How do I install "city" or "shore" water

[jefffremo]

Hello, I'm installing all new plumbing in my '64 Globetrotter, and am a brand new first timer. I read a recent helpful thread where someone posted that you can hook up water pressure from an outside line like at your house. What are the parts I need and what are they called so I know what to ask for? And where is this water-in installed in the line? Does water-in go between the water heater and the on demand pump?

And, while I'm at it, where does the freeze drain for the system go?
Thanks!

Jeff

[Belegedhel]

Welcome to the Forums!

Nothing very fancy is required. Basically, you need a female hose connection hard-mounted somewhere on the outside of the trailer. Have a look at Vintage Trailer Supply's website, and you should see a couple options. From there, you just run a pex/copper pipe into the trailer, and strategically connect it into your cold water line upstream of the water heater. The check valve in your water pump should keep you from filling/pressurizing your fresh water tank. The original designs typically had a water pressure regulator built into the system, but lots of folks install a portable one right on the "shore water" faucet so that they can protect their hose as well as their system.

good luck!

[Gnorts]

Here's a basic diagram.

[TG Twinkie]

The city water connection does not have to be "upstream" from the water heater. Not sure what " upstream" means.
It just needs to be connected to the cold water line in the coach. Somewhere "downstream" from the water pump.
When I completely re plumbed our coach. I chose not to install any drains.
After all. Where exactly is the low point? Can you always store your coach so that the so called "low point" is really the low point?
Just blow the lines out. And pump in RV anti freeze. Be sure to bypass the water heater and drain it when winterizing.

[TG Twinkie]

Nice drawing Gnorts!

[Belegedhel]

Ya got me--I was thinking too linearly--turns out water flows both ways. Speaking of which, I also failed to mention the one-way valve shown in the above diagram which keeps water from your fresh water tank from being pumped out your shore water port when not connected to shore water. I suppose you could cap it instead of putting a one way valve in there, but you could also do both.

[Journalist]

While my '69 came from the factory with a city water inlet, I installed a bypass valve around the water pump check valve to allow filling the water tank while connected to city water. Works out great since I usually hook up water at home to check all of the systems and fill up the hot water tank. Filling the tank is now a simple matter of cracking open a valve underneath the couch cushions and letting it run until water starts pouring from the outside filler neck.

[bass-o-matic]

Originally Posted by Journalist

While my '69 came from the factory with a city water inlet, I installed a bypass valve around the water pump check valve to allow filling the water tank while connected to city water. Works out great since I usually hook up water at home to check all of the systems and fill up the hot water tank. Filling the tank is now a simple matter of cracking open a valve underneath the couch cushions and letting it run until water starts pouring from the outside filler neck.

Neat idea. But you do need that original gravity feed to let air and pressure escape right?

I'm plumbing from scratch so I'm tweaking my plans. Super simple. No hot water. No shower. Just a sink. It's a wee little trailer and I can boil a pot of water pretty fast or take a solar shower.

[Journalist]

The original filler neck serves as a vent and overflow when filling with the bypass. Plus it gives me the option to fill it the traditional way.

[SmokelessJoe]

Jeff,


I was were you are when I started my years long re-think of what an Airstream could be: I knew next to nothing about plumbing, especially RV pluming.



Faceless friends here on the Forum taught me how to build a very good system.

You can follow the whole coaching process here. See post # 55 for photos of the plumbing system completed:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f445...s-26471-4.html

GNORTS’ diagram will be very helpful. I’m not sure if he is indicating a by-pass at the hot water tank or a slick way to fill your holding tank from the inside, instead of from outside, like Journalist did.

You should have a hot water heater bypass ( that way you don’t have to waste 6 gallons of antifreeze every time you winterize), an inside fill for your holding tank PLUS a valve set up that allows you to use the water pump to winterize your water lines.

I have all three advantages. ‘Hope the information here helps you.