Forum Discussion

2112's avatar
2112
Explorer II
May 16, 2022

Water Pressure Regulator

My regulator failed and I need a replacement. The Watts are up to ~$150 now.

Has anyone had any luck with these cheap RV Guard regulators or something similar in this price range? There are several that look identical. All the reviews on the different brands seem to be hit or miss.

Are these serviceable like a Watts?

Thanks
  • 2112's avatar
    2112
    Explorer II
    Grit dog wrote:
    Another one of these paranoia threads...
    You could look at it that way.

    I see it as different strokes for different folks. We all have our own point of view and experiences we call upon. Each of us have our own "preferred method" which provides a level of comfort or satisfaction to us. That's what makes life interesting for each of us. We each get to drive our own bus in the direction we want to go.

    What did Frank say? I did it My Way.
  • 2112 wrote:
    What did Frank say? I did it My Way.


    I'm pretty sure he was singing about boozing & chasing around with showgirls and not whether to fill the holding tank or not. But I get your point. :B
  • Cummins12V98 wrote:
    My WATTS pressure regulator has a nice big glycerin filled gauge.


    dedmiston wrote: "Just to be a contrarian." ME TOO!!


    but but, whatcha gonna do when park pressure is way low???

    while watts is a great regulator...can it turn the park water pressure up, when it is low??

    Now what...want to take shower?? Turn on pump, oh ya, nice consistent water pressure!!;)

    Jerry
  • MFL wrote:
    dedmiston wrote: "Just to be a contrarian." ME TOO!!


    but but, whatcha gonna do when park pressure is way low???

    while watts is a great regulator...can it turn the park water pressure up, when it is low??

    Now what...want to take shower?? Turn on pump, oh ya, nice consistent water pressure!!;)

    Jerry


    LOL. Yep Jerry, when the pressure is too low, you have to sneak out and shut off everyone else's water and shower while they're sleeping. Just don't forget to turn them back on.

    (kidding)
  • Grew up in the pipefitting industry...other than ride-along, didn't do much RVng as a kid. Fast forward to my 1st RV (circa 2002 or so). The salesman (I know...) says hey, you need to watch out for water pressure in campgrounds. OK, makes sense to me. Salesman then says "We can sell you this pressure regulator" and showed me what was probably a perfectly good regulator....but I said, no, that's not a water pressure regulator. Water pressure regulators are red (possibly black) and say "Watts" on them and come with (as noted above) the oil or glycerin filled gauge and if you really get the right one, it will have threaded outlets for two gauges and an adjustment bolt.

    Got a Watts but based on forgetting it a time or two or just being lazy, the ones from the RV places worked fine.
  • Over many years of RVing, we've seen water pressures range from a pathetic 20 psi to over 120 psi. Some campgrounds warn of high pressure and refuse any liability if you don't use a regulator. Generally most parks have lower pressure than we like and doesn't get to the 60 psi setting on our Watts regulator. The pressure in older parks can vary 10-15 psi and typically drops in the morning when people are showering. If the pressure is lower than about 40 psi, we'll put water in our fresh water tank and run off our water pump.

    Art
  • MFL wrote:
    Cummins12V98 wrote:
    My WATTS pressure regulator has a nice big glycerin filled gauge.


    dedmiston wrote: "Just to be a contrarian." ME TOO!!


    but but, whatcha gonna do when park pressure is way low???

    while watts is a great regulator...can it turn the park water pressure up, when it is low??

    Now what...want to take shower?? Turn on pump, oh ya, nice consistent water pressure!!;)

    Jerry


    I just don't stay at "Low Pressure" locations. ;)
  • 2112's avatar
    2112
    Explorer II
    but but, whatcha gonna do when park pressure is way low???
    This is a good point. We have actually been in this situation and just sucked it up.

    I have never sanitized my fresh tank so I wouldn't trust it even if I sanitized it now after 9 years of not doing it. No telling what's in there.
  • If we are being honest, most of us have been caught by water pressure extremes, high and LOW. Another interesting point an earlier poster mentioned, is extremely cold water entering your water heater. I've run into this, at higher altitudes, where park water is pumped from a deep well. Using RV tank warmer water, allows longer showers, more back to back showers.

    I do sanitize my tank at season startup, and my FW came with a quality whole house filter system, that is installed on my basement wall. All water, city hookup, and fresh tank goes through filter system before going to any faucet, even the toilet. Never have clogged screens, or any water valve issues. :)

    I still carry two different regulators, but haven't used one for a long while.

    Jerry