No flow from fresh water tank

[Ajax Trueblood]

First post, so if there's a thread on this, please advise...
Reflection 303RLS. We're trying to dry camp, using the fresh water tank. But water isn't flowing. I can hear the water pump come on, but nothing comes out the taps. It has been cold here (southern Utah), so my theory is that ice is clogging the water pump. But its warm during the day. How can I check? And how can we keep it from freezing up?

[howson]

First post, so if there's a thread on this, please advise...
Reflection 303RLS. We're trying to dry camp, using the fresh water tank. But water isn't flowing. I can hear the water pump come on, but nothing comes out the taps. It has been cold here (southern Utah), so my theory is that ice is clogging the water pump. But its warm during the day. How can I check? And how can we keep it from freezing up?

Cate&Rob will be along shortly--he'll know!

[Cate&Rob]

Ajax Trueblood

You could be right that the line from the water tank (above the axles) to the pump area might be frozen. Are you running your propane furnace to keep some heat going into this underfloor area? As we dig further into this, do you have an older 303 with the KantLeak water system or a newer one with the Nautilus system? Do you have the ability to connect to pressurized city water to help diagnose where the blockage is ?

Rob

[boyscout]

Reflection 303RLS. We're trying to dry camp, using the fresh water tank. But water isn't flowing. I can hear the water pump come on, but nothing comes out the taps. It has been cold here (southern Utah), so my theory is that ice is clogging the water pump. But its warm during the day. How can I check? And how can we keep it from freezing up?

Is there a chance that it's NOT frozen? A couple of other possibilities arise.

I'll assume that you have the Nautilus water system panel (large, white, five colored control levers). If you have the KantLeak (small, just a couple of control levers) then Rob will guide you.

So, assuming you have the Nautilus water system panel is there a chance that it is not set for "Dry Camping"? If it seems to be, try gently moving each of the levers back and forth through their range and then restore them to Dry Camping settings.

Another possibility is that the pump just isn't pumping even though you can hear it humming. It may not have enough water in it to get a flow moving, or may be defective and not be working at all (like the never-used pump in our Solitude when I tried to winterize with it last spring).

Just inside the city water inlet connection you'll find a cone-shaped screen. Just behind it is a valve that stays closed unless there's pretty good water pressure on it from the outside (the city water pressure). Gently pry out the cone screen (not the valve, leave that alone) and put it in BACKWARDS and attach a short length of hose to the inlet. The backwards cone screen will hold that valve open a little to allow you to get un-pressurized water past it and into the system and (hopefully) into the pump.

Here's how you do that. Follow the Nautilus panel's on-panel instructions or consult your manual and set up the Nautilus panel for "Winterize" Place the other end of your short hose into a jug of water, hold it up at chest level, and turn on your pump. It should begin pulling water from the jug - might take a minute or two before you see the water level in the jug going down but then it should drop steadily. If you see this then you know the pump is doing some work. In that case your idea of blockages become likely as the cause of your trouble.

Remember to turn that cone screen back 'round the right way and return your Nautilus to the Dry Camping settings as you dismantle your pump test.

If you have the Kantleak water system Rob will jump in with more advice. Good luck.

[Ajax Trueblood]

Thanks Rob and Mark for the replies. Its a 2019 303RLS (still under warranty), with the Nautilus system. So, Mark, I'll carefully go through your advice. May end up taking it into the dealer again. First time, they were gonna charge me 1/2 hour of labor if they checked it and it was iced up. But now, after calling Grand Design, I think that 'investigating' the pump is covered.

[rpaling]

I have the same problem with my Relections 337RLS. It is the Nautilus panel. I did the winterizing routine and it did not pull water at all. We are in Arizona right now and it is above freezing. The city water connections work fine. The pump is working but not pumping water. Is there a way to prime the pump other than what I have done?

[TucsonJim]

First post, so if there's a thread on this, please advise...
Reflection 303RLS. We're trying to dry camp, using the fresh water tank. But water isn't flowing. I can hear the water pump come on, but nothing comes out the taps. It has been cold here (southern Utah), so my theory is that ice is clogging the water pump. But its warm during the day. How can I check? And how can we keep it from freezing up?

I know this question may sound crazy, but I've seen similar situations. Are you 100% sure you have water in the holding tank?

Jim

[Country Campers]

Another item to check with the Nautilus Panel is the outside spray port , make sure the valves are off.

Brian

[Cate&Rob]

I have the same problem with my Relections 337RLS. It is the Nautilus panel. I did the winterizing routine and it did not pull water at all. We are in Arizona right now and it is above freezing. The city water connections work fine. The pump is working but not pumping water. Is there a way to prime the pump other than what I have done?

Hi rpaling,

When you are trying to get the pump to draw water are you leaving a faucet open? The pump has to be able to purge out the air before it can draw in water from the tank. x2 on Jim's question . . . are you sure that there is water in the tank?

Rob