2013 ERA 70A water pump problem

[wbnjr]

Yesterday I went to fill our fresh water tank and grey water tank. Before I did this the pump worked as it should. Now it runs continuously but with very little water pressure. And then when I went to connect hose directly to park water and bypass water pump, it sounds like the water is filling tank and not going on and off when a faucet is turned on. Any thoughts on our problems and possible fixes would be appreciated. Another question is the pump and back flow valve all behind the panel where the tank fill inlet is.

TIA

[Morich]

Do you have a valve for switching from "fill" to normal or something like that?
It very much sounds like the valve is left in the fill positionand that leaves a very large gap for the pressure to flow out when using the pump. The pump can't build the pressure required to shut itself down so continuies to run.
Yes, if left in the fill position, it is likely you will hear water running into the tank.

Check that valve or it also can fail? Most of the time it's me that has failed!

Great item for finding parts is this online parts catalog:
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

Looks like your pump is on the passenger side, somewhat below the kitchen faucet but likely in an outside compartment?? Bit of comparing the drawing with the actual RV, makes it easier to spot?

[RV-Travelers]

Originally Posted by Morich

Do you have a valve for switching from "fill" to normal or something like that?
It very much sounds like the valve is left in the fill position and that leaves a very large gap for the pressure to flow out when using the pump. The pump can't build the pressure required to shut itself down so continues to run.

Yes, if left in the fill position, it is likely you will hear water running into the tank.

Check that valve or it also can fail? Most of the time it's me that has failed!

Great item for finding parts is this online parts catalog:
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

Looks like your pump is on the passenger side, somewhat below the kitchen faucet but likely in an outside compartment?? Bit of comparing the drawing with the actual RV, makes it easier to spot?

I agree with Morich's reply that the likely culprit is forgetting to set the inlet valve in the water compartment on the left side (outside) of the Era back to the normal position after filling the tank. If I had a $ for every time I forgot to turn the valve back to normal...

Our 2016 Era 170A's water pump is located inside, in the cabinet below the gas stove, under a small cut-out in the floor of the cabinet. Our water pump has a plastic bowl and metal strainer that needs to be removed and cleaned out periodically. On ours the plastic bowl screws in vertically (from below) on threads on the side of the water pump. It's not particularly easy to access, but I found that I can unscrew it from above. Trying to reach below the pump and turning it was much more difficult. I also put a towel underneath to catch the plastic bowl in case I drop it so it doesn't roll somewhere under the floor where I can't get it.

I wound up purchasing a spare plastic bowl and strainer assembly in case I either break it, it cracks or it disappears in the abyss underneath the floor when I'm removing or replacing it. I keep it in a small spare parts box in the Era, think it was about $10, cheap insurance particularly if it fails on a trip.

[Morich]

Originally Posted by RV-Travelers

I agree with Morich's reply that the likely culprit is forgetting to set the inlet valve in the water compartment on the left side (outside) of the Era back to the normal position after filling the tank. If I had a $ for every time I forgot to turn the valve back to normal...

Our 2016 Era 170A's water pump is located inside, in the cabinet below the gas stove, under a small cut-out in the floor of the cabinet. Our water pump has a plastic bowl and metal strainer that needs to be removed and cleaned out periodically. On ours the plastic bowl screws in vertically (from below) on threads on the side of the water pump. It's not particularly easy to access, but I found that I can unscrew it from above. Trying to reach below the pump and turning it was much more difficult. I also put a towel underneath to catch the plastic bowl in case I drop it so it doesn't roll somewhere under the floor where I can't get it.

I wound up purchasing a spare plastic bowl and strainer assembly in case I either break it, it cracks or it disappears in the abyss underneath the floor when I'm removing or replacing it. I keep it in a small spare parts box in the Era, think it was about $10, cheap insurance particularly if it fails on a trip.

Congrats on figuring out a cure but it also looks like you picked one that has several things that made life more difficult! Maybe they were still figuring it out as there appear to be two different build dates for the 2016 and then there are THREE different versions of the fresh water system!
I might throw in a small point that shows what you did and suggest it to anybody who has their filter hanging down rather than pointed up.

It seems your filter may have been done by somebody who was not exactly following the plan and just did it the way it "feels" right for us human sorts? It feels right for us to let things hang DOWN, even though it will work better if it is turned over and pointing up as the drawing shows!

When we think of draining for winter, we might miss this small point and it can cost us. With the filter housing hanging down, any water is less likely to drain out but may actually collect the small part left in the system! Leaving that little plastic bowl full of water all winter can get you some extra work!
The drawing I checked does show it should be up but if your guy was a bit "Slow", I suggest turning it right, just on the odd idea that we might miss some small points when we get ready for winter?

Normally a fitting can be tightened just a half turn but if it still doesn't wind up right and also tight, adding a turn or so of plumbing tape will change that.
A small bit of checking now could save you having to replace the filter after it freezes! Work carefully as it is plastic!

Check here for the complete picture of your specific RV:
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

[wbnjr]

Our valve is in a lower panel on drivers side of my van. There is a valve there that has tank fill or fresh water supply. When I move valve to fresh water supply when hooked to campground water, it still sounds like water is filling tank. I would presume that of hooked to water. It would only supply water when a faucet is tuned on. On the other side of van there is gravity water feed and valve that has normal and winter freeze settings. We leave it on normal at all times.

As noted water pressure was fine with pump on before I refilled tank. After there’re has been only a slow flow of water when pump on. Also pump continues to run whether a faucet is open or not.

Wondering if the lower valve is stuck and not switching from tank fill to fresh water supply.

Appreciate all the input.

Originally Posted by Morich

Do you have a valve for switching from "fill" to normal or something like that?
It very much sounds like the valve is left in the fill positionand that leaves a very large gap for the pressure to flow out when using the pump. The pump can't build the pressure required to shut itself down so continuies to run.
Yes, if left in the fill position, it is likely you will hear water running into the tank.

Check that valve or it also can fail? Most of the time it's me that has failed!

Great item for finding parts is this online parts catalog:
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

Looks like your pump is on the passenger side, somewhat below the kitchen faucet but likely in an outside compartment?? Bit of comparing the drawing with the actual RV, makes it easier to spot?

[Morich]

Okay, I did some looking at the pipes and found a couple things that I wouold want to check.
First a look at how the wet bay looks, to be sure it matches what you see?
Does the first snip look right?

Making the dangerous leap to assume that is correct, if we turn the drawing around to see the backside, we get the second pic where we can see the norm/fill valve will either open or close at the red marks to allow water to flow to the RV or to the tank, using one of the two lines going right.

Pic 3 is a bigger view of where they lead almost directly to the tank or up and to the RV.

First thought might be to verify that the normal/fill is fully open or closed and if it feels right as there are times when the plastic insides breaks down and leaves a crack or gap for water to go both ways. You have a reasonably new unit and it would surprise me if it had failed but that depends on the small details of how it has been used or not???

But there is also a drain valve down below the pump area which might also be part way open to let water go the wrong direction as well as the pump has an internal check valve which may be a fault andnot closing as it should.
Maybe just the little rubber flap is not closed for some reason and a good flushing or stopping starting might clear it? Thumping it with a screwdriver handle works at times!!!
It really is just alittle rubber gizmo that falls shut when water pressure is on one side, so sticking is not a real hard thing to do. Maybe just hard water deposits dried in place?

[wbnjr]

I can’t thank you all enough for your help. We just got back with it from a four day trip to Auburn so I will be checking some things out. One thing I note is that while the water pump does work, the water stream is nothing like it should be. Just wondering if the tank fill, fresh water switch is not fully open so the pump is only getting half of the water supply. I will be playing with the switches first off to see if it helps. Again thx for all the input. Great forum for a new owner.

Originally Posted by Morich

Okay, I did some looking at the pipes and found a couple things that I wouold want to check.
First a look at how the wet bay looks, to be sure it matches what you see?
Does the first snip look right?

Making the dangerous leap to assume that is correct, if we turn the drawing around to see the backside, we get the second pic where we can see the norm/fill valve will either open or close at the red marks to allow water to flow to the RV or to the tank, using one of the two lines going right.

Pic 3 is a bigger view of where they lead almost directly to the tank or up and to the RV.

First thought might be to verify that the normal/fill is fully open or closed and if it feels right as there are times when the plastic insides breaks down and leaves a crack or gap for water to go both ways. You have a reasonably new unit and it would surprise me if it had failed but that depends on the small details of how it has been used or not???

But there is also a drain valve down below the pump area which might also be part way open to let water go the wrong direction as well as the pump has an internal check valve which may be a fault andnot closing as it should.
Maybe just the little rubber flap is not closed for some reason and a good flushing or stopping starting might clear it? Thumping it with a screwdriver handle works at times!!!
It really is just alittle rubber gizmo that falls shut when water pressure is on one side, so sticking is not a real hard thing to do. Maybe just hard water deposits dried in place?

[RV-Travelers]

Originally Posted by Morich

Congrats on figuring out a cure but it also looks like you picked one that has several things that made life more difficult! Maybe they were still figuring it out as there appear to be two different build dates for the 2016 and then there are THREE different versions of the fresh water system!
I might throw in a small point that shows what you did and suggest it to anybody who has their filter hanging down rather than pointed up.

It seems your filter may have been done by somebody who was not exactly following the plan and just did it the way it "feels" right for us human sorts? It feels right for us to let things hang DOWN, even though it will work better if it is turned over and pointing up as the drawing shows!

When we think of draining for winter, we might miss this small point and it can cost us. With the filter housing hanging down, any water is less likely to drain out but may actually collect the small part left in the system! Leaving that little plastic bowl full of water all winter can get you some extra work!
The drawing I checked does show it should be up but if your guy was a bit "Slow", I suggest turning it right, just on the odd idea that we might miss some small points when we get ready for winter?

Normally a fitting can be tightened just a half turn but if it still doesn't wind up right and also tight, adding a turn or so of plumbing tape will change that.
A small bit of checking now could save you having to replace the filter after it freezes! Work carefully as it is plastic!

Check here for the complete picture of your specific RV:
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

Here's a cell phone photo of the water pump and strainer assembly on our 2016 Era 170A, taken facing towards the rear of the ERA and above a bit. As noted previously it's beneath the floor of the interior cabinet below the gas stove.

The picture looks like the 1st image in the post from Morich, except the strainer assembly on ours screws in from below rather than above. Don't know if it's possible to loosen the assembly and rotate it to put the strainer bowl topside, but I don't want to risk breaking the assembly so I'll just leave it as is for now.

It would have been nice if the cut-out in the floor of the cabinet was larger. There's not much room to work on the water pump or strainer assembly. If I have to do anything significant work on it I'll probably cut a larger hole for better access.