So here’s my problem. About a month (Jan 2011) after getting my new FWC Grandby (delivered Dec 2010), the water pump started to get really loud when it pumped water. I called Terry at FWC and asked what could be wrong. He said he would talk to the owner and get back to me about the problem. There’s a long story here about phone tag and who was to check things out, but in the end, an RV place here in the North Valley of Phoenix checked it out. The result was that they replaced the old pump with a new Shurflo (Model 2088-422-444) and I was back in business. FWC picked up the tab and I was happy to get back to my winter desert camping. In early Feb, I took the first trip and the pump worked like a fine.
The next chapter came in the middle of the month when a buddy and I headed out into the desert for a couple days of nugget shooting. The new pump would turn on but it didn’t pump any water!! What? Two new pumps going bad? That didn’t sound right at all so I called FWC when I got back. Terry was out of the office but I talked to his assistant. I asked him if there was anything I could do to troubleshoot the problem. He told me I could try disconnecting the outflow side of the pump to see if there was any flow at all. I said I would give it a try and he said he would have Terry give me a call the next day.
So I disconnected the outflow side of the pump and turned it on. The pump runs but it doesn’t pump water. I can see a little bubble of water surface every few seconds but that’s all. The next day is Thursday and I waited all day for Terry to call but no call so I played telephone tag with him on Friday. We finally connected late in the afternoon and I gave him my tale of woe. I asked him if there was any troubleshooting I could do before we spent any money. I asked him if it was a FWC issue or if I should go back to the RV service shop that installed the new pump. His response was that he needed to talk to the owner and that’s the last I’ve heard from him. It’s been a week since we talked and now I’m not feeling very good about this at all.
Earlier this week, I got on Amazon.com and had them overnight a replacement Shurflo pump. My friend and I got in there and replaced the pump. It’s didn’t exactly seem like rocket science with two quick connect water connections and two wires, hot and ground, so we hooked up the new one. I put the power back on and voila, the pump wirred to life for a few seconds and I smiled when I heard it pick up the prime, water started to dribble out the faucet. And then the damned thing just shut off, died on the spot, nada. Check all the connections, check all the fuses, nothing. The new pump is dead in the water and we re-installed the old one. It turns on just like before but it doesn’t pump water. Switch pumps once more and the new one is absolutely dead. Put the old one back in and it turns on but doesn’t pump water.
Okay, this is getting kinda long so I’ll cut to the chase. What the heck is wrong? Three pumps in three months?!! I’ve got an appointment next week to go back to the RV place and they don’t sound very happy with me. FWC doesn’t seem very interested in my problem either. So I’m wondering if any of you guys have any ideas. Any help would be appreciated as I think my appointment with the RV Service center is going to cost me $$$.
