Should there be a Water Check Valve?

[rclifton]

Hi All,

   I'm the proud new owner of '72 Chieftain D24C  .  I'm going over all the systems one at a time trying to verify what works, what doesnt what will be easy fixes and what will probably need replacing completely.  I've arrived at the plumbing and am having a problem I'm hoping some one can hep with.

  when I put water into the tanks and pressurize the system, either with the incoming water pressure or the air pump, water is forced down the line that connects to the air pump and results in water leaking all over the floor under the pump.  I also imagine it can't be good for the pump to have water being forced into it. 

   It seems to me there should be a check valve or something between the pump and the tank, but everything looks totally original so I have no idea where it would be or what it would look like.  Any one have some ideas?  I've attached a few pics in the hopes that they might help

Thanks!


P.S.  I ordered the Eyebrow Coach Service Manual from the store, but I'm not sure if there was some changes made after mine was built, as you can see in the pics, mine has a screw on high pressure type hose.  Where as in the service manual it shows a hose with a hose clamp.  I'm not sure based on that if the layout of mine should still look like the service manuals layout.  Thanks again.

[Oz]

Looks like you have the original water tanks which work off of pressurized air, not a water pump.  As far as I know (anyone, please correct me if I'm wrong) no, there's no check valve.  They are easy to install though.

Best thing to do is to either change out or convert the water tank(s) an install and on-demand pump.  We have topics here on both if you want to look at that option.

It may be that the pump has already been changed.  You can tell if it's pressurize air if you turn on any faucet and the water flow coming out starts to reduce and then you hear a pump kick-in.  It will continue to run until the correct pressure in the tank is reached.

An on-demand will start to run and pump as soon as any faucet (or shower or the toilet) is turned on and will stop when it's turned off.

[ibdilbert01]

As far as I know (anyone, please correct me if I'm wrong) but no, there's no check valve.

Pretty sure your correct, as I'm pretty sure mine is still original and I don't have a check valve on any of the water lines. 

The pump would have an air check valve, and if its leaking, I would imagine if it was able to make air pressure, it would leak off and you would hear it.   

On mine, the air line goes to the top of the tank, so there is pretty much no way water can siphon out the air lines unless water was all the way to the top of the tank.   Here is a picture of mine.




I prefer an on-demand style and am switching mine over before the season starts.  I'm a big fan of the Shurflo brand, http://www.shurflo.com/rv-products/rv-pumps/classic-series-water-pumps/shurflo-classic-pump/default.html

[rclifton]

Thanks for the replies guys, The pump does make pressure but I can hear it bleeding out when the pump stops.  What happes is the tanks are full, I bleed all the air out of the system, and then close it up.  I flip the switch for the air pump and it pressurizes the system.  When the pump kicks off I can hear it bleeding out and I believe it starts to act as a siphon, sucking water out of the tank and down the line that the pump uses to pressurize.

Ibdilbert01 do you know where the air check valve is located in the pump?  I'm certain my pump is original to the coach as the manufacture date jives with the build date.

Thanks again.   

[ibdilbert01]

Ibdilbert01 do you know where the air check valve is located in the pump?

I'm not sure, I've never had one apart.    I suppose you could put a regular standard inline check valve between the pump and the tank to also fix the issue.

[rclifton]

That is what I did, got a cheap check valve from the pet store..  It worked perfectly!  Of course after spending the better part of 3 days getting all the systems working, I found a slightly newer coach that is in near mint condition and decided it would be better to start with that one..  Thanks for the help guys. 

[ibdilbert01]

slightly newer coach that is in near mint condition

Hope you upload pics!!! We love pics!!!

[Froggy1936]

Ahhh.  The old  bait &  switch fiasco    Frank

[rclifton]

Hope you upload pics!!! We love pics!!!

I plan to take a TON of pics!  So be prepared for overload lol.  This one is a one owner Chieftain, that looks like it could be in a showroom from 35+ years ago.  It is 100% original and was ordered with every option down to the dealer installed awning!  My wife and I can't wait to get her back on the road and take our kids camping in it for the first time.