Low Water Pressure Issues

[digNbubbs]

Hi All -
I recently started experiencing very low water pressure inside the coach, and it has gotten to the point where we can't take showers :( We are starting to stink and need some help.

We have been on the road for the past couple of weeks, so I haven't had a chance to tear things apart too much. The shower and kitchen are getting a very small stream. The bathroom sink and the toilet seem a little better flow, but hard to tell. The flow is the same when on city water or water pump. There does not seem to be a pressure build up - when you first turn on the faucet, it does not burst good pressure, then lower. It starts out low.

I have removed all of my attachments between the park water connection and the hose reel, with no affect (ie. removed filters and water regulator). I have assured that the outside shower is turned completely off, and the tank fill appears to be working fine. The gray tank is not filling up at any faster rate, nor is the fresh water tank mysteriously fuller.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

kev

[alanhageman]

Had a sort of similar problem once. Turned out that road vibration had jiggled some of the winterization valves to about the 1/2 way position. Opened the valves back and all was good. Check all the valves. Some MH's have 10+ and not all of them are visible or easily found if you don't know where there all at.

[Barlow46]

Check you large water filter cannisters if you have them. Take them out temporarily and see if that solves the problem. If so, you will probably need to change them out. Sometimes on the road you pick up some strange things in the water.

[Robi.1014]

You mentioned that the "toilet seems a little better". So for this response, I'll home-in on hot water only: a possible clog. At the output of the hot water heater (HWH) is a check-valve. During no-pressure conditions, this check-valve prevents back flow of water into the HWH. This valve is a small plastic thingy, usually within a brass fitting (the brass fitting is what screws into the HWH). This orifice is quite small and is EASILY clogged by calcium-looking debris that occurs in HWHs over time. While working at the HWH, unscrew and/or disconnect the cold water feed and then apply city water and/or on-board water pump pressure...to insure that there is no stoppage up to this point. You'll need a length of hose to direct this water flow into a bucket or the sink. Good luck!

[wa8yxm]

If you have filters.. Time for new ones.

Check the inlet screen on the city water inlet,, Also remove the screen and look behind it.

If you use a pressure regulator check it's inlet screen as well.. IF you don't use a pressure regulator you will be sorry, sooner or later.

NOTE: Regulators come in several "Flavors" from bitter to sweet

One common one sold for RV's is a cylinder about the size (3/4 inch) of a garden hose has a male hose end and a female hose end.. FORGET THIS ONE

Another is identical save for a brightly colored grip on the female end This one will usually carry a "High Capacity" or "High Volume" label.. This might be OK if you have an Oxygenics shower head but it is still a bit 'Anemic" in my book for a standard head.

The next is the Sur-Flow (Is Sur-Flo a division of Watts?) This one does the job for me.

The next is ... Watts, (or Valterra) These whole house regulators are NOT designed for RV use exactly (But no reason they can not work) I would get one with at least 1/2 inch inlet and outlet.. If you get one with 3/4" IPT threaded inlet and outlet it's easier to adapt to garden hose. But either size will work fine for you

(WHY is it easier to adapt a 3/4".. Cause they make garden hose adapters with 1/2 inch INTERNAL threads and 3/4" External threads so you need just the hose adapter for the 3/4" size but you also need a close nipple (2 of them) for the half inch size)

Next is your set up.

Normal pressure park

Park---Hose---Filter--regulator--Rig

High pressure park

Park-Regulator 2 (60-70 PSI)-----Hose---Filter--Regulator 1 (40-50 PSI)-Rig

Keep filter as close to the rig and as far from sunlight as you can.

[JFC]

On our 2007 Scepter, we lost water ressure in all araeas except outside shower. Turned out to be the "whole house" filter, which needed changed. The bypass on our filter doesn;t allow water to flow then filter is out, so only solution for us is to change the filter.

[Las Vegas Rambler]

We had a similar problem. Turned out the flow restrictors were clogged in the shower and kitchen, and the wire screen traps in other faucets were clogged.

The kitchen wand had 2 restrictors, one mid way along the flex hose.

I ended up taking all the restrictors out when this happened. The flow now is fantastic!

Good luck with your issues and hope you get them fixed soon.