections, so am tempted to buy a new pump and switch and replace / test for power at each connection.

[Borrego Dave]

Mike, do you have enough access to put 12Vs directly to the pump? If it works, then the problem is upstream. Might have to pull the bench.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Mike Retired

So I am still stumped. I've rapped on the pump (solution for possible stuck pump). I've also completely unhooked from shore water and opened faucets to relieve any back pressure.

I am having trouble accessing connections, so am tempted to buy a new pump and switch and replace / test for power at each connection.

Mike,

I removing the cabinet door when I worked on the pump in our Casita. It made things 'a bit' easier, as the silly thing is hinged at the top edge.

I'd sure hate to see you buy a pump unnecessarily. Wiring connections, switch at sink, pressure switch at pump; there's not a heck of a lot to go wrong if you can get at things and check them...

The FloJet manual says:

Motor falls to turn on
• Loose wiring connection
• Pump circuit has no power
• Blown fuse
• Pressure switch failure
• Defective motor

Any chance you've got a low battery which will light the lights, but not run this heavier high-amperage load? Ideally, you should be at 12 volts or higher.

[ehoepner]

Get a Voltmeter and check to see if you have 12.6 volts at the pump. If no then check the switch to see if it is working. If you have 12.6 volts at the switch then check the battery ground wire make sure it is tight and not corroded. Check the battery voltage, it should be at least 12.6v with no shore power.

[Eggcentric]

Before you unship the pump, run a wire from the batt directly to the pump try just the pos + first, then both, then just the neg -.
Shurflo pumps are known for having the pressure switch stick, if with wires connected from batt you have no joy, you could try jumping around the pressure switch.
If you cannot make it run with jumper wires then chances are it is tostada.
Over winter things happen like brushes stick, bearings corrode, and the screen inside the pump can plug, have rebuilt dozens it is not rocket science, bet Youtube has some tips.

[Mike Retired]

Thanks for all the good input. Last night I just dug into it... I definitely have power to the pump, so the switch and fuse are good.

My multi meter stopped working, so I don't know what the volts are to the pump, but the low battery voltage seems like a suspect. I did not realize that a low battery would impact it when connected to shore power.

I'll update again in a couple days.

Thanks again.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Mike Retired

Thanks for all the good input. Last night I just dug into it... I definitely have power to the pump, so the switch and fuse are good. ...

Maybe the on/off switch is good, but what about the pressure switch on the pump?

Originally Posted by Mike Retired

... I did not realize that a low battery would impact it when connected to shore power.
...

In maybe 99.9% of R/V's, if you are on shore power and the converter is plugged in and working then there should be plenty of power to run the 12 volt items including the pump, and that is true regardless of the state of charge of the battery or even if there is no battery at all. And you should get a reading of over 13 volts with most or all of the 12 volt stuff off.

[Mike Retired]

So, I am not sure how to test the pressure switch, but I did completely remove the pump including water lines and then re-hooked everything up when I saw I had power getting there.

So I assume since the water lines were removed and re-installed there would not be pressure in the lines, but still don't know how to test the pressure switch in the pump.

Thanks.

[Civilguy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyrouWWJ8XM

[Mike Retired]

That is great. Thank you.

I will try to get to that quick check this evening and post how it turns out.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Mike Retired

I have a 2016 Casita that we took Coast to Coast last year. In the process of de-winterizing it yesterday, I sanitized the fresh water system by running a weak bleach solution through the freshwater tank. Everything seemed to work fine.

I re-filled the freshwater tank with clean water to flush everything out, and the pump does not work. No noise, no water.

I have checked the fuse and it appears fine. My connection to shore power seems good because the AC works.

Any suggestions on how to trouble shoot this would be appreciated. (how / where to check for loose connections / how to determine if the pump died etc).

Thanks,
Mike

Make sure the bypass for the hot water heater is open for normal use. We had the same problem and replaced the pump just to find out the valve was closed. We've had the same problem when filling the tank and running water into the lines on the city hookup. It causes an air lock and sometimes you have to open all the faucets and run the pump for a while to unlock the airlock.

[Mike Retired]

Thanks again for all the input. I finally got back to this project.

The pressure switch was definitely the problem. With power to the pump, I was able to the pressure switch and the pump worked just fine. Installed a new pressure switch and I am back in business.

Thanks again,
Mike

[Civilguy]

Mike,

Glad to hear that worked out!

We used to buy Chilton's manuals to work on things (does anyone remember "assembly is the reverse of removal"?!)

Now, it seems like just about anything you might ever want to do has been posted on YouTube.

[Alex Adams]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

We used to buy Chilton's manuals to work on things (does anyone remember "assembly is the reverse of removal"?!)

Boy, does THAT bring back memories! The first car I bought was a 1979 VW bus. I had the Chilton manual for it since I couldn't find a VW Service manual. The funny thing was it had the gasoline catalytic heater and on a VW enthusiest BBS (Bulletin Board Service since it was pre-Internet for you young-uns) I found a photocopy of the VW North America service manual for the heater! I was going to restore it to working shape but never got around to it.

[redbarron55]

The Quintisential (sp?) How to keep your Volkswagen Alive for the complete idiot was a wonder even now!