Fresh Water Regulators and external filters

Randman99 · 03-25-2012, 07:42 PM

Hello all,

I'm picking up my new Lacrosse 318BHS on the 31st and I have a question about water regulators and filters.

I previously had a very old (1978) 19' TT, it was my first and i loved it. I went to an RV dealership to buy a fresh water hose to hook up to the trailer as the one I had was not long enough. The guy there asked if I had a water regulator and a filter that hooked into the water hose. I asked why i would need one. He told me that if the hookup is over 45psi you could potentially break the water lines in the trailer and the regulator is there to throttle back the pressure. He also said that the filter is there to take impurities out of the water that comes out of the hose but I thought that the water system in the trailer had some sort of filtration system in it. Am I wrong?

I told the guy i had both just so he would back off but I did not get them because I never had a problem with pressure from any campsite i had been to. My question to the experienced campers is the regulator necessary or was buddy just trying to get more money out of me? The same goes for the water filter.

Thanks and I wish you all the best on your camping adventures this year

B47 · 03-25-2012, 07:58 PM

Randman - I am somewhat new to RVing, but our salesman suggested we buy a regulator and he did not try to sell us one. I did buy one at CW that we keep attached to our potable water hose so it is ready to just thread on to the water signot at the CG. It was only $4-$5 so I didn't really ask if we needed one or not. I do know from my experience that when you turn on the CG water signot the water does not seem to have a great deal of pressure - it is certainly adequate to service the RV, but not overwhelming.

As far as filters, our RV has a household size filter enclosed in a see thru housing that we removed after our first two trips and it did show some impurties that we washed off. I did see for the first time on our last trip that the camper next to us did have a in line water filter.
I guess it is up to each person to decide if they need one or both of these items.

Randman99 · 03-25-2012, 08:19 PM

4-5 bucks is not too bad. I'm pretty sure the one he was trying to sell me was 20-30 bucks for the regulator. I can't remember how much the filter was. I will have to shop around and see what i can find.

Thanks for the input B47

**Herk7769** · 03-25-2012, 08:24 PM

My opinion (free - and worth every penny) is:

In house water filter - More trouble than its worth - Remove it
Replace it with a pressure tank. Easy mod if you are handy.

Always; yep ALWAYS; use an inline water filter at the campground tap. Most campgrounds have wells and if the water table gets low you will get LOTS of mud in your water. These inline filters are cheaper than the whole house filter element you get rid of and WAY easier to change.
Forget floods due to a poorly seated element chamber. They are also available everywhere.

Water Regulator - Not needed 99% of the time.
The 1% you need it results in a flooded camper if you don't have it.
Buy one and screw it on the end of your potable hose at the camper end.

While you are at it, buy a brass one way check valve for the campground end of your inline filter. This will prevent you from stripping the plastic threads on the filter due to over use.

Randman99 · 03-25-2012, 08:51 PM

Thanks Herk. Maybe I can get the dealership to throw both in for free when we pick up our TT. I already got them to install a digital tv antenna in place of the analog one

Old car · 03-25-2012, 09:17 PM

Yes to the water regulator/pressure reducer. Was dewinterizing today and hooked up to the lawn faucet to flush things through. Forgot to use the pressure reducer and DW saw a small leak at one of the fittings. I've always used one at the campgrounds. Shut the water off--put the pressure reducer on to finish flushing the system and no more leaks. Luckily no damage. We still have the canister style water filter. One of these days it will get changed out to something better.

**Herk7769** · 03-26-2012, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randman99

Thanks Herk. Maybe I can get the dealership to throw both in for free when we pick up our TT. I already got them to install a digital tv antenna in place of the analog one

My experience was the "free stuff" stops what you sign the papers.

Randman99 · 03-26-2012, 08:01 AM

True but it doesn't hurt to try. The worse they can say is no, then I'll have to fork over the 50 bucks or so

Warrior · 03-26-2012, 08:31 AM

I have an adjustable regulator with a gauge. I connect it at the pedestal. If by rare chance I encounter extremely high pressure I'm protecting everything, including my hose.

**Herk7769** · 03-26-2012, 09:39 AM

This is what I use.

It goes on the camper as the inline filter's output pressure goes down as it fills with sediment. I can adjust the pressure UP to keep the shower a shower rather than a sponge bath.

**F.R.O.G.** · 03-26-2012, 10:08 AM

We're currently at Cherry Hill Park on the FROG Cherry Blossom Festival trip. The campground map that we received at check-in has the following information:

The local water commission supplies our water. CAUTION: Our pressure is approximately 65 pounds. Pressure regulators and high-pressure non-toxic marine/RV hoses are recommended and available in our store.

We have our regulator in place, and recommended to my brother, a new RVer who is on the trip, that it's the first thing he should get before hooking up.

VTX Al · 03-26-2012, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

This is what I use.

It goes on the camper as the inline filter's output pressure goes down as it fills with sediment. I can adjust the pressure UP to keep the shower a shower rather than a sponge bath.

Mine is very similar to that, it is a Watt H540 model (sorry, no pic). A little pricey, but I learned the hard way that the $4.00 units are worth just about that - $4.00 !!!

...VTX-Al

**F.R.O.G.** · 03-26-2012, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

This is what I use.

It goes on the camper as the inline filter's output pressure goes down as it fills with sediment. I can adjust the pressure UP to keep the shower a shower rather than a sponge bath.

Herk, once the inline filter starts to clog and its pressure goes down to 30 psi, for example, doesn't that become the limit for the entire flow? How does adjusting the regulator cause the pressure to come back up? I would think that the lowest regulator -- in this case the filter -- would restrict all pressure from that point forward.

**Herk7769** · 03-26-2012, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F.R.O.G.

Herk, once the inline filter starts to clog and its pressure goes down to 30 psi, for example, doesn't that become the limit for the entire flow? How does adjusting the regulator cause the pressure to come back up? I would think that the lowest regulator -- in this case the filter -- would restrict all pressure from that point forward.

You are right! What was I thinking. Duh...

Rebel702 · 03-26-2012, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herk7769

My opinion (free - and worth every penny) is:

In house water filter - More trouble than its worth - Remove it
Replace it with a pressure tank. Easy mod if you are handy.
Have not seen this mod on the forum. Can you give me more info on the reason to add the pressure tank? Agree that the In house is more trouble to deal with.

Always; yep ALWAYS; use an inline water filter at the campground tap. Most campgrounds have wells and if the water table gets low you will get LOTS of mud in your water. These inline filters are cheaper than the whole house filter element you get rid of and WAY easier to change.
Forget floods due to a poorly seated element chamber. They are also available everywhere.
Does the campground line run through the in house filter system?

Herk, can you give me(us) more info per above ?

pg_rider · 03-26-2012, 12:20 PM

I bought a "high flow pressure regulator" at Camping World that's set at 50-55 PSI. Am I asking for trouble? The next size down was a 40-45 PSI regulator, but the guy said that might cause my shower to not flow very well.

**Herk7769** · 03-26-2012, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebel702

Herk, can you give me(us) more info per above ?

I cut the whole house filter out with a plastic pipe cutter since there was no way to unscrew the fittings from the house filter because the were crimped on. (see photo)

I used sharkbite fittings to add the pressure tank (see photo) to the existing line stubs.

The photo of the completed installation is "typical" and not mine. I was in a hurry when I did mine and never took a photo of the finished job. It is in a tough spot (very crowded work area). The "before" photo is my camper. I zip tied the black pressure tank up to the plumbing to get it out of the way of the water pump and the sound proofing I put around it.

The reason for the pressure tank is to allow us to use the toilet flush without running the pump in the middle of the night while dry camping.
We can get a couple of #1 flushes or 1 #2 flush without the noisy pump cranking up.

Another mod I did was to add a "bidet" wand to our Thetford toilet so we can do a quick wash down (again without running the pump at night).
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...c-v-15261.html

Witch Doctor · 03-26-2012, 04:49 PM

Just do not turn the hose bib all the way open, you will know when you have enough pressure, no cost for that !!!!!!

fonzie · 03-26-2012, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

Just do not turn the hose bib all the way open, you will know when you have enough pressure, no cost for that !!!!!!

You will still get full pressure once it pressurised the system, it will only reduce flow.

fonzie · 03-26-2012, 05:18 PM

If you go the this link you will see lots of quality mods done by the OP. One is for the addition of a fresh water inline pressure tank to limit the start/stop of the pump.

07 Flagstaff 829RGSS trailer and its mods pictures by 1stta - Photobucket

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