URGENT - water pump not working

GMJ

GMJ

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We are supposed off be off in the MH this morning but I just went to prime the boiler and the water pump is not working. The taps are open and the light is on on the main panel but no noise from the pump. I have checked the water pump fuse in the EC500 and its sound.

I am just about to try and find the pump as its boxed in.

Any ideas please?
 
Many stick and require a thump or opened from the pipe and turned with the end of a screwdriver to free up the bearing, my loo pump has done this a few times.
If diaphragm type try a thump, or some heat.
 
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You don't have an independent switch for the pump do you.

I forgot I had one the other day and went through all of the fuse checks etc before I remembered!
 
Update

The pump is now running however the water system isn't priming.

I've got the heating on in the MH on gas to see if that'll help to thaw it out perhaps (even though it was drained down).

With the taps all shut the pump is still running though which it shouldn't do. It turns off only when I press the button to off on the panel above the door.
 
GMJ said:
We are supposed off be off in the MH this morning but I just went to prime the boiler and the water pump is not working. The taps are open and the light is on on the main panel but no noise from the pump. I have checked the water pump fuse in the EC500 and its sound.

I am just about to try and find the pump as its boxed in.

Any ideas please?
Click to expand...
In the Sargent systems you can often select between internal and external (for outside shower) pumps. Unlikely to be that, but is a quick check so make sure the right pump is selected (eliminate the simple stuff!)

You have checked the fuses is ok, but have you checked there is 12V output on that fuse? Pull the fuse and check with a meter on the fuse out there is 12V. Switch the pump on and off on the control panel and check the 12V is going on and off in unison.
If the internal relay has failed (it can happen. I have a Sargent unit with that fault here) then you won't get any power to the fuse. If there is no voltage, you could try getting +12V to the pump another way, involving some jumper wires, but I am wary advising how remotely in case something goes amiss and you end up with a bigger problem.

No possibility no noise as the pump is frozen?
 
GMJ said:
Update

The pump is now running however the water system isn't priming.

I've got the heating on in the MH on gas to see if that'll help to thaw it out perhaps (even though it was drained down).

With the taps all shut the pump is still running though which it shouldn't do. It turns off only when I press the button to off on the panel above the door.
Click to expand...
Ignore my previous message :)

This sounds identical to my pump issue I had since I got my van. I found (advice from previous owner) that undoing the pump outlet would allow it to complete the priming (eventually - lying on back for 20 minutes messing around) and as water started pumping close up again and it would be ok. Had to do this each time the tank went dry (so each springtime).
I got fed up with this this springtime and decided to get a new pump just to see if it made a difference .... Self-primed without any problems since then. The pump just have been borderline ok, pumping water fine once all primed but not enough oomph to start the process.
 
I recently had some work done on the MH which included an investigation on the water system due to persistent 'farts'.

Left field: is it possible that the pump wires have been reconnected wrongly so that the pump is not trying to suck water up through the system but instead trying to push it back the other way?
 
wildebus said:
Ignore my previous message :)

This sounds identical to my pump issue I had since I got my van. I found (advice from previous owner) that undoing the pump outlet would allow it to complete the priming (eventually - lying on back for 20 minutes messing around) and as water started pumping close up again and it would be ok. Had to do this each time the tank went dry (so each springtime).
I got fed up with this this springtime and decided to get a new pump just to see if it made a difference .... Self-primed without any problems since then. The pump just have been borderline ok, pumping water fine once all primed but not enough oomph to start the process.
Click to expand...

Dave - what do you mean by 'pump outlet'?
 
My biggest problem is draining the sink, it must have about 2 ins of water before it goes down the plughole, waste pipe goes down about 3 ft under the van and rises six inches up the side of the tank entry point, I thought the 3 ft drop would be good to force it up the 6 inch pipe but seems not and requires a drop extra in the sink to start it on the journey.
 
Costers said:
Could it be a frozen pipe? Residual water after draining off perhaps.
Click to expand...

I hope its that however the fact that the pump wont switch off even when the taps are shut worries me.

I have the MH on gas heating up as we speak so am hopeful that this may thaw if there is a frozen pipe from residual water, somewhere.
 
Update

I just unscrewed the small filter that is next to the pump and water is flowing through there now. earlier it wasnt.

I have the taps on open in the MH on hot, and I have heard some very weak attempt at it trying to prime. Not full on gurgling as normal but a very faint attempt.

I am hopeful that it could just be frozen pipes or perhaps this air lock that has been mentioned.

How can I check or sort if it is an airlock?
 
FIXED

I googled the airlock thing and it did the trick.

For anyone looking at this thread what I did was turn off the rest of the taps but had the shower tap open. I then had to suck on the end of the shower hose (after removing the shower head) very strongly.

It worked. I eventually got a mouthful of water and then when opening the other 2 taps in the MH they started flowing.

Panic over

MANY MANY THNAKS FOR ALL YOU FOLKS WHO RESPONDED - I am very appreciative.
 
Have you had a new pump? Reason I ask, replaced pump in van a couple of years back and had lots of trouble getting the new pump to prime, turns out the (also new) non return valve needed a small bypass hole.
 
GMJ said:
FIXED

I googled the airlock thing and it did the trick.

For anyone looking at this thread what I did was turn off the rest of the taps but had the shower tap open. I then had to suck on the end of the shower hose (after removing the shower head) very strongly.

It worked. I eventually got a mouthful of water and then when opening the other 2 taps in the MH they started flowing.

Panic over

MANY MANY THNAKS FOR ALL YOU FOLKS WHO RESPONDED - I am very appreciative.
Click to expand...

Sorry I have only just noticed your 'How can I check/sort this?' post and was about to respond.

Hope the mouthful of water wasn't too unpleasant, glad you're sorted and enjoy your trip.
 
GMJ said:
I hope its that however the fact that the pump wont switch off even when the taps are shut worries me.

I have the MH on gas heating up as we speak so am hopeful that this may thaw if there is a frozen pipe from residual water, somewhere.
Click to expand...
Your pump wont switch off until the whole system is full with water and under pressure so in the meantime isolate the pump at the panel as it's best not to leave it running permanently.
Does the system usually prime up ok when re filling in the spring? If so then I suspect it's water in the system that hasn't fully drained out and is now frozen and causing a blockage and you're just going to have to wait until it thaws, you could try and warm up the pipework with a hair dryer, also warm water in your storage tank (if you can do that?) will mean that it'll thaw out the ice quickly when the water does start to flow.
Move your van and get it in the sun if you can, it'll help speed up the thawing out process.
Good luck (y)
 
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