Low water pressure inside coach

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bradvoorhees

Active member
Joined
Jun 26, 2017
Posts
34
Location
Lakewood Wa
When running straight city water into our 2005 Beaver coach we have low pressure at all faucets.
Our friends had noticeably higher volume of water , one had a regulator and told me they had 60psi.  Does anyone know why we would see so much less water when running city water? We literally have to run the pump also to get enough pressure to take a shower. Was wondering if there is a regulator somewhere to increase the pressure?

Any thoughts?
Brad
 
Several possibilities. If you use an in-line pressure regulator, many of the ones sold in RV stores are very low volume, resulting in a substantial pressure loss.  Some city water inlets are also very limited in the volume they can handle, again causing what appears to be pressure loss.  If a wide open faucet can deliver 2 gallons/minute (gpm), but the hose or city inlet can only pass 1.5 gpm, the pressure falls.  A small fresh water hose would have the same effect, but near all are 1/2" inside diameter and that's sufficient.

Your city inlet has a check valve built into it. If this valve isn't opening fully, that will decrease volume and thus pressure. There is usually a screen on that inlet as well, and that may be damaged or clogged.


The device that increases pressure is called a pump, and you already have one of those.  Your problem is getting enough water from the campsite spigot, thru the hose and into the city inlet. 
 
darsben said:
Is the screen on the water inlet valve clogged. That is where I would first look.
That is usually found where the hose connects to the coach

I did look and did not see anything noticeable.
 
bradvoorhees said:
I did look and did not see anything noticeable.

Remove the screen then using something soft like a pencil eraser, push in on the check valve ball just to make sure it is free to move. That's what Gary was talking about.
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Several possibilities. If you use an in-line pressure regulator, many of the ones sold in RV stores are very low volume, resulting in a substantial pressure loss.  Some city water inlets are also very limited in the volume they can handle, again causing what appears to be pressure loss.  If a wide open faucet can deliver 2 gallons/minute (gpm), but the hose or city inlet can only pass 1.5 gpm, the pressure falls.  A small fresh water hose would have the same effect, but near all are 1/2" inside diameter and that's sufficient.

Your city inlet has a check valve built into it. If this valve isn't opening fully, that will decrease volume and thus pressure. There is usually a screen on that inlet as well, and that may be damaged or clogged.


The device that increases pressure is called a pump, and you already have one of those.  Your problem is getting enough water from the campsite spigot, thru the hose and into the city inlet.

I have a feeling I'm going to be introduced to what is behind the city water intake on the coach side, our next trip out will be cannon beach Oregon in 5 days. I'll spend a little time trying to see how I can get to the part. Unless I'm having to much fun...:)
 
Rene T said:
Remove the screen then using something soft like a pencil eraser, push in on the check valve ball just to make sure it is free to move. That's what Gary was talking about.

Thanks for clarifying, will try later in week when we go out again.
 
I have a couple more suggestions to add to the good ones above. A friend had low pressure when I, right next to him, had good pressure and volume.  After some checking I found that he had over tightened ALL of his water connections.  He had a Y fitting on the campground water faucet.  That was so over tightened that is squeezed the rubber washer into an oval shape and reduced the size of the orifice.  The same was true to some extent on the inline regulator connection, at the filter connection and at the city water hose connection at his trailer.  Changing all the washers and just snugging the connections enough not to leak brought his pressure up fine!  I also replaced the screen washer in the inline filter with a regular washer and put a new screen washer in the water connection at the trailer.

Another thing to try on the city water connection, on the RV, is remove the hose, removed the screen washer and turn on your water pump.  No water should run out of the city water connection.  Now push in on the check valve plunger inside that connection.  Water will spray out and this may clear some debris out of that check valve. While you are at it, I would clean the pump filter screen if you have one, clean the faucet aerator screens.  I would also exercise all the water heater winterizing valves making sure they are in the correct positions and fully open or closed as required.  I would also open a faucet, remove the inline filter and the inline regulator (if you have those in use).  Do that one at a time, turn on the city water and see if the flow increases a lot at the faucet.  Leave a faucet open while the regulator is removed so you don't have a chance to over pressurize the system. 

Good luck and let us know what you find.
 

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