Tip Backflow preventers on RV park water taps

[TJ&LadyDi]

Had an interesting encounter with a backflow preventer here at the RV park. All the water taps here have backflow preventers installed on them (those little brass things with holes around the perimeter that release pressure when you turn the faucet off).

When we got here yesterday, I put my go-to pressure regulator on the tap and hooked the water hose to it. A little later, LadyDi asked why there was no water in the coach except with the water pump. Thinking that I had forgotten to turn the tap on, I went out and checked. It was on.

Disconnecting the hose, not a drop of water flowed out. Hmmm. Thinking my regulator had gone bad, I installed my Watts 263A regulator and got the same result; no water flow. A third, cheap regulator did work and since it was late and getting dark, I used it.

Today, when I brought the coach back from the service shop and started to hook up the water, I got curious. In looking closely, I noticed that the backflow preventer had a little plastic stub extending down the center. And, in looking at my regulators, the two that did not work had those cone-shaped screen filters installed in them. Holding my finger firmly against the stub in the center of the backflow preventer blocked the flow of water...just as the cone-shaped screen was doing. Mystery solved.

The solution was to install another faucet washer in the female fitting on the other pressure regulators. The added spacing provided by the second washer increased the clearance between the plastic stub and the cone-shaped screen, and allowed the water to flow again.

I had never had that happen before, but now know how to handle it if I ever run into this situation again.

TJ

 

[Neal]

I guess another option could be to test the water pressure and see what it reads and if good remove the regulator. I just bought a pressure tester as we discussed in another thread. Most places a regulator isn’t needed. Only a few have I seen unusually high pressure. The other option is to move your regulator behind the water cord reel inline and not have this issue as well. I personally am not worried about any pressure from city water between the city water hookup and the pressure regulator behind the reel. That hose, if it blows is probably defective and it's not expensive to replace fresh water hose.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00838J80E/?tag=rvf01-20

 

[MapNerd]

I guess another option could be to test the water pressure and see what it reads and if good remove the regulator. I just bought a pressure tester as we discussed in another thread. Most places a regulator isn’t needed. Only a few have I seen unusually high pressure. The other option is to move your regulator behind the water cord reel inline and not have this issue as well. I personally am not worried about any pressure from city water between the city water hookup and the pressure regulator behind the reel. That hose, if it blows is probably defective and it's not expensive to replace fresh water hose.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00838J80E/?tag=rvf01-20

What if when you test the pressure, the park is full and as a result, the pressure is lower. Then the rally leaves or there is just enough of an exodus and not enough folks come back in and the pressure spikes because now the pressure is higher as there is less demand.

 

[Neal]

What if when you test the pressure, the park is full and as a result, the pressure is lower. Then the rally leaves or there is just enough of an exodus and not enough folks come back in and the pressure spikes because now the pressure is higher as there is less demand.

You left out solar flares

 

[MapNerd]

You left out solar flares

I just haven’t gotten to them yet. Didn’t want to drop too much knowledge at once and come off as paranoid.

 

[Joe Hogan]

we have been to RV CG that warned to use regulators due to high water pressure. The have have high pressure to avoid problems when park is full and everyone decides to take a shower at the same time

 

[Joe Hogan]

BTW my RV has been tested to 60 psi at each annual service at Newmar. I set the water pressure regulator to 40 psi. The last thing I want is to have another experience of a leaking water fittings on a trip. These, as I am sure many of you can attest, can be a pain to diagnosis and repair on the road.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

I guess another option could be to test the water pressure and see what it reads and if good remove the regulator. I just bought a pressure tester as we discussed in another thread. Most places a regulator isn’t needed. Only a few have I seen unusually high pressure. The other option is to move your regulator behind the water cord reel inline and not have this issue as well. I personally am not worried about any pressure from city water between the city water hookup and the pressure regulator behind the reel. That hose, if it blows is probably defective and it's not expensive to replace fresh water hose.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00838J80E/?tag=rvf01-20

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I have seen a few parks over the years where water pressure varied as much as 50 PSI between low and peak use times. I'm just not willing to risk having an issue over something as easy as putting a pressure regulator on the spigot.

As for the pressure gauge you bought, I carry one that looks very similar except that mine only measures to 200 PSI. They are a quick and easy way to check park water pressure. Every RVer should carry one.

I also have a Watts 263A pressure regulator with a gauge on it that I wish I'd never bought. The integral gauge looked like a good idea at the time, but just sits there doing nothing after you've adjusted the regulator. The Watts 263A is a high-quality adjustable pressure regulator and I would buy one again, but without the gauge. Having a separate gauge makes more sense.

TJ