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AIR LOCK CURE!


AnnPaul

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1 Fill tank to brimming full

2a Either open one cold tap and suck.

or

2b A bit of hose pipe and a watering can. Turn on the cold tap and pour in as much as you can. Then turn on the pump and stand clear.

 

I have used all these methods in varying situations.

C.

 

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It will depend on what type of pump you have.  The following assumes you can hear the pump working, but it is not moving water.  If you can't hear the pump work, either it has died, or there is a fault on the electrical side, possibly a blown fuse.  If the latter, it would be wise to check why it blew before replacing it, or you may just get a repeat performance!

If the pump is submerged, i.e. it hangs inside the fresh water tank, you should be able to clear any airlocks by jiggling it up and down a few times, trying it between times.  You should get any air bubble out of the pump this way, and it will then start moving water.

If the pump is bulkhead mounted, some way from the tank, the pump has first to suck water up from the tank.  If there is a leak on the suction side of the pump, it will instead suck in air.  Check the connections at the tank, making sure the vertical (usually) tube in the tank that extends from the top of the tank down to near the tank base hasn't fallen off, then check the connection where the suction line attaches to the pump.  Finally, remove and carefully check the pump filter, making sure it has not been split by ice, clean it and, taking great care to correctly align the sealing ring with no kinks or twists, replace it.  These pumps are designed to be self-priming, and develop strong suction when the intake hose is all airtight.  If that doesn't work, I'd suspect the pump diaphragm needs replacing.  I believe service kits are available for all the popular makes of pump.  If not, you'll need a new pump!  :-(  Good luck.

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Pushing water back down a tap may not work if there is a non return valve in the system and most pumps have one so that all the water in the pipe to the tap does not empty back into the tank when you switch the pump off and open the tap.

 

My 'usually works' answer is to attach a hose over the the tap outlet (which may well take some ingenuity) and suck for all you are worth whilst running the pump with a good head of water in the tank (as in full). You may well get a good drenching and it pays to keep your head and the hose over the sink and your hand on the tap!

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