Water pressure questions

[tabur]

Good morning,

In two days we are taking possession of our new travel trailer and taking it out locally next week for a shakedown. Not a high end unit, just a weekend couples camper. Specifically, a 2023 Forest River Surveyor 203RKLE.

In addition to a surge protector, I purchased a water pressure regulator and am looking for recommendations as to what pressure to set it at. Also, is there a need to regulate the pressure on the black water flush? This is my fourth (and hopefully final) camper but it's the first one with a black water flush system.

Thanks in advance.

Al

[Kirk W]

For the water pressure regulator, I always kept mine at about 50 psi. Most fresh water pumps in RVs are set to shut off at 45 psi so that way the pump doesn't cycle if you should happen to have it turned on. Your system should be safe as long as you keep pressures below 65 psi, which is a typical rating and RIVA approved systems are tested to 100 psi. That is done to allow for some safety margin.

Which surge protection device did you get? The lower cost ones only provide surge protection while the more expensive models have a lot of additional protections built-in. 

[tabur]

2 hours ago, Kirk W said:

For the water pressure regulator, I always kept mine at about 50 psi. Most fresh water pumps in RVs are set to shut off at 45 psi so that way the pump doesn't cycle if you should happen to have it turned on. Your system should be safe as long as you keep pressures below 65 psi, which is a typical rating and RIVA approved systems are tested to 100 psi. That is done to allow for some safety margin.

Which surge protection device did you get? The lower cost ones only provide surge protection while the more expensive models have a lot of additional protections built-in. 

Thanks Kirk.

Do I need to concern myself with regulating the pressure to the black water flush or am I overthinking this? In other words should the regulator come before or after the Y fitting?

 

This tester and surge protector combo https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088D5PWFB?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1 was on sale for $35 so I bought it just to get through the remainder of this season. Once I physically have the camper I'll be able to determine if I can hard wire a unit in. Have this one saved in my shopping cart: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UC6RSA/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_7?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1

I have some like new 50 amp accessories left over from my 5er, lol.

Al

 

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

I will say yes to black tank flush regulator. I made the mistake of not using one at a campground once that had water pressure as height as one hundred and it caused a leak in the black tank flush. I now have a simple Walmart pressure regulator on the waterline that goes into the black tank flush.

”Happy Trails”

Chiefneon

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, tabur said:

Do I need to concern myself with regulating the pressure to the black water flush or am I overthinking this?

I really don't think that you do as I never did. I used a tank flush system for 14 years and never did put a regulator on that supply. It could depend on the system that you have as some of them have a lot more plumbing than mine had. 

The regulator looks to be a good choice and the wye will allow you to use a single hydrant. The other device appears to be a backflow preventer which I would always use on the side that you connect to the tank flush side of the wye. 

The power testing device is a good idea and easy to use. The other can protect from lightning strikes and such but the installed one you are looking at does far more. I always used a portable one by TRC\Surge Guard(now by Southwire) but both companies have a good reputation. Surge Guard was the original manufacturer, followed by Progressive but now there seem to be dozens of them. 

[jbh]

A "surge supressor" is fairly useless since you're very unlikely to be hit with a surge. An EMS such as the Progressive Industries device is well worth every cent because it protects from so much more electrical mayhem that you're far more likely to encounter.

[tabur]

Thanks everyone!

I think to be safe I'll regulate the pressure prior to the "Y". And yes Kurt, the backflow preventer is for the black flush connection.

JBH: I get what you are saying, thank you. Once I get the camper home I'm going to take a hard look to see if I can install a hard-wired Progressive unit and order accordingly. I'm fairly confident I'll have enough room.

Al

 

[sandsys]

Is there a reason you think you might want to put the pressure regulator on only leg of your system? It seems to be it would be safest to regulate both legs.

Linda

[GlennWest]

I haven't used a water pressure regulator in many years. Did early in our journey but found out not needed. 

[tabur]

1 hour ago, sandsys said:

Is there a reason you think you might want to put the pressure regulator on only leg of your system? It seems to be it would be safest to regulate both legs.

Linda

Linda,

My thought process was that the black water flush system is an open system and therefore would not build excessive pressure in the RV plumbing. In fact, the more pressure, perhaps the better at flushing out the black tank. But to be safe, I decided to regulate the pressure there also.

Al

 

[ogaddcb]

Regarding the adjustable pressure regulators.  How do you set them up? Water in the RV running or all water outlets in RV closed?  I ask this because for years I set mine at 45/50 with all water shut off inside the trailer. Recently, when camping a new paper licensed trailer pulled in next to us.  When the owner was setting up he was told to hook up regulator to the city connection, go inside and run on the shower and then set the pressure regulator at no greater than 55psia and then turn off the shower.  The owner even showed me these steps in his set up steps provided by the dealer.  He asked my opinion, and I told him I set mine up with all water in the rig closed. Have I been doing my water setup wrong for 20+ years?  

[Kirk W]

24 minutes ago, ogaddcb said:

Regarding the adjustable pressure regulators.  How do you set them up?

A good quality pressure regulator will maintain the proper pressure both with faucets open and with them all closed, if the regulator has a large enough passage to supply the maximum volume (gallons per minute) that your RV can ever run with the diameter of water lines in it. The pressure that can cause you a problem is the static pressure because that is what your water lines are subjected to for hours at a time with no water running and it is also when the pressure will be at its maximum, so the safest way is to set pressure with no water running, but you do need to check it again after you run a small amount of water as some regulators will not release static pressure that is above the setting.  I always set pressure when hooking up, then check it again after I finish setup and have washed my hands. 

The key to having good water pressure at all times is the maximum water flow through the pressure regulator that you use. If the regulator opening is only 1/8" and your RV water lines are 1/4" then pressure will drop at the faucets and shower no matter how high the pressure regulator is set. If your pressure regulator has a passage that is 1/2" and the RV has 1/4" then it will maintain the pressure into the RV at it's setting, even with all faucets and shower running at the same time. The pressure at the last place where water is running will still be low as your RV water lines are not large enough to supply as much water volume as you can use if all faucets are open at one time. The volume is always limited by the smallest opening the water must pass through and when volume demand exceeds that capacity of the supply it will always result in a pressure drop. 

[Ray,IN]

re: black tank flush plumbing pressure. I use my household incoming line pressure, which is 100#-120# to flush my black tank and never have had an problem. You must keep in mind this is not static pressure in the plumbing as it is open as there is no shut-off in that plumbing. Close the originating line faucet and all pressure is off.

[RollinAt40]

I had mine set around 40 PSI but I set it when the incoming pressure was pretty low. One day I hooked up to a 60+ PSI city water and had a small leak in the bathroom, I checked the regulator and it was over 50. So I would say check it every time you hook up and have your tool ready to adjust.

 

I don't know the best pressure to use I'm still new to this. Maybe 40 PSI is a little on the low side.

[Gail Stanford]

 

For the water pressure regulator, it's recommended to set it at 45-50 PSI (pounds per square inch) to protect your RV's plumbing system from high municipal water pressure. As for the black water flush, a pressure regulator is not necessary since it's an open-ended system designed to handle higher pressure for effective tank cleaning.