fluctuating water pressure

[chrisopy]

We were at a camp site and water pressure was fine. It started to decrease and I hadn't changed my setup as far as hoses or filter or anything. I have a regulator right off the ground supply that's preset at 40-50 psi. It measures 45 with a gauge on the end of it and without regulator the camp supply is 65 psi. After I tried various setups with the main hose to the camper and the blue filter as far as where I placed the filter, I got just under 40psi with the gauge at the end of the hose before I connect to camper. It's not a flow through gauge, so I don't know what I'm getting when I open a faucet. I did order one of those, and am waiting on it to arrive. Now I just have the regulator on the camp supply end, one of those green short 3 foot flexzilla hoses, and my white hose to the camper with no filter. The filter was about 3 months old and I thought maybe it was reducing flow to much. The pressure didn't really increase much by taking it off though. I have low pressure out of the faucets and shower. However, if I leave kitchen faucet run and then fill the toilet some at the same time, after I let off the toilet, the pressure to the kitchen increases beyond what it is just by having the kitchen faucet open with nothing else running. Same thing happens if I am running kitchen faucet and then turn on bathroom faucet for a short period. After shutting off bath faucet, the kitchen increases. I know when two faucets are open at the same time it will decrease water pressure, but what's happening is that by opening two and then shutting off one, the pressure increases beyond what it is just by opening one. Any ideas? I have taken apart the kitchen faucet and the aerator off the bathroom faucet to check for obstructions as well as the screen on the city water connection at the camper. I didn't find any obstructions. I also shut off the water heater as I was going to flush it later.

[ncitro]

We were at a camp site and water pressure was fine. It started to decrease and I hadn't changed my setup as far as hoses or filter or anything. I have a regulator right off the ground supply that's preset at 40-50 psi. It measures 45 with a gauge on the end of it and without regulator the camp supply is 65 psi. After I tried various setups with the main hose to the camper and the blue filter as far as where I placed the filter, I got just under 40psi with the gauge at the end of the hose before I connect to camper. It's not a flow through gauge, so I don't know what I'm getting when I open a faucet. I did order one of those, and am waiting on it to arrive. Now I just have the regulator on the camp supply end, one of those green short 3 foot flexzilla hoses, and my white hose to the camper with no filter. The filter was about 3 months old and I thought maybe it was reducing flow to much. The pressure didn't really increase much by taking it off though. I have low pressure out of the faucets and shower. However, if I leave kitchen faucet run and then fill the toilet some at the same time, after I let off the toilet, the pressure to the kitchen increases beyond what it is just by having the kitchen faucet open with nothing else running. Same thing happens if I am running kitchen faucet and then turn on bathroom faucet for a short period. After shutting off bath faucet, the kitchen increases. I know when two faucets are open at the same time it will decrease water pressure, but what's happening is that by opening two and then shutting off one, the pressure increases beyond what it is just by opening one. Any ideas? I have taken apart the kitchen faucet and the aerator off the bathroom faucet to check for obstructions as well as the screen on the city water connection at the camper. I didn't find any obstructions. I also shut off the water heater as I was going to flush it later.

Cate&Rob Is our resident plumbing expert, but I think I can tell you he would recommend a pressure gauge installed into the main plumbing line of the rig. That will give you an idea of what is going on after the water gets into your plumbing. That said campground water supplies can be hit or miss, and vary wildly depending on what usage is like. I have even had a few where I used to full hookup to fill my tank and run the pump instead for better pressure and reliability. I have also installed a small pressure tank off of my water supply to help regulate the water pressure, and it makes a huge difference as well.

Mine was something like this:

https://www.menards.com/main/plumbin...3623337852.htm

[JBill9694]

We have been in several parks with backflow preventers at the end of their hose bibs. Sometimes these don't play well with pressure reducers and as ncitro suggest the best option may be to operate off the fresh water tanks.

[chrisopy]

We have been in several parks with backflow preventers at the end of their hose bibs. Sometimes these don't play well with pressure reducers and as ncitro suggest the best option may be to operate off the fresh water tanks.

I'm just kind of curious why the water pressure would increase with two faucets open and then shutting one off compared to when just when one is on at a time. I actually get increaed flow after turning two on and shutting one off.

[ncitro]

I'm just kind of curious why the water pressure would increase with two faucets open and then shutting one off compared to when just when one is on at a time. I actually get increaed flow after turning two on and shutting one off.

Do you get the same thing when running off of your fresh tank and pump?

[Yoda]

One other thing to check, is the screens at each fitting you have. You trailer has one at the connection, your pressure regulator should have one, and some inline water filters have them.

[Cate&Rob]

chrisopy
Pressure regulators are curious things . . . because pressure and volume are inversely proportional in most systems. It would seem that your pressure regulator will allow calibration pressure at “ two faucet” volume, but does not dial back the pressure when volume is adjusted fro “ two faucet” to “one faucet”.

As Neil
ncitro notes, I am a strong proponent of installing a system pressure gauge to really understand what is going on within your RV water pressure system. The gauge at the hose tells you very little about what is happening within the system. T a pressure gauge into any cold water line or even temporarily attach one to your cold water low point drain and things will make more sense.

Rob

[Guest]

I know when two faucets are open at the same time it will decrease water pressure, but what's happening is that by opening two and then shutting off one, the pressure increases beyond what it is just by opening one. Any ideas? I have taken apart the kitchen faucet and the aerator off the bathroom faucet to check for obstructions as well as the screen on the city water connection at the camper. I didn't find any obstructions. I also shut off the water heater as I was going to flush it later.

Could be a sticking regulator.

Jim

[chrisopy]

Do you get the same thing when running off of your fresh tank and pump?

Didn't try the pump. I had the fresh water tank fill up once while on city water from switching the lever under pressure and ever since then after I got it to correct itself, I haven't needed to use the pump again. Just hesitant to mess with the valve again. I guess I could use the gravity fill route though.

[chrisopy]

Yoda I checked all the screens including the city water connection one, they're good.
Guest I have one of these coming soon. https://www.amazon.com/Renator-M11-0...s%2C207&sr=8-7

Cate&Rob Good idea on putting the gauge on the low point drain. Will the regulator I referenced above do the same thing though? Allow me to see what pressure is when I open a faucet?

Thanks for the help so far.
I did notice those flexzilla leader hoses decreased the psi just slightly. So now, I just have regulator (non adjustable currently), and hose to camper without any filter.

[Cate&Rob]

chrisopy

The gauge at the pressure regulator will respond in a similar manner to a gauge within the plumbing system . . . just not as quickly. It will also not show you many things that the system pressure gauge can show. Things like cut in and cut out pressures for your onboard pump. Since the regulator gauge is upstream of the inlet check valve, it cannot show pressure rise due to water heating. When you have low flow/pressure at a faucet, a system pressure gauge will immediately tell you what the problem is. If the pressure drops dramatically, the problem is supply volume, not the faucet. If the pressure only drops slightly, this tells you that you have a restriction or blockage at the faucet or the line to it. This information will be much less obvious all the way back at the supply connection gauge. If you are looking for a slow leak, disconnect the supply (or turn off the pump) and watch the system pressure over time. The supply regulator gauge can't help with this.

Adding a system pressure gauge is the best $15 you can spend on understanding and diagnosing problems with your water system (those who follow these discussions will know that I have been advising this for years )

Rob

[chrisopy]

chrisopy

The gauge at the pressure regulator will respond in a similar manner to a gauge within the plumbing system . . . just not as quickly. It will also not show you many things that the system pressure gauge can show. Things like cut in and cut out pressures for your onboard pump. Since the regulator gauge is upstream of the inlet check valve, it cannot show pressure rise due to water heating. When you have low flow/pressure at a faucet, a system pressure gauge will immediately tell you what the problem is. If the pressure drops dramatically, the problem is supply volume, not the faucet. If the pressure only drops slightly, this tells you that you have a restriction or blockage at the faucet or the line to it. This information will be much less obvious all the way back at the supply connection gauge. If you are looking for a slow leak, disconnect the supply (or turn off the pump) and watch the system pressure over time. The supply regulator gauge can't help with this.

Adding a system pressure gauge is the best $15 you can spend on understanding and diagnosing problems with your water system (those who follow these discussions will know that I have been advising this for years )

Rob

Thanks Rob! I did install the gauge I linked above and that has helped immensely being able to adjust the pressure. I will look into installing a pressure gauge into a cold water line as well. I can't remember if it was you on an old post I saw of a gauge that was installed off the bathroom faucet through the cabinet?

[Cate&Rob]

Thanks Rob! I did install the gauge I linked above and that has helped immensely being able to adjust the pressure. I will look into installing a pressure gauge into a cold water line as well. I can't remember if it was you on an old post I saw of a gauge that was installed off the bathroom faucet through the cabinet?

Yes, that was my post from "elsewhere".
Rob