Water pump failure and replacement

[DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI]

Our DC water pump failed while on the road. It turns on but loses pressure pretty quickly. After spigot is turned off, the pump continues to run for about a minute. I cleaned the screen before the pump and same behavior. I have received a replacement pump. Questions:

1. Is there a valve configuration to run city water with pump disconnected?
2. Can the accumulator fail too (I only ordered the pump?
3. Oliver pump says max 10 volts but has a 15 volt fuse?

 

Thanks for any guidance.

[dewdev]

1. On the bottom surface of the hatch cover over where the pump is, there should be a picture showing the valve configuations for the different uses. The pictures should also be in your Owner's manual

2. Highly unlikely. If I was you, I would check to see if all the plumbing connections are tight with no leaks and none are sucking in air.

3. Should not be a problem. All Oliver's are like that.

[topgun2]

Go to the Oliver University - From the Oliver Website hit "Home", Resources", "Oliver University". "Travel Trailer Owners Manuals", scroll down to 2022 models, and, then click on "View Manual"(located on the right side of the screen. 

Next scroll down to page 60 and start reading about water system information.  Note that your water valve configuration(s) can be found on page 62.

If your accumulator fails then all you should notice is that your water pump will run more often and you might see some "pulsating" of water as it comes out of the faucet.  However, unless something has clogged the accumulator there should be no other issues with it.

Bill
 

[DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI]

Thank for the input. @dewdev was correct, pump replacement did not fix issue. I put in a ticket with Oliver and sent Mike video of flow. He said I will need to go to a service center for further troubleshooting. I am currently on the road so trying to figure out on my own. I did some additional testing and can't get water from the freshwater tank or from boondocking port (with valves configured for boondocking). I have removed and cleaned all fittings from water tank to pump. No leaks found. I isolated and drained Truma Aquago. 

Looking at manual @topgun2 recommended, I confirmed valve configuration. I see check valves at freshwater tank fill and city water inlets. Could a failure of one of these cause air leak and pressure failure? How do I access these to check or bypass?

[mossemi]

On 4/16/2024 at 4:30 PM, DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI said:

Oliver pump says max 10 volts but has a 15 volt fuse?

I think you mean amps, correct?

In the past, some owners have solved some pump issues by closing the outside shower valves that were inadvertently left open.

Mossey

[Wandering Sagebrush]

RV water systems are well known for fun little issues like this.  I have a suspicion that you have air trapped in one of your lines.   You might try “burping” each of the faucets several times while the pump continues to run. Don’t forget the outside shower.
 

We don’t see the lower pressure, but the pump continuing to run occasionally happens to us after daily travel.  Using  a faucet after the pump is turned off may be a culprit, too.

Hope this helps…

Edited April 19 by Wandering Sagebrush

[carnivore]

Try cycling cycling each valve one at a time while the faucet is open and the pump is on.  This can burp the system.  

 

[Travelerstoo]

We had a similar issue one time. [While on the road] We called Mike in service. He had us hookup a fresh water hose to the boondocking port and run briefly. That took care of the problem. Thanks Mike!

[DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI]

Thanks for all the input. I did try the opening and closing valves one at a time to bleed air. Also tried city water hook up. I tried pulling water in from boondocking port. No draw from that connection either (with valves in boondocking configuration). Put in a ticket with Oliver and sent video. Mike responded promptly and said likely pump and or accumulator. I replaced both. Still no draw from fresh tank but it did pull water from boondocking port. Progress! I checked all connections between fresh tank and pump. I had an air leak at connection where water line comes out of fresh tank. 

Pump failure was from us leaving pump on overnight while parked on a slight decline with very little water in fresh tank. We stayed in their house so did not notice until morning. We have named this O-squared E. Oliver-Operator-Error.😁

[jd1923]

On 5/9/2024 at 8:45 AM, DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI said:

... Pump failure was from us leaving pump on overnight while parked on a slight decline with very little water in fresh tank. We stayed in their house so did not notice until morning. We have named this O-squared E. Oliver-Operator-Error.😁

We all do it at times. I like to see that pump LED off when I'm starting to walk down those steps to leave the Oliver, has become habit. I also check my Victron app each time and when leaving for the day or going to sleep (left the fridge on DC one night when boondocking, got down to 63%).

Yes, your pump was damaged pumping dry overnight. The new pump fixed that, as you wrote "progress" in the fact that it would draw from the boondocking port. Not sure if your action could also create the leak at the tank. Stuff happens.