Water pump won’t prime

[casita68]

Any help would be much appreciated! Our water pump won’t prime. Water comes out of the faucets but at a very slow rate. Normally the pump has more than adequate output. Called Escape but no luck on a returned phone call. Thanks in advance!

[rubicon327]

There should be a small strainer at the inlet of the pump. Take the clear plastic cap off and clean the strainer. If your strainer is oriented with the cap facing up you can pour some water into the strainer bowl to aid priming.

This Escape video by Reace might help too...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aL_3kz7y2zM

[HABBERDABBER]

I don't think we've interacted, but I've followed many of your posts. They're always spot on and very helpful...to all.
Thank you for your efforts.


BRAVO! MAESTRO!

[casita68]

No luck, I flipped the bowl up because it was down and it’s not filling with water. With the faucets off the pump runs continuously, with a faucet open there’s maybe a fourth of the water volume there should be. The strainer in the cup doesn’t seem to want to come out..... should it or are some permanently attached or part of the housing? I didn’t want to break it.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by casita68

No luck, I flipped the bowl up because it was down and it’s not filling with water. With the faucets off the pump runs continuously, with a faucet open there’s maybe a fourth of the water volume there should be. The strainer in the cup doesn’t seem to want to come out..... should it or are some permanently attached or part of the housing? I didn’t want to break it.

The strainer should come out. It may just be seated in a groove in the bottom of the strainer housing. Keep wiggling it.

[casita68]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

The strainer should come out. It may just be seated in a groove in the bottom of the strainer housing. Keep wiggling it.

Thanks for all your help Rubicon. I’ll give that a try. Even with city water hooked up the water pressure seems low to me. I’m really at a loss for what the problem is.

[glsails]

If the trailer has been in freezing temperatures, even when winterized, the threads on the strainer cup can crack, allowing air into the system. I too had trouble getting my system to work, when our 21C was only a week old. I looked at the cup several times and could not see any failure point.

Decided it was worth the $15 gamble to replace the cup assembly since I'd checked the entire system and could not find an air leak. The guy at the RV store told me that it is not uncommon for the threads to get cracked in freezing temps and recommended that the cup be left off the strainer even when there is RV antifreeze in the system. Replaced the cup assembly and the pump almost instantly primed and has worked perfectly for the past several months. Your problem might be as simple as that or it could be the pump diaphragm, although they are pretty robust. Good luck.

[casita68]

Well I think you solved my problem, the strainer housing is definitely cracked. It was oriented down so probably had water in it over the winter. Now to find a new one on a holiday weekend........Thank you all for the help!

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by casita68

Well I think you solved my problem, the strainer housing is definitely cracked. It was oriented down so probably had water in it over the winter. Now to find a new one on a holiday weekend........Thank you all for the help!

If you can't find one locally Amazon has them: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[casita68]

Thanks David, mine is a 255-225 which doesn’t look super easy to find. Do you know if the one you linked on Amazon is interchangeable? They certainly look different.

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by casita68

Thanks David, mine is a 255-225 which doesn’t look super easy to find. Do you know if the one you linked on Amazon is interchangeable? They certainly look different.

I'm not sure about the threaded fitting - I bought this just to get the clear plastic filter cover and metal filter, I think that is likely the same on all of them.

[casita68]

It’s the main black housing that cracked on mine.

[casita68]

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=55965&stc=1&d=16224100 16