no tank water

[banjerbob]

For the first time, we thought we might have to do some dry camping. Filled the tank, turned on the pump, the pump made noise, but no water, short of a little spray for a few seconds..
When connected to city water, everything is fine.

Any thoughts on how to approach this? Any guesses how to find the pump and maybe check it??
As always, the thanks of a grateful couple, in advance

Bob W
95 Pleasureway

[markopolo]

Just a quick thought - check the city water inlet when the pump is running. Sometimes they get stuck open and you could be pumping water out of the inlet.

[Caped Crusader]

Check the filter screen on the pump, they get clogged with calcium, also check the faucet screens.

[Davydd]

If city water is flowing the faucet screens are not the problem. If you haven't been dry camping with your water pump you probably haven't done enough to build up a calcium block either. You probably have an air lock and water is not reaching the pump if you can hear the pump is running. You need to prime the pump. Open your faucets and then start your pump. It could take a tad bit of time to force the air out. Also, if the first time, did you de-winterize your water valves properly? I can't explain what to do there because RVs can be plumbed differently but you winterize to drain the lines and the hot water tank by switching flows. You also have to make sure your hot water tank is filling and flowing too before you try to turn on the hot water heater. Of course you could have a defective water pump as well but you said it was running,

If no water is going through the water pump the sound will be much quieter like a whisper spin. Once water flows you'll hear a louder judder like sound.

[Johnny R]

What Davydd said about opening the faucet(s). I've gone one further and attached a siphon hose to the faucet and sucked while the pump was running, until the water came out. As it turned out, the pump did not hold its prime after an week of no operation, so I replaced the pump. No further problems.

[AK49er]

Good job! I love it when I work on things that are broke and I actually fix them.