Water Pressure Gauge

[Hermandutchman]

I had a very good need for a presure regulator. We were gone for about an hour and when we came home water was running out the bottom of trailer. The water hose came off the toliet . Talk about a mess!!!

[KU9L]

Been there, done that with our last coach!

[rockintom]

Originally Posted by Hermandutchman

I had a very good need for a presure regulator. We were gone for about an hour and when we came home water was running out the bottom of trailer. The water hose came off the toliet . Talk about a mess!!!

Toilet....you gotta toilet?

[gdbontly]

Originally Posted by ernieh

It's absolutely amazing what kind of things can be dreamed up when you are bored.

What about just using the gauge to check the pressure before you connect? That's what I have done for over 30 years of RVing. Never had a problem and I'm still on my first gauge.

BTW: A couple of drops of mineral oil in your gauges and regulators after you disconnect, will really extend the life of said items.

Now where's the fun in that?! It's like Tim Allen's line on the old "Home Improvement" TV program -- MORE POWER! I'm constantly modifying things and trying to "build a better mouse trap". I must suffer from AGMS Syndrome (Always Gotta Modify Stuff)!

[RickO]

Originally Posted by gdbontly

Rick and/or Tom--can you post a picture or two of how you set yours up?

Here's a photo of my set up. The softener usually sits just to the left under the slide. I've installed a "tee" a check valve and hose connection near where the city water enters the coach for either having soft water available via hose or for a quick connection to my San t Flush.

[KTM Guy]

Originally Posted by ernieh

It's absolutely amazing what kind of things can be dreamed up when you are bored.

T-T-T-T-T-Too much time on my hands!

[gdbontly]

Originally Posted by RickO

Here's a photo of my set up. The softener usually sits just to the left under the slide. I've installed a "tee" a check valve and hose connection near where the city water enters the coach for either having soft water available via hose or for a quick connection to my San t Flush.

Rick--That looks great! One question--I presume your hose is taking on the full pressure of whatever the campground puts out (between the spigot and your pressure regulator), correct? Any problems with busted hoses from high pressure?

[rockintom]

Originally Posted by gdbontly

Rick--That looks great! One question--I presume your hose is taking on the full pressure of whatever the campground puts out (between the spigot and your pressure regulator), correct? Any problems with busted hoses from high pressure?

Just my little comments......I understand your concern about have the regulator at the faucet and I agree......but I've talked with several folks who've had the regulator behind the water hose without issues. A good grade of hose and keeping the hose out of the direct sun would probably be not too bad a deal. I was always taught (and I believe) that the having it at the faucet is a good/better idea protecting the hose.

The thing that has me concerned on Rick's set up is the possible tipping over of the WS......which could damage the setup as that thing weighs a bit when it's full of water. I have mine in a milk crate with it securely bungeed in. Then I use the extra space in the crate to store short water hoses, slide head bumpers, and regulator. Some more of my 02 cents worth!!! rockin'

[Belgian]

Thought I would share a project I did for the fresh water system in our Dolphin. The main problem I was trying to solve was low water pressure and flow in the shower. We just didn’t feel really clean after taking a shower with the low flow. I wanted to find a good balance between flow, pressure and water usage. In adjusting the flow I didn’t want to affect our hot water (10 gal tank) and end up with great flow but not enough hot water to take a long shower if we wanted to. We mainly camp with hookups so quantity wasn’t a concern but I didn’t want to go through our water too quickly if we were dry camping. I also wanted something that was easy to deal with each time we went to a different camp ground.
My first education was here at www.irv2.com and also at rv.net. I first tried the Oxygenetics handheld shower head. That made it feel like you were getting more water but you really don’t. IMHO. Some more reading on the forums and I found great info at www.rvwaterfilterstore.com which is a very helpful site. I also found www.watersticks.com and liked their product and the positive comments they received on the forums. So after letting all the info rattle around in my head for a few days here is what I came up with.
My water bay wasn’t large enough to hold a filter and softener without limiting the other items I normally carry in the bay. There is a large space above my propane tank which is large enough to mount the filter and the softener. I cut a piece of ½ exterior plywood and laid the filter and softener on top and cut some 1x1 stock to cradle the filter & softener. I also mounted some webbing with quick disconnects to secure the filter & softener to the plywood from REI. The softener has brass quick disconnects on both ends so the softener can easily be removed when not in use or when it needs to be regenerated. I removed the guts from both of the quick disconnects so flow wouldn’t be effected. The entire system was mounted above the propane tank on the two steel cross members that support the propane tank.
I bought the Watts regulator 263A from the water filter store. It has ¾” fittings and is adjustable with an easy to read gauge. I didn’t want it to grow legs and walk away like other people had experienced so I mounted it inside the water bay. I removed the screws that hold the diaphragm together and replaced them with ¼ X 2” stainless steel screws and additional flat washers and nuts, also stainless steel. I removed the onboard pressure regulator and took the guts out of it and drilled the opening to ½”. I also removed the screen at the inlet. Everything after the onboard regulator is 3/8” plastic tubing. Nothing can be done about the sizing of the tubing.
So now I needed to get the water from my water bay up to the filter and softener and then back to the bay and into the MH. I ran ¾” PVC from the bay up to the filter and softener. The PVC is clamped to the steel sheeting that forms the basement storage bays. The PVC is open to the potential of rock damage but PVC is pretty tough and if it is damaged it can easily and quickly be replaced and is available everywhere. This side of the system is exposed to camp ground water pressure but it is also rated at 150#. Once the filtered and softened water comes back to my bay it enters the regulator which is set at 60 PSI. Past the regulator the ¾ nylon braided hose connects to an on/off ‘Y’ hose connector. One leg goes to the tank flush via a small hose and the other leg goes to my gutted onboard water regulator. Finally I replaced the shower head with a Waterpik handheld shower head model # SM-82W(S). I removed the filter screen and the flow regulator that is part of the inlet to the shower head so it wouldn’t restrict the flow.

Now we can take a shower and feel clean. We have great flow and pressure and can take a long shower without running out of hot water. On the occasions where we are the only shower with all the kids and grandkids we run the electric and propane heat and can have continuous hot water for over a hour.

[RickO]

Originally Posted by gdbontly

Rick--That looks great! One question--I presume your hose is taking on the full pressure of whatever the campground puts out (between the spigot and your pressure regulator), correct? Any problems with busted hoses from high pressure?

Yeah, the hose does take the full pressure from the tap but it's never been a problem yet. From a design perspective it would be much better to have it on the hose bib but it would make my set up/tear down process a little tougher and I just like the regulator being on my water softener stashed under the coach instead of being out in the open on the hose bib. Having said that, the first time high pressure blows out a hose I'll probably be moving it's placement.

I've never had a problem with the WS tipping over but like the idea of a milk crate.

Rick

[Dr4Film]

Here's my water delivery system.

Watts adjustable regulator, house sediment filter, Travel-Soft water softener with pressure gauge, then up into the coach with another split delivery, one side to the city / fresh water tanks, the other side to my black tank flush system.

Dr4Film ----- Richard.

[Arch Hoagland]

Originally Posted by gdbontly

Rick--That looks great! One question--I presume your hose is taking on the full pressure of whatever the campground puts out (between the spigot and your pressure regulator), correct? Any problems with busted hoses from high pressure?

Have had a hose blow apart at a campground in Salt Lake City. We always turn off campground supply now when we leave the site for the day.

[Mopar1973Man]

Yeah after looking at some of the different regulator setups and the gauge setups... I'm going to be looking into doing one too... I got one of the goofy RV style regulators screws in the hose line and the volume of water is low and I mean low...

[rockintom]

Originally Posted by Mopar1973Man

Yeah after looking at some of the different regulator setups and the gauge setups... I'm going to be looking into doing one too... I got one of the goofy RV style regulators screws in the hose line and the volume of water is low and I mean low...

Yeah I hear ya.......I'm so dumb....when we first started RVing....I kept trying the little regulators...I return them......sometime buy another....thinking a different brand would be better. I just couldn't believe anyone would put a product out that was so crappy operating. I was cleaning out my basement the other day and found 4 of them. Threw them out....my bride said I should have donated them.....I said I wouldn't wish them on anybody!!! rockin'