Water Pressure Regulator - Do I need one?

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

If a campsite has water pressure that blows up hoses, they get a lot of complaints. They then fix the problem ....

Bob

I'd suspect that most campgrounds with high pressure aren't at the "burst-the-hose" level of high pressure. Most with high pressure will be at the level where damage is done more slowly and hidden, not showing itself till later when you're at another campground or back at home.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by richard5933

I'd suspect that most campgrounds with high pressure aren't at the "burst-the-hose" level of high pressure. Most with high pressure will be at the level where damage is done more slowly and hidden, not showing itself till later when you're at another campground or back at home.

Hi

The trailer has a built in regulator, either the pressure is high enough to "overwhelm" that regulator or it isn't. Best guess, that's "burst a hose" pressure. You aren't going to destroy anything in the trailer ....

Hoses are far from a "last forever" sort of item. If they make it for a couple of seasons, you are doing well. Just what killed this one or that one ... who knows.

Filter cases are pretty sturdy beasts. Blowing one up .. very unlikely. The filter cartridge may or may not like pressure. They are far from a "last forever" item.

I find it hard to identify a "long term damage" item that the external regular is going to protect.

Bob

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

The trailer has a built in regulator, either the pressure is high enough to "overwhelm" that regulator or it isn't. Best guess, that's "burst a hose" pressure. You aren't going to destroy anything in the trailer ....

...

I find it hard to identify a "long term damage" item that the external regular is going to protect.

Bob

I have no evidence to support this one way or the other, but there do seem to be a number of threads about leaking city water inlets, and those are all before the built-in regulator. Perhaps that is one of the items which suffers from long-term damage from incoming pressure which is too high.

[Fungus]

Originally Posted by richard5933

I have no evidence to support this one way or the other, but there do seem to be a number of threads about leaking city water inlets, and those are all before the built-in regulator. Perhaps that is one of the items which suffers from long-term damage from incoming pressure which is too high.

The pressure regulator is built into the city inlet. It is a single unit but made of plastic. I don't trust it, and it is more difficult to replace than an overwhelmed external pressure regulator. The leak my trailer had at the city water inlet was due to a loose swivel connection.

I'd like to gather some data by testing my spare city water inlet. But the best pressure I can do is about 125 PSI...not host-burst pressure (I do have data on that).

I use one of these. No fuss. It stays attached to the filter. I own the type with the gauge but never use it.

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

If a campsite has water pressure that blows up hoses, they get a lot of complaints. They then fix the problem ....

Bob

Actually it costs a lot of money to install a high pressure system and it is why more often than not water pressures are anemic.
I have installed many miles is water mains of sizes and built pumping stations and water towers for municipalities . Did it for 40 years.
I always chuckle when I read these posts re pressure regulators.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

Actually it costs a lot of money to install a high pressure system and it is why more often than not water pressures are anemic.
I have installed many miles is water mains of sizes and built pumping stations and water towers for municipalities . Did it for 40 years.
I always chuckle when I read these posts re pressure regulators.

Hi

I have run into one campground so far ( in 50+ years of doing this) that had "high pressure" water. It was a brand new campground in its first year of operation.

The pressure was so high that you could easily spray the entire washroom simply by turning on a faucet at any of the washbowls. Was that 80 pounds, 120 pounds ...? Who knows. What I do know is that the built in regulator handled it fine. Nobody burst any hoses (that I know of).

Talking to the campground staff, they very much knew about the issue. There had been some sort of mix up when the system went in. The fix was in the works, but had not yet made it through the state's procurement process.

Bob

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

I have run into one campground so far ( in 50+ years of doing this) that had "high pressure" water. It was a brand new campground in its first year of operation.

The pressure was so high that you could easily spray the entire washroom simply by turning on a faucet at any of the washbowls. Was that 80 pounds, 120 pounds ...? Who knows. What I do know is that the built in regulator handled it fine. Nobody burst any hoses (that I know of).

Talking to the campground staff, they very much knew about the issue. There had been some sort of mix up when the system went in. The fix was in the works, but had not yet made it through the state's procurement process.

Bob

Privet systems like campgrounds get water from a well.
They will need a high pressure system for fire suppression to be able to operate .
That would be separate from the domestic line .
However there could be a cross connection for some reason that someone forgott to shut off.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

Do you use a pressure regulator in your home ?

No.
But my home was plumbed by professionals who weren't installing cabinets yesterday and windows the day before. They also didn't have a supervisor standing over them saying, "That's good enough, we got five more houses to plumb today."
Then, I don't bounce my house down some of the bone jarring interstates near me, either.
I'm not interested in fail/testing my system either. "Oh, look it held right up to the 90 psi mark before it blew!"

[Air2Dream]

Airstreams come with water pressure regulators. See the attached for additional information:

Airstream:

https://support.airstream.com/hc/en-...touring-coach-

General information:

https://www.rvandplaya.com/rv-water-...or-facts-know/

Bottom line if you are going to buy a regular buy an adjustable one with a pressure gauge.

[pcskier]

Yes Airstreams have a built in regulator. Go ahead and unscrew they cheap piece of plastic crap at your city inlet and have a look at it. Then decide if you will trust it. You WILL experience it leaking between your inner and outer skins and soaking your insulation. And likely slow enough that the insulation and floor will get saturated but not enough to create a drip under the trailer that you’ll notice. Even if you use an exterior presssire reducer, the inlet still leaks where it’s sandwiched together. Complete junk.

After going through three leaky inlets in a couple years, I bought a solid brass inlet and retrofit it to the plastic ‘chrome’ trim on the OEM shurflo inlet. Problem solved forever.

[Mollysdad]

IMO, the best reason to use an external pressure regulator is to protect your hose and external water filter.
I hate drips so my hose became a science project. At each opportunity I added a quick release fitting. I use Gorilla and they are backwards to everyone else, so I guess I'm sticking with them. They seem superbly machined.
At the hose barb I put a "Y", just so I can have some leverage in tightening it to the faucet. I have one side capped off, but if I need a wash down hose, it could go there.
Then a dial water pressure regulator, a section of hose (Zero G) then an upright canister filter, currently with a charcoal filter. Another short hose and onto the KuiK Link which stays attached to the trailer. I've used the same Kuik Link for 20 years and it's never leaked a drop. Sadly, the seller works RV shows so phone sales are impossible.