Water Not Flowing In Rv?
This entry was updated on December 16, 2023 by Kevin Pommells
Your water isn’t flowing. There are no pressure problems and the water tanks are full. But, when you turn on a faucet nothing happens. You’re not alone when you open your RV’s fresh water faucet to run the sink or shower only to find the fixtures dry.
When you get a new RV, there will be a lot of features to learn. This can be overwhelming for some people. It's helpful to take it step by step and learn about each feature one at a time.
A common water problem that we hear about is that there isn't any water coming from the faucets, but the tank level indicator says it's full. There are two simple things you can do before you call for help.
- Check for leaks
The first thing to do is to check for leaks. Turn off the water pump, turn on a faucet, and check under the RV for wet spots or drips. If you see drips or wet spots, you'll need to determine where they are coming from so they can be fixed before using the RV again.
- Check if the fresh water tank is closed/empty
Some RVs have a feature where you can close the fresh water tank so it doesn't drain while traveling down the road. This is usually located right above the fresh water fill area (hose bib). If this is open, turn it off and see if that fixes your issue.
Most of the time, when an RV's water pump is not working, the culprit is air trapped in the system. The easiest way to get the air out is to open a faucet until you get a steady flow of water.
If that doesn't work, check if there's enough voltage going to the pump. If not, check for a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker.
- Your Water pump is not on?
Turn your water pump on by locating the switch or button in the control panel of the RV. If your water pump is not located in the control panel, check under your sink for a switch or button. The water pump should be located near the fresh water tank. You should hear the water pump turning on and making a muffled noise as it turns on. If you do not hear any noise coming from the water pump, then it may be broken and you should replace that water pump.
- Is there water in the tank?
If you have no power going to the water pump, check the tank of the RV. Ensure that there is enough water in the tank to run through to all of the taps in your RV. If there is not enough water in your RV, fill up your tank with fresh clean drinking water and try to turn on a tap again. This should solve this problem if there was not enough water in your RV at all.
- Clogged aerator on faucet?
If you've been using the RV for any length of time, it's possible that the screen on the end of the faucet has become clogged. Take it off and clean it.
To do this, turn off the water supply to the faucet and remove the aerator from the end of the faucet. Usually, this is just a straight forward removal (no tools required). Then run some CLR through it to remove any deposits that may be caught in the screen.
Once you have it cleaned, put it back on in reverse order.
The other thing that needs to be checked is whether there is a shutoff valve under your sink that has been inadvertently turned off. This happens all too often.
If none of this works, then replace the strainer or call a plumber as you may have a leak somewhere in your system.
- Is your water pump broken?
If you own an RV, you already know that the water pump is vital to the flow of water. It is what makes the taps and showers work. The moment it breaks down, you have a problem that needs to be fixed as quickly as possible.
The most common reason for your water pump breaking down is old age. Some pumps are designed to last for many years while others are not, so it's up to you to determine which one you have installed in your vehicle when purchasing your RV.
Another reason why your pump could break down is due to lack of maintenance. If maintenance has not been performed on the device for a long period of time, it will eventually give out and stop working completely.
If your pump breaks down because of old age or lack of maintenance, there are several things that could happen as a result:
Most RV water pumps are located beneath the floor, but you can still access it. You may need to use a screwdriver to remove the cover so you can access the water pump. Once you've accessed it, there's a few things that can be wrong with it.
The first thing to do would be to check the pump wiring and make sure that it is good. If the wiring looks fine, then you can try turning on your water tank and letting it run for about 5 minutes and see if that will push any air out of your system and restore a flow of water. If neither one of these works, then using your voltmeter, you can check if there is electricity going to the motor of your pump and replace the pump as needed.
Make sure that your water pump is plugged in, turned on and working properly. If all this is fine, then move on to the next step.
