Trouble bleeding my water system?

Endex
Endex Forum Participant Posts: 4
edited March 2017 in Motorhomes #1

I am trying get my camper out of winter hibernation.

Filled up the water tank etc. but am having trouble getting water out of the taps and shower. The pump is running fine, but all I am getting is air and splutters. I have been trying this for over an hour.

Am I inpatient or do I have a problem ? This is the first time I have done this, so any advice from the old hands would be great.

Many thanks,

Dave

Comments

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #2

    I'm certainly no expert but I don't think you're being impatient. Ours took less than 15 minutes, possibly lots less didnt look at the time, this year. Water tank filled, not completely, water heater fills with 10 litre. Then opened kitchen and bathroom taps on full. Eventually after spluttering water. Have you checked that water isn't escaping anywhere?  Can you see whether you water in tank is going down?

  • NevChap
    NevChap Forum Participant Posts: 180
    100 Comments
    edited March 2017 #3

    It sounds as if you have a drain tap open or something similar. Does the pump run when you close the tap - it shouldn't do after a few seconds. If it doesn't stop the water is going from your tank somewhere, look underneath, is it pouring out? The air in your system should be released fairly quickly via the tap under normal circumstances. If air continues to splutter out then that air must be getting in somewhere, maybe a loose connection. Best of luck.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,864 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #4

    Always worth emptying the system again and refilling. Do you have an under floor inspection cover on the water tank?

    David

  • Freedom a whitebox
    Freedom a whitebox Club Member Posts: 296 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #5

     

    Im sure that this is something that you have done before, so I don't want to come across as patronising. 

    Sounds like you are sucking in air.

    It will be on the inlet side of the pump.

    If you have a submersible pump in the tank, then check the water level and that it is in the water.

    if it's inline then you are possibly sucking air in through a joint ( if the tank is full).

     

  • Endex
    Endex Forum Participant Posts: 4
    edited March 2017 #6

    Thanks folks, you have been great.

    John you are not patronising at all, this is the first time I have done this.

    I have a tiny drip underneath at a junction near the fresh water tank. Probably sucking in more air than leaking water.

    I am arranging to get it on some ramps at a mates garage to have it sorted. Looks like it may not be expensive and we can get out for a few weeks on Sunday.

    Once again thanks for you input, Happy travels.

    Dave

  • Freedom a whitebox
    Freedom a whitebox Club Member Posts: 296 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2017 #7

    Dave,

    A joint can be watertight and not airtight.

    So one that is leaking water, would be my first point of call.

    John 

  • TonyIshUK
    TonyIshUK Forum Participant Posts: 296
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    edited March 2017 #8

    Most mhome have two bleed taps for draining the water system 

    . Generally one drains the heater jacket and the other drains the remaining system.

    That said, what generally happens, if you fully fill the water tank, is that water bleeds from the forgotten valve.

    also some valves  need to be opened and closed several times to align the sealing ring, to prevent water leakage out, or air leakage in.  

    Again you will only get air on the suction side of the pump. So if the pump is submersible, it is virtually impossible to get an air leak, more a flood if you have a bad joint.

    most external pumps have short runs of pipe, and likely to suck air, from the filter which filters water before getting to the pump. Generally a gauze filter fitted to the pump body.

     

    rgds

     

  • Keithie
    Keithie Forum Participant Posts: 20
    edited April 2017 #9

    Hi Endex

    Had the same problem with mine turned out that there is an inline filter  near the pump this has a screw off clear cap that holds a small piece of metal gauze this cap was cracked and was drawing in air replaced it and all was well. hope this helps 

  • Stewartwebr
    Stewartwebr Forum Participant Posts: 171
    edited April 2017 #10

    As WeeJock has said the issue can be due to the inline filter. This has happened to me twice over the years. I now ensure when winterising the van that the filter is emptied of the small amount of water which is trapped in the filter which I assume freezes and causes the cracking.