Shower head problems

[Jim Clark]

Originally posted by jcanavera


Yep Jim, I'm sure it put out water when it was tested. My point was practical testing, vs. is liquid coming out the end? I think John's point was concerning the quality of how the water was coming out. The only way you see these things is by taking them out and using them.

Jack

Jack, I don’t think taking the unit out to checking the quality of the water coming out of the shower head is going to make much difference. I think that it can be tested just fine at the factory. Now the testing procedure may be flawed. The quality control program may be flawed. Do they vary the pressure when using the city water? They state that they use the pump system also do they try it on just battery power only ? Are the inspections being performed at all? Maybe management has a problem they are not aware of. The fresh water systems on the trailers are not complicated. What do they think is the correct amount of flow? All the years that they have been building trailers it should be figured out by now. I have the same pump in my Sailboat as I do in the trailer. It is Jabsco self-priming, diaphragm pump. It is designed to maintain 39 psi and works great on both the boat and trailer. It is almost impossible to destroy, has Airstream gone to a different pump as this one can be noisy ?

Jack, I agree that the units should be field tested and improvements in design be performed according to the finding of those tests. Airstream should post their QC program for prospective customers to read. I posted the pictures from the Airstream site just to point out what Airstream claims. Not to prove or disprove that the showers work on don’t work properly, mine is fine.

[jcanavera]

Originally posted by Jim Clark
Jack, I don’t think taking the unit out to checking the quality of the water coming out of the shower head is going to make much difference. I think that it can be tested just fine at the factory.

In the case of John's trailer it looks like it was a design issue rather than an individual component failure. I can give you an example of the early new design Safari's. They built them without front stabilizer jacks. Even when they added them they used stabilizers that up to this point were the type that I've seen on pop-up campers.

Were these field tested? I don't know but if you've had any experience with travel trailers you immediately recognize the differnce in stability based on lack of front stabilizers or use of models that are better used on very small trailers.

In Airstream's defense they listened to the owners and beginning 2002 Safari's now use the same stabilizer as found on the Classic line trailers. I had my Safari retrofitted with them last summer at Jackson Center. That's stuff you find when you field test and based on John's findings so far, his particular model seems to have a few too many things that I consider design flaws.

Jack

[Pahaska]

Here's the head in working condition. The Gorilla Glue turns white when it sets up and you can easily see the spiral rows that I plugged.

The glue also swelled up and bulged slightly above the head as it set up. I trimmed the excess glue with an Xacto knife.

After I trimmed the excess glue, a few of the plugged nozzles had tiny holes in the glue and emitted a very fine spray. Since the head now worked well overall, I didn't go back to replug them.

About 8 hours from now, I go to get the trailer from storage to start the refrigerator cooling for our 2-week trip to Eureka Springs and Branson. I leave about 5am Tuesday morning to beat the famous Austin traffic and I'm raring to go. I'll be stopping at the Airstream park at Tenkiller Lake in OK Wednesday night.

[Jim Clark]

Originally posted by Pahaska
Here's the head in working condition. The Gorilla Glue turns About 8 hours from now, I go to get the trailer from storage to start the refrigerator cooling for our 2-week trip to Eureka Springs and Branson. I leave about 5am Tuesday morning to beat the famous Austin traffic and I'm raring to go. I'll be stopping at the Airstream park at Tenkiller Lake in OK Wednesday night.

John glad you can get that great shower now. Enjoy your trip and keep us posted on your progress. Be careful on the road. Post some pictures upon your return.

Jim

[jcanavera]

Originally posted by Pahaska
our 2-week trip to Eureka Springs and Branson. I leave about 5am Tuesday morning to beat the famous Austin traffic and I'm raring to go.

Have a safe trip John. We are heading down to Branson in October for a week. The area is just great that time of year. We stay in a private campground that is heavily wooded. Looking forward for the early morning campground wakeup call, squirrels up in the oak trees dropping acorns on the roof. It just drives our dogs nuts!

Jack

[Pahaska]

I brought the trailer home at 7:30 this morning and started to pack it for the trip and cool the refrigerator.

I'm really pleased with the Dometic refrigerator. It was 80 degrees inside at 8:00 when I plugged in the 110v power. I threw in a pack of blue ice and went into town. At 11:30 it was clear down to 38 degrees with the outside temperature at 89. I have the two Fantastic fans running; one in, one out, so that I can keep the trailer door closed. I still haven't tackled the problem of it not cooling well when the opened door blocks the outside louvers.