No water / pump issues

Start with ears and eyes. Confirm the pump switch, fuse, and that the pump can hear itself prime. Air in the lines, a clogged strainer, a failed check valve, a city-water / tank selector left wrong after a park stay, a neglected inline filter, or a freeze break under a sink will all feel like “no water” from the faucet. Do not keep running a dry pump until the head cooks — and if you just came through a cold snap, assume freeze damage until you prove otherwise (see winterize fail / freeze damage).

Symptoms

• Pump silent when you open a faucet — no click, no hum
• Pump runs hard but no flow (or sputtering / air spit)
• Pump won’t shut off / rapid cycling with fixtures closed
• City water works, tank/pump mode doesn’t — or the reverse
• No hot water only; cold side fine
• Low pressure after a filter change or dewinterize
• Wet bay, hissing suction line, or pink antifreeze still in fixtures
• Tank panel says full but you get nothing at the tap

Quick path (owner-safe)

1. Pump switch on? Fuse/breaker good? Can you hear the pump click or run when you open a faucet?
2. City-water vs tank mode — wrong valve position is common after a park stay. Confirm the fresh tank actually has water if you are on demand pump.
3. Inspect the inlet strainer and any whole-coach or pump-bay filter; clear debris. Look for wet spots under sinks, water heater, and the pump bay.
4. If you just changed a filter or opened a line, open faucets to purge air; cycling with air in the system is normal for a short window, endless cycling is not.
5. Tank sensors lying? Cross-check with a manual dump/fill observation before you trust the panel.
6. If the pump runs continuously, close all fixtures and listen — a silent downstream leak or failed check valve will keep it cycling. Kill power if you hear spray.

Symptom forks

• Pump silent — power/switch/fuse first; then ground and pump motor. A burned smell at the pump means stop DIY.
• Pump runs, no flow — prime, empty tank, suction leak (hissing), clogged strainer/filter, or collapsed suction hose.
• Pump won’t shut off — downstream leak, open faucet, failed check valve, or missing/failed accumulator until cutoff pressure is met.
• City OK, pump dead (or reverse) — selector / check-valve / city inlet path; don’t replace the pump until valves are proven.
• No hot only — bypass valve and water heater path before condemning the heater. Confirm element / LP side separately.
• Low pressure / sputtering — air after a filter change, failing accumulator (if equipped), partial freeze restriction, or a clogged screen.
• After a freeze or bad winterize — treat as rupture triage, not a “weak pump.” Follow winterize fail / freeze damage.

Owner checklist

• Photos of the pump bay, strainer, filters, and any wet plywood or foam.
• Whether you are on city water, tank, or both; any recent winterize / dewinterize / filter change.
• Pump brand/model and fuse size; water heater brand if hot-only; bypass valve position if labeled.
• Whether antifreeze was used and whether you saw product at every fixture when you winterized.
• Coach year/make/model and your parking location for a trip quote.

Deeper notes: tank, city water, filters, winterize

City-water pressure can hide a dead pump until you leave the park. Tank mode depends on a primed suction path — a hairline crack on the inlet side pulls air and the pump “runs forever” with weak spit at the faucet. Inline filters and sediment screens clog after dusty fills or after antifreeze sludge; a five-minute clean beats a new pump. Accumulator tanks (when equipped) smooth cycling — a failed bladder feels like a nervous pump even with tight fixtures.

Winterize misses and freeze hits are the expensive cousins of “no water.” If a line split under a sink or inside a wall, stop pressurizing. Prefer Text for triage rather than flooding the bay. Preventative winterize is a separate line item ($175) when you are scheduling ahead — not the same ticket as freeze repair.

When to stop DIY

• Active leak you cannot isolate — shut water off, open a faucet to depressurize, Prefer Text.
• Suspected freeze damage inside walls or under the floor — do not keep pressurizing.
• Water heater anode / tank work you are not set up for; LP gas odor near the heater — evacuate and call.
• PEX fittings that cracked; replacing a whole manifold without the right tools.
• Spray near electrical panels, converters, or fuse blocks — water + 12V/120V is a stop-now condition.

What UMRT diagnoses

We pressure-check, chase wet paths, verify pump electrical, sort city vs tank plumbing, and separate filter/air issues from true pump failure — without guessing parts. Diagnostic $175 applied toward repair if you proceed. Trip $75 / 30 mi then $1.50/mi · labor ~$150/hr (1 hr min / 30-min). Prefer Text for a mobile diagnosis in the MT · WY · ID · WA corridor.

Related guides & siblings

Deep dive: Plumbing troubleshooting · Water heater · Tank sensors · Fresh water pump. Sibling: Winterize fail / freeze damage. Hub: Troubleshoot. Pricing: winterize $175 · trip-prep $225.

Prefer Text — (616) 606-5277. Trip $75/30 mi then $1.50/mi · labor ~$150/hr (1 hr min / 30-min) · diagnostic $175 applied · winterize $175 · trip-prep $225. Credentials: Victron Professional Certified Installer · weBoost Authorized Installer · Peplink Certified Associate · Dometic Professional Certified.