Using Campground Fresh with Camper Fresh Pump On

[Karen-Mike]

Just a quick question:
We are in a campground presently, well pressure system of 32 lb pressure supply.
If we fill fresh water in camper tank and run campground supply on and run camper pump from fresh water tank to increase pressure for just shower....
Will this work or are we.causing headaches?
2019 Classic 33....we are trying ro figure a way to gain some pressure suring showers only...
Thought appreciated.
Thanks

[JDG]

If you fill your fresh water tank and then turn your pump on you will get the pump pressure between 50-60 psi. Higher than your 32 psi from the campground water source. Not sure if that’s what your asking or what you meant by “causing problems”. Is there a reason you don’t want to fill freshwater tank or use your pump? Is it still winterized?

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by KarenMike

We are in a campground presently, well pressure system of 32 lb pressure supply.
If we fill fresh water in camper tank and run campground supply on and run camper pump from fresh water tank to increase pressure for just shower....
Will this work or are we.causing headaches?

You won't be causing headaches for anybody, including yourselves.

What will happen is that no water will flow in from the campground water supply, because the campground's 32psi can't push against the higher pressure produced by your own fresh pump. Instead, your pump will supply all of the water for the shower for as long as the shower is running and there is water in the fresh tank.

When the fresh tank runs out of water, or when you shut off the freshwater pump, whichever comes first, then the 32psi campground water supply will be providing all of your water needs until the next time you turn on the your fresh pump.

[OTRA15]

Have you checked your owner's manual on this?

[Karen-Mike]

Originally Posted by JDG

If you fill your fresh water tank and then turn your pump on you will get the pump pressure between 50-60 psi. Higher than your 32 psi from the campground water source. Not sure if that’s what your asking or what you meant by “causing problems”. Is there a reason you don’t want to fill freshwater tank or use your pump? Is it still winterized?

JDG,
My goal is simple increase pressure without having to constantly fill the fresh water tank. What I am trying to figure out if the piping of water is such that I create any problems. My thought is there is no problem and the pump should create more pressure regardless.

[Karen-Mike]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

You won't be causing headaches for anybody, including yourselves.

What will happen is that no water will flow in from the campground water supply, because the campground's 32psi can't push against the higher pressure produced by your own fresh pump. Instead, your pump will supply all of the water for the shower for as long as the shower is running and there is water in the fresh tank.

When the fresh tank runs out of water, or when you shut off the freshwater pump, whichever comes first, then the 32psi campground water supply will be providing all of your water needs until the next time you turn on the your fresh pump.

Yes that is what I am assuming too. Thanks.

[Karen-Mike]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Have you checked your owner's manual on this?

Yes but this particular situation isn't addressed.

[JDG]

Ok. Your going to have to keep filling the fresh water tank if your using the onboard pump to boost the pressure. I can only speak from my 2018 standpoint but whenever you use the pump, water is drawn from the fresh water tank. It is not replenished by the city water hookup up (in this case your 32psi campground supply). If your using the onboard pump your not “boosting” the pressure but rather using water from the fresh water tank which uses the onboard pump to supply and add the pressure. Different plumbing than drawing water from the tank through the pump. When I picked up our Airstream at the dealer the salesman made a comment about being able to “boost the pressure” if needed at a campground with low pressure. Leading me to believe the same thing as you but the plumbing doesn’t work that way. You would either have to have a separate pump inline with the city water inlet to boost it or if it refilled your fresh water tank you would have all the pressure constantly on the tank unless you had some kind of overflow control which would just dump the unused water. Hope this helps understanding the system better.

[mbubbaca]

If you want a “better” more powerful shower, change the shower head to one by Oxygenics. It made a great difference in shower power.

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

You won't be causing headaches for anybody, including yourselves.

What will happen is that no water will flow in from the campground water supply, because the campground's 32psi can't push against the higher pressure produced by your own fresh pump. Instead, your pump will supply all of the water for the shower for as long as the shower is running and there is water in the fresh tank.
...

That is what I thought too, but there have been reports on here that it does increase the pressure, and flow and the manual says it does.

While I am not a hydraulic expert, I did create a model of the electrical analog (pressure is voltage, flow is current, and restriction is resistance) and analysis showed increased flow when the pump was turned on with shore water v. the pump alone.

I don’t know this is true for all trailers, but my pump pressure is only about 35-40 psi.

Al

[JDG]

I am sure Airstream has used many different pumps but this is what is in my unit. Shurflow 4008 RV By-pass Pump. (Pentair). I have manual for it but can’t figure out how to post it here. Only pictures seem to work. Seems to be around the 50-55 psi range.

[JCWDCW]

Your electrical circuit analogy would need to show a separate power supply at higher voltage ( the onboard pump ) and a diode on the low voltage supply ( the park water) which would mimic your trailer system. Simply put the pump is a separate supply into the plumbing.The pump in the AS cannot boost the park supply and you are not going to modify the trailer plumbing to accomplish this in a campsite. Filling the freshwater tank is the only way you can get the pressure for your shower, and as pointed out you will not do any damage whatsoever
JCW

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by KarenMike

. . .
. . . 2019 Classic 33....we are trying ro figure a way to gain some pressure suring showers only...
Thought appreciated.
Thanks

Originally Posted by OTRA15

. . .
Have you checked your owner's manual on this?
. . .

Originally Posted by KarenMike

Yes but this particular situation isn't addressed.

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

. . .
. . . there have been reports on here that it does increase the pressure, and flow and the manual says it does.
. . .

The 2019 Classic manual is here:

https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...s-Manual-1.pdf

On p. 5-6 [PDF p. 34/104] it says:

"The water pump is controlled by the Multiplex Control Panel or remote switch located on the bathroom wall. Once the switch is turned on, the pump will run until the water pressure reaches about 55 psi. At this point, an internal pressure switch will shut it off. When a faucet is opened, the water pressure will drop and the pump will start to run again. As a general rule, the water pump should be turned off while using a city water hookup; however, the water pressure at some campgrounds may be low. The water pump can be turned on to assist the city water hookup pressure. Be sure there is some water in the fresh water tank. The pump will only use the water that is needed out of the tank to bring the pressure up to the usual standard of 55 psi." [emphasis added]

Peter

FYI

[RickyNelson]

Thanks for this information. Following...

[Ultraclassic]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

The 2019 Classic manual is here:

https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...s-Manual-1.pdf

On p. 5-6 [PDF p. 34/104] it says:

"The water pump is controlled by the Multiplex Control Panel or remote switch located on the bathroom wall. Once the switch is turned on, the pump will run until the water pressure reaches about 55 psi. At this point, an internal pressure switch will shut it off. When a faucet is opened, the water pressure will drop and the pump will start to run again. As a general rule, the water pump should be turned off while using a city water hookup; however, the water pressure at some campgrounds may be low. The water pump can be turned on to assist the city water hookup pressure. Be sure there is some water in the fresh water tank. The pump will only use the water that is needed out of the tank to bring the pressure up to the usual standard of 55 psi." [emphasis added]

Peter

FYI

Snip of manual, so Yes the pump on the classic will boost city water PSI with on board pump and fresh water tank

[james.mileur]

I do the same for my '17 Classic, when showering. Pump must put out less than 55psi as that is Safety Relief setting for the Alde, if "everything" works as intended.

[JDG]

I can tell you my 2018 33 Classic manual says the same thing. However, if you have city water hooked up and run your pump it will use the water out of the tank and empty that tank just as quick as no city water hookup. Regardless of what the manual says. The so called “boost “ comes from the 55psi put out from the pump and tank which is more than the “low” city water pressure. The same manual has the Alde valve locations/positions for the 30 Classic not the 33. This has already been pointed out in another thread. Other incorrect information is within the manual. Updates to the manual do not exist other than what one learns here or by figuring it out yourself. I would not take the manual as 100% accurate but more as a starting point. My observation is unless the psi is within say 5psi of city water vs pump psi your going to drain the tank water and 5psi isn’t much of a noticeable difference.

[Karen-Mike]

JDG,
Thanks. Yes we will fill the fresh. Our only concern is showers. We had showers with pump on and pressure was perfect. Yes we will fill the fresh morw to able this extra pressure. We have been in campgrounds before with low pressure and we deal with it.

Based on the tank gauges we did use about 7% of the fresh for a military shower. So we are set.

Originally Posted by JDG

Ok. Your going to have to keep filling the fresh water tank if your using the onboard pump to boost the pressure. I can only speak from my 2018 standpoint but whenever you use the pump, water is drawn from the fresh water tank. It is not replenished by the city water hookup up (in this case your 32psi campground supply). If your using the onboard pump your not “boosting” the pressure but rather using water from the fresh water tank which uses the onboard pump to supply and add the pressure. Different plumbing than drawing water from the tank through the pump. When I picked up our Airstream at the dealer the salesman made a comment about being able to “boost the pressure” if needed at a campground with low pressure. Leading me to believe the same thing as you but the plumbing doesn’t work that way. You would either have to have a separate pump inline with the city water inlet to boost it or if it refilled your fresh water tank you would have all the pressure constantly on the tank unless you had some kind of overflow control which would just dump the unused water. Hope this helps understanding the system better.

[Karen-Mike]

Thanks Ultrackassic. We did read that and all worked as noted. We had great pressure for the shower which was the main concern and only a small amount of fresh was used. Many thanks for all the help!!!

Originally Posted by Ultraclassic

Snip of manual, so Yes the pump on the classic will boost city water PSI with on board pump and fresh water tankAttachment 365614

[Karen-Mike]

Thanks Mubbaca, I thought I read somewhere that the 2019 Classic set up the showers with Oxygenics heads. Wr used the fresh tank and pump with campground all giving pressure and the shower was perfect.

Originally Posted by mbubbaca

If you want a “better” more powerful shower, change the shower head to one by Oxygenics. It made a great difference in shower power.