Fresh Water system not flowing on 2011 R-27

[ddenver]

Good day all and hope you are enjoying your boats as much as possible.

I am having an issue w/ our fresh water system on our 2011 R-27 so I thought I would ask some questions to seek some advice from others who are invariably more expert then I am on the subject.

When turned on, the water pump is running or at least trying to do so, since I hear it and can feel vibrations while touching it but I am getting NO water flow at either the galley sink or the head sink/shower.

I read thru lots of water issue postings on the Tugnuts site but am not finding anything seemingly exactly like my issue.
Lacking much in the way of mechanical skills, I am therefore considering various possible problem analysis paths as follows:

1) Removing the outflow hose from the water pump would seemingly let me know if that is working or not. But then again I assume an issue upstream of the pump (i.e. a tank blockage or possibly a vent issue, etc.) could stop pump water flow even if the pump is actually OK, correct?

2) Is it possible to access and/or see the fresh water tank? As far as I can tell the answer to this is NO unless some of the floor or steps are cut away underneath the v-berth.

3) How does one access the fresh water tank's vent on the inside of the boat and/or the outside? I assume access to the vent on the inside where it initially enters the boat could possibly be seen behind the refrigerator. But, once again, unless I can access the water tank I do not think I can access the vent line where it meets the tank.

Also, I assume the fresh water tank's vent on the outside of the boat would be accessible behind a clam shell cover likely
(i.e. I am way from the boat right now). Has anybody dealt w/ vent blockage issues before and would that prevent ALL
water flow such as I am experiencing?

I am wondering if the venting is possibly blocked.... to prove if a blocked vent is possibly the problem would running the water pump w/ the outside water fill cap "open" provide an equivalent venting just like the Fresh water Vent? If opening the external fill cap emulated the vent, and if a vent blockage was the problem, then doing this should result in water flow I would think proving that a vent blockage was the problem.

Anyway, sorry about my ramblings but as I mentioned my mechanical skills are woefully lacking so any tips, suggestions, or otherwise would be appreciated.

Thanks again!

Dan Denver
2011 Ranger R-27
Quilcene, WA

 

[Red Raven]

The symptom you describe sounds like it is pulling air. First question. Are you sure there is water in the tank? The fresh water gauge at the helm cannot be trusted. Ours gets stuck all the time at different levels. Once, it indicated 3/4 full when it was empty. Same symptoms. Fill it up and worked fine again.

If the tank is full I would check for an air leak at the pump input fitting. There is an O ring on the screen cover that has to be seated properly.

 

[ddenver]

Good day again...... actually, far better now since the problem is solved!

Thanks greatly for your input Curt. I appreciate you taking the time to respond sir. You were correct the situation was the system was obviously pulling in air but since I knew the water tank had water in it (i.e. I had partially filled the tank and luckily our water tank gauge is seemingly been very accurate so far) a lack of water was not the issue.

Apparently, sitting up for the winter w/ the Pink anti-freeze in it, then - perhaps while it was in the shop for it's periodic diesel maintenance - the water pump had been activated and run dry.

Anyway, upon my partially filling the tank to run out the pink stuff, the air in the system was so much that even though I ran the pump for perhaps 5 minutes nothing at all was coming out at either faucet not even the expected 'spitting' that often accompanies air stuck in the lines. But after reviewing the water System diagram in my Ranger R-27 manual to verify how things were plumbed, upon going back to the boat and opening the external water fill and then activating the water pump again I presume the open external fill functioned as a MASSIVE air vent (i.e. it is obviously FAR larger an air opening then the regular air vent tube) because upon doing so the faucets started flowing immediately.

Bottom line, water is flowing again and as Curt on Red Raven correctly diagnosed it was air in the system causing the problem.

Thanks again for your time in responding Curt!