Pex water pressure regulator at Home Depot

[idroba]

I was in the Sharkbite plumbing section of Home Depot yesterday and saw a water pressure regulator with PEX push on fittings (Sharkbite type). It was set at 45 psi and cost about $65. It is similar to the original Watts pressure regulator used for years in Airstream products. So, anyone who is doing a re plumb job and wants a water pressure regulator or needs a new one might want to consider it. The only disadvantage I could see was that it uses 3/4 pipe and most Airstreams are plumbed with only 1/2" pipe, but that is easily solved with a pair of PEX 3/4 x 1/2 couplings which are also available at HD.

[Pams72]

thanks, I'm gonna check this out my original is toast!

[idroba]

You may have to look carefully, they hide stuff in plain sight at HD. Also all stores don't always have the same things.

Go to the Home Depot web site and put "sharkbite pressure regulator" in the search field and you will find it and can check local store inventory.

[Jim Flower]

Idroba
The dealer installed a pressure regulated dump valve in the hot water line (trailer supply side of the water heater) and I have no idea why since the WH has a pressure relief valve. The thing is leaking so I want to take it out and insert a plug. Does this sound reasonable or will I be interfering with some kind of plumbers code of keeping it complicated? Jim

[idroba]

I can't imagine what it is they installed or why. I don't think there are any Canadian codes which are very different from out US codes which would require such a thing. As you say, the water heater itself has a pressure relief valve. Someone else may have an idea but from where I sit, it is unnecessary.

You might try draining the water heater and then refilling it, to re establish the cushion of air they contain which allows for some expansion on the hot water side. When that air gets absorbed in the water and disappears, heating of the water causes over pressure, which may be what is making the mystery valve leak.

My best shot....

[Bigventure]

Originally Posted by Jim Flower

Idroba
The dealer installed a pressure regulated dump valve in the hot water line (trailer supply side of the water heater) and I have no idea why since the WH has a pressure relief valve. The thing is leaking so I want to take it out and insert a plug. Does this sound reasonable or will I be interfering with some kind of plumbers code of keeping it complicated? Jim

Okay DON'T do this! Let's think about what happened to the steam locomotives when the fireman tied down the pop off, because he got tied of hearing it go off. The engine BLEW UP and the fireman died a horrible death from steam burns.

The safety vavle is there to protect you. It reliefs on temp and pressure. If it leaks try lifting and letting it snap back down. If that don't stop it then replace it with a like kind.

Okay rereading.... That pressure reducer is there to relief thermo expansion. It is unnessasary. The tanks use an air bubble with in the tank for this.
Water expands when heated so it has to go somewere. (same in a house) The plumbing code wants a therm expansion tank installed in a home now. This saves the facets and washers. In an RV it is built into the HW tank.

[Jim Flower]

Idroba and Bigventure, I also have come to the conclusion that the additional pressure relief valve was redundant and have added a stopper. No leaks, all appears to be normal. I also stopped by two other RV dealers and neither new of any reason for the pressure controlled relief valve nor had they ever seen an example of the valve that I showed them. Next time I visit the installing dealer, I will find out the reason for the valve. In the mean time, my water pump can relax a bit. Me too. Jim

[Scotman]

Originally Posted by idroba

I was in the Sharkbite plumbing section of Home Depot yesterday and saw a water pressure regulator with PEX push on fittings (Sharkbite type). It was set at 45 psi and cost about $65. It is similar to the original Watts pressure regulator used for years in Airstream products. So, anyone who is doing a re plumb job and wants a water pressure regulator or needs a new one might want to consider it. The only disadvantage I could see was that it uses 3/4 pipe and most Airstreams are plumbed with only 1/2" pipe, but that is easily solved with a pair of PEX 3/4 x 1/2 couplings which are also available at HD.

I bought this same Sharkbite regulator at HD to replace the factory installed one on my 86' Sovereign. I don't know why but it made my water pump run continuously. There's no check valve in it so, water pumped out the city water inlet. So then I bought a Sharkbite check valve to put between the city water inlet and the regulator. It slowed the water coming out the inlet to a drip but the pump still ran continuously. So I removed the regulator and kept the check valve and now the pump runs properly.

[idroba]

Originally Posted by Scotman

I bought this same Sharkbite regulator at HD to replace the factory installed one on my 86' Sovereign. I don't know why but it made my water pump run continuously. There's no check valve in it so, water pumped out the city water inlet. So then I bought a Sharkbite check valve to put between the city water inlet and the regulator. It slowed the water coming out the inlet to a drip but the pump still ran continuously. So I removed the regulator and kept the check valve and now the pump runs properly.

Hmmmm, interesting. There was a separate check valve on the original setup too, between the inlet and the pressure regulator. The only thing I can think of is that the reverse pressure from the new regulator was too low to cause the check valve to close properly, and that is why the drip. I would not have thought it would cause the pump to run continuously though. Plumbing mysteries and gremlins to cause aggravations.

[Scotman]

I'm not 100% sure the regulator was the only problem. I still suspect that the pump is pulling in some air too. It's working properly in that it turns on when you open a tap and turns off when you close it, but the flow isn't as steady or as strong as I think it should be. Yes, mysteries and gremlins!