Water pump is this normal?

[Jimmad]

Hi all
We are newbie motor homers having recently bought a 1996 swift kontiki, we have only used it twice but absolutely loving it!

However I have noticed something odd just want to check with you if this is normal or I should get it looked at?
When we turn on the water pump all works ok, hot and cold flows great. However when I turn off the Tap I can still hear the pump 'whirring', it is quieter than when it's running but I can still hear it under the seat. Will this wear out the pump, or drain my battery, or should the pump go off completely?

It doesn't say anything about this in the manual, so not sure if it is a problem or not!

Any advice appreciated!

Thanks
Jim

 

[avandriver]

If your water system is a pressurized system ( it probably is ) then it is quite normal for the pump to keep pumping for a short while when you turn off a tap , it is just maintaining pressure .


Steve

 

[Jimmad]

If your water system is a pressurized system ( it probably is ) then it is quite normal for the pump to keep pumping for a short while when you turn off a tap , it is just maintaining pressure .


Steve

Thanks for the speedy reply! I think it's pressurised as there are no electrical connections on the taps.

How long should the pump continue to pressurise for after a tap is turned off? I have waited a good 5
Minutes but got concerned so switched it offf. Should I try longer?
Thanks.

 

[avandriver]

Thanks for the speedy reply! I think it's pressurised as there are no electrical connections on the taps.

How long should the pump continue to pressurise for after a tap is turned off? I have waited a good 5
Minutes but got concerned so switched it offf. Should I try longer?
Thanks.

5 minutes sounds a little bit excessive .

I would check all joints for leaks and also the non return valve ( usually mounted close to the pump )

Steve

 

[Lorry Ball]

It sounds like it could be a problem with a pressure switch seized some where,
the pump should stop when you turn the tap off
I would suggest that you only switch it on when needed, to save battery and pump motor

Lorry :drive:

 

[Jimmad]

5 minutes sounds a little bit excessive .

I would check all joints for leaks and also the non return valve ( usually mounted close to the pump )

Steve

Hi Steve

Thanks, so I'm looking for a leak somewhere? What do I need to check for on the non return valve and what does the valve look like? Thanks!

 

[Lumpendoodle]

As avandriver has already said, it could just be a bit of an air leak. With the pressure system, if any fittings are loose, the system can't pressurise properly.

First of all, let the taps run a bit in case air is in the system somewhere. Next thing is to check that all the taps are fully off (give them an extra tweak). Thirdly, check the pipe connections onto the taps. The screw on part may have loosened enough to allow pressure to escape.

You may have to go through the whole system checking the connections are tight, but easier to check than dismantling the pump. Leave that job 'till last.

 

[Jimmad]

As avandriver has already said, it could just be a bit of an air leak. With the pressure system, if any fittings are loose, the system can't pressurise properly.

First of all, let the taps run a bit in case air is in the system somewhere. Next thing is to check that all the taps are fully off (give them an extra tweak). Thirdly, check the pipe connections onto the taps. The screw on part may have loosened enough to allow pressure to escape.

You may have to go through the whole system checking the connections are tight, but easier to check than dismantling the pump. Leave that job 'till last.

Ok, thanks for the advice. I'll have a look this weekend. Just one thing I thought of, not sure if it could be connected, but when I filled with water last week I accidentally overfilled the tank. My wife was in the van and said that water was coming out from under the seat where the tank is, I had a look and there was water there, but hard to tell where it had come from. The pipes and connections are unfamiliar to me, they look a bit like push fit, do you know how I tighten them up?
Thanks for all your help!
Jim

 

[AndyC]

We get this problem sometimes after refilling the system when it has been drained. I think the pump gets a bit of air trapped in it and so can't pressurise the system properly, the cure is to turn a cold tap full on then off again, that seems to get rid of the trapped air and the system works normally again.

The other possibility is a faulty pressure switch, they are normally part of the pump body and are sometimes adjustable.

What type of pump is fitted?

AndyC

 

[The Grand Wanderer]

If your pump is a Sureflow it is likely that it is beside the fresh water tank. They are quite easy to remove and then can be disassembled cleaned and reassambled. Often with the passage of time a slim forms in the pump body and causes the pump to malfunction. I did mine whislt away and it only took two hours from start to finish.
Good luck
Wanderer

 

[Jimmad]

If your pump is a Sureflow it is likely that it is beside the fresh water tank. They are quite easy to remove and then can be disassembled cleaned and reassambled. Often with the passage of time a slim forms in the pump body and causes the pump to malfunction. I did mine whislt away and it only took two hours from start to finish.
Good luck
Wanderer

Hi
The pump is inside the water tank, there is a large cap on the top of the tank and you can get your hand in, but can't see what make / type of pump it is.
Do you think it's worth getting the pump out as you suggest and give it a good clean?
Thanks

 

[AndyC]

Hi
The pump is inside the water tank, there is a large cap on the top of the tank and you can get your hand in, but can't see what make / type of pump it is.
Do you think it's worth getting the pump out as you suggest and give it a good clean?
Thanks

Ah... It's a submersible pump, these are usually controlled by microswitches at each tap so I'm a bit surprised that you say there are no electrical connections at the taps - are you sure?

AndyC

 

[Jimmad]

Ah... It's a submersible pump, these are usually controlled by microswitches at each tap so I'm a bit surprised that you say there are no electrical connections at the taps - are you sure?

AndyC

Hi Andy
Fairly sure, but as I said we're newbies! I'll check again tomorrow.
I assume I am looking for wires connecting somewhere at the base of the taps?

 

[Jimmad]

Hi Andy
Fairly sure, but as I said we're newbies! I'll check again tomorrow.
I assume I am looking for wires connecting somewhere at the base of the taps?

Confirmed! Just got the manual out and it's says it's a pressurised system. The only bit it mentions about the pump is don't leave the pump on when the tank is empty, as it will continue to run, that's it!

So, I assume that means I am looking for a leak somewhere, and to check all fittings are tight?
I'll have a look this week and let you know how I get on, thanks for all the advice - much appreciated!

Jim

 

[AndyC]

If it's a submersible pump then, as it is fully submerged, it won't be able to draw air in so there is no possibility of an air leak into the water system.

Some possibilities are:

The system can't reach enough pressure to operate the pressure switch because there is a water leak somewhere.

The system can't reach enough pressure to operate the pressure switch because the pump is faulty or partly blocked, or there is a partial blockage between the pump and the pressure switch.

The pressure switch is not being operated because it is out of adjustment or faulty.

It would be useful to know the make of the pump and the pressure switch.

AndyC

 

[Jimmad]

Thank you all for your help, really good to know there is support out there for us newbies!

Found the problem, I am supposed to be working from home, but it was bugging me... So tracked the outlet pipe from the tank and found the press sure switch, which was along the way a bit next to the water heater! It has a knob on the top, so turned it both ways (wasn't sure!) and after a bit of tweaking got the water and pump to stop when the taps go off!

Thanks again for your help, saved me a 200 mile round trip back to the dealer for them to turn a knob...!

Best regards
Jim

 

[Deleted member 3802]

would have been a sickner to travel 200mls just to have your knob twisted:baby:

 

[3207]

cracked joint

i had a similar problem . After much investigation i found the pump filter housing had a very small crack in it. not enough to spill water but enougth for air to be drawn in to the system.

 

[el-D]

You're getting all the right answers here so I won't add anything on that score but I think I'd be a bit concerned about the water slopping about loose when you overfilled the tank. I'd definitely be looking to track that down. I regularly get a bit over-enthusiastic with filling the tank, it squirts out of the filler outside the vehicle but there's never been any on the inside. I wonder if there's an overflow hose come adrift.

Oops, I missed a page and so didn't know that you'd solved the problem. Well done with that. I'd still check the overflow thing though; you don't want water inside the van if you overfill.