How to Guide: Simple Steps to Prime an RV Water Pump
The RV lifestyle can be fun and adventurous – but you need to know common maintenance tasks and requirements to protect your equipment.
Whether you are a road warrior or you like to spend quiet weekends away on staycations, you need to know how to prime a water pump for your RV. This simple, DIY task ensures that you can access water when you turn on the faucets in your RV.
Why You Need to Know How to Prime an RV Water Pump
The water pump is an essential feature on your RV, giving you access to running water for cooking, washing, and more. If the pump has been stored for a while, or you've recently installed a new pump, then you need to prime the pump to ensure it is ready to keep the water flowing when you need it.
If the water pump is off for an extended period of time, then the pressure is lost in the RV. You can rebuild the pressure by flushing the system to force the water back through again. This process is known as "priming."
Learning to prime the water pump is easy, so most campers can handle this task without professional services.
6 Steps for Priming a Water Pump
Here are a few important steps you need to follow if the water pump needs to be primed:
1 - Find the RV Water Pump: Where is your pump located? Most of the time, it is installed in cabinets or under a bench seat. The pump will be close to the water storage tank in your RV, so start looking in proximity to the tank. If you can’t find the pump, then check the manual.
2 - Fill the Water Tank: Using a hose, fill the freshwater tank so water is available for the system. Most RV tanks are between 50 - 200 gallons.
3 - Sink Faucets: Now that the tank is filled, be certain the nozzles are entirely open inside the RV. Turn on the cold water on "high."
4 - Turn on the Pump: Go back to the water tank and pump, then switch the pump into the "on" position.
5 - Let the Water Flow: At this point, the pump should be primed and start forcing water up to the faucet. Allow the water to flow for a bit before turning the faucets off. It's important that you purge the air out of every faucet, which can be done by running the water at each faucet one at a time. Don't forget to run the water for the RV toilet and the showerhead.
6 - Fully Primed: You know that your water pump is fully primed based on how the water pump responds at this point. The water pump should only turn on when a faucet is open and in use. If you hear the pump running in between the use of the faucets, then additional work or repairs might be needed.
While most people can handle this process of learning how to prime a water pump for your RV by themselves, the water pump repair sometimes requires the services of a professional RV repair team. If you notice that the water pump is leaking or you are having a hard time holding the pressure needed in your RV, speak with an RV repair company in San Diego.