Low Pressure From City Water

dgarraty · Post by **dgarraty** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:01 pm

Yes, that is what happens. Pressure initially but it fades pretty quickly. I guess that suggests that the problem is that valve is stuck in a partially closed position and needs to be replaced.

Virgil and Anne Dutton · Tue Mar 18, 2014 10:27 pm

Something looks very wrong here. I see a compression spring with what appears to be a poppet at the far end. First of all, what does the near end of the compression spring seat against? Also if the compression spring is applying a force against the poppet, what is the poppet seated against? It has to be seated against a seat on the near side of the valve passage, inboard of the spring and the poppet. That means a flow of water from the near side would not get through. This valve is set up like a check valve, to prevent flow from the near side. A pressurized liquid from the other side would get through if it overcome the spring force. I don't know what normally retains this valve in its proper orientation, but am wandering if someone has had it out and reinstalled it backwards. In order for it to function properly, the spring should be on the inboard side of the poppet and the poppet seat needs to be outboard of the poppet. I am currently not home to look at my BFT, but if someone can look at theirs and compare it to the picture posted here, I think you would see a difference of part arrangements.

Virgil

dgarraty · Post by **dgarraty** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:28 am

Virgil:

Thanks for the feedback. Sorry for my slow response.

Spring is loose. Tends to rest against the brass ball valve on the outside and I have no idea what it rests on on the inside. I've tried both positions - tapered side of the spring both in and out but no difference.

Recently I have hooked up to city water with no water in the hose hoping the air pressure might make a difference. It helped somewhat but the problem persists.

What did your manual show you? Mine has not been much help for this issue.

Virgil and Anne Dutton · Mon Mar 24, 2014 11:00 am

DG,
Looking at your picture, I don't see how that valve could work, however it isn't clear to me just how the parts are arranged. This valve is really just a simple check valve. It allows water to flow from a hose into the motorhome water system when you are connected to a pressurized external hose. When you want to draw water from your onboard water storage tank, using the system water pump, this check valve will close and not allow water to flow out through the hose connection. I haven't looked at the manual, but I don't think there is anything in there that will show this valve in detail, only a schematic. In my career, I have designed many valves of many kinds and I suspect your valve has been removed, disassembled and then reassembled wrong and reinstalled backwards. The arrangement of parts need to be such that the spring force will hold the poppet against its seat until water pressure and flow from an external hose lifts the poppet off the seat. If you can't remove the parts and reassemble them properly, your best course of action will probably be to replace the whole hose connection unit or take it to an RV repair facility.

Good luck,
Virgil

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 11:59 am

Well, as I indicated in an earlier post, I had to replace my City Water Inlet Assembly because it expelled its O'Ring valve seal due to my own fault. With the water system pressurized by the coach's water pump, I unfortunately pressed in on the white inner stub opening the valve causing water to gush out and also to expell the O'Ring. My inlet assembly is shown in the photo below and it is was a sealed unit that could not be disassembled in order to replace the O'Ring. I had to replace it with new to fix it.

By the way, getting to the back side of the fitting in order to remove and replace the hose onto the fitting in my 2002 26' RSB coach was a real challenge. Once that hose it disconnected, then it is easy to remove the 3 mounting screws and the fitting is then loose for removal.

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:44 pm

Bill - Do you think he could remove the hose retention clips on the inside and gain enough slack to pull the fitting out with the hose attached? And then do the connect/reconnect outside the RV?

DG - I have no clue what the reference to "air pressure" is - but you did check water volume and pressure at the end of the hose didnt you? You have to have both volume and pressure. Not just one.

Virgil and Anne Dutton · Mon Mar 24, 2014 1:35 pm

Starting over with a new connection unit is what I would suggest. As Bill says, it will be a real challenge to get to the tube clamp off on the back side, however, you shouldn't care if you destroy the existing valve and clamp, in whatever way is necessary, to get it off. Then you may be able to enlarge the opening through the wall enough to use a low profile clamp, such as a pinch clamp, to attach the tube to the new connection unit. Hopefully there is enough slack in the tube to pull it out far enough to make the attachment and then install the new unit.

Virgil

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 2:00 pm

Virgil & others,

It would be nice if there was a sufficient service loop in the hose connecting to the back of the inlet assembly to allow the three assembly mounting screws to be removed and the assembly pulled out far enough to be able to disconnect the hose easily. Such was not the case in my coach. I had to reach under the inside kitchen cabinets to reach the hose connection which by the way is not a clamp but a normal male screw in water hose connection, at least in my case as I remember it.

Getting the hose disconnected from the old fitting was not as hard as getting the hose screwed into the new fitting.

Virgil and Anne Dutton · Mon Mar 24, 2014 3:17 pm

Bill,
So it is a standard assembled water hose? That makes sense.

DG,
Good luck! Hopefully you have enough slack in the hose
to bring it outside and not have to go under the cabinets.

Virgil

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:29 pm

Virgil,

I had to replace mine 4 years ago and am trying to remember the details. As I recall the end of the hose connecting to the back side of the City Water Inlet Assembly was a standard male hose fitting except is was plastic not metal. My struggle was in getting this plastic male end of hose fitting properly screwed into the back of the fitting without getting it cross-threaded.

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:09 pm

That kind of reminds me of working on the boats. Years ago one of my friends had a 10 year old that was pretty mechanically inclined. His arms were not very long - but that little monkey could climb into the darnest of place's. We almost got him stuck a couple times - lol.