Regulator Water Pressure Readings - Pre- and mid-operational readings

[JohnDar]

Another restriction are the small filter screens in the water inlet and possibly on the regulator. Doesn't take a lot of sediment to clog them up. I keep a few spares in my "plumbing kit."

 

[Prairiedog]

JohnDar - where do you pick up extra screens? Home Depot/Lowes? Do they carry that unique of an item?

Dan - I'm going to do that over the next few days. Unfortunately, those rains have caught up to me coming off the Gulf. No more outside work today

Thanks Everyone!

 

[JanAndBill]

I am wondering whether or not the pressure might change after you initially measure it based on general usage by others in the park and routine park maintenance (e.g., sprinklers). If the time that you measure it happens to be a high usage period wouldn't the pressure tend to increase as usage diminished from the time it was measured?

It can, in fact I saw it happen at Gulf Shores this spring, as the pressure fluctuated between 40-60#. About 48-50# max is the borderline for installing the regulator.I do check it occasionally while I'm hooked up, any significant increases and the regulator goes on. It seems to me that putting the regulator on at anything below that restricts the flow so much that you can't get sufficient flow at the shower.

 

[danemayer]

It seems to me that putting the regulator on at anything below that restricts the flow so much that you can't get sufficient flow at the shower.

There are 50 psi regulators that allow water flow of 1/2 gallon per minute, and 50 psi regulators that allow water flow of 4.5 gallons per minute. If putting on the regulator at lower park pressure level restricts flow, you have the former type and should consider getting the latter. I looked at the Valterra $50 regulator mentioned in the 1st post and notice there's no water flow specification. It might be interesting to put a bucket under the campground faucet for 1 minute to see how much water comes out and then repeat going through the Valterra regulator.

A lot of us have Watts 263A regulators that allow water flow of 4.5 GPM.

 

[TedS]

Prariedog, air or no air in the regulator will make no difference. The air can only be at the pressure of the water.

The black thingy with the small hole in it restricts water flow. City water systems are designed to maintain pressure and adjust flow to increase or decrease flow to try to maintain the design pressure. The restrictor orifice adds resistance to your water demand and reflects that pressure increase to the city water system which then responds by decreasing flow to maintain its design pressure. Remove or drill out the orifice and water flow will increase to your shower.

The pressure regulator has a spring that acts against the downstream pressure. The gage reads the downsteam pressure. The spring in the valve tries to open the valve while the downstream pressure tries to close the valve. They balance when the valve opening allows enough water flow to cause the downstream pressure to balance the spring force. When the downstream pressure increases, as when you close a faucet, the regulator valve is forced closed. When the downstream pressure decreases, as when you open faucets, the spring causes the valve to open to increase flow to increase the downstream pressure. The inlet pressure should have no effect on the action as long as the inlet pressure is greater than the downstream pressure. If the upstream pressure is less than the downstream pressure setting, the valve will be full open and you will get whatever pressure the city water can deliver at that time. If the downstream pressure increases when all faucets are off, then the regulator valve is leaking. Either due to dirt in the valve holding it open or poor design not sealing well. You may adjust downstream pressure up without flow. A little water bleeds into the downstream side to increase pressure. But you need flow out in order to adjust downstream pressure down. Water must flow out in order to bring downstream pressure down.

 

[Prairiedog]

TedS -- thanks so much for the information! Here's a few follow-ups if you don't mind:

The black thingy with the small hole in it restricts water flow. City water systems are designed to maintain pressure and adjust flow to increase or decrease flow to try to maintain the design pressure. The restrictor orifice adds resistance to your water demand and reflects that pressure increase to the city water system which then responds by decreasing flow to maintain its design pressure. Remove or drill out the orifice and water flow will increase to your shower.

Regarding the "black thingy", can that be even be removed on the Bighorns, and if so...with what? The hole it fits in looks non-standard, which would be odd IMHO. I'm just wondering why Heartland didn't put a standard male connector with a restrictor that could be easily removed. In any case, just wondering if you have any further expertise in this area before I start experimenting.

If the downstream pressure increases when all faucets are off, then the regulator valve is leaking.

The static pressure has held steady at 50psi, with it decreasing to 42-44psi when faucets are in use. So, from what you described, there is something wrong with the regulator I'm using. I've checked the screen at the input connection and it looks ok but has a lot of sealant around it...probably too much actually. Not sure if that's an issue, but it is manageable for the time being. Looks like I'll be investing in another regulator if I can't get this one to work well enough. This one will have to act as an emergency back-up I guess.

Again, my thanks for the detailed breakdown. If there's anything else I'm missing, don't hesitate to let me know.

Rob

 

[JohnDar]

JohnDar - where do you pick up extra screens? Home Depot/Lowes? Do they carry that unique of an item?

Dan - I'm going to do that over the next few days. Unfortunately, those rains have caught up to me coming off the Gulf. No more outside work today

Thanks Everyone!

Try Ace Hardware or a Do It Best Hardware. Look for "Filter Washers." The come 3 in a package and run less than $2.00. The part number on the package I have is #725512.

http://www.doitbest.com/Hose+Accessories-Bosch+G+W+Gs-model-DIB02FW-doitbest-sku-725512.dib

 

[mobilcastle]

TedS -- thanks so much for the information! Here's a few follow-ups if you don't mind:

The black thingy with the small hole in it restricts water flow. City water systems are designed to maintain pressure and adjust flow to increase or decrease flow to try to maintain the design pressure. The restrictor orifice adds resistance to your water demand and reflects that pressure increase to the city water system which then responds by decreasing flow to maintain its design pressure. Remove or drill out the orifice and water flow will increase to your shower.

Regarding the "black thingy", can that be even be removed on the Bighorns, and if so...with what? The hole it fits in looks non-standard, which would be odd IMHO. I'm just wondering why Heartland didn't put a standard male connector with a restrictor that could be easily removed. In any case, just wondering if you have any further expertise in this area before I start experimenting.


The static pressure has held steady at 50psi, with it decreasing to 42-44psi when faucets are in use. So, from what you described, there is something wrong with the regulator I'm using. I've checked the screen at the input connection and it looks ok but has a lot of sealant around it...probably too much actually. Not sure if that's an issue, but it is manageable for the time being. Looks like I'll be investing in another regulator if I can't get this one to work well enough. This one will have to act as an emergency back-up I guess.

Again, my thanks for the detailed breakdown. If there's anything else I'm missing, don't hesitate to let me know.

Rob

Take out your flow restrictors in the handle and drill the opening hole a little larger than the hole that is their in the faucet handle and you will get all the flow you need and your pump will not cycle on and off all the time.be careful when you drill the hole as their is an offset on the faucet-don't drill through it. I removed all of mine in the bath and kitchen even the outside shower.