Water Pump not pumping

We are on our 2nd site on our first trip in a 2011 Auto Sleeper Broadway EK. The first time we filled up with water and the pump ran continuously with no water coming out. After talking to the Company that supplied the Motorhome it was suggested that I turned the pump on via the tap symbol repeatedly until water ran out of the open kitchen sink. This it did eventually work. 

On our 2nd site after draining down the tank before leaving site 1 and refilling the same thing happened. Eventually the water came out of the sink tap. I tried opening other taps to see if it had air locks. After calling the supplier again I find it and a new water pump before I took delivery and it was suggested that I do not drain the tank completly on my next move to another site as the emptying the tank is the problem it causes air locks.

Anybody had a similar experience?

Remembering chatting to a fellow AS owner who could not get water, suggested he suck on the shower hose. It worked for him

Others may differ but personally I would concur with the advice not to drain the tank before moving on, so as to avoid airlock problems when refilling. 

In fact we tend to drain the waste and fill up the fresh water at the service point on leaving a site, so as to be prepared in case of what might or might not be available at our next destination.  Some will argue that carrying the extra weight increases fuel consumption but in our opinion this is not significant.

The only time I fully drain the tank is over the winter to prevent frost damage.

I've never travelled with full water tanks but, like Roger, I don't drain down at all while away, for exactly that reason - it can be a pain to re-prime the system. I used to travel outward with an empty tank (and 5l water bottle inside for cups of tea en route) and then part-fill the tank and prime the system at the first campsite, then travel between sites with a part-full tank, and drain down at the start of the journey home.

Priming the water system can vary from being a minor inconvenience to being an utter pain, depending on the model. When I owned a Flair, that was in the latter category, because the pipework went from the tank, via the pump, up to head level and then back down to the taps (to get over the rear doors). I could never quite understand why A/S did not route the pipework at chassis level but, for whatever reason, they didn't!

Thanks for great information, How did you prime the system from an empty to full tank for the first time.

Found this and a few other threads v useful - my 1998 Duetto with a Shurflow Trail King 7 pump suddenly wouldn't prime - located under cooker so accessed and primed by taking out the inline filter cap and syringing water in there with pump running - 40ml water = system up and going!

rogerblack wrote:In fact we tend to drain the waste and fill up the fresh water at the service point on leaving a site, so as to be prepared in case of what might or might not be available at our next destination.  Some will argue that carrying the extra weight increases fuel consumption but in our opinion this is not significant.

No argument here Roger. 

I've proved (to my own satisfaction at least) that a 5mph head wind, or driving 5mph faster has a far greater effect on fuel economy than a tank full of water.

Try holding up an 8 x 4 sheet of plywood against even a very gentle wind, and that's nowhere near the frontal area of a motorhome!!

I have never understood the mentality of those who hammer down the motorway at 70mph (or more) then whine about poor fuel economy. Do they never pause for a moment's thought!! 

Dave

i dont 'hammer' down the motorway at 70 mph, the van cruises easily, comfortably and quietly at this speed...a more pleasant place to be than our tiny shopper/runabout at that speed....
it crosses Europe 4 times a year and the winter trips arent conducive to hanging about...
however, i dont whine about poor fuel economy either...
...and we generally travel with a full water tank, too....

I tend to set the cruise control to max speed limit, not by the speedo but the satnav.

In all my long years of motoring I have never recorded fuel use or bothered about it. But then maybe that's just me. Always tend to have a full water tank and when in France a full wardrobe of wine
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Richard