Does anyone make a GOOD water pressure regulator?

ClydesdaleKevin · April 19, 2012, 10:48 AM

Just thought I'd ask if anyone has had the same experience with cheaper water pressure regulators that I've had over the years.

The plastic ones die within months, leaking out the weep hole.

The brass ones work great for a while, but then slowly the water pressure goes down and down and down, and then they need to be replaced...not sure why this even happens.

The park we are at now has really high pressure, but with my brass regulator, about a year old by the way, it comes out as a trickle in the sink. Take the regulator off, and its pretty scary how high the pressure is.

Does anyone make a more expensive but lasting regulator? Adjustable maybe even?

What have you guys used successfully?

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · April 19, 2012, 11:05 AM

I did find a couple on eBay, from 60-90 bucks...ouch!...that are adjustable with built in gauges...could make one from various parts, but I think it would end up costing even more.

Anyone have any luck with these, or less expensive options? The 6-12 ones just don't hold up well fulltiming.

Kev

ClydesdaleKevin · April 19, 2012, 02:58 PM

Being on a budget right now, but not wanting to fix any plumbing problems from a burst pipe or hose, I went down to Walmart and got another brass Camco regulator, installed it, and now the pressure is fine again.

Makes me wonder how or why these things wear out, and if they are fixable.

Its just washers and springs in a metal housing...you'd think they would last longer than 6 months.

Later on down the road, I think I will get one of the more expensive adjustable models with a gauge. Just makes more sense to be able to adjust it to the perfect pressure, no matter how high or low the campground water pressure is.

Kev

Lefty · April 19, 2012, 07:54 PM

Kev,
I've noticed the same thing.. Plastic ones aren't worth fooling with at all.. they either burst or pour from the weep hole as you said. The brass ones at Walmart or camping stores are better, but even they don't tend to last more than a year.
I'd also love to just buy a good one, that would last years, and not worry about it..even if it did cost more.

As for why the brass ones go bad, I don't have any idea. Maybe the springs inside weaken or corrode... or maybe they build up lime/calcium deposits inside and get stuck? I might try soaking one in some CLR next time it goes bad and see if it helps it.

OldEdBrady · April 19, 2012, 09:16 PM

Give the CLR thing a try and inform us. If that works...!

ClydesdaleKevin · April 20, 2012, 11:14 AM

Good...so its not just me...lol!

Yeah, when this new one goes bad I'll try the CLR as well, and see if it frees it up...but I really want to invest in one of the good adjustable ones someday. It even looks like you can take those kind apart to clean them.

Kev

salplmb · April 21, 2012, 05:46 PM

hey kev,
most of the time the regulators go bad is because of lime, calcium, sediment build up. there should be a screen that is cleanable, but the insides get crudded up and don't let the springs work right. very simple device defeated by a common problem. u could try a in line filter for the water from the hose bib to the rig. that way u just have to change the filter and get the benefit of cleaner water too. i have one of the brass regulators with the gauge and have not had any problem with mine so far. but being a plumbing contractor i am very familiar with the devices. as a final upgrade i might suggest that u could even plum in a standard pressure reg for a house which is adj. and has much bigger parts and screens.
hope this helps a little.
sal

moonlitcoyote · September 09, 2012, 11:12 PM

I dont even have a pressure regulator installed and today I found out that I really need one. We came back from taking the little one to an animal park to find the homebago flooded

. I have an inline water filter and the plastic fitting right before it burst. So hubby and I got to talking about putting in a pressure regulator and we wondered, once the water goes through the regulator wont the pressure still build up? And would I put the regulator before or after my water filter?

Oz · September 10, 2012, 12:43 AM

I'm assuming that you're hooked up to a public water source with this answer. If so, your regulator should go at the end of the hose, right where it connects to the RV. The pressure won't build up beyond it.

If you're just using your pump, then the pump pressure may be too high.

moonlitcoyote · September 10, 2012, 06:45 PM

Thank you Mark, yes we are connected to public water atm. I have never seen or heard of a regulator that connects at the end of the hose but I will go check it out tomorrow. Took all day today to vacuum up the water and start drying the floors.

Oz · September 11, 2012, 01:51 PM

I had gotten mine in the RV department at Wal-Mart so, this is a very common item. Your RV should have a female hose connector right at the inlet on the body where you hook up. The regulator just goes right in there between the hook-up and the hose.

However, the weight of the hose will create a downward pressure on the connection. Also available from Wal-Mart or other RV supplier is an "L" adapter which allows for the hose to hang straight down, eliminating hose crimping and relieving the pressure on the primary coupling point.

moonlitcoyote · September 11, 2012, 08:04 PM

Thanks again, we picked up the regulator today and put it on. 15min later a hose inside burst again. UGH! For now we are just going to run off the pump as we are trying to get ready to head south. I'll deal more with the water lines once we get down south somewhere.

Oz · September 11, 2012, 08:59 PM

Even with a regulator attached, I had the same problem with 3 connections in mine. One in the shower, the sink, and the kitchen sink. Every time we traveled, as soon as we hooked up and turned on the water, I had to yell out to my wife to turn it off so I could re-connect the lines.

It wasn't the pressure being too high, it was that the fittings weren't done properly. Once this was corrected, everything was good to go.

salplmb · September 14, 2012, 11:28 PM

the L fitting is a good idea for the hose. i like to put the regulator at the hose bib I'm going to connect to so that it wont blow my hose, just in case its to high. i just use the cheap little hose for my connection.
sal

frank-id2 · October 26, 2012, 12:51 PM

When the RV is connected to any city/country water system, a typical house pressure regulator is connected at the water source . A hose connects to our RV. A kitchen faucet adapter connects a pressure gage into the water system to monitor water pressure. The gage is a 0-60 gage. The water pressure regulator has been modified so the water pressure can be adjusted as required at any location or source. The regulating bolt has been modified to being a tee bolt and the jam nut is removed, also the inlet is modified to a female hose connection. Some brazing or maching maybe required. Our house regulator is now about 15 years old with never any problems. Some folks install in the water system, a 75 pound relief valve for over pressure protection. This same valve is used on domestic water heaters. Hot or cold water, the pressure relief valve works the same. RV products are often not the best products available. Frank