Leak at city water inlet HELP

MikeLucky

So we're in vacation in Malibu and everything is awesome except one thing. Whenever I turn on the city water it begins to leak out of the little screen that is just underneath the hose hookup. I'm using a pressure regulator and the water still runs to the sink faucet but it also leaks out of that screen like a fountain. We can't really use the sink without our campsite becoming a muddy mess. Any ideas? I'm sure it has something to do with the check valve. Can I yank that thing out with pliers since I'm using a pressure regulator already?

MikeLucky

Well, I'm officially confused. Flipped the water pump switch and now there is no leak. I thought the pump was only used when using the fresh water tank.

MikeLucky

Does the city water connection fill the fresh water tank? Never thought it did and had drained mine but now it's almost full. I'm TOTALLY confused.

Sharon_is_SAM

Running your pump while on city water can damage your pump. Use it only when using the fresh tank.

Sounds like the pump check valve has failed.

LuckyJ

I am also confuse, but to be able to fucmtion for now, fill tye water tank and work with the pump until you can solve the issue or have it looked at.

But for sure, someting is wrong, cause you should not have water going into the tank and coming out the overflow when connected to the city water.

MikeLucky

I still can't figure it out. I turned off the city water since it wouldn't stop leaking. My daughter's boyfriend flips the water pump button and turns on the sink and here comes water. I haven't filled my fresh water tank in over 6 months and the last time I did I drained it and left the drain open for a 4 hour drive to attempt to drain that last bottom part. Now I look under the sink and the fresh water tank is almost full and the water coming out doesn't smell or anything like it's been in there a long time. Cycled the pump button a couple of times and there is no leak. I'm just completely baffled. Tomorrow I'll unhook the city water and see about running the pump and sink without city water. But otherwise it's working with no leak now. Of course I spent $50 getting a new hose and a pressure regulator thinking those might fix the leak. Lol.

tagurit

There is a valve that stops the city water from going back through the pump to the tank when hooked up, probably yours has failed, maybe from an overpressure event, so your tank is filling from the water connection and continues to fill until you see water coming out the overflow/vent. When the pump is turned on, I'm guessing there is enough pressure to stop the city water to continue to fill the tank so the water stops coming out the overflow/vent. There is a 'T' connection behind the sink where the city water connects to the system, I'm not sure if the valve could be in that or in the pump itself. For the rest of your trip just disconnect the city water and keep your tank filled and you should be fine until you can investigate further.

MikeLucky

That is probably the answer. I hadn't been using a pressure regulator and I thought I noticed more than the usual puddle of condensation from the AC on our last trip. That's probably the over pressure event that caused the valve to go. There is a chance the valve was just held open because it seems to be working correctly now, but I'll have to keep testing to make sure.

LuckyJ

@MikeLucky said:
That is probably the answer. I hadn't been using a pressure regulator and I thought I noticed more than the usual puddle of condensation from the AC on our last trip. That's probably the over pressure event that caused the valve to go. There is a chance the valve was just held open because it seems to be working correctly now, but I'll have to keep testing to make sure.

Could have also been dirt from the water supply or hose. Good to know it is now working well.

MikeLucky

Well, left city water connected and running the rest of the trip and had no issues. I need to drain the freshwater tank now and see what it does when hooked up to city water again.