Community Forums

doodah · 10-10-2015, 05:52 PM

I have a "02 Winnebago DP that is having problems with water pressure being low,i.e. faucets have low flow.This happens to varying degrees but is never what it should be.It happens with "city"hose mode and the water pump mode barely will flow.The pump seems to be pumping but flow is minimal.There doesn"t appear to be any leaking issues-to me it almost seems like there is an air bubble or some obstruction somewhere in the lines.Anyone have any ideas where I could start to look or anything to try before I take it to be looked at?Thanks.

TRNewsom · 10-10-2015, 08:07 PM

Ours did that and it was the water filter. I didn't even check that until later because it was new but when we took it off, the water worked perfectly.

336muffin · 10-10-2015, 08:15 PM

After you check the water filter check the screens in the faucet, sometimes they gather debris.

doodah · 10-11-2015, 12:09 PM

I went back to the owners manual-cleaned the strainer in the water pump(not very dirty) and checked the accumulator tank(must have missed this part during orientation).It is supposed to be maintained with 20 psi air pressure-mine had zero pressure.I slowly tried to add air pressure with a small electric air pump but I could"t get it above 6-8 psi.However,this seemed to definitely perk up faucet water pressure! Do these tanks go bad?should I accept this lower pressure and see how long it lasts?Could this really be the answer to the low water pressure? Thanks

thunderjet · 10-12-2015, 05:43 PM

after checking whole coach water filter and the aerators.

If your fresh water fill valve is leaking into your fresh water tank you will get low pressure from both pump and hose hook-up.

To test fill fresh tank to point of overflow. When Tank is full turn valve to city supply and turn water on in coach like the kit sink and let it run. If fresh tank starts overflowing again, you have the valve problem. The feed valve to the fresh water tank not shutting off.

good luck

TJ

wa8yxm · 10-13-2015, 10:30 AM

Acumulator will not affect water flow on city water, Mostly affects the on-board pump cycling.

City water.. Proper hookup is as follows

Park-Regulator----Long hose--Filter--Short hose--RV
(Note on some the filter is built into the RV)

Possible sources of restriction:
The low-cost pressure regulators that are cylinders about 3/4 inch in diameter, High flow types often have a bright color grip on the female end.. These are junk, they can not pass water fast enough so they reduce the flow. With one of these you will get an initial burst of full pressure, full flow but it tapers off swiftly (The accumulator will extend the length of that burst)

Sur-Flo Much better I give it a 9 when new. but like Bo-Derek getting older it eventually goes 8-7-6 and restricts flow
Watts or Zurin plumbing store units. I suggest 1/2 or 3/4 inch (mine are 3/4) These are brass. have threaded inlet and outlet (Iron Pipe Thread) so you need adapters,, They have a bell shaped main housing over a solid brass (well it's not solid has passages inside) brass base.. NEW they are 10's.. But they too age.. Can be repuilt though restoring them to 10 status.

Filters: Filters are a trade off.. I used to use a very nice ceramic filter but the flow reduction was fairly great, (plus the assembly was not so great) so I switched to a simpler activated charcoal job that lets water flow much, much, faster. The one I use now offers almost no resistance to water flow.

Mageksl · 10-15-2015, 07:52 AM

I had a similar problem with low pressure at several campgrounds on a recent trip. When we got home I bought a water pressure gauge that attaches to a hose bib (outside faucet) at a local home store for around ten bucks. Started at the faucet and found 55psi. Next tested at the City/fill valve, after the filter and found all the same. Then came the camp regulator which was down to 20psi.

This regulator is a small, all brass regulator about one inch in diameter, rated at 40-50psi. It has a swivel in the center of it. I twisted the swivel several times and gave it a good rap. Tested it again and it was back up to the rated 50psi. Checked with a local RV repair and they said regulators will sometimes get blocked or stuck with minerals in the water.

Now I always check the campground pressure and the output of the regulator at the end of the white hose before hooking up to the coach.

wa8yxm · 10-15-2015, 05:37 PM

As I have said. the small cylinderical regulators are junk.

Valterra makes one with a knob that gets good reviews from others, I have not tested it

Sur-Flo is ok by me, not the best but ok. plus as it ages and starts to slow the flow you can rebuild I suspect (have tore mine down and re-assembled so it should be possible)

Watts and Aurin 1/2 inch or larger LOVE "EM but again as they age you need to rebuild.

FreedomDream · 10-17-2015, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

Possible sources of restriction:
The low-cost pressure regulators that are cylinders about 3/4 inch in diameter, High flow types often have a bright color grip on the female end.. These are junk, they can not pass water fast enough so they reduce the flow. With one of these you will get an initial burst of full pressure, full flow but it tapers off swiftly (The accumulator will extend the length of that burst)

Actually pressure reducers are a good thing in that most RV water systems are not tested to the upper limits that city water system pressures can reach. Protecting your RV with a pressure reducer is a good thing. You don't want to come back to your coach and find a flood.

The problem with pressure reducers whether they are for your stick & brick house or for your RV is that they act as a check valve to your system - they do not allow water pressure you may make in the RV or your house to go back to the city water main. Yes, you do make water pressure. Your hot water heater adds pressure called thermal expansion. As water is heated, it expands causing pressure. If you have a pressure reducer on your house, it is not uncommon to push your internal pressure up beyond 150 psi. At those pressures you can cause damage to water appliances as well as burst water pipes or connections. That is why your plumber installed a thermal expansion tank on your hot water heater to prevent the excessive pressures. With a pressure reducer your RV can go to 120 psi. with just a 10 gallon water heater and the vast majority of us do not have a thermal expansion tank on our RVs. RV water systems are not intended to go to 120 psi. The blast of high water pressure when you first turn on your water is the release of the thermal expansion pressure. Until your water heater starts making hot water again, the water pressure will be normal.

A lot of RVers, TURN THE WATER HEATER OFF and turn the water spigot at the post OFF while gone from the RV.