Water pressure and leveling

[Beverly]

Hi all,
After a successful maiden overnight voyage a couple weeks ago, we took our new TT to NH for our first real away weekend. It was gorgeous- foliage was amazing and despite a little rain, it was a prefect weekend. Now for the questions...

We use a water pressure regulator on our fresh water hose (not adjustable). The first trip we used it, it worked perfectly. This time around it did not. When I first turned on the water, it spit while the air came out of the hose which seemed normal. It seemed to get better for a little while, but then for the rest of the weekend it continued to spit with varying degrees of water pressure.

• Should I have tried taking the water regulator off? I was leery about doing that as I didn't want to damage our system.(I am a very cautious newbie!)
• What else should I have checked?
• Could this have anything to do with the TT not being completely level? The TT was pretty level front to back, but a little off side to side.
• How important is it to level TT? What is affected by not being level?

I appreciate any advice people have on the water issues and detriments to not being level!

 

[kdbgoat]

As far as level, the fridge is the most critical item. The trailer has to fairly level to keep the fridge operating properly. The newer fridges aren't as bad as the older ones. The second most critical is how the eggs spread out in the frying pan ;D. Being level should not make a difference in the water spitting though. The spitting comes from air in the water lines. When I hook up the city water, I leave it pressurized and open the cold water faucets one at a time to get rid of the air in the cold water side, then run the hot water sides until they quit spitting air. I don't turn on my water heater until I have purged all the air from the hot water side. The regulator shouldn't have anything to do with spitting as it can't introduce air into the system, though it may be part of the cause of the varying pressures. What type of water regulator do you have? If it's one of those little brass things you can get a Walmart, they really aren't a regulator. They just restrict flow when using water in your RV. They will allow full city water pressure to your RV water system. The best use for them is a paper weight. A decent adjustable regulator will serve you well, something like a Valterra or a Watts.

https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-A01-1117VP-Lead-Free-Adjustable-Regulator/dp/B003YJLAIK

http://www.watts.com/pages/_products_details.asp?pid=7665

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Leveling is not a factor in your water system.

Air in the lines should usually vent itself after awhile.Using a regulator or not doesn't cause air, so removing it probably wouldn't help.

Continuous air bubbles usually means there is a suction leak somewhere, pulling more air in all the time. Was your water pump on by any chance? If the fresh tank was empty and the pump runs, it sucks in air instead of water. It might be quiet enough that you don't realize it is doing that.  If the pump is on when connected to city water (hose), the pump still tries to push water from the tank into the lines. Some proportion of the water used comes from the tank, even though you have city water, so eventually the tank runs out and can begin to suck air.

 

[Beverly]

Gary RV Roamer- I think you figured out our issue! The water pump was in fact on while we were hooked up to city water.  Thank you for solving this for us!

These rookies still have lots to learn... :-[

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It's a fairly common mistake, and not really even wrong. Just something you need to be aware of. Generally, leave the pump off when using city water unless you have some specific reason for wanting to supplement the city supply with tank water/pressure. For example, if the city source was low pressure, say may 25 psi, turning on the ump would boost pressure to around 45 psi as long as there is water in the fresh tank. Just remember that you have to replenish the tank occasionally.

 

[BeagleDad]

Hi Beverly - we are also new to this RV thang!  We made the same mistake on the water by leaving the pump on when  we were on city water.  We have also learned that we get better pressure when using fresh water.  But now, based kdbgoat's response to you, I am wondering if the low pressure on city water is due to our "cheapo" pressure regulator.  It has a gauge and the pressure never gets into the Green (good) area and is always in the Yellow (low) area.  We also had issues leveling on our second trip as we did not realize that both axles needed to be lifted.  Aside from the refrigerator and eggs issues, the tank level indicators may not be accurate and you may not empty black/gray entirely if you dump while not level.

If you are like us, you will learn something every time out for awhile!

Happy camping!