Is my Anderson valve bad?

dbbls59

Well-known member
I have a problem with my fresh water system. Using the water in the tank with the valve turned to normal, the pump will cycle about every 10 seconds with all faucets closed. I have not found any leaks. If I switch the valve to city, it works fine. I mean the pump will provide water pressure and will not cycle until I turn the faucet on. It also works with the pump off if I am connected to city water. It does not fill my fresh water tank when turned to city so I don't think the check valve in the pump is bad. I did get the new kit from Anderson to address the hard turning. It did turn easier for a while but it turns hard again. It also worked properly after I installed the kit.
 

gasman

Camp Socializer
Don, I have the same experience with mine. I replaced the Anderson valve because it was very hard to turn. The new one is much easier but the pump issue is still the same. If I am in the normal position all is well and the pump doesn't cycle. If I am in the city position, the pump cycles periodically. Since nothing changed with the valve change, I decided that it must be normal.
 

weekender01

Well-known member
It could be your check valve, but as an FYI here are the positions on the Anderson valve and when they are used:

4 Way Valve

  1. Fresh Tank – to fill fresh tank with a hose

  2. Normal – to use fresh tank water with pump

  3. Winterize/Sanitize – to winterize or sanitizewater system

  4. City Water – when connected to water hook up

 

dbbls59

Well-known member
If it was the check valve, my fresh water tank would eventually overflow with city water supplying the coach. It doesn't. With the valve in the city position, should the water pump still draw water from the tank?
 

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn

Well-known member
Yes In CITY position the pump can still draw water from the fresh water tank.

When you are set on CITY do you also have hose connected and on ? That could be keeping enough presser in the line to keep the pump from cycling.
you could have a small leak somewhere.
 

MTPockets

Well-known member
Yes In CITY position the pump can still draw water from the fresh water tank.

When you are set on CITY do you also have hose connected and on ? That could be keeping enough presser in the line to keep the pump from cycling.
you could have a small leak somewhere.
. When mine is set to city with hose turned off, it does not draw from the tank. Only when valve is turned to normal.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
If it was the check valve, my fresh water tank would eventually overflow with city water supplying the coach. It doesn't. With the valve in the city position, should the water pump still draw water from the tank?
A very minor backflow through the pump could release the pressure causing the pump to cycle again, but might take a very long time to fill the fresh tank.

There is a difference in the internal channels of the 4-way valve. On CITY, the channel from the pump is a secondary path inside the valve. Any time there's a difference in how things work depending on the valve position, I would say the valve's internal cartridge is a suspect.
 

MTPockets

Well-known member
Maybe you have a different value then.
The Anderson valve will draw from tank while set on CITY.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
. Don't know what to say. I do have Anderson 4 way valve and have several times forgotten to change from city after leaving a campground. Later when at rest area turn pump on and won't pull from tank until I rotate valve to normal position.
 

Mrsfish

Well-known member
. Don't know what to say. I do have Anderson 4 way valve and have several times forgotten to change from city after leaving a campground. Later when at rest area turn pump on and won't pull from tank until I rotate valve to normal position.

ditto- we are on our 2nd Anderson valve(first was factory replaced because of stickiness at nationals last summer). We have only been able to pull from the tank while on tank..when on city we have to have the hose on or we get nada. We dry camp a lot, so we use tank quite a bit but then will be at a traditional site and need to go back to city.
 

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn

Well-known member
Mine works set on CITY, with no hose hooked to inlet and water pump switch on. :)
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danemayer

Well-known member
It's very possible the original design required the valve be on NORMAL for the pump to work. I have tested a more recent valve and there is a secondary path so that the pump will also work on CITY. I'd guess Anderson realized that if you're usually hooked up to city water, but need water while at a rest stop, it would be convenient if you didn't have to turn the valve to NORMAL for that short pit stop.
 

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn

Well-known member
That must be the case Dan.
I also have turned the water pump on at times to get more water presser for a shower when we're at a park with low water presser. Works great
 

dlw930

Well-known member
I always thought the Anderson valve had to be set on "Normal" to draw from the tank, so I never tried running it from the "City" position. As I was unhooking from the city water this morning, I turned on the pump and got water out of the faucets and bathroom stool. I guess I won't be using the "Normal" setting anymore.


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MTPockets

Well-known member
I always thought the Anderson valve had to be set on "Normal" to draw from the tank, so I never tried running it from the "City" position. As I was unhooking from the city water this morning, I turned on the pump and got water out of the faucets and bathroom stool. I guess I won't be using the "Normal" setting anymore.


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. That does make it more user friendly... Wish mine did that... Why do they have a normal setting if not needed on newer rigs?
 

chipdaniel

Member
Hi,
We are having the problem with our 2016 4010RD Big Country. Anderson Valve set on Normal and all faucets are off. No leaks anywhere. Pump runs intermittingly about every 10 seconds. No city water hose attached to UDC. I can hear water running through lines but - again - no running water on anywhere and no leaks. I would be interested if anyone has any ideas to figure out the problem. This is my second Anderson valve (the original allowed water to fill the fresh water tank when Anderson Valve set on CITY which is not a problem any more.
Chip

UPDATE: I took our Fifth Wheel to CW ad they found the Anderson Valve was leaking and needs to be replaced. I was told to call Heartland and have them send me a new valve and CW would do the warranty work to replace it again..... Stay tuned!

UPDATE: Heartland sent a new stem for the valve and Camping World did the rest. I have not been able to see if it solved our problem because it is winterized and waiting for spring.

UPDATE: After numerous trips since new stem was replaced in the Anderson Valve Switch, I have had no problems. Thanks Heartland Corp.
 
Last edited:

TGLBWH

North Central Region Directors-Retired
I have the same problem. I am taking my rig in for some minor warranty work next week and hopefully they can answer the question. Using the city setting is more convenient but it seems the normal setting should work and not run intermittently or why have it
 

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn

Well-known member
Mine did the same thing. It was my pump. The check valve inside the pump was allowing the water to bleed backwards and the pump would cycle. I also had the problem of my fresh water tank slowly filling up when hooked to city. Heartland sent me a new pump and requested the old pump back for warranty.
It completely fixed both problems.
Hope this helps

Jerrod

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
I have a problem with my fresh water system. Using the water in the tank with the valve turned to normal, the pump will cycle about every 10 seconds with all faucets closed. I have not found any leaks. If I switch the valve to city, it works fine. I mean the pump will provide water pressure and will not cycle until I turn the faucet on. It also works with the pump off if I am connected to city water. It does not fill my fresh water tank when turned to city so I don't think the check valve in the pump is bad. I did get the new kit from Anderson to address the hard turning. It did turn easier for a while but it turns hard again. It also worked properly after I installed the kit.

I started to winterize and have a problem with the anti freeze pumping into the hot water tank.
the Anderson valve is set to "winterize" and the by pass valve is set to "bypass"
Has anyone else had this problem?
This did not happen last winter. The coach is a 2015 Big Country 3650 RL.
 
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