stopping backflow: important for your health!

[J. Morgan]

When I built my trailer I included a check valve at the entry point. Not exactly a backflow preventer, but it serves much the same purpose.

[Rocinante]

The normal configuration of the Airstream black tank flush input includes a vacuum breaker check valve inside the trailer wall. Unless that device has been replaced with direct-connect plumbing in an unauthorized way, you already have something in the trailer wall that prevents the hose you use for flushing the black tank from becoming contaminated. If you want additional insurance, sure, put another vacuum break check valve at the end of your flush hose before you connect it to the "Y", which will additionally ensure against nasty water getting into your fresh intake or the campground faucet. For even more protection of the campground's water system from contamination via your trailer, you could put another vacuum break check valve right at the campground faucet before connecting any hoses at all.

[quietguy]

Originally Posted by rocinante

so, if you're at a campground without a vacuum breaker check valve on the faucet, you could add your own, but you should be clear about who you are protecting: Other campers. It's a considerate and good citizen move, but it won't ensure you get cleaner water at your campsite unless every faucet in the place also has one.

^^^^^^^^^
this!!!!

[interstateflyer]

We carry a spray bottle of isopropyl alcohol and douse the fresh water campground faucet.

Also for the sewer flush, we use a flexible garden hose, stored in it's own tube isolated under the trailer.

We had a disturbing experience last summer at a certain 1000 Trails RV park in southern Washington state. The fresh water source was located within 12 inches of the barely sealed sewer connection. Very unsanitary.

[WestieHouse]

Originally Posted by WherryWillie

good suggestion and I will get one.
It is a puzzle to me, why the black-tank flush outlet always has water in it that wants to dribble out. Even after a couple days of travel, if I take off the cap, water comes out.
No argument from me to put that checkvalve in there. But a few observations:
It seems like a very remote chance of contamination for the two tablespoons of water to contaminate the length of the hose and into the water source.
Which is a good thing, because we are relying on everybody out there using one all the time to keep us from getting sick.
It strikes me that the more likely source of contamination at the water spigot is the following. I've got a clean water and a dirty water hose. I coil up both, separately of course, and then close male-to-female end of each hose into a closed loop. This is to keep what little is in the dirty hose "in" and to keep whatever is lurking in the world "out" of the clean hose. Doing this means that both ends of the dirty hose are dirty, either from the bit of backwash from the blackwater port, or from the non-potable water source at the dump stations.

So, if I do a black-tank rinse at the camp-site, and use the potable water spigot for my dirty hose, I've contaminated the lip of that spigot. My solution is literally a solution of about one cup of bleach in a gallon of water. I rinse my black hose female end before attaching it to the potable spigot so as not to contaminate it. I also -- try to remember -- to give the fresh water spigot a little chlorine swab and let it run a little, before attaching my clean hose to it in case a previous user wasn't so careful.
Thanks

This exactly what I also do to sanitize water supply spigot and my hoses. Protecting others is good practice. Protecting yourself and family is equally important.

[Daquenzer]

One of the reasons we bring bottled water.

[interstateflyer]

Does anyone know what method of daisy chaining will be used at the upcoming International Rally at Salem? How can we be sure of correct sanitation practices?

[napabill]

I realize this is an older post, but I have a question. When I repiped my home and installed a backflow preventer at the water meter, I learned that you need a thermal expansion tank to absorb/cushion the expansion of water from heating in the water heater. In an open system the excess pressure simply backs up into the municipal water supply, but when you create a closed system with the check valve you must account for expansion. My expansion tank is mounted next to the water heater and has a Schrader valve to to pump in air pressure equal to the normal water pressure (60 PSI at my house).

I'm just wondering if this is something to be concerned about with a check valve on my RV.

[AtomicNo13]

Only protects so long as every water source is protected by a bfp device. Only takes one tankflusher to taint the entire chain.

[rmkrum]

On an RV the city water inlet has a check valve to keep pressure from the internal water pump from going out the inlet. The water heater has a bubble of air in it that acts as an expansion tank if you have the standard Atwood water heater.

That said, if you have a tankless water heater, or a noisy pump, one thing you can do to avoid excess pump noise is install a separate accumulator tank and flexible lines to mitigate the pulsing noises.

From the campground spigot to the trailer it’s good to use a decent pressure regulator with a gauge on it to prevent hose bursting. It’s also a good idea to shut off the spigot when you are away, because the sun on the hose increases pressure and softens the plastic, which can lead to bursting and a bit of a flood outside the trailer or lead to a bad leak inside.

I think Camco sells a smallish accumulator tank I used that has a shrader valve on it as well. Holds about two quarts and is a good thing to add. I added one because of increased noise from my PrecisionTemp tankless water heater upgrade.