# Water Pump Doesn't Suck!



## gmutt (May 9, 2007)

I was in the process of winterizing my RS21, put about 3/4 of a bottle of pink stuff in via the water pump. (I just installed one of those T kits with a bypass for winterizing). The water pump sounds like it's running but it isn't sucking up the pink stuff from the bottle. I made sure the hose was down in the pink stuff so it's not just sucking air, but no luck.

Any ideas what's up???


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Something open in the system?


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## renegade21rs (Oct 8, 2006)

Make sure you have it installed the correct way. You might have to remove it, turn it over and re-install it.

Don't ask how I know ...


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## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

You will need to have a faucet open somewhere downstream for the pump to work.

Bob


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

Yeah, the valve may be backwards. I have never had to have a faucet open unless the system is full of water. I always drain my water lines down throught the low point drains so when the pump is turned on it starts to suck up the pink stuff. Make sure the T fitting is sealed all the way and not sucking air. Try turning the valve around.


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## OutbackPM (Sep 14, 2005)

renegade21rs said:


> Make sure you have it installed the correct way. You might have to remove it, turn it over and re-install it.
> 
> Don't ask how I know ...


 Same problem here when I first did it. A few choice words then







. I had pink stuff in the tank so I even managed to get a siphon going!


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## shaela21 (Aug 16, 2005)

As long as your suction hose is on the correct end of the pump, and the fittings are tight so you are not sucking in air, then you should get something until the system pressurizes, then the pump will stop. My oops when winterizing last year was quite dopey. I drained out all the water through the low point drains, hooked up the hose for the pink stuff and started the pump. I drained a whole jug out through the drains before I realized that the caps were still off.







.


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## switchman1000 (Oct 30, 2007)

WoW!!! Today I did the same thing.. I installed the kit for the winterizing.. The arrow on the valve pointed toward the pump.. (I figured that was the right way and it makes sense that is the way it goes..)... Well had to take it back off and studied it.. I blew into the valve and realized that you have to put it in backwards to work properly. Wow.. I struggled with it for 3 hrs knowing I was right.. I realized something was wrong when the pink stuff went back into the fresh water tank .. anyways.. after i turned it around it worked super. about 1 to 2 gallons total and about 3 min to do the whole 5th wheel.. Happy Camping..

dave


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

switchman1000 said:


> WoW!!! Today I did the same thing.. I installed the kit for the winterizing.. The arrow on the valve pointed toward the pump.. (I figured that was the right way and it makes sense that is the way it goes..)... Well had to take it back off and studied it.. I blew into the valve and realized that you have to put it in backwards to work properly. Wow.. I struggled with it for 3 hrs knowing I was right.. I realized something was wrong when the pink stuff went back into the fresh water tank .. anyways.. after i turned it around it worked super. about 1 to 2 gallons total and about 3 min to do the whole 5th wheel.. Happy Camping..
> 
> dave


Mine had the same arrow, but writting in very small font was "out". I can see how people could do this wrong.


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

did it wrong the first time here too. pump kept running for a few minutes and then it dawned on me.


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## gmutt (May 9, 2007)

Thanks for the chuckles everyone. Sounds like I'm not the only one who has camper maintenance "issues" and mishaps. Whatever it was that kept it from working, it's working now. I turned it off - went in the house and did some other stuff - then returned about 1/2 hour later and VIOLA! it worked again. Finished putting in the pink stuff and now and done for the winter.

NOw for some "can't get it parked right" stories. On our last camping trip (in a pull through space, no less) it took me about 15 minutes to get the TT in the right place. There was a guy in the spot next to us smoking a big cigar - just watching the show. My wife was frustrated, I was frustrated, the Outback MUST have been frustrated -- back and forth, back and forth. I don't know what the deal was. I've parked in that same camp spot before with no problem. Just one of those days. After we got set up, I hooked up the TV set and tried to put on the news. The campground had cable TV, but the picture was really fuzzy. I couldn't figure out what it was - kept messing with the TV auto channel set up thingy - then it dawned on me --- I hadn't hooked up the cable from the TT to the cable TV box next to the electric feed.







!


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

Have not done that one yet. but im sure my time is coming...


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## NJMikeC (Mar 29, 2006)

IF your folks is like mine , I would remove that brass valve next spring. That hole is much smaller then the hose diameter and would hurt the volume later on.

It isn't really what way the valve points but really the little hole that is in there. Backwards or forwards it works if there is a faucet open .


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