water pressure

[1kotonk]

Hello everyone, Question. Took the TT out for the first time last weekend and had full hook ups. propane water heater worked, stove worked, AC worked. The only problem I noticed was the water pressure was very week even with the water pump on, I could hear it pulsating on and off so I assumed it was working. sink pressure was ok but seemed low, the shower was the main problem barley any stream had to hold the spicket above my head to take a shower..is this normal?

 

[MarsbarsCT]

No, that's not normal. Might you have a clog in the line or clogged water filter? I've never gone camping with hookups, so I'm not sure if you would even need the pump on...

 

[LJAZ]

Do you have a pressure regulator on your hose? When those fail it can cause that to happen. Less likely, but still possible is the campground may have a pressure problem.

 

[APD]

Why run the pump with full hookups?
If your water tank was empty and you hooked to campground water then operated the pump, the pump might provide just enough to partially close the check valve at the outside water connection thereby limiting flow without providing any water. The two would work against each other.
If the pressure was low without the pump then I would say the campground had low pressure or you have a restriction of some sort.
I carry a gauge with me (hose connection test gauge from Home Depot about $6). I won't hook to any campground without checking first. I've seen as low as 25# and as high as 135#, during the daytime! No telling how high it went at night.
BTW..a lot of smaller so called "pressure regulators" don't actually regulate pressure. They simply shut down if the incoming pressure is too high.

 

[profdant139]

Don't run the pump with water hookups -- no need for it. There should be a switch on the control panel.

 

[John_C]

Hello everyone, Question. Took the TT out for the first time last weekend and had full hook ups. propane water heater worked, stove worked, AC worked. The only problem I noticed was the water pressure was very week even with the water pump on, I could hear it pulsating on and off so I assumed it was working. sink pressure was ok but seemed low, the shower was the main problem barley any stream had to hold the spicket above my head to take a shower..is this normal?

Hi 1kotonk,
These are all great reasons for minimal water flow, but just another thought in case all else checks good AND you still have low flow... I can't say for sure on your particular TT... BUT...

If I am connected to the city/street-connection, I need to ensure the water by-passes the pump (Check your valves) and feeds the street water to the the system, and hot water heater (I have winterizing tank by-pass valves AND hot water heater by-pass valves).

This is important, if the water by-pass valves are selected for the fresh water tank AND in hot water heater by-pass, while I am connected to the city/street-connection, I will not get sufficient water flow to the Hot Water Heater, risking burning out the heating element... On my system, if I am using city/street water and the freshwater tank is empty, the pump will starve for water and can also overheat as I am trying to feed the pump against the discharge check valve...

BTW, JUST a dumb question, did you pull up the hose, at lavatory sink faucet, when the shower was on... Pull up for on, but don't pull too hard (I broke mine and ended up replacing the crappy showerhead, hose, and lavatory sink faucet), this diverts the sink faucet water to the shower...

Again, this is how my trailer is plumbed (of course there are no labels or manuals) and these trailers seem to have as many similarities as differences, but it is important to know your system...

Good luck and I hope you get everything working right...

 

[John_C]

Why run the pump with full hookups?
If your water tank was empty and you hooked to campground water then operated the pump, the pump might provide just enough to partially close the check valve at the outside water connection thereby limiting flow without providing any water. The two would work against each other.
If the pressure was low without the pump then I would say the campground had low pressure or you have a restriction of some sort.
I carry a gauge with me (hose connection test gauge from Home Depot about $6). I won't hook to any campground without checking first. I've seen as low as 25# and as high as 135#, during the daytime! No telling how high it went at night.
BTW..a lot of smaller so called "pressure regulators" don't actually regulate pressure. They simply shut down if the incoming pressure is too high.

Good points APD... I was unaware that some so-called regulators, shut down, in lieu of regulation... I bought a fairly cheap Campco and so far it seems to work well...

Thanks for the tip...

 

[1kotonk]

thanks for all the replies, I did have a water restrictor and a water filter connected to the hose that connects to the TT, both are brand new, when I checked the water pressure from the hook up it was strong. I saw some valves under the bed in the fresh water storage compartment, Ill have to research those, I also saw the pull up ringed type valves under the sink. I assumed were to manually drain the gray and fresh water and didn't mess with them. didn't try to pull on the shower hose, ill check that out.. hope i didn't burn out my pump, I didn't have any water in the fresh water tank..I need to get a TT for dummies book..alot of things I didn't even think of. Ill be on U tube for a while looking at tips and tricks for RV and TT... oh, previous owner supplied the sewer hose. The seals on the hose must have been worn and leaked at least a cup of black water during the tank dumping and cleaning process...just ordered some new rubber gaskets from Amazon, thank God its didn't leak more. I was doing all the dumping and cleaning at the RV camp site..

 

[John_C]

Hi 1kotonk,
Here is my lavatory sink; I am assuming yours is similar...

You can see the center where the shower hose connects to the faucet, the faucet contains a "Diverter Valve" to the shower hose... an inexpensive and easier way to allow water for the shower... Anyway, you would adjust the water temp and then pull the hose outward just a 1/4 inch or so, to divert the water to the shower...

I replaced my faucet, shower head, and hose this year as I was having trouble pulling the diverter on and pulled the whole thing out of the faucet... It should NOT take much force and both the old faucet and new, requires the water to be "ON" before the diverter valve can be pulled...

Again... Good luck... :grin:

 

[APD]

Our T139 doesn't have a lavatory in that tiny shower. I would guess the X139 doesn't either but I've only seen one.
The valves under the bed are, most likely, the bypass for draining the water heater.
Our T139FK is a front kitchen/front shower floor plan. The city water connection is on the left side and the water tank and pump are on the right side rear, under the bunk.
I believe the X139's are a rear shower/side kitchen layout.
Either way your pump will be located right next to your fresh water tank but your "city water" connection will be connected to the closest cold water line to it. The hose connection for the "city water" has a check valve built in so that it won't leak when not connected and only using the tank and pump. Similarly the pump has a check valve to prevent water entering back into the tank during full hookup.

 

[1kotonk]

Hi 1kotonk,
Here is my lavatory sink; I am assuming yours is similar...

You can see the center where the shower hose connects to the faucet, the faucet contains a "Diverter Valve" to the shower hose... an inexpensive and easier way to allow water for the shower... Anyway, you would adjust the water temp and then pull the hose outward just a 1/4 inch or so, to divert the water to the shower...

I replaced my faucet, shower head, and hose this year as I was having trouble pulling the diverter on and pulled the whole thing out of the faucet... It should NOT take much force and both the old faucet and new, requires the water to be "ON" before the diverter valve can be pulled...

Again... Good luck... :grin:

Hey John, mine doesn't have a sink or sink faucet so no diverter the knobs are mounted on the wall and the shower tube comes out of the top of the base. Something is wrong, I just gotta figure it out. Ill try messing with all the valves. Thanks for taking the time post the pic..

 

[twinster2]

Hello everyone, Question. Took the TT out for the first time last weekend and had full hook ups. propane water heater worked, stove worked, AC worked. The only problem I noticed was the water pressure was very week even with the water pump on, I could hear it pulsating on and off so I assumed it was working. sink pressure was ok but seemed low, the shower was the main problem barley any stream had to hold the spicket above my head to take a shower..is this normal?

Is it both the hot and cold or only the hot that your getting low pressure? If it is only the hot, I would recommend you check the one-way valves leading into and out of the hot water tank. On my camper, the one leading into the hot water tank was broken and restricting want into the tank, hence low pressure on the hot water side, especially in the bathroom. Also, to improve the pressure, you may want to add an accumulator tank to increase the pressure in the system. Good luck.

 

[1kotonk]

twinster2, it was both my hot and cold water, even the sink was kind of week, I mean the shower would not even produce a 2 inch stream. I even tried with out the water regulator at the main hose to the trailer. however I did notice a water filter under the sink wonder if that is getting clogged.

 

[twinster2]

twinster2, it was both my hot and cold water, even the sink was kind of week, I mean the shower would not even produce a 2 inch stream. I even tried with out the water regulator at the main hose to the trailer. however I did notice a water filter under the sink wonder if that is getting clogged.

Definitely check the water filter since that is likely the cause for low pressure, as well as a health hazard if it has not been changed out over the past season. These things can get clogged as well as grow bacteria if it the canister type. You can by-pass it and see if it helps.

 

[1kotonk]

found out what the problem was, there is an water filter under the sink, took it off and now good water pressure. filter was clogged.

 

[Kansas newbie]

Glad your mystery is solved!