check out the new remote control Jockey Wheel SmartBar Canegrowers rearview170 Cobb Grill Skid Row Recovery Gear Caravan Industry Association of Australia
Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Water pressure in the van.


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2923
Date:
Water pressure in the van.


Rather than hijacking another post, I'll open another thread. This has all started when we had visitors, and the other lady talking to my lady about the caravan, got around to talking about washing their hair, and it appears there was not enough water pressure to wash out the shampoo. Well it so happened we have the same low water pressure problem off the mains as them. Well all we have to is buy another valve thingy.

Yes but which valve thingy are you talking about. So I have a look at the system, definitely less water pressure when on mains than on the in house pump, so test water flows, pressure limiting valve no problem, flow down at the water use end, yes a problem. So it appears that the pressure is restricted by the system tubing.

This also got me thinking about problems others I've read about with their water systems, blowing hoses, pump diaphragms etc. This I put down to the excess water pressure and water pressure is controlled by the "Pressure limiting valve", which means it must become faulty.

This valve, which is now being installed (I believe in new houses) limits the pressure within the system to 350KPA (51psi), so how high can the mains water pressure get to? having a look on the net the highest I read was 1200KPA (174 psi), over 3 times the system pressure of the van!

So how much pressure can the John Guest fittings take, between 100 and 150 psi depending on temperature, so on a hot day with a faulty pressure limiting valve things could get interesting.

I had intended to fit a water filter and new PRV at the rear of the van where water usage was needed, having brought the filter, I looked up the pressure rating for it, 87 psi, bummer can't use it on the mains side.

Also the pump install instructions say to use tubing with an ID of 12mm or else pressure drop will occur, and noise will occur. What's the tubing size 12mm OD, with about a 8mm ID so no wonder I have noise and low pressure.

 



__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2138
Date:


Hi Ian

Have a look at your water main input point
9 out of 10 the wasp are filling it up with mud
I have an one way hose connector fitted to mine intake point
so that solves that problem
Just have a look


Cheers John



__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 4711
Date:

iana wrote:

So how much pressure can the John Guest fittings take, between 100 and 150 psi depending on temperature, so on a hot day with a faulty pressure limiting valve things could get interesting. 


 The John Guest plumbing will take much more pressure than the hot water systems. It will be the tank there that you destroy if you put too high a pressure into the system.



__________________

PeterD
Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top
Retired radio and electronics technician.
NSW Central Coast.

 



Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2923
Date:

So resorting to plan "B", and am running a 12mm ID tube from the pressure limiting valve, which is at the mains connection, down to the rear end and teeing it into where the most water pressure is required.

__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2923
Date:

Just to correct a statement I made in the opening post, I said that houses were having a PLV of 350kpa installed. That's not correct, the pressure limiting valve for houses is 500 or 550kpa (80psi) whereas the PLV for RV's is 350kpa (51psi), why I dunno.

Had a look at what the pressure limit for the hot water service in my van is, it is 150psi (1034kpa), that's when new, don't know what the relief valve is set at.

Having installed a 12mm ID tube from the PLV 6meters up to go in near the same entry point as the Shuflo pump, the flow rate went up from 3.51 lt./min to 4.72 lt./min, while the flow rate when using the pump is 5.88 lt./min. Now that is water coming out from the shower rose.

Interesting though the flow rate at the outlet of the PLV is 13.95 lt./min, that is no flow restrictions or head from the shower etc.

Checked, the water heater relief valve is set at 850kpa (123 psi.)

At the moment I can't see any reason why you can't go to 550 kpa.

 



-- Edited by iana on Thursday 17th of August 2017 02:31:27 PM

__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 5723
Date:

How many liters per minute for a comfortable shower? I know I know, how ling is a piece of stringbiggrin

Aussie Paul. smile



__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us
Purchase Grey Nomad bumper stickers Read our daily column, the Nomad News The Grey Nomad's Guidebook