Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Thor Forums > Thor Tech Forums > Modifications and Updates
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 04-14-2017, 08:26 PM   #1
Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 31S
State: Tennessee
Posts: 48
THOR #5918
Hammering water p;ipes

My '16 Windsport 31S water pump system "hammers", mainly when using the cold water. The water pump is under the kitten sink cabinet floor and very difficult to get to. I can reach the water pump with my left hand, but will not be able to see what I'm doing!! I feel the only way I can even get to the water pump is to cut out more of the under cabinet floor. I looked at removing the 2 heating duct tubes that extend to the front of the cabinet, but they were also installed before the cabinet facings, and will be difficult to move.
Does anyone else have a '16 WS 31S that is experiencing the same problem? I noticed a response that indicated an accumulator was installed. I'm not even sure I could do that, without sawing out an additional space in the cabinet floor.
Bruce W
'16 Windsport 31S
USAF (Ret.)

__________________
BWare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2017, 09:10 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Miramar Owner's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Miramar 34.4
State: Iowa
Posts: 794
THOR #4488
Has it always made the hammering sound or did it just start doing it?
__________________
Miramar Owner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2017, 02:20 PM   #3
Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 31S
State: Tennessee
Posts: 48
THOR #5918
Hammering water p;ipes

Actually, we just noticed the loud hammering after I de-winterized the system a couple weeks ago. We had it out for a week and used the water pump every day. We've had the coach only a year (it was new) but we used it 7-8 weeks last year, and were almost always hooked to city water, and of course no pump noise then.
I'm new to Thor AND this forum, so just today found the other entries considering the hammering. I'd like very much to solve the problem without cutting a larger hole in the cabinet flooring, but will if necessary.
I noticed a couple entries were something I will try in the next few days, but am open to more recommendations.
Bruce W
USAF(Ret.)
'16 Windsport 31S
__________________
BWare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2017, 03:16 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Brand: DRV
State: South Dakota
Posts: 126
THOR #4935
If it doesn't hammer on city water I would say its the pump?
__________________
Glenn 08 36tk3 #4571
oldbird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2017, 05:20 PM   #5
Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 31S
State: Tennessee
Posts: 48
THOR #5918
Thanks oldbird, Actually I've eliminated everything "except" the cold water faucet "stuttering" at the kitchen faucet. All the other faucets, both hot cold, seem to run smooth. It's irritating to the DW!! We're planning to attend the FMCA "reunion" in Indianapolis in July and may have someone there either explain it to me or attempt to fix it. I may try to get to the pump and cushion it, though it's not easily accessible. A nuisance, but it works!!
Bruce W
USAF (Ret)
'16 Windsport 31S
__________________
BWare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2017, 05:23 PM   #6
Kev
Senior Member
 
Kev's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport
State: Florida
Posts: 746
THOR #3918
Hammering

Putting in an accumulator tank may remove or at least reduce the hammering.

Kev
__________________
Kev is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2017, 06:45 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31K
State: Florida
Posts: 145
THOR #3520
If you have determined that the problem only occurs at one faucet, it would seem to me that I would examine the insides of that faucet. A loose seat, a bad washer, some other defect within the faucet itself. On my rig I had a studdering effect but mine was at low flow anywhere. The water pump was starting and stopping rapidly. I have installed an accumulator to end that problem. Could it be that your cold water faucet has a restriction that causes low flow? Does it do it when both that cold faucet and another faucet elsewhere is open full?
Chuck Peck in CasaLoca
__________________
CasaLoca is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2017, 08:42 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Miramar Owner's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Miramar 34.4
State: Iowa
Posts: 794
THOR #4488
BWare, I may see this problem a little differently because of my own problem I used to have. My "hammering" was worse at the kitchen sink as well. It was all caused by the small in-line screen filter on the line coming into the water pump. It had sand and grit partially blocking the screen. This would cause the pump to surge rapidly causing the water line to bounce on top of the fresh water tank. The reason it was only noticeable on the kitchen cold water side is because that faucet had the most draw or flow. The other faucets simply didn't pull as fast a flow as the kitchen...at least that is what I concluded. Could be because it was closest to the pump, at least the cold water side. Anyway, once I cleaned the screen the problem ended. I also changed the house filter and initially thought that may have contributed to the problem but I remember I did the small screen filter first. Anyway, this may not be the cause of your problem but is easy and free to find out. Good luck.
__________________
Miramar Owner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2017, 08:57 PM   #9
Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 31S
State: Tennessee
Posts: 48
THOR #5918
Hammering water pipes

Guys, I just checked, with the cold water on at the kitchen sink AND the bathroom cold water on full, I still get the stuttering at the kitchen.
I'll check the filter next, as I can get to it easier than taking the kitchen faucet apart.
I may be a day or two before I get to again.
Bruce
__________________
BWare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2017, 01:33 AM   #10
Junior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: California
Posts: 6
THOR #6944
Pipes hammering

I have fixed this issue several times by adding a braided flex line at the the pump. Just get a braided steel flex linne that you would use on your household sink and add it to the output side of the waterpump. This causes the pulse to flex at the pump instead of in the walls where the plumbing is more ridged. Actually quiets the whole system down.
__________________
Pipebndr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2018, 05:57 PM   #11
Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 31S
State: Tennessee
Posts: 48
THOR #5918
Water Pump -2016 Windsport 31S

Group, I think I have the hammering fixed. I put some pipe insulation between the pipes and the wall it was hammering on.
I have a new problem with the water system. I needed to sanitize the system last week so I added Clorox to fresh water tank, let it set for a day, then drained it at the campground we traveled to for a small rally. I emptied the water tank by pumping the sanitized water through the entire system, except the hot water heater. Therefore the pump ran long enough to empty the approximately 50 gallon. (According to the the literature I downloaded, the automatic thermo sensor will allow the pump to work, after it cools.) I then refilled the fresh water tank with about 30 gallon to rinse it out. Since I was on the "city' water at the CG, I didn't need the water pump. Upon return home I need to empty the fresh water tank rinse water!! Pump doesn't work!!!! Sure I can gravity drain it, but that doesn't fix the pump, which I'll eventually need.
There is only one GFI switch in the Windsport 31S and it's okay. The 15 amp fuse in the DC panel at the end of the bed is good. (Many thanks to the brilliant engineers who designed the panel at the end of the bed which requires the BR slide be extended and the worker lay on the floor to see the panel!)
Though the fuse is good there is a little red light on at the top of the DC fuse panel that I have no idea what it's telling me.
So according to one of the You tube repair movies, I've attempted to remove the water pump, which is on the floor, behind the kitchen cabinet, and under the cabinet floor. (Another smooth design!) I sawed another hole in the cabinet floor to get to it. But of course one of the wires that comes from the rear of the pump is lodged between the outer wall and the floor. There is no room to get a "lead" to the motor without removing it, which will require cutting the wire and re-crimping.

I'm very frustrated with myself, the pump system AND Thor!

Any ideas and/or experiences will be appreciated.
Bruce W
USAF (Ret.)
__________________
BWare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2018, 06:34 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
rmblaster's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: California
Posts: 159
THOR #3788
Bruce I have a hurricane 31s and i know what your talking about access to the water pump I need to remove mine do to a leaking backflow valve one idea i had was to relocate pump to outside cab with water tank looks like there mite be enough room all Ill have to do is make a jumper to fillin from removing pump and run the wires down like you said Ill need to cut out more floor just to get to it

Richard
__________________
Richard M / Carol B
2020 Entegra Accolade 37K
2021 F150 Platinum
FMCA #F432587
rmblaster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2018, 08:08 PM   #13
Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 31S
State: Tennessee
Posts: 48
THOR #5918
Thanks Richard, Please take a look at the panel at the end of the bed. As I mentioned, I have a little red light on at the top of the DC side, right above the Fuse for the water pump. I've turned the pump switch on and off and the light continues to shine. I'm not sure what that means???

I cut the wires lodged between the wall and side, so now have the pump out, but haven't mastered the voltmeter measurement as to where my electric problem is.

It appears we have the exact same coach, but with a different name. I've close to 20,000 miles on ours now and it's running great, with the exception of this water pump dilemma.

BTW: when I try to sign in to the Forum, it takes me to another site. I haven't signed in for several months, so maybe this is new, and I don't like it.

BruceW
2016 Windsport 31S
2002 Nissan Frontier
FMCA 112581
__________________
BWare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2018, 08:35 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2013 31L
State: Florida
Posts: 2,183
THOR #908
sometimes you'll see hammering because of air in the lines.
I've seen it happen a few times after dewinterizing. It took a surprisingly long time to get the air out. In my case, I think it was air in the lines to the shower but it hammered everywhere. once I just let the shower flow for a while, it finally settled down
__________________
blw2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2018, 09:50 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
rmblaster's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: California
Posts: 159
THOR #3788
Bruce I sent you my phone # in a private message one thing to look at is that red light is it located on the right side of the fuses if so it indicates a blown fuse I have found the lable for the fuses is incorrect so you might be looking at a fuse other than the water pump check the fuse with the red light


Richard
__________________
Richard M / Carol B
2020 Entegra Accolade 37K
2021 F150 Platinum
FMCA #F432587
rmblaster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2018, 10:06 PM   #16
Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 31S
State: Tennessee
Posts: 48
THOR #5918
Water Pump

Richard, Thanks, in fact that was the case. I checked the lights in the "monitor "panel" and they were also not working, so I re-suspected the fuse. Though I had checked the pump fuse and thought it ok, obviously it was not. I changed it to a new 15A fuse and all is well. The bright side is that I learned alot about a couple things. The most important is what you just stated about the "red" light and another way to tell, is the lights in the monitor panel, i.e., if they aren't working, its that fuse! And now I can get to the water pump, since I cut an additional section from the bottom panel below the sink, so all is not lost.

Bruce W
USAF (Ret.)
Windsport 31S
FMCA #F112581
__________________
BWare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2018, 10:18 PM   #17
Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Windsport 31S
State: Tennessee
Posts: 48
THOR #5918
Thanks for responding. Actually I wrapped some insulation around the pipes from the pump that travel up behind the kitchen counter, and it seems to work.
I also found the problem with the pump - it was the fuse all the time. I had checked it right away, but it appeared good, but it wasn't!!
BruceW
USAF (Ret.)
Windsport 31S
'02 Nissan Frontier
__________________
BWare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2018, 11:18 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
rmblaster's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: California
Posts: 159
THOR #3788
Bruce glad you got it fixed now i have to go and cut out some of my cupboard floor to remove pump still thinking about relocating it got a new pump on order and ill see if it will fit next to water tank

Richard
__________________
Richard M / Carol B
2020 Entegra Accolade 37K
2021 F150 Platinum
FMCA #F432587
rmblaster is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Thor Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.




All times are GMT. The time now is 11:25 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2