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Old 08-01-2021, 12:57 PM   #1
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Default water pump question

I have a newbie question. I have been out now several times, always to campsites with city water. How do I turn on the water pump when I am not connected to pressurized water? I have a 2007 189FBR.
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Old 08-01-2021, 04:46 PM   #2
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There's a switch on your control panel -- it should be labelled.

Be sure to ask lots of newbie questions -- us old timers were newbies once.

So here is my own old timer question -- I wonder how my pump "knows" when I am hooked up to city water? When we have city water, the pump does not run when I turn on a faucet.

My guess is that the pressure of the city water closes some sort of a valve.
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Old 08-02-2021, 01:00 AM   #3
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Where is the RED FACE EMOJI?
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Old 08-02-2021, 03:51 AM   #4
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Gary, the red face has been removed for newbies. There are no dumb questions -- the only dumb question is the one you should have asked but didn't.

Keep asking! The learning curve is steep.

Burien, eh? You are so close to so much great camping -- it takes me four days of hard driving to get to your neck of the woods. We have often gone to the North Cascades.
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Old 08-02-2021, 10:36 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by profdant139 View Post
There's a switch on your control panel -- it should be labelled.

Be sure to ask lots of newbie questions -- us old timers were newbies once.

So here is my own old timer question -- I wonder how my pump "knows" when I am hooked up to city water? When we have city water, the pump does not run when I turn on a faucet.

My guess is that the pressure of the city water closes some sort of a valve.
Your guess is correct. The pump has a built in pressure switch. If the pressure doesn't drop then the pump is satisfied.
The pump also has a built in check valve to prevent city water from back feeding thru the pump to your fresh water tank when you're hooked up.
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Old 08-02-2021, 10:35 PM   #6
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Thanks, Alan! Mystery solved.
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Old 08-03-2021, 08:15 AM   #7
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Since GaryR is in the “newbie” mode, a “Pro-tip” might be worth mentioning. IMHO, it’s always advisable to use an in-line pressure regulator! The pressure of the water systems at RV parks is highly variable and excessive pressure can be damaging to the plumbing systems in RVs (especially older ones)! There are a few different versions available. Basic ones have a fixed outflow and are likely to be adequate in most situations. I use that type. I’m sure that I paid <$10 for it. Some have gauges and some allow for actual regulation of the outflow pressure. Those cost more. I usually place mine right at the RV park’s faucet to minimize pressure in all of my components (i.e. hose, filter and plumbing).
RE: the “check valve” preventing back flow through the pump and into the fresh water tank, IIRC, there was a recent post about this very issue!
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Old 08-03-2021, 05:54 PM   #8
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Rip, well said!

We do one other thing to try to avoid getting our water system blown out by over-pressure. First, I have a shut-off valve on the end of my hose, where it inserts into the city water port.

Just as we are about to insert the hose into the city water port, I hold the end of the hose away from my face and DW gently turns on the water at the faucet.

She then modifies the flow so that we have enough water but not too much.

Then I close the shutoff valve, I attach the hose to the city water port, and then I open the shutoff valve.

Kind of a low-tech method, but it has worked just fine for us for sixteen years.
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Old 08-03-2021, 08:27 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by profdant139 View Post
Rip, well said!

We do one other thing to try to avoid getting our water system blown out by over-pressure. First, I have a shut-off valve on the end of my hose, where it inserts into the city water port.

Just as we are about to insert the hose into the city water port, I hold the end of the hose away from my face and DW gently turns on the water at the faucet.

She then modifies the flow so that we have enough water but not too much.

Then I close the shutoff valve, I attach the hose to the city water port, and then I open the shutoff valve.

Kind of a low-tech method, but it has worked just fine for us for sixteen years.
Dan, that won't have any effect on the pressure just the flow. With no usage the pressure will still equalize.

We use a pressure regulator. I tried the shutoff type (the $10 ones) and found they are not regulators at all. They simply shut off under high pressure. The one I tested would shut down just shy of 70 psi. And that was only when there was flow. That was too high for me. Maybe the one I had was bad I don't know.
The adjustable regulator we have now is set at 40 psi and I sleep better seeing the gauge holding the pressure at set point.
Another thing we do when camping is, if we're gonna be away from the camper for the day, we shut down the water heater and turn off the water. Don't like the thought of returning to a mess.
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Old 08-04-2021, 08:11 AM   #10
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Dan, that won't have any effect on the pressure just the flow. With no usage the pressure will still equalize.

We use a pressure regulator. I tried the shutoff type (the $10 ones) and found they are not regulators at all. They simply shut off under high pressure. The one I tested would shut down just shy of 70 psi. And that was only when there was flow. That was too high for me. Maybe the one I had was bad I don't know.
The adjustable regulator we have now is set at 40 psi and I sleep better seeing the gauge holding the pressure at set point.
Another thing we do when camping is, if we're gonna be away from the camper for the day, we shut down the water heater and turn off the water. Don't like the thought of returning to a mess.
I’m going to have to disagree with your explanation here. Profdant’s method is simply a “no cost” way to do pretty much what the commercial pressure regulators do. His method however, doesn’t maintain a consistent outflow with varying pressures on the inflow side (like the commercial products do). The fixed and adjustable pressure regulators function by variably reducing the flow and subsequently the pressure of water passing through them. If you had one that “shut off at 70 PSI” I would have to say it was defective and should have been returned, discarded and/or replaced. Per the manufacturer’s description, the non-adjustable versions reduce the outflow pressure to a consistent 40-50 PSI. There is no mention of a shut off pressure!
I will acknowledge that your method of preventing catastrophe by shutting off the “city water” valve when away from the campsite for extended periods is more than reasonable and I’m going to try to do the same when I’m away from the campsite.
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Old 08-04-2021, 09:53 AM   #11
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Any opening between two vessels will allow the vessel pressures to equalize regardless of the size of that opening.
Reducing the opening will have no effect on pressure only flow. Place a gauge at the end of Dan's hose and the gauge will rise to the same pressure as at the post. If you have a constant flow (usage) then output is reduced because of the flow BUT only during the usage. Stop the flow (anytime water isn't being used) and the two sides will equalize.
BTW, I sold, built, installed and repaired commercial and industrial reducing stations for the last 40 years. Water, gasoline and jet fuel. Transfer stations, hotels, office complexes, the airport. Pumping stations or reducing stations, everyone needs to know and control the pressure entering their system.
The small regulators actually work by shutting off during no flow conditions. That's how they are designed. My problem with them is that under extreme pressure the shut off point will vary and can go very high causing them to shut down.
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Old 08-04-2021, 10:49 AM   #12
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APD is right. The pressure doesn't change, only the flow. Think of this way. If you have a tank full of water with a valve at the bottom the pressure at that point is determined b the height of the water in the tank. It doesn't matter how far you open the valve the height of the water in the tank doesn't change and neither does the pressure. (At least not until the water level in the tank drops.)
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Old 08-04-2021, 01:17 PM   #13
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Well, I have learned something. I gotta get a legitimate pressure regulator -- just cutting the volume won't do the job.
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Old 08-05-2021, 04:08 PM   #14
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This discussion was interesting. I guess I will be looking for at least the minimum pressure regulator. Thanks folks.
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Old 08-06-2021, 07:33 AM   #15
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Maybe it would be more accurate to call them “flow regulators”. I’ll stand corrected by APD’s enhanced explanation backed by his work history (high level street cred !)
I don’t believe that I have had any excess pressure issues with my current low end regulator and will continue to use it.
I read/saw somewhere, a suggestion to always use the camper’s onboard reservoir and pump system even if “city water” hook ups are available in order to prevent damage from pressure issues in the “city water” system. A side benefit might be reducing the potential for harmful bacterial buildup in the reservoir and pump as the water would be constantly replaced.
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Old 08-08-2021, 02:11 PM   #16
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Where is the RED FACE EMOJI?
It won't be long at all before you can answer some of these questions.

It'll probably be never before you can answer every question with certainty. That's why we offer opinions too!
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Old 08-09-2021, 06:05 AM   #17
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Does anybody have a link to one of those minimum pressure regulator or whatever the name is?

thanks
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Old 08-09-2021, 10:50 AM   #18
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This is similar to the one I use:
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-40058-A...83271443&psc=1
A google search on RV water pressure regulators will bring up all kinds of options from inexpensive ones like this one to others that run several hundred $$$ like these:
https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/a...ble-regulators
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Old 08-09-2021, 01:09 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LJAZ View Post
This is similar to the one I use:
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-40058-A...83271443&psc=1
A google search on RV water pressure regulators will bring up all kinds of options from inexpensive ones like this one to others that run several hundred $$$ like these:
https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/a...ble-regulators
The RV Water Filter stir is top notch. Excellentproductsand even better service.
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Old 08-09-2021, 05:47 PM   #20
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Default The Water Filter Store

Quote:
Originally Posted by LJAZ View Post
This is similar to the one I use:
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-40058-A...83271443&psc=1
A google search on RV water pressure regulators will bring up all kinds of options from inexpensive ones like this one to others that run several hundred $$$ like these:
https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/a...ble-regulators
The water Filter Site is excellent. The only thing better than their products, is their service.
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