No water, need help

drdit92

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RV LIFE Pro
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SOLVED!!!!!

Asked Reddit for help as well and one guy came through asking about the check valve. That was the answer. Until today I didn't know there was a check valve behind the city water inlet. Mine is not a rubber diaphragm, it's plastic with a spring behind it. Mine was stuck in the closed position, so literally no water could enter the rig. It took some force to get it unstuck. Had to remove the city water hookup completely, remove the screen from the hose side then used force with flat head screwdriver to get it to move. Put it all back together and I've got water!


2025 Montana 3532. Wintering in Midwest. It has tank heaters and I've got a pirit heated hose. Everything was fine until Saturday when the bottom dropped out of the temps. I've got a 96 gallon propane tank; no problem, I thought. I was wrong.

Saturday night, no water. Was totally fine earlier in the day. It's like 5F and dropping. Turn up thermostat. Tried to use water pump as I had fresh tank about half full. It doesn't even make a noise when I turned it on.

Next day high is 7. I figured something was frozen, so put an Extreme bilge heater on the utility side of basement. Hours later, nothing. Monday, had to work but it's a balmy 20. More heat, nothing. The park faucet is below ground. It's running fine.

Next, decided to test the hose. Maybe part of it lost heat and froze? Nope! It sprayed me down as well as next door neighbors. Initial spray was nice and warm too. I then unfastened the screws to the panel that separates the basement from utility Bay, thinking maybe not enough warm air getting to that area. Put the bilge heater pumping warm air directly on water pump and the PEX fittings.

No water. I turned water pump on so many times hoping it would work that I finally blew the 10 amp fuse. It's never made a sound and now light on panel doesn't come on. I don't have the right fuse size so no go for now.

Tonight I decided to change the water filter thinking maybe it was the issue. Warm water all over me as I unscrewed it. New filter in, reattached, turned city water back on. No water even going into the filter housing.

It acts like something is blocking the water from the hose into the city water inlet, but there's nothing on the screen. My limited view behind the panel (due to darkness) shows no leaks or obvious damage to any of the PEX lines and they are all warm too touch thanks to the bilge heater. It's also now above freezing, 38F at 10:30 so I'm very sure nothing is frozen, if it ever was.

Is there something behind the city water inlet that could have failed and won't let any water in? I'm seriously at a loss here. Thanks for any advice.
 
Last edited:
No water even going into the filter housing.

Can only offer a couple thoughts bc we’ve only camped in sub 32 deg for a couple nights.

If your filter is before the city water in, the statement above makes it sound like it’s a water source issue. Maybe it’s a typo or your filter is after the city water inlet?

Are your control valves (winterize, fill fresh water tank, water heater bypass) in the right positions for water inlet?

The following thread is about antifreeze in the water but post #3 has a plumbing diagram.

 
Can only offer a couple thoughts bc we’ve only camped in sub 32 deg for a couple nights.

If your filter is before the city water in, the statement above makes it sound like it’s a water source issue. Maybe it’s a typo or your filter is after the city water inlet?

Are your control valves (winterize, fill fresh water tank, water heater bypass) in the right positions for water inlet?

The following thread is about antifreeze in the water but post #3 has a plumbing diagram.

Thanks for the plumbing diagram. I've solved my issue thanks to Reddit. It was the check valve being stuck closed.
 
Thanks for the plumbing diagram. I've solved my issue thanks to Reddit. It was the check valve being stuck closed.
Do not use a screwdriver to free up that check. Good way to destroy the valve. Use a small wooden dowel or the eraser end of a pencil
 

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