Probably break in water line

[K1ngN0thing]

My water pump briefly kicks on every 7 seconds to maintain pressure. I thought it was normal, but then I noticed the floor was a little wet, and I'm pretty sure there are water lines running below it. When first switched on, the pump also runs for about a second to pressurize the lines. At first I thought it was just humidity, but my hand is visibly wet after touching it. Is there an easy way to diagnose a leak? Am I going to have to tear up the floor?

Edit: title should read "probable"

 

[jimindenver]

First thing TURN OFF THE PUMP AND RELEASE THE PRESSURE.

Water doesn't travel up, only down so the leak is in plumbing above the floor. Check all of the fittings in the sinks and to the toilet. Then start looking for tell tale signs of the leak in the cabinets where the plumbing is. I have to go through and hand tighten the fittings every year due to the rough roads we use.

Once you get close, if you don't see a obvious crack or split, turn the pump back on and watch with a light. It may take a bit but you will find it.


You said you just had the pump line off. I would check that fitting first.

 

[K1ngN0thing]

Couldn't it be squirting up from the line if the break is on top, hitting the bottom of the plywood, and soaking through? I'll check around, but the wet spot is localized to that area, and is dry all around as you go further out.
Damage can't be too bad as I've been turning the pump off as soon as I'm done with it, and I've only been in here for a few days.

 

[K1ngN0thing]

Looked around and found wetness in the bathroom. Feels like there might be a leak in the tank or something. Will have to rip up the carpet to be sure.

 

[jimindenver]

To me, it would have to be a good spray upward to soak through plywood too the point it would wet your hand. More than a occasional bump of the pump I would think. That would be more of a low and slow dribble.

If it's a freeze break, it is likely a hard fitting. the plex can handle stretching better than hard plastic. The hose is more likely to split if you are using to high of water pressure. that's why you use a pressure reducer on city water.

can you post a image of the wet spot and surrounding area?

 

[jimindenver]

Check the fitting on the back of the toilet to see if it is hand tight.

You should have access to the tub area and the valves, check in them. Check under the sink. Basically check the simple before ripping apart the RV.

 

[TMG51]

Might be condensation. To be sure, put blue food coloring in your water tank and see if your floor turns blue.

That was a joke. Don't do that.

Seriously though your pump should not kick on every seven seconds. You have an accumulator tank right? It should be holding pressure. My pump might kick on for 1/2 second two or three times a day if I'm not using the water often. But nowhere near what you're describing. Is there no way for you to visually inspect the lines?

 

[K1ngN0thing]

Sub-optimal valve installation for the shower on my part. Was a slow but steady trickle. Re-fitted, and it's gone from every 7 seconds to every 25. Is that normal?

 

[jimindenver]

not at all. the pump should not run if you do not have a valve open.

 

[K1ngN0thing]

Might be condensation. To be sure, put blue food coloring in your water tank and see if your floor turns blue.

That was a joke. Don't do that.

Seriously though your pump should not kick on every seven seconds. You have an accumulator tank right? It should be holding pressure. My pump might kick on for 1/2 second two or three times a day if I'm not using the water often. But nowhere near what you're describing. Is there no way for you to visually inspect the lines?

It's now up to every 25 seconds, which still sounds like too much compared to what yours is doing. I've got an accumulator, just haven't installed it yet.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

It's now up to every 25 seconds, which still sounds like too much compared to what yours is doing. I've got an accumulator, just haven't installed it yet.

Even without an accumulator, the pump should only come on when the pressure falls to the trigger point.  On a normal system, it would only come on when you run water. If it's coming on every 25 seconds, you've still got one or more leaks in your system.

Regards
John

 

[GotSmart]

If there is one bad connection, check them all.  


Use a flashlight and paper towels to check for leaks.

 

[B and C]

You have a Roadtrek.  All the water lines and fittings can be gotten to.  The outside shower and the sink are the two tough ones to get to.  I would suspect a loose fitting.  There is also the city fill.  Make sure it is capped.  Take a paper towel and wrap it around each fitting to check for leaks (one at a time).  Keep going until you have checked them all.  Don't forget you have a hot water heater too.  The anode in it probably needs to be changed (should be checked/changed every 6 months if left with water in it).  I hope your HW tank is not leaking because of corrosion.  Don't ask me how I know this.  Don't forget to release the pressure in the system before removing the anode.  There will be 6 gallons of water that comes out.  Flush the tank with a wand made for this purpose to get rid of the calcium deposits.  I store my wand in the outside WH access panel to make it easy to find when I check the anode.  Carry a spare anode.

There are some T fitting underneath.  If you don't find your leak with the above suggestions, park on dry and clean concrete.  Pressurize the system and look for a wet spot on the concrete.

 

[GypsyDogs]

Water is the MAIN KILLER of RVs (with full 'house' systems)
It is Very Worth it to track all fittings and check all weak points and Find the Leak.
Otherwise you are looking at MASSIVE rot damage in a very short time.

Sadly RVs are not biological organisms, they cannot heal themselves, we have to do it for them.

 

[highdesertranger]

I must disagree that water only goes down. in an apartment when we have a slab leak it soaks up the sheetrock and when you rip that off the studs underneath are soaked to about 6 inches the bottom foot of the sheetrock must be replace. so wood wicks water up, after all that's how trees work. highdesertranger

 

[jimindenver]

You have me there. However for a low flow leak in a short period of time, it would have been unlikely.

 

[Gadget Man]

The best tool for finding a water leak is a "pink" or "blue" Kleenex tissue. Not white.
You can use white paper towels to dry the area, but then dab around with either a pink or blue tissue. A drop of water will instantly show up on the colored tissues, small drips can easily be missed with white paper towels. 

If your pump is running, yes, you have a pressure leak somewhere. That's why it's running. Find it quickly, water inside an RV is bad news.

 

[K1ngN0thing]

So I think it might be draining into the water heater. I removed the fittings at the inlet and outlet and found oversized rubber gaskets stuffed inside them for some reason. Took those out and put properly fitting ones which reduced the leak/s there. The pump was kicking on every 30 seconds. I had also screwed the anode in, and decided to see how that held, so I opened the valve to let the tank fill, and it looks to be holding. After closing that valve, the pump is kicking on to maintain pressure every 5 seconds, and after turning the pump off, I could hear what I believe was the sound of pressurized water being squirt into the tank.

 

[jimindenver]

On top of the water heater there is a pressure relief valve with a little handle. Turn on the pump and in short burst release the pressure until a bit of water comes out of the valve. That's how you know it's full.

 

[B and C]

I never use the pressure relief valve to "fill" my water heater tank and my water pump does not run when water is not called for.

Use white Teflon tape on the threads of the anode.

What valve are you opening to fill the tank?  If it is the water heater bypass (usually added later by an owner) installed right at the water tank, there are two valves, one at the top of the tank and one at the bottom with a hose between them.  This is for winterizing your vehicle with the pink antifreeze.  These valves are used to divert the water around the water heater so you don't have to add those 6 extra gallons of antifreeze.  Be sure you turn both valves , never just one whenever a change is made.  If you do winterize, remove the anode rod to drain the tank.  I usually leave my rod inside the outside door to the tank.  

If you need to figure out which way the valves should be turned, turn off the pump and open a cold (and hot) water tap to release pressure, close taps(s).  Remove anode rod and turn on pump.  Check for water coming out the anode rod hole.  Change the valve positions at the water heater until the water runs out the hole.  Usually the lower valve is the cold water inlet to the water heater.  After you have water freely flowing out the anode rod hole, shut off the pump.  Put the anode back in using white Teflon tape.  Turn the pump back on and open the hot water faucet in the sink.  Air should rush out as you are displacing it in the tank with water.  If air does not rush out of the faucet, turn the other valve at the hot water tank till it does.  Your valves are now set to normal use mode.  Turn both valves the other way to set it in the bypass mode.

Open a hot water tap until water runs free, no surges.  Same for the cold side and do all of them including the outside shower.  Now look for leaks if the pumps still cycles.