Deep Freeze Water Line Problem

[JacknBetsy]

The temp dipped to 10 degrees last night. We had all hoses inside and prepared as best we could for the cold. However the water lines to the pump froze. Everything is thawed out now but the pump will only work when I turn the cold spigot on. When I turn on the hot spigot it trickles, but the pump doesn't run. When I directly hook up to water, same thing happens. Cold water, no hot. I can't find any leaks. Anything frozen, should be thawed.. Pump shorted out? Any ideas?

[Irlpguy]

If the pump works and kicks in when you open a cold water tap then there is nothing wrong with the pump. Since you are getting the same result when connected to shore water I would suspect there is either a frozen line into or out of the hot water heater. There is of course the possibility that the valve to bypass the hot water heater was turned and you would have this affect as well. It might be frozen at the bypass valve, those are things I would look for, don't think your pump is the problem. Make sure the water heater is off if you don't have flow through the heater or it could burn out the element.

Cold weather problems are no fun, been there and done that in a mobile home when I was first married, spent lots of time thawing out pipes and things in -30 to -40 degree temperatures.

[DQDick]

I Agree it sounds like a partially frozen line or an ice clogged screen. When we used to camp in that weather we put a trouble light behind the convenience center.

[winter texan]

Had similar problem a few years back. When the lines to the outside shower thawed, I then had hot water.

[JacknBetsy]

Problem solved! I tore the panel off to get to the lines behind the convenience center. I bypassed the hot water heater and everything worked fine. Definately ice in the line that caused an airlock. Thanks for the hint about the trouble light behind the convenience center. I had a 100W bulb burning in the basement, but will move it behind the convenience center. Thanks for the help. Not much you can do when temps get that low except move south!

[jimcol]

I'm confused. (nothing new about that) If you by pass the water heater you won't have hot water will you? My guess would have been the check valve on the output side of the water heater. Jim

[JacknBetsy]

My concern was just the flow of water. Not the heat. When I got the air out of the line the water flowed fine.

[Mudchief]

When the check valve goes bad you will not have any or just a trickle of hot water. When you bypass the hot water you also bypass the check valve. It is located on the output of the hot water tank.