Low Pressure From City Water

dgarraty · Post by **dgarraty** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:00 am

I have a 2002 24RB. I get only a trickle of water when hooked up to city water and have been forced to constantly use my water pump. Any suggestions as to what could cause the problem and how to fix it?

bcope01 · Post by **bcope01** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:02 am

Are you using an in-line water pressure regulator?

Bill

dgarraty · Post by **dgarraty** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:35 am

Not to my knowledge. The manual says nothing about there being one in line and it appears that at the intake there is a back-flow preventer - a spring and plastic cylindrical pyramid-type thing about 1 inch long. I can't seem to remove it to see if that helps.

bcope01 · Post by **bcope01** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 11:33 am

It would be on either end of the hose, so it sounds like you are not using one so it can me ruled out.

Bill

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 11:26 pm

I will try to give you some things to check or think about - hard to do this with out being there. - But will try.

Assuming the system is fully charged and operational --- using water from the tank and with the system pump on - make sure there is good volume and pressure at the shower tub cold faucet. - This should check any line blockage from the cold water line "t" on the floor up past the "T" that connects city water to the system.

Are there any screen type filters, back flow preventers, or any other auxiliary device at source, either end of hose, or intake on RV? - Remove them all for now. - I have seen filter screens crushed when attempting to connect to an existing back flow preventer (at some RV parks) this will cause a hose line blockage. And back flow preventers, pressure regulators, ect do fail.

Are you getting plenty of volume and pressure from the hose before hooking up? - Just asking.

There should be a in line shut off valve on the hose coming from the tank to the pump (not the drain valve) Close this valve and see if your faucets have good flow and pressure when on city water. - If this fix's your problem city water is actual filling your water tank causing low volume and pressure in the rest of the system. Replace or rebuild your pump.

If all this does not indicate any problem it sounds like you have a line blockage between the city hook up and the "t" connection between the tub/shower faucet and the "t" connection on the main line on the floor. This is pretty unlikely but you can try to snake it and see it you can feel a blockage.

Have to tell you - I am going from memory - tomorrow I will get my manual out of the RV and see if I missed anything.

Just a note: those little cone shaped screen filters (or any other 10 cent filter) should never be used anywhere (except the aerator on the spigots) - they just cause problems. Get a real filter.

Ray

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 1:07 am

Hey - dgarraty

The more I thought about it, with this pump I dont think it could be the pump or you wouldn't be able to maintain system pressure when you are using the on board water and pump.

I see you mentioned "a spring and plastic cylindrical pyramid-type thing about 1 inch long"

Could you snap a pic of it so everyone can see it - I am sure someone on here can identify it, and help you figure out how to get it off so you can rule this out before digging in further.

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 1:37 pm

dgarraty,

I don't know what is causing your low water pressure problem from your city water connection but refer you to read my post titled City Water Inlet Fitting Problems in the Technical Library section on this forum.

Read that so that you don't damage the city water inlet connection like I did.

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 4:00 pm

Let me clarify - when I said to remove any filters, back flow devices or regulators - I did mean removable ones not the one Bill is talking about.

Bill, Do you think it would cause any problem to push the check valve in when the system is not presserized to make sure its not stuck?

I am going to head out and look at mine now - the sun came out

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 4:13 pm

yep - Looked at mine and saw what your talking about Bill - I never thought about damaging it if the system was pressurized.

I need to spend some time and go back and read all the older technical posts. (before I break something - LOL)

dgarraty · Post by **dgarraty** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:31 pm

Bill, Ray et al:

Sorry I've been M I A. Been dealing with tire issues (valve stems and connectors going bad) and a need for new rear brake shoes.

I have attached a photo of what I'm looking ar when I look at the city water intake. I assume this is what is causing my problem.

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:51 pm

dgarraty,

The city water inlet that you show in the photo in your post may or may not be causing your low city water low pressure problem.

To test that city water inlet valve, make sure that your water pump is turned off. Then take a small Phillips screw driver and use it to push in on the white valve stem shown in the photo. Pushing in on the white stem should open the valve and I don't remember but you should be able to push it in maybe about 1/8". If you can't push it in, then this valve is stuck in the closed position and it would be able to admit very little or no water from a pressurized water source. You would then need to replace that inlet assembly with a new one.

Remember one other thing, if your source of pressurized water has very low pressure like maybe only 20 psi or less, that low pressure may not be enough to open the water inlet valve.

If you are able to push it in, then release the pressure on it and see if the white stem returns closing the valve again. Then I would try hooking up the city water inlet to a hose and water supply and see if water pressure at you faucets have returned to normal.

dgarraty · Post by **dgarraty** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 2:49 pm

Bill:

Pushed in on it but it doesn't spring back. Seems that initially it doesn't block the water from entering the RV but once the pressure builds up perhaps it pushes the valve back slowing things down?

Still have the same problem. When I first open the faucet with the city water system active I get good pressure but it quickly slows down to a trickle.

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 3:02 pm

DG,

Well if that city water inlet valve does not spring back to the closed position, then if you turn on your water pump, water should gush out of the city water inlet. That valve is there to allow water to enter there but not to back flow out when using the water pump to supply water from the fresh water tank.

The problem that you have is a puzzle - must be some kind of blockage in your internal water piping somewhere. You may have to take your BF to an experienced RV technician to have it solved.

dgarraty · Post by **dgarraty** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:32 pm

The water does shoot out when I turn on the pump so at the very least I know that that valve is not working correctly - but still don't understand how it could lead to the problem I'm having.

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:28 pm

If the valve is stuck partially open it could let water out under pressure - but stuck in a position that not enough water flow can get in.

One indication of this problem could be if you initially have pressure when you turn on the faucet and it immediately reduces.

Of course there could be other problems

Its tough to diagnose when your not there.

Its really a matter of deduction.

do you have flow/pressure at the faucet - no? that's your problem - yes? do you have flow/pressure at the end of the hose - no? that's your problem - yes? do you have flow/pressure at the cold tube/shower faucet - no? the problem is between the end of the hose and the first "t" off to the tub/shower - yes? do you have flow/pressure at the other faucets - no? the problem is between the first "t" off to the tub/shower and the "t" on the floor into main line - yes? you don't have a problem

At least I think I covered it.

Jump in there Bill and keep me honest