I have had a pressure reducer on my city water hose since my first couple trips, which is over a year\maybe a dozen trips ago. One place (La Sage, Grover Beach, CA) assured me I needed it, as the water pressure there was -I think they said- a hundred pounds or more.The problem with my pressure reducer is that at some parks (it seems) it lowers the pressure too much, and the shower just dribbles, and things like that. So I bought a water pressure gauge and stuck it on the hose bib where I'm currently parked at Santee Lakes, near San Diego, CA. It read 44 psi, so I removed the reducer and hooked strait up to it.It solved my dribbling fixtures issue, but I would like to know what the safe pressures are, and I couldn't find any data in my manuals.How high a reading on my $10 gauge should prompt me to use it? What would be the highest pressure I should let into my plumbing on my 2013 Rockwood Mini Lite?Any experience with this, or any useful links would be appreciated.

45PSI is what you should see. Any more and you should have a regulator.

X2 on what donn saidAnything over 45psi and you chance blowing out a line.Your water pump probably operates at 45psi and that should be enough for the city water connection as well.WoodGlue

Though I have never checked into the psi rating on my TT, most (but not all) of the plastic's involved in pluming that I have been exposed to are usually rated around 120psi maximum. That said it's still a good idea to have a regulator if your around 50 psi or so but it probably will not be the end of the world if you forget to use one every once in a while.Mike

I dumped that crummy little plastic check valve and put on a manual valve with a gauge, picked it up in a hardware store. I rarely see anything over 80 psi in a park, most are around 60 psi. If I see more than 80 I put my pressure reducer in line, otherwise I go without. My plumbing is supposed to be good to 100 psi.

It is NOT the same for all RVs. Generally if your plumbing is PEX you are probably good to 60 PSI but it's always BEST to find out from your trailers manufacturer. Older RVs are often rated for only 40 PSI maximum.

Water pressure hazards | Good Sam Community

mike243
Explorer
Dec 19, 2013
50-70lbs is what a home regulator should be set at,I use a regulator no matter the pressure because as use falls off pressure goes up, hate to blow some thing up because I knew better & didn't follow my SOP .
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Dec 17, 2013
Ole Man Dan wrote:
I know about high water pressure. I have 120 PSI at home.
I've seen parks around 30 PSI to 65 PSI.
It's better to invest in a good gauge.

OK, I'm at a park and my "good gauge" sez it has 90 lbs. of pressure. too bad I don't also have a "good" Watts type pressure regulator so I can safely use the spigot.
bumpy
Ole_Man_Dan
Explorer
Dec 17, 2013
I know about high water pressure. I have 120 PSI at home.
I've seen parks around 30 PSI to 65 PSI.
It's better to invest in a good gauge.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Dec 16, 2013
wny_pat wrote:
johnwalkerpa1 wrote:
wny_pat wrote:
Dennis M M wrote:
I dumped that crummy little plastic check valve and put on a manual valve with a gauge, picked it up in a hardware store. I rarely see anything over 80 psi in a park, most are around 60 psi.

Then you've never been to Travelers World RV Resort in San Antonio where it is 160 psi!!! At least they warn you and do have a decent pressure regulator for sale in the store. Best to have a quality adjustable high flow Watts Pressure Regulator.

I bet the showers are good there though :)

Among the best and cleanest I've seen anywhere!

sort of like those at fishing bridge campground. felt like a fire hose.
bumpy
wny_pat1
Explorer
Dec 15, 2013
johnwalkerpa1 wrote:
wny_pat wrote:
Dennis M M wrote:
I dumped that crummy little plastic check valve and put on a manual valve with a gauge, picked it up in a hardware store. I rarely see anything over 80 psi in a park, most are around 60 psi.

Then you've never been to Travelers World RV Resort in San Antonio where it is 160 psi!!! At least they warn you and do have a decent pressure regulator for sale in the store. Best to have a quality adjustable high flow Watts Pressure Regulator.

I bet the showers are good there though :)

Among the best and cleanest I've seen anywhere!
johnwalkerpa1
Explorer
Dec 15, 2013
wny_pat wrote:
Dennis M M wrote:
I dumped that crummy little plastic check valve and put on a manual valve with a gauge, picked it up in a hardware store. I rarely see anything over 80 psi in a park, most are around 60 psi.

Then you've never been to Travelers World RV Resort in San Antonio where it is 160 psi!!! At least they warn you and do have a decent pressure regulator for sale in the store. Best to have a quality adjustable high flow Watts Pressure Regulator.

Wow! 160 psi? At that rate, you'd think they would regulate it at the source...although, I suppose maybe it makes more economic sense to sell regulators.

I bet the showers are good there though :)
Bobbo
Explorer II
Dec 15, 2013
My Winnebago came with documentation to keep the pressure at 45 psi. The new pumps out there are set at 55 psi from the factory. I contacted Winnebago to ask if that was alright. Winnebago's response is that is fine to set your pump at 55, but keep the shore line set to 45. When other people on the shore water turn off large loads, that can cause a type of water hammer that momentarily raises the water pressure. With the shore water set at 45, you are safe from that effect. The pump doesn't have that phenomenon, so it is OK to set it at 55.

Of course, if you have a quality regulator like a Valterra or Watts, the pressure surge shouldn't make it past the regulator, I would think.
mlts22
Explorer
Dec 14, 2013
Maybe I'm rare, but I've had good luck with the Camco all brass regulator that is fairly inexpensive. It isn't as good as the Watts, but it does the job for occasional use.

If I were using my rig on FHU more often (usually I'm at a CG just for a couple nights), I'd probably go for a better regulator, one that has anti-hammer protection in it.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Dec 14, 2013
I've mentioned it before but i have a pressure gauge that has a needle that will "stick" at the maximum pressure it sees. It got a bit scary at times.
bumpy
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Dec 14, 2013
My RV is labeled 45 PSI, I run 50, From what I understand the PEX plumbing can take quite a bit of pressure but some of the other things in the rv may start popping off at around 60 PSI. (And I mean blowing seals and flooding the place).

So I'd say 45-50 max.

I should check my pressure since I'm on "internal" but ... Well... IT is raining out and the port I need to use for said testing is ... OUT. as is the pressure gauge.

Forum Discussion

Water pressure hazards

About RV Newbies

Related Content

Water pressure regulator...

No water pressure

Water pressure issue

water pump and pressure issues

Pressure regulator for "City Water" Hookup