Need Some Plumbing Help

[nomad297]

The brass check valve is installed backwards.

Bruce

[5picker]

Originally Posted by nomad297

The brass check valve is installed backwards.

Bruce

Yep... it is on backwards.

The arrow should point AWAY from the pump on the outlet side.

It would point TOWARDS the the pump on the inlet side.

You don't have any issues at the faucets when on city water because the pump isn't providing the water or the pressure.
Attachment 225954

[Dwilcox]

X2

Originally Posted by 5picker

Yep... it is on backwards.

The arrow should point AWAY from the pump on the outlet side.

It would point TOWARDS the the pump on the inlet side.

You don't have any issues at the faucets when on city water because the pump isn't providing the water or the pressure.
Attachment 225954

[Ejs4029]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Yep... it is on backwards.

The arrow should point AWAY from the pump on the outlet side.

It would point TOWARDS the the pump on the inlet side.

You don't have any issues at the faucets when on city water because the pump isn't providing the water or the pressure.
Attachment 225954

Thanks everyone for your help...I took off the backflow preventer and it's working now....Should I try putting it on the inlet side ? Or should i put it back on the outlet side with the correct adapters to make it fit ? The reason I tried putting it on in the first place was I was frequently while hooked up to city water the fresh water tank would fill up.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Ejs4029

Thanks everyone for your help...I took off the backflow preventer and it's working now....Should I try putting it on the inlet side ? Or should i put it back on the outlet side with the correct adapters to make it fit ? The reason I tried putting it on in the first place was I was frequently while hooked up to city water the fresh water tank would fill up.

It can go on either side of the pump and there have been several discussions here to the merits of which side is better.

On the pressure/outlet side, not only does it serve as a check valve but it also protects the pump and everything else on the suction side from any higher pressure when on city water. (you should be using a regulator anyway if you have high city water pressure)

Many folks like it on the suction side of the pump because the whole reason they are installing it, is because the pump's internal check is unreliable and the inline check then keeps the pressure in the system from bleeding back into the fresh tank and making the pump cycle. Which is also one of the things the pump's internal check valve would do if it were working. (when not using city water)

If you put it on the suction/inlet side of the pump, you should install it between the pump and the clear plastic suction/strainer.

[Ejs4029]

Originally Posted by 5picker

It can go on either side of the pump and there have been several discussions here to the merits of which side is better.

On the pressure/outlet side, not only does it serve as a check valve but it also protects the pump and everything else on the suction side from any higher pressure when on city water. (you should be using a regulator anyway if you have high city water pressure)

Many folks like it on the suction side of the pump because the whole reason they are installing it, is because the pump's internal check is unreliable and the inline check then keeps the pressure in the system from bleeding back into the fresh tank and making the pump cycle. Which is also one of the things the pump's internal check valve would do if it were working. (when not using city water)

If you put it on the suction/inlet side of the pump, you should install it between the pump and the clear plastic suction/strainer.

I don't have the room to install it on inlet side of the pump the strainer is butted up against a panel. So it looks like if I am going to use it its going to have to go on the outlet side of the pump but I'm going to have to get some type of adapter so I can flip it around any ideas on what I can use ?

Also if I do put it on the outlet side will it still work preventing the fresh water tank to fill while connected to city water ?

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by Ejs4029

I don't have the room to install it on inlet side of the pump the strainer is butted up against a panel. So it looks like if I am going to use it its going to have to go on the outlet side of the pump but I'm going to have to get some type of adapter so I can flip it around any ideas on what I can use ?

Also if I do put it on the outlet side will it still work preventing the fresh water tank to fill while connected to city water ?

Just get a 1/2” NPT Brass coupling and a 1/2”x1-1/2” NPT brass nipple and flip the check valve around.

Bruce

[nomad297]

You can find 1/2”FIPx1/2”MIP adapters, but what I suggested above is going to be more readily available and easy to find.

Bruce

[5picker]

You could always relocate the pump a bit to give you clearance from the wall. It is simply screwed to the floor and can be placed anywhere within reason of the existing plumbing.

You can do as nomad297 suggested using a close nipple and a coupler or get a couple adapters.

And yes... on EITHER side of the pump it will keep the fresh tank from filling.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by 5picker

You could always relocate the pump a bit to give you clearance from the wall. It is simply screwed to the floor and can be placed anywhere within reason of the existing plumbing.

You can do as nomad297 suggested using a close nipple and a coupler or get a couple adapters.

And yes... on EITHER side of the pump it will keep the fresh tank from filling...

I couldn't edit my original post but I should have added... if installed with the arrow on the check valve going in the proper direction!

[nayther]

I'd put it on the outlet side. These pumps are "self priming" but that is sometimes a challenge for the pump if the tank is low. Any added pressure drop on the suction side could exacerbate that.

[waybeck2018]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

You can rent the PEX crimper from almost any Home Depot. The tool rental department is in the back of the store.

Home Depot is highway robbery to rent any tool. If you may use it 2-3 times, go ahead and buy one.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by 5picker

You can do as nomad297 suggested using a close nipple and a coupler or get a couple adapters.

I think a close nipple might be too short to allow that plastic nut to thread down far enough to compress the washer inside to the end of the nipple. I think a 1-1/2” nipple would work, but even that might be cutting it close.

Bruce

[Ejs4029]

Thanks again everyone for all your help I appreciate it Time and conditions permitting I w will goes to Lowes for the proper parts to install the back flow preventer on outlet side of the pump

[Trainaddict]

Sir,
I have used pex tubing and fittings for many years. I have purchased my first RV last year. I have most of the pex tools and fittings. I have found the easiest way to remove the stainless steel crimp if you have the room is a four inch grinder, just be careful not to slip and cut anything else. Lowes does carry the crimping tool.

[hughd033]

Having been there on several occasions cut the pex fitting off cut back a bit of the tubing and install a regular hose clamp. Easier to fix and makes a repair in the future a lot easier to do if t needs it.

[NorthTexasRVr]

Come on..... let's get smart. You own a travel RV. It's a home on wheels. They cost money to maintain. Quit over engineering the problem. Go and buy a PEX crimper and re crimp. Its $32 at home depot. Youll be glad you bought it. With the tool, you can make other things better. Travel trailer manufacturer make junk. All of them! You as an owner have to make it better. So make it better.

[steelhorsecowboy]

If you had the time and money i would replace all the crimp fittings. If you look closely the fittings go inside the pex pipe. At each fitting you have almost reduced the water flow by half the inside diameter of the tubing. If you could use a John Guest or a Shark Bite fitting the water flow would increase as they are attached on the outside and don't reduce flow. The are both expensive but more reliable as not relying on a barbed fitting and clamp. I've seen clamps broken in residential applications. Personally i prefer the John Guest because it doesn't require a tool to disassemble if it needs to come apart.

www.sharkbite.com
www.johnguest.com

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by steelhorsecowboy

If you had the time and money i would replace all the crimp fittings. If you look closely the fittings go inside the pex pipe. At each fitting you have almost reduced the water flow by half the inside diameter of the tubing. If you could use a John Guest or a Shark Bite fitting the water flow would increase as they are attached on the outside and don't reduce flow. The are both expensive but more reliable as not relying on a barbed fitting and clamp. I've seen clamps broken in residential applications. Personally i prefer the John Guest because it doesn't require a tool to disassemble if it needs to come apart.

www.sharkbite.com
www.johnguest.com

What you have described is true, but it would only be beneficial if there were no restrictions in the system before you started using those push-on fittings. For example, when you are hooked to “city” water, you are almost always connecting to a standard hose bib or boiler drain. I take these things apart all day long and the largest washer used in any of them is a 3/8L which is sealing onto a seat that is no larger than 1/4”ID. The most water you are going to get is that which will flow through a 1/4” opening. So, whether your hose, pipe, faucet, whatever has an ID of 1/4” or 100”, you are still only going to get the amount of flow/water that can squeeze through that 1/4”ID seat at the “city” connection on the pedestal. It is actually a bad thing to increase the ID of a water line because this causes cavitation, aeration and erosion at each point where the pipe ID size has increased.

Bruce

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by waybeck2018

Home Depot is highway robbery to rent any tool. If you may use it 2-3 times, go ahead and buy one.

The Home Depot rental tools are much more robust and higher quality than cheap ones you can buy.

That number should be 6-8 times to reach break-even if you're fair.

My son bought a house with Polybutylene (PB) plumbing. That's the one that used the plastic fittings that lost their plasticizer and cracked at the worst possible time. He was, indeed, using a crimper enough to justify its purchase. Most of us won't. Eventually he got tired of putting patches on patches and he and I spent two really long weekends replacing every pipe segment in the house.