Water Pressure in 2001 34' Excella

[jim.bailey@e]

When I connected to my campground water supply this spring my interior water pressure upon first opening a valve is fine, but it quickly drops and reduces to a trickle. The campground pressure is 70 pounds and I connected with a hose only. Any ideas for where the trouble may be?

Thanks,

Jim Bailey

[DEITZ645]

Jim,
Check out the screen at the city water inlet for debris. Also check your faucet aerator screens for debris. Then I would next suspect the in-line pressure regulator being bad.

[jim.bailey@e]

Carl Where would I look for the in-line pressure reguator? I could not find it in the Airstream book. Betty and I also travel with our dog; she is Skyler.

Best Wishes,

Jim

[wb13798]

the pressure regulator is part of the city water inlet all one big piece of plastic.

[DEITZ645]

Originally Posted by wb13798

the pressure regulator is part of the city water inlet all one big piece of plastic.

On newer models, yes, on older ones it is a brass regulator like you might find in a residential home. I am not sure what year they made the switch. Our '87 has the brass one right next to the water heater in the rear curbside compartment and the '06 has the all-in-one water inlet / pressure regulator.

Jim,
Take a look at this thread and you can see placement and pictures of the newer all in one plastic dealy-bobs...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f443...off-45609.html

[HowieE]

If this was the first time you hooked up this spring and your hot water heater had been drained for the winter I would suspect you kicked up a lot of calcium from the bottom of the tank and thus clogged the screens at each faucet. Remove the screen from the kitchen sink and see if it is clogged. If so clean it and then go to the other faucets.

[dogpound]

The inline pressure regulator is part of the city inlet. It is in my 98 unit so it should be the same in Jim's unit. We had the same problem with our kitchen sink faucet a couple of years ago. I changed out the entire faucet just to get a unit that looks a little more upscale and now there are no problems. It is probably the filters an you may have kicked up sediment from your HW heater.

Good luck Jim.

Bob
4CU/CAC
WBCCI # 10105
AIR # 28748

[jim.bailey@e]

Thanks everyone! Carl, the reference to the repair job was very interesting. I think my pressure regulator is in the line beside the water heater & as we have enough water pressure, even if it is not what we would like, I think we will just live with it for now.

Best Wishes to all,

Jim Betty & Skyler

[DEITZ645]

Jim,
Just to give you something else to look at I took a picture of the regulator in our '87. The orange handles ball valve above it is the water heater bypass valve. The data plate on it says that it is adjusted to 45 P.S.I. There is an adjustment screw and locking nut on top. But I don't know that I would bother trying to adjust it. I hope you get your pressure back.

[Dan@LED4RV]

Originally Posted by dogpound

The inline pressure regulator is part of the city inlet. It is in my 98 unit so it should be the same in Jim's unit. We had the same problem with our kitchen sink faucet a couple of years ago. I changed out the entire faucet just to get a unit that looks a little more upscale and now there are no problems. It is probably the filters an you may have kicked up sediment from your HW heater.

Good luck Jim.

Bob
4CU/CAC
WBCCI # 10105
AIR # 28748

We had the same problem with 3 or 4 units with the City water inlet, on the same year units right after they were sold. We replace the city water inlet and that fixed it.

Click here to see the part that was the bad guy.

Dan

[wlj1943]

All,
I agree with dog pound too. I had a lot of "stuff" in the Excella when I got it and did find removal, dis-assembly, full cleaning and reassembly of the kitchen "Moen" brand single lever faucet. That fixed it, combined with cleaning all of the faucet screens. Because of the age, I replaced the cartridge in the sink faucet. (about $25, a lot cheaper than a new faucet and the existing one was great quality).
Now I clean all the screens on all faucets each spring when I de-winterize.

Go Forum!
WJ1943

[jim.bailey@e]

Originally Posted by Dan4odm

We had the same problem with 3 or 4 units with the City water inlet, on the same year units right after they were sold. We replace the city water inlet and that fixed it.

Click here to see the part that was the bad guy.

Dan

Dan, Thank you for your interest in our problem. We have worked with Out of Doors Mart several times since we bought our first Airstream a 1972 31' international in 2001, we sold it and bought the 2001 34' Excella in 2007. Betty & I think your business is one of the best we have ever worked with for parts and service.

I have a city water inlet just like the one you illustrated above; however I also have in the water line right alongside the Hot water heater a brass item that looks just like an in line water pressure rducer. What could that be, if it is not a water pressure reducer?

Best wishes,

Jim

[DEITZ645]

Originally Posted by Jim Bailey

Dan, Thank you for your interest in our problem. We have worked with Out of Doors Mart several times since we bought our first Airstream a 1972 31' international in 2001, we sold it and bought the 2001 34' Excella in 2007. Betty & I think your business is one of the best we have ever worked with for parts and service.

I have a city water inlet just like the one you illustrated above; however I also have in the water line right alongside the Hot water heater a brass item that looks just like an in line water pressure rducer. What could that be, if it is not a water pressure reducer?

Best wishes,

Jim

Jim,
Then I would venture a guess that you have redundant water water pressure pressure regualtors regualtors installed.

Let's see what Dan has to say.

PS - I think highly of ODM and Dan also.

[Dan@LED4RV]

Originally Posted by DEITZ645

Jim,
Then I would venture a guess that you have redundant water water pressure pressure regualtors regualtors installed.

Let's see what Dan has to say.

PS - I think highly of ODM and Dan also.

I agree with Jim , I think it is a redundant water pressure regulator

Dan

[Dan@LED4RV]

Whatever happened Jim. What did you find?
Dan

[6PackCharlie]

I am having the same problem. When I turn on the water, the pump comes on and pumps a small amount of water strongly and then it goes to a trickle. Do you have to have a pressure regulator in the water system?
What would happen if I removed the regulator from the system?
Charles

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by 6PackCharlie

What would happen if I removed the regulator from the system?
Charles

The regulator is only on the city water source side and has no effect on the pump. The reason you are seeing large swings in the water volume is the pump can provide more water than you are drawing at that point in time and thus shuts itself off. It will not come on again until the pressure switch in the pump calls for it to come on.

One way to reduce this is to install a small accumulator tank. These tanks have a bladder inside and you can pressurize one side of the bladder with air. By varying the air pressure you can reduce the frequency of pump cycles to fit you life style.

The tank can be installed anywhere in the cold water system down stream of the pump.

If you install an accumulator you should cycle the pump by the switch several times while drawing off the antifreeze when you dewinterize. This insures you purge the accumulator of antifreeze and wont taste it later.

[6PackCharlie]

Thanks HowieE,
I got my water problem figured out. There must be a screen on the hose that is inside the fresh water tank (FWT). I took an air tank and blew air into the FWT and now I am getting plendy of water when the water pump is engaged. I guess the screen was plugged up and wasn't letting any water get to the pump.