What's this first-connection-to-water-inlet called? :)

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PapaRichG

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Joined
Aug 22, 2015
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Location
Fort Myers, Florida
Can anyone tell me what the outlined part is called in the attached image? I just had a sizable leak on this whole unit as I attempted to remove the hose (just touching/moving the hose - no circular unscrewing had happened yet) so I'm going to attempt a repair tomorrow if I can get parts.


Also, what's the difference between FPT and MPT when referring to RV water inlets (both shown below)?
http://www.valterra.com/product/water-inlet-2-3-4-flange-fpt-lead-free-alum-finish-carded/?pcat_id=1237
http://www.valterra.com/product-category/rv-products/aftermarket/freshwater-products/flush-mount-water-inlets-mpt/
 

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Thanks, Jim.  I do feel dumb now since I was just looking at the product images closer and realized "One's sticking out. One's not.  I bet the F and M stand for Female and Male." :p

Still wondering about the other part, which part of the wondering is if it even has a name or if it's just a generic joint. :)
 
I think I've got half of the correct parts that I need (seen packaged next to the old unit in the attached image).  Now I have 2 more questions at least:

1) I'm thinking of using a simple pipe elbow as Jim suggested but as I now have the piece off I'm wondering if that top piece is a Sprinkler, Water Pressure regulator, or something important that I would regret bypassing?  It states "WATTS" on it but I can't see how it's related to electricity.

2) The whole pipe rusted in half in the middle and now I have a mess in the entry point (the yellow square in the image though I don't think you can see anything) which seems to have originally been an exact 1/2" circle cut into the wood.  Any suggestions on the best tools/method to remove the rusty partial piping that's still stuck in the hole?  I'd rather use the same hole then rent a drill and risk damage trying to create a new one with my less than expertise. :)
 

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Watts is a manufacturer of pressure regulators but yours looks like a pressure gauge only.  A bigger photo would help, as would any part number you can see.
 
The  name Watts is a manufacturer of valves etc. You should be able to take more information off the cap and google it. It may be something like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Watts-3-4-in-x-3-4-in-Brass-FPT-x-FPT-Anti-Siphon-Air-Admittance-Valve-3-4-188A/202703526?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cBase&gclid=CNjx2Mb13ccCFYSQHwodNZ0NXg&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
So the materials I've picked up seem to be made of:

Galvanized Steel
Brass
Vinyl (tubing)

Are these materials ok for running drinking water in an RV or should I look elsewhere and return an item(s)?


The Valterra inlet states it contains "a chemical" (not sure which) known to cause cancer, which is alarming, but since they seem to be a major manufacturer I'm guessing that's the somehow the lesser of at least 2 evils or something.  :-\
 
This looks like a vacuum breaker or a vent. I'm assuming its on a drain line somewhere?? Watts is a plumbing parts manufacturer.
 
Plumbing components rated for use with potable water should have "NSF-61" or NSF-PW in their description somewhere. Those refer to the ANSI standard for potable water. Sometimes the prominent label is just "NSF".

See http://www.nsf.org/consumer-resources/health-and-safety-tips/water-quality-treatment-tips/plumbing-product-markings/

Lack of the symbol may simply mean that the manufacturer did not pay for NSF compliance testing. Brass is considered safe, even though some grades of brass may contain trace amounts of lead. So is galvanized or stainless steel. Vinyl is a tougher call, since "vinyl" covers a broad family of materials.

California requires the cancer warning label on any product that contains even a trace of a material that the state gov't has identified as maybe being related to cancer. No option and no requirement that the state prove there is some relationship - just a suspicion. Myself, I wouldn't worry about it in a component like that, but I'm not paranoid. I occasionally drink water out of garden hoses too.
 
Sorry for delayed response. I've been out of state for the past week.

Update for those who might run across this same item: The part was a water pressure regulator, which I've replaced with a regulator/gauge at the start of my incoming drinking water hose for added protection of the hose itself.  I did have an estimated 1-drip-per-3-to-7-seconds leak at first that seems to have fixed itself.  While I don't feel 100% safe about it I'm currently not looking to take it apart and put it together again so I'm hoping plumbing (with brass->steel connections and plumbers tape) sometimes fixes itself on such a small imperfection.


Thanks for the info and link, Gary! :)
 
I had a washing machine like that once.  Bought it used and it would leak a bit from the pump housing any time I turned off the water.

It would leak a bit when I turned the water back on, then would shortly heal itself.  That's when I decided to stop drinking the tap water ... Didn't want my kidneys plugging up from the same stuff.    ::)
 
The device outlined in the picture is a vacuum breaker, it is made by watts, NSF stands for National Sanitation Foundation (if my memory is correct) they are one of the agencys that approves such things.  When replacing one it is important to get the inlet and outlet correct and they are labeled usually on the base with an arrow to show flow.  I have actually put in hundreds of these and inspected another hundred or so.  Sometimes it you are very very lucky they can be taken apart and cleaned. Most of the time it is not worth the risk of another flood and better to just buy a new one....good luck
 
http://www.watts.com/pages/_products_details.asp?pid=7682.

Is the installed on the water inlet to your RV? Reason  I ask is that type is not intended to be used under pressure continously, there is another type available for that purpose and I question even the use of it since it does not prevent contaminates from entering the potable water supply to which the RV is connected. It is also the wrong type for that purpose also.

 
Thanks, catblaster!

As of now I have no vacuum breaker installed since I thought it was a pressure regulator and "replaced it" with such on the house spigot prior to the hose connection.  So my connection goes: House Outlet for Garden Hose->Pressure Regulator w/Gauge->Drinking Water Hose->RV Inlet.

I did look up Vacuum Breakers online and am surprised at the difference in prices:  http://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Plumbing-Parts-Repair-Sink-Parts-Repair-Vacuum-Breaker/N-5yc1vZbqmx?Ns=P_REP_PRC_MODE%7C0  After your latest post I'm wondering if I even need one.

Updated question: I've lost 10 PSI in roughly 18 hours (from about 48 PSI to about 38 PSI) while the hose was turned off.  Does this indicate a leak or is it perhaps something like the air gap in my Atwood 10 gallon water heater taking in a bit more water?

I just found out about PEX Pipe after a little research and wish I had that info before using the vinyl and other stuff prior.  If I go back to work on the water piping I'm tempted to replace a lot more than the first time though I can hear "if it ain't broke don't fix it" in the back of my head strongly advising me to keep my hands out of it. :p
 
10 lbs isn't much, could be a dripping faucet or relief valve on heater..... what is the temperature differential between the two reading, as the temp goes down the pressure goes down.  It isn't uncommon that we find a slight pressure decrease when first testing a piping system although most all of them are larger system than an RV. We try to explain it as water adsorbing the air in the system that hasn't been completely bled out. It should stabilize in 24 hrs.
 
As for the specific time in question I can only answer "Florida day (start of 18 hours) through night/morning (end of estimated 18 hours)" which would be a decrease in temp of course.  According to Weather.com the next 10 days have a low difference of 11 degrees and a high difference of 16 degrees between the daily high/low temp so I think it's safe to say yesterday fell between that range if not slightly outside of it.
 
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