# Water Comming Out Of City Water Conection



## johng (Jan 23, 2010)

Last fall at this web site I read when winterizing the RV, that I should release the pressure in the fresh water tank by taking out the screen at the city hose connection and press the button. My problem is, that I don't know how to get it to reset again. This weekend I filled the fresh water tank and when I turned on the pump water was pumped out of the city water hose fill. When I plugged the hose fitting the pump stopped pumping. I took the plug off with the pump off and pressurized water came out of the city water connection. Can it be rest, or do I buy hose fitting?


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

I'm kind of confused....how do you pressurize the water tank? There is a check valve that is supposed to keep the water from doing what it sounds like it is now doing. My guess is that the check valve is bad (or now disassembled). What did you take out last year? When you winterize, there is nothing that you should need to do with the city water connection other then blow some air through it.


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## FlashG (Jun 23, 2007)

I would agree with the problem being the check valve.

Remove the screen from the water inlet and stick a screwdriver in the hole while the pump is on. The check should pop shut.


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## Calvin&Hobbes (May 24, 2006)

I had the same problem last year. When the pump is on, stick your finger into the water connection and "flick" the little plunger. It should reseat itself, but if it's like mine you'll need to replace it at some point. It's not a big seal, but you'll have to remove the whole connection to get at it. The city water connection and the fresh water tank are two separate systems... when you winterize the pressurized side of the trailer, you need to depress the plunger (anti syphon) to make sure antifreeze gets up and around the city water connection. I would imagine that over time, the little spring inside will get weak..... For the mean time, I took a short piece of old hose (male end) crimped over the end and wire tied it closed. That keeps the pressure "in check".........


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## maddog (Dec 16, 2009)

The o-ring probably came off the check valve. Pull the city water connection off amd from the entry point push the valve apart. The plastic valve will snap apart. Put the o-ring back on and snap it back together. Once you look at it you will figure it out. When you winterize, Do the city water conncetion first. You will need help with this. With the system depressurized, push the check valve open. Have someone turn the pump on to fed the antifreeze through the connection. Once that is done, continue as normal. I used to blow mine out all the time until I started doing it this way. Hope this helps.


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

maddog's got it. I've had that happen a few times. It's an annoying but fairly simple fix.

To reiterate, the proper procedure is to hold the button in while somebody else turns on the pump long enough to pump antifreeze out the city water connection. If you press that button while the system is pressurized from the pump, it's 90% likely you'll blow the seal off there. That's assuming you use the antifreeze method, of course.


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## johng (Jan 23, 2010)

I would like to thank all for your response. I put water in the tank turned on the pump and pressed the button in the city connection about 10 times and the water stopped coming out of the city connection. Thanks again


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

H2oSprayer said:


> I'm kind of confused....how do you pressurize the water tank? There is a check valve that is supposed to keep the water from doing what it sounds like it is now doing. My guess is that the check valve is bad (or now disassembled). What did you take out last year? When you winterize, there is nothing that you should need to do with the city water connection other then blow some air through it.


I agree, Chris It sounds like the check valve is stuck open. The check valve is located immediately behind that screen on the city water hose connection. That hose connection is hooked to a line that joins the water system lines just after (downstream of) the water pump. The check valve is installed to stop water from flowing backwards thru the city water line when the pump is in use.

But when winterizing with antifreeze, as I do, I let the pump suck the antifeeze right out of the jug and into the water system. Every faucet should be opened until pink antifreeze is flowing out. And the very last thing to do, is to remove the screen on the city water connection and push the check valve IN, to let antifreeze fill that line between the pump and the hose connection. (Stand aside, lest you get sprayed with antifreeze.)

The check valve is spring returned (out) to the CLOSED position, unless it gets fouled. Mine did just that after two seasons and would always dribble water when using the pump - and the pump would kick on for a couple seconds every 5 minutes, to bring the pressure back up after the dribble let it depressurize. Not only was it annoying, but a lot of water got dribbled away when dry camping.

This is a cheap, plastic check valve that uses a rubber o-ring on a needle-type valve, using a very light, flimsy return spring. If the spring gets kinked or broken, or if the o-ring is compromised, or if debris is lodged in the valve (preventing it from completely closing), it will leak or even gush, depending on the type of problem. I did not discover any way to disassemble my valve - it was engineered to be raplaced, not repaired. So I bought a new City water/Fresh water Fill Well, with a locking door, and I love it. It has a good, brass check valve in it. I had to enlarge the hole thru the wall, in order to accomodate the larger water well. (Be careful as to where the aluminum frame tubes are located and use butyl tape to seal.)

A temporary solution that I used, until I decided to cut a hole in the wall for a new well (a couple seasons!), is to buy a small, brass, "Y" hose connector that has a ball valve on each male leg. Then screw one male leg into the hose connection and close the ball valve. That will stop the flow of water from the leaky check valve. (And you can always use that Y connector - some campgrounds make you share a water connection.)

Take your pick, but if you wiggle the check valve to reseat it properly and it still leaks after repeated "fiddling," you will have to replace it or cap it off with a Y or some other type of cap when using the pump (a hose directed back into the tank??? LOL!!).

Hope this helps!

Mike


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