Dear Dave,
Can an inline water filter be used in lieu of a water pressure regulator? —Greg, 2019 Thor A.C.E. 33.1
Dear Greg,
I have not seen any inline water filters that regulate pressure other than ones I have used that got filled with calcium and lime. Not only did they “regulate” the pressure, sometimes they stopped it! I did search Camco, Shurflo and my wholesale supply company, Northern Wholesale Supply, and did not find an all-in-one version of inline filter and water pressure regulator. However, many have a kit that contains a separate pressure regulator along with a hose bend protector, which is a wire surrounding the short hose adapter.
Most RVers that use an inline filter just attach an inexpensive pressure regulator on the incoming end that regulates the flow down to 40 psi.
However, since you have a 2019 Thor motorhome, it probably has PEX water lines and they can typically handle 60 psi. We did a shoot last summer on a pop-up trailer that had PEX. At the city fill it had a sticker stating 60 psi—which I thought was shocking for a pop-up. So you might want to get a regulator that allows you to dial in the psi. You can find one at Amazon here.
As for filters, I like the blue canister type you find at home improvement stores as I can change the cartridge for about $4 rather than changing the entire filter every few months. It depends on how hard the water is at your sites.
This is a little harder to hook up and takes more space. However, it is a better filter, in my opinion, as I can get different inserts for filtering specific items. This is a shot of one at a local campground, and there is a pressure regulator at the faucet. Also, the “slinky” type hose is approved for fresh water. Camco has one as well as Valterra, the company that makes most of the dump station fittings. You can find it here.
You might also enjoy this from Dave
Ask Dave: What water pressure should I have at the campground?
Dear Dave,
When at a campground, what is the suggested psi setting for an adjustable water pressure regulator? —Tony, 2003 Holiday Rambler Vacationer
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
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One of our readers, Dale pointed out a mistake that might confuse others.
Your answers usually are very good but one that many people confuse, or don’t pay attention to is the difference between pressure and flow. In your answer regarding filters controlling pressure you stated “Most RVers that use an inline filter just attach an inexpensive pressure regulator on the incoming end that regulates the flow down to 40 psi.” This confuses people since a ‘regulator affects flow but does not regulate flow. You should have said ‘regulates the pressure down to 40 psi. Being a fluid power engineer this really drives me crazy. Thanks for your answers and just trying to help those who really do not understand.
Thanks for catching this and hopefully this helps.
I just went and looked at the pex that isused in my rv.
100# at 180degrees. Only once in Texas ( everything is bigger in Texas) did i come across pressure excedding 60#. It was pushing 120#. Always carry a reducer.
The campco inline filter says 60# max and is both a filter and has carbon for taste and odor reduction. The filter pictured is taste (carbon) or filter(usually 5 microns. But not both. The regular filter is white or cream colored and carbon is black and sells for around $9. Supposedly good for 15,000 gals.
As you said they can be used as a flow regulator but not a pressure regulator. I carry a pressure gage with me that I connect to the faucet before I connect my hose. If the “deadhead” pressure is under 60 psi I don’t use my regulator, above 60 psi I use an adjustable regulator like the one pictured. I have been in parks where the pressure was as much as 78 psi, most are under 50 psi. But it’s alway best to check. You don’t have to worry about the PEX lines bursting, but the fittings are the trouble prone areas. I saw a demonstration of PEX where the line full of ice had swelled up to about 2” in diameter, thawed out it returned to normal size with no leaks, it’s tough!
We did that with a few units that were used for the Winer Dance Party locally in Feb and the propane ran out and nobody checked as they thought it had electric heat! The electric heat feature was the heat pump option of the air conditioners that don’t work in below zero temps. The entire systems was frozen and it thawed out without anything bursting. The units were Winnebagos and they use Flair-It connections.