Super Unhappy Right Now 9:30 pm EDT July 9 TAB 400

ChaseTheLight

3’rd campout. Filled fresh water tank. Leveled camper. Turned on pump- hear it running- no water at all from faucets. I’m on shore power. Any suggestions? Thanks all. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Have you used the fresh water tank/pump before?

ChaseTheLight

Yes- thanks Sam. Used on last trip. 

Sharon_is_SAM

The pump may need to prime.  Check to make sure there is no debris in the filter, then make sure all connections to the pump are tight.  If there is an air lock, sometimes raising or lowering the tongue helps.

You can check the function of your pump by disconnecting the plumbing on either side of the pump, then put the intake end in a bucket of water and see if it picks up water - make sure you have the other end in a bucket or towel.  There was at least one recent report that even though this pump check worked, the pump was replaced because it did not provide enough negative pressure to pull water from the tank.  

ChaseTheLight

Thanks. Appreciate the prompt and thoughtful response. 

ChaseTheLight

Brand new camper and to think I have to dismantle the pump is nearly incomprehensible. 

BirdieJane

I feel your pain, we went through this as well.  Sam has given great advice. One I can add is pull the trailer driver side tire on blocks, leave the door side down. It worked well for us. Once the water is running. You are good to go.

ChaseTheLight

I have one level of leveling blocks on the driver side. Can you clarify? Thanks Bjane. 

BirdieJane

By raising the drivers side of the trailer by pulling or backing on blocks it moves all the water in the tank to the left side. During the construction of your trailer small bits of plastic debris ends up in the tank. They get sucked up in the hose as water is pulled by the water pump. Sometimes they restrict the end of the intake hose. I found that by pulling the the driver side wheel on blocks we could get the derbies move away from the water intake. Overtime the derbies will lessen in your tank and collect in your filter, by cleaning a few times you will eliminate this problem. I also found debrie in the outside shower line behind the shower head.

ChaseTheLight

Ah. Thanks. Since it worked fine a few weeks back it is befuddling that suddenly there may be debris in a new system. Appreciate your kind responses. 

Marceline

I have seen some people suggest that flushing the toilet can sometimes help get water moving through the system. YMMV 

Sharon_is_SAM

@ChaseTheLight, any luck?

ChaseTheLight

Not yet. The fresh water drain ran slow last trip. RV folks found it was running vertically at one point and they ‘fixed it’. This morning I opened it to see if draining the tank a bit would assist and it barely dripped. So I think there is some kind of air lock preventing the pump from doing its job. Jeez. 

DougH

@ChaseTheLight :  In case it's not a kinked hose, air lock, or weak water pump... if you do happen to find a few white miniature flecks of foam in the filter... welcome. 

Watching the Pure Living for Life couple on YouTube, cutting foam creates tons of fly-away little specs of foam that get attracted to any surface. So it's understandable that some get in our FW tanks.  Like many on this forum, I've had to do the clearing filter and blowing out the intake tube ritual a couple times too.  Pump will run, but with no water output.  Easy to do, and nothing to take apart.  I'm hoping, as others have experienced, once you run enough tanks through you capture them all.  But as others have stated, the filter check is usually first. 

ChaseTheLight

Doug H- thanks for the reply. Very helpful in filling the gaps in my understanding. 
Giving nuCamp a call now to see if they also have an idea. 

BrianZ

Did you try Sam's pump test with bucket of water?  If you look at photo #15 here:
http://tabforum.nucamprv.com/#/discussion/7276/t-b-320-factory-photos-showing-locations-of-items-before-hidden-in-walls
It shows the plumbing connections hidden down inside the wall on each side - you may want to disconnect at the pump first & have a rag handy, then reach down inside to disconnect the other ends & reattach at pump to have your short pieces of hose to put in the bucket for testing.

Sharon_is_SAM

Since you were able to pump previously, but the fresh water tank drain was slow, and now the pump runs without water output:

1.  Drain is obstructed with debris or kinked
2.  Fresh water outlet to the drain is obstructed with debris
3.  Pump or hose to the pump is obstructed

I think the fresh tank vent should not be a problem with emptying the tank, just with filling.  Sure sounds like debris.  I agree with Doug H - clean the filter, blow out the fill tube, run the pump, repeat with several tank fulls.

Sorry for the pain.

RollingBnB

Are you sure you have enough water in the tank? Last 25% of gauge can't be used.

ChaseTheLight

Thanks all for the responses. Tank is 3/4 full. I have not tried the disconnect/blowout option. Not really set up to do that. 
Spoke w nuCamp. Super helpful- working on a time to bring it in to fix a couple other squawks simultaneously. So for this trip it is public facilities. 
I will however print these solutions/suggestions when home for the future fix opportunities!!
Feeling that a brand new vehicle shouldn’t require me to intervene at the level needed from your great responses. 
Much appreciated everyone. I will post a follow up in the coming weeks - pending the trip to the factory. Fortunately I live within an hour of there- additionally if they see the problem it may offer a manufacturing change- so others avoid in their new campers. 

DougH

In our case with a T@B S Max, we open the access door behind the toilet and the water pump is right there. Left side has the inlet hose and filter.  Both can be unscrewed by hand (no tools).  We keep a tire inflater / battery in the car which came with extra attachments for balls & inflatables.  The latter can be held against the unscrewed inlet hose, if junk is found in the filter. You'll hear gurgling of air in the tank if it's easily cleared.

DougH

But agree with you wholeheartedly... part of manufacturing process should be to make sure FW tank is free of any debris. 

ChaseTheLight

For those assisting with this thread I found this small piece in the filter. No joy after refilling the fresh water tank.

DougH

Argh that does look like the dreaded white junk.  For the two times it happened to me so far, I also had to blow air through that hose on the left.  Just cleaning filter wasn't enough alone.  No guarantees, but it has worked for many.

ChaseTheLight

Thanks Doug. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Yeah, that’s the culprit.  Fixable though.

Michigan_Mike

I've done some inquiring with the factory the last two days as I reported this problem and also in an attempt to ferret out the problem and resolve it.   So with that said I will add the following...

• The factory does drill holes in the fresh water tanks and installs the fittings to the tanks.
• They also are aware of this issue and took proactive measures a year ago to eliminate debris collecting in the tanks via drilling, etc. 
• A shop vac is used to suck out any residual particles and they estimate that 99% of the debris is removed via their efforts.
• An issue or problem that exists is static electricity as this causes particles to attach themselves to the plastic surface within the tank.  
• As a result of this problem and again bringing it to their attention several departments are revisiting this issue and trying to eliminate it once and for all.

I have discussed the issue in depth with factory CEO Scott Hubble and he appreciates the input that people provide here on the forum and also understands the frustration of owners when these problems arise.  And having dealt with static electricity in my career I can see some of the issues they face, given the fact that they are assembling these units on an assembly line, people are in and out of them, there is Styrofoam materials inside the units, in packing materials/parts, etc. and along with plastic piping, hoses, etc. it is obviously easy for particles to become attached to and enter hoses, etc.    

But rest assured that nuCamp is looking into this problem further and will do their best to eliminate it as best they can.  If I hear any additional details or information I will post them up.

Marceline

Michigan_Mike said:

I've done some inquiring with the factory the last two days as I reported this problem and also in an attempt to ferret out the problem and resolve it.   So with that said I will add the following...

• The factory does drill holes in the fresh water tanks and installs the fittings to the tanks.
• They also are aware of this issue and took proactive measures a year ago to eliminate debris collecting in the tanks via drilling, etc. 
• A shop vac is used to suck out any residual particles and they estimate that 99% of the debris is removed via their efforts.
• An issue or problem that exists is static electricity as this causes particles to attach themselves to the plastic surface within the tank.  
• As a result of this problem and again bringing it to their attention several departments are revisiting this issue and trying to eliminate it once and for all.

I have discussed the issue in depth with factory CEO Scott Hubble and he appreciates the input that people provide here on the forum and also understands the frustration of owners when these problems arise.  And having dealt with static electricity in my career I can see some of the issues they face, given the fact that they are assembling these units on an assembly line, people are in and out of them, there is Styrofoam materials inside the units, in packing materials/parts, etc. and along with plastic piping, hoses, etc. it is obviously easy for particles to become attached to and enter hoses, etc.    

But rest assured that nuCamp is looking into this problem further and will do their best to eliminate it as best they can.  If I hear any additional details or information I will post them up.

I wonder if there is some way that they could pump water through the system (not using the T@B water pump) after drilling and attaching water hoses to flush any remaining debris from the tank. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Better yet, drill the holes before they mount the tank and vacuum/flush it out completly before mounting if possible

BirdieJane

I found lots of debris from the Pex tubing. Looked like 1” long slivers. Guessing it comes from the fittings being forced into the tubing.

Sharon_is_SAM

Red, white and blue debris!

BirdieJane

Red, blue