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Water line pressure

Does anyone know what water pressure(from city lines) our foretravel coaches can withstand or are recommended?  Also what size and quality of pex is used on our coaches?  I have found the standard water pressure regulators 40-50psi do not allow adequate pressure for things such as the shower. Using the shurflo 4048 with a accumulator set at 30lb psi does not really compensate.

I might add the pressure I currently have it set for is about 70 psi using a regulator with a gauge
Peter    Alberta Canada
'98 U320 40'  Build 5359 M11 450 HP, Aqua hot, Blu Ox

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #1 –
Quote from: dicksop –
I might add the pressure I currently have it set for is about 70 psi using a regulator with a gauge
Peter,

I don't know the answer to your question about how much pressure the stock water lines can tolerate before they blow up.

I will say that, IMO, if you are not happy with your coach shower running at 70 psi then I think you have other problems not related to water system pressure.  Like perhaps things are plugged up with sediment or lime/calcium buildup from hard water and that is reducing the pressure at your shower head.

Just my opinion, but I would NOT be comfortable raising the coach pressure any higher than where you now have it set. 

We run our coach water pressure at a max of 40 psi and have always been perfectly happy with the shower pressure.

Our sticks & bricks uses a water well as our only source of water.  Our house pressure tank is set to cycle between 40 and 60 psi and the water coming out of our standard plain-jane nothing fancy shower heads will practically strip the skin off your body.

You could try flushing out your water system with a strong mixture of vinegar and water to see if it might free things up.

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #2 –
I would think the pressure is like the house which is 50 lb. If you don't have enough pressure
for the shower I would think your shower head is plugged up.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #3 –
The water pressure where I am now is 80+. I originally put a standard regulator (40-50psi) on and the pressure was a bit weak. I now have a regulator with adjuster and have it at 70psi which is good.
I appreciate your suggestion of using the vinegar flush etc although in my precious posts I have done that, and the system evidently had NEVER been done and it completely clogged my system and resulted in a 9000cdn cost to replace the coils in the AH
I am Leary on doing it again.....as you can expect
Peter    Alberta Canada
'98 U320 40'  Build 5359 M11 450 HP, Aqua hot, Blu Ox

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #4 –

Mine works almost as good as on city water. Some notes/points...

1-You can try adjusting or even replacing your pressure switch. I just went through the process of messing with my pressure switch last week and got a new one as a spare. Mine is a Flojet but perhaps yours is similar Amazon.com: Flojet 02090118 40 PSI Pump Switch Kit : Automotive
2- Do you have a pressure tank? If so, is the proper pressure set? You can take a tire gauge and check the psi according to what the manual says
3- Is your valve closed under the bathroom sink?  This got me very early on, water pressure was poor and the pump always ran. Once we read on here about closing the valve to make it a closed system, it was like being on city water.
4- Outside of the above, you may have a blockage. You can drain the system, then gently blow air through it and have someone check each outlet is pushing the air through. I did this last year as part of winterizing, they do make hose attachments if needed.

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Jason
2000 U295 36' Non-slide  ISC350

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #6 –
Jason
Number 1 is where is the pressure switch?
2. Where is the valve under the sink and how do you turn it off?
Peter    Alberta Canada
'98 U320 40'  Build 5359 M11 450 HP, Aqua hot, Blu Ox

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #7 –
I think the pressure switch is in the pump and I don't think you have a valve under the sink,
you have a fill switch.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #8 –
Quote from: dicksop –
2. Where is the valve under the sink and how do you turn it off?

Peter,

With you having a 320 you have an electronic fill valve not the manual valve that most 270s and 295s Unicoaches came with. If it is leaking by your on board water pump would be cycling on/off (if it is turned on) while all of your spigots are turned off.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #9 –
For the pressure switch, it's on the water pump Water pump not working. It's the small roughly  1x1 inch square with the wires coming out on the right side. There is a cap on it, then behind is another screw where you can adjust the pressure. It says not to touch it, but I did, mainly because I did it before I read not too. I then adjusted it back and now I have a backup. Read the shuflo manual for yours and see what they say, they may not offer the switch as a separate item. What model shurflo do you have?

I was not aware of the electronic fill valve, if that is what you have, I'll defer to others as I'm not familiar with that. However, it could fail and be left open? Is your pump constantly running or does it cycle? If it's running constantly, you may need to replace it. Can someone who has this can confirm this is how it works?
Jason
2000 U295 36' Non-slide  ISC350

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Jason –
I was not aware of the electronic fill valve, if that is what you have, I'll defer to others as I'm not familiar with that.
1.However, it could fail and be left open?
2.If it's running constantly, you may need to replace it.
3. Can someone who has this can confirm this is how it works?

1. Most likely if it is leaking by it could be trash or calcium buildup holding the valve open.
2. On his coach the fill valve is totally rebuildable. Water Fill Valve Issues
3. Yes

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #11 –
Peter have you taken the shower head of to see what kind of volume comes out of the hose.
I believe you have a restriction problem some where.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #12 –
I have taken the shower head off and looked. I have the oxygenics fury shower head and seems to be clean. For the most part with city water set at 70psi the system works good. When I go to the pump system only it is weak. I suspect the pump and accumulator is not set right.  The shurflo 4048 and the shurflo 182-200 accumulator at set at 30 (factory setting on shurflo I believe...please correct me if I am wrong as the instruction manual is not clear)
Peter    Alberta Canada
'98 U320 40'  Build 5359 M11 450 HP, Aqua hot, Blu Ox

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #13 –
I would think that 40-50# would be sufficient.
Richard & Betty Bark & Keiko our Golden Doodle
2003 U320T 3820 PBDS
Build # 6215
MC # 16926
2016 Chevrolet Colorado 4X4 diesel

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #14 –
182 manual, it gives some troubleshooting steps https://www.depcopump.com/datasheets/shurflo/182-200%20Installation%20manual.pdf  Of note "Typically, a 45 psi [3 bar] pump will turn on around 30 psi [2.07 bar]. Therefore, the pre-charge should also be 30 psi [2.07 bar]. "

4048 manual  https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/web/nam/shurflo/manuals/911-1024c-series-4048-rv-bypass-pump-iom.pdf

It does have a pressure switch that you can purchase separately. Pressure Switch* 94-801-05  There are some troubleshooting steps there too.
Jason
2000 U295 36' Non-slide  ISC350

Re: Water line pressure

Reply #15 –
Standard municipal water pressure is generally 80 lbs
High well water pressure is 60,
The pex piping should in theory have no problem with city water.
Having said that a water regulator is suggested when filling from unknown sources, a water main that has a T connector to supply a dead end short street can spike the water pressure in the area of the main near the T causing water softeners to shatter and leak: rare but possible.
David & Emma Roche
Dino (Golden Doodle)
1999 U270 WTFE 36' Build # 5534
Xtreme "Lights, Stripes & Roof"
Motorcade# 18321
Dayton, Ohio
Towd: Jeep Grand Cherokee
Two Townie Electra Bikes

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