Noisy water pump

mosquitodirk · 11-19-2010, 09:03 AM

Last year I had my pump replaced with a quiet one (the original one had frozen anyways). All was working well, and very quietly, until yesterday.

It didn't freeze, I didn't go on any bumpy roads, but I did switch water tanks (I have two). Is it possible that there is some sort of air bubble trapped? Anyone able to provide insight? Or a fix?

Cheers,
Dirk (in Panguitch, UT)

shanngord · 11-19-2010, 09:57 AM

Can't help with the water pump other than it should be easy to test whether it is faulty or not.

I am new to this forum (15b is on order) and I just read your posts regarding Dempster Hwy etc last year.

Any ideas on how to prep an Escape for adventure travel. We have ordered all the factory options that might support this type of camping but there may be other ideas that you have. Most of the modifications listed in the forum seem like peoples ideas of adventure involves multiple night stays in the Walmart parking lot.

How did you fit in two fresh water tanks?
Have you tried different brands of trailer tires that might be more puncture resistant?
Any tips learned from experience taking your Escape to the car/truck wash?
In your opinion, does the fiberglass shell feel secure enough if you have a grizzly and cubs bumping into it at night?

Thanks,
Happy Escape trekking!

Gord

escape artist · 11-20-2010, 06:19 AM

Hi: mosquitodirk... The only way I know if the pump is working properly is either watch the water or listen to the pump!!! The less water in the tank the softer it sounds and the quicker it seems to run. When the tank is full and the pump has completely filled, the louder and slower it is. Sorry I can't be more help. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

mosquitodirk · 11-20-2010, 09:39 AM

Thanks Alf, although that's a bit reverse of usual with this pump (the second last fill up it ran smooth, this time not so much). My thought was that maybe an air bubble is trapped in it? I tried running the pump with city water attached (hoping to purge the air if there were any) to no avail. Any thing else? The pump looks fine, and the last pump (that broke) made the water taste like metal post breakage. Not so this time.

Cheers,
Dirk (Escalante, UT)

JeffZ · 11-20-2010, 10:05 AM

I know we had a burping with ours in the AS.. it would pressure up every hour 1/2.. We took it to a dealer an they essentially just tighten everything up on the pump and that was it. I think they also ran the pump for around 20min as well to purge the lines.

gbaglo · 11-20-2010, 12:32 PM

I recollect that the instruction manual said NOT to run the pump when connected to city water.
I'd check, but it's cold and snowy outside.

baglo

Hokie Escape · 11-21-2010, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I recollect that the instruction manual said NOT to run the pump when connected to city water.
I'd check, but it's cold and snowy outside.

baglo

Cold and snowy! We just returned from 3 days at James River State Park, and it was sunny and 60 degrees everyday! Now it did get to 31 (all this is Fahrenheit) at night, but our well insulated Escape kept us "snug as two bugs in a rug" with a little cube heater! Canada is a great place to visit, but I'm sure glad I live in Virginia : - )

escape artist · 11-21-2010, 11:18 PM

Hi: Mosquitodirk... What if you were to open the low drain plug, then the taps and drain the lines, then re boot the pump

Dan...Cold and snowy is what our friends hit in Virginia on their way south in early November. Good thing they had a 4X4 Lincoln. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

memobug · 11-22-2010, 02:09 AM

I put an accumulator in my U-haul and it did a great job at quieting the pump. The Shurflo one is inexpensive, but it doesn't actually have a very big volume. Maybe a pint or so. But it will keep the pump from cycling needlessly if you just want to rinse your hands quickly or wet a toothbrush. It also does a good job of modulating the pulsatile flow that's typical with these pumps.

Regards,

Matt

mosquitodirk · 11-22-2010, 09:19 AM

Great advice Gentlemen,

I'll look into the accumulator - in the meantime I'll see if I can drain the pump. All's quiet now, we're on city water in COLD and near SNOWY Moab, UT. (we got chased out of southcentral UT yesterday by a wicked wind and snow storm - not quite blizzard, but darn close).

Cheers,
Dirk

mosquitodirk · 11-23-2010, 11:39 AM

Perhaps it was a bug - seems to have worked itself out. Although, perhaps my Dad is onto something when he wiggles an appliance around and then plugs it back in. Our space heater did the same thing (under threat of discarding it).

Cheers,
Dirk (about to go hunt dinosaur footprints in sunny cold Moab)

gharms · 11-24-2010, 01:20 AM

Dirk, Baglo is right about not being allowed to use the pump while on city water! It says it somewhere in the manual for the pump!

I guess you got lucky it is still working now!

mosquitodirk · 11-25-2010, 07:16 PM

Perhaps I got lucky.... All's quiet on the water pump front. I think, as with me, it needed a burp to clear the system.

Cheers,
Dirk (from frozen Gallup, NM - about to have Thanksgiving dinner at Denny's)

holo · 08-21-2012, 02:22 PM

FYI - I did as Alf suggested...draining and starting over. It worked great and now my water pump is (fairly)quiet again. Thanks!
Eric

Yukon Escape · 08-21-2012, 11:22 PM

Shannogord.

When traveling the Dempster Highway, the trick to save your tires is simply slow down on sharp corners, (no Pun intended)

The surface for most of the highway is shale rock, and it is sharp.
When people speed and torque around the corners it cuts the tires.

Gas in Whitehorse right now is $1.359 a litre, Pick up a few gas containers and buy what you need to make it to Inuvik.

I have a 48 gallon slip tank in the back of my truck, it helps to get past expensive gas.

Doug

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