By Russ and Tiña De Maris
As many as 2,000 people are on hand each time Yellowstone’s Old Faithful geyser pops off. You can bet a lot of them got there in their RVs. Geysers are fascinating—a lot of water under pressure, looking for an “out.”
One place a geyser isn’t welcome is inside your RV. But water under pressure is always seeking an “out.” If there’s too much pressure, your RV plumbing could be that out. Using a water pressure regulator can hold down the stress, and keep your RV dry.
Plumbing safety device
A water pressure regulator is a simple gadget that acts as an RV plumbing safety device. Every time you hook up your RV to a “city water” outlet, you run some risk. Water pressure is measured in PSI, or pounds per square inch. While manufacturers of many newer RVs claim their plumbing can handle up to 100 PSI, prevailing thought is for safety: Never exceed 60 PSI. Owners of older rigs should probably keep the pressure down to 45 to 50 PSI.
However, pulling into an RV park, you can’t be sure just what kind of water pressure you’ll encounter. Water pressure in a park system doesn’t always stay the same—demands can lower or raise the pressure in moments. That’s why using a pressure regulator can help keep your RV safe.
Choosing the right regulator
There are two basic types of RV water pressure regulators. The less expensive, around $15, are non-adjustable regulators. Most claim to hold water pressure down to 40 to 50 PSI. There are basically two different “flavors” of this type: brass or plastic. We’ve used both types, and they seem to work the same. However, if you decide to buy a brass regulator, look for one that is “lead-free.”
For a few extra bucks, some of the brass regulators include a dial gauge showing the water pressure. But the advertisements are hard to decipher—it’s not clear whether the gauge shows the “regulated” pressure or that which is coming from the park supply.
Our experience with non-adjustable pressure regulators seems to tally up with what many others have said. They hold the pressure down, but they also seem to reduce the available flow of water—at times making it impossible to get a good shower. Our last water pressure regulator purchase went to the other type—adjustable.
Adjustable pressure regulators are just that. Turn on the park water supply, and adjust the pressure delivered to your RV. A gauge shows the delivered PSI, and most allow you to set it anywhere from zero on up to as high as the park pressure. These regulators are brass. Again, you should search for lead-free brass. Prices range from around $20 to $30. The unit we bought was a giant step up from our earlier non-adjustable units. The flow-through seems to be much better, and showers are typically, well, like a shower should be.
Hook it up
Using a water pressure regulator is fairly straightforward. There are threads on each end of the regulator. It’s best to put the regulator on the park water outlet, then hook your water hose to the regulator. That way the hose is also protected from high-pressure situations.
If you’re using an adjustable pressure regulator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on setting the desired pressure. Typically, this means turning on the park water, then using a screwdriver to turn a screw to set the pressure. When it’s time to move on, be sure to empty water out of the regulator before storing it.
You’ll find a wide range of water pressure regulators on Amazon.
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RVDT2811
If you live where it gets below freezing, and you store your RV, move your adjustable regulator to where it will stay warm during winter. Freezing temps can ruin it.
Adjusting the pressure- your city water inlet has a check valve. You can directly increase your regulated pressure. But to decrease the regulated pressure, you must turn the water off, release the pressure inside the RV (temporarily open a faucet), turn down the pressure at the regulator and turn the water back on. And perhaps, once again slowly increase the pressure setting. The good news is once you get the regulated pressure set for your RV, it is rare that you would need to fiddle with the adjuster.
This would have been a good place to suggest turning off the water when you are going to be away from your unit, even with regulated pressure water can flood your unit if a leak develops and you are not there to detect or react to it. I typically use an inline shut off at the park connection and where I connect to city water. This one is very handy as I can easily top off the fresh water tank (they are next to each other on our trailer) if needed without having to go back to the first connection to shut off the water. I know not all units have the city and fresh tank fill together.
I carry three, just in case on fails.