Design spec for water pressure

[BuckyBoy73]

Anyone know the maximum psi for city water supply to avoid damaging the interior water lines?

Have ordered a water regulator with a psi gauge, but Escape owners manual gives no information related to actual design limits.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by BuckyBoy73

Anyone know the maximum psi for city water supply to avoid damaging the interior water lines?

Have ordered a water regulator with a psi gauge, but Escape owners manual gives no information related to actual design limits.

Just for some perspective the onboard pump cut-out pressure is 55 PSI. Also for winterizing with compressed air the max recommended pressure is generally 50 PSI. PEX piping and fitting pressure ratings are much higher than these numbers. A piece I have in my garage says 160PSI @ 73F. (This can go down to 80PSI at 200F but we don’t have temps that high.)

This fixed water regulator is designed for 50-55 PSI
https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-A01-...003YJJHI0?th=1

This adjustable regulator is factory preset to 45 PSI. Top end recommended at 60 PSI.
https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-A01-.../dp/B003YJLAIK

So with all that said set it at 50-55 PSI and you’ll be good.

[padlin]

July 2016


Hi Bob

The water system in the trailer has been tested to 100 psi, however it is not recommended to use water pressure in the system that high for too long. Most water pressure regulators bring the pressure down to around 50 psi which should be more than adequate.

Hope that helps.

Reace Harmatiuk, Director of Operations
Escape Trailer Industries Ltd.

[cpaharley2008]

The higher the pressure, the more chance of leaks as well as getting spritzed at the sink and toilet..........

[C&G in FL]

Many public water supply systems operate in the range of 60-65 psi. If there is a long distance between the water production facility (where sanitizer such as chlorine is added to “raw” water) and end users the pressure near the production facility may be around 100 psi and perhaps 30 psi at the most distant users. The high pressure is required to push adequate water to the most distant customers. Several factors come into play, such as size of water mains and amount of demand (usage) at any given time. In a public supply water system, pressure varies throughout the day. A campground with its own well is probably set to deliver in the 60 psi range. With water pressure, in most cases, lower is preferable to a point. 40 psi is adequate in our small trailers. Even if tested at 100 psi, it would not be good for the trailer’s plumbing. While the Pex pipes used by ETI are not made out of thin rubber, anyone who has ever overinflated a ballon can easily imagine what might happen. If I were using an adjustable water pressure regulator that could be set down to 45 psi, that is where I would set it. However, they are far more expensive and get lots of bad ratings. The non-adjustable regulators are somewhere in the 50-55 psi range, perfectly safe and acceptable. I don’t pony up for the adjustable ones because it is not in common for both types to “go bad” so I don’t spend the extra money for adjustable.

[75thRanger]

I'm curious if using a water pressure regulator when using air to blow out the pipes would keep the air pressure within limits also.

Pressure is pressure, eh?

Thoughts?

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

The higher the pressure, the more chance of leaks as well as getting spritzed at the sink and toilet..........

Spritzed, huh?

Jim, you reminded me of an article I read in Bicycling Magazine many years ago where the author was recounting how he had been riding on a particularly hot day and happened to hit a patch of water on the road that splashed up from the front tire and provided a bit of liquid coolness in the form of a mist. Over the next couple of miles when he saw other puddles he intentionally hit them to further refresh himself. About three miles down the road he crested a hill and, to his dismay, he saw (and smelled) the source of the puddles....... a honey wagon was parked on the edge of the road and it’s leaky valve was dripping some of its “cargo” into an even larger puddle that was forming.

[cpaharley2008]

When blowing out the lines there is no water hookup, no pressure regulator. Unless you install one in line, it is not present.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

Spritzed, huh?

Jim, you reminded me of an article I read in Bicycling Magazine many years ago where the author was recounting how he had been riding on a particularly hot day and happened to hit a patch of water on the road that splashed up from the front tire and provided a bit of liquid coolness in the form of a mist. Over the next couple of miles when he saw other puddles he intentionally hit them to further refresh himself. About three miles down the road he crested a hill and, to his dismay, he saw (and smelled) the source of the puddles....... a honey wagon was parked on the edge of the road and it’s leaky valve was dripping some of its “cargo” into an even larger puddle that was forming.

Now that is funny, made me cough my coffee.........

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by 75thRanger

I'm curious if using a water pressure regulator when using air to blow out the pipes would keep the air pressure within limits also.

Pressure is pressure, eh?

Thoughts?

If I recall correctly, the fittings sold to blow out water lines with air tell you to set the air compressors output to 30 or 35 psi. I would follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

[cpaharley2008]

We had the unfortunate experience of following a farm tractor pulling a huge wagon of sorts. When I stopped for gas I notice flies everywhere, it seemed it was a manure spreader....that night I waited until it was dark and hooked up a hose to hose off the Escape front, even though it was posted 'no trailer washing" I had to get rid of that smell.

[75thRanger]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

When blowing out the lines there is no water hookup, no pressure regulator. Unless you install one in line, it is not present.

I wasn't very clear in my post. I have a small device that attaches to the water inlet and a quick connect on the other end for an air hose from my trucks compressor. This allows one to complete the process alone.

What I was curious about was inserting a water pressure regulator in the mix. I would set my compressor to 30psi or so but was just wondering if the other would work also.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by 75thRanger

I wasn't very clear in my post. I have a small device that attaches to the water inlet and a quick connect on the other end for an air hose from my trucks compressor. This allows one to complete the process alone.

What I was curious about was inserting a water pressure regulator in the mix. I would set my compressor to 30psi or so but was just wondering if the other would work also.

Yes you can use a water pressure regulator for air but if you have a compressor with an adjustable output regulator it is not necessary. Just set your pressure anywhere within 30-50 PSI and you are good to go. The use of the regulator might be handy if you needed to quickly winterize on the road and had a source of unknown pressure like a gas station.

[BuckyBoy73]

Thanks to all for a variety of knowledgeable insights and suggestions.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by BuckyBoy73

Anyone know the maximum psi for city water supply to avoid damaging the interior water lines?

Have ordered a water regulator with a psi gauge, but Escape owners manual gives no information related to actual design limits.

Fixed RV pressure regulators are set to 40-50 lbs of pressure.

Camco (40055) RV Brass Inline Water Pressure Regulator- Helps Protect RV Plumbing and Hoses from High-Pressure City Water, Lead Free

[Mike Lewis]

Use a regulator when connected to "city water". In the spring of 2015, a year after I bought my trailer, I was camped at a commercial campground and my site was at the bottom of a hill. I used their water hookups and neglected to use my regulator. I noticed the cold water line to the bathroom lavatory was dripping and I tried to tighten it. It came off, spewing water everywhere, and I had to go outside in a rainstorm at night to shut off the water. That fitting has been unreliable ever since, so I put ball valves in those lines. I now use only the water from my fresh water tank and don't use a water hookup.

[Mike Lewis]

Was a municipal campground, not commercial: Lady Bird Johnson park in Fredericksburg, Texas. Nice park and nice city.