water system in 84 Aristocrat?

[kera mchugh]

Hi All... thanks for welcoming us in... 

We are new to this, and hopefully won't bore you with stupid questions. 

I have searched as far as I am able on the good ol interwebs and am coming up empty so hoping someone in here might have some insight... or maybe a schematic... of just how the on-board water system is SUPPOSED to work. 

We know we've got repairs/renovations to do, but there are weird things going on and having an idea of how it SHOULD work would be super helpful in getting there.

Presumably, it's quite similar in other RVs of this size... 

here's the problem:

Discovered the pump was leaking - cracked casing on the switch cover? - so for potential of short term running water, after tracing out the pex and making some (what we thought) were reasonable assumptions - we disconnected the pump and capped the pex on the end flowing INTO the pump.

Hooked up the city water. Turned it on.

All seemed well. 

Until a day or 36 hours later when i heard a faint dripping in the "bathroom"... and opened the toilet lid to discover it just barely overflowing (with clean water thankfully).

Is it logical that with the city water connected and flowing, that water was just continuously, slowly flowing into the toilet, filled the blackwater tank, and then the bowl? 

We were of the impression from the previous owners that the toilet only operated off the pump and holding tank. That appears to be false information. 

Any insights/advice would be much appreciated. 

[Rich Thomas]

I think your toilet should work the same on or off the self contained tank. One thing you may be having a problem with however is over pressuring the system when on city water. Try to find an in line pressure reducer that attaches to your inlet in line with your hose when on city water. They can be found at most every retailer on or off the net that sells RV supplies and are not at all expensive.

[Ralph Javins]

Good morning, Kera McHugh; 

      Yes, the suggestion provided by Rich Thomas is very good.  I think water pressure regulators rated at about 45 PSI to 65 PSI are very simple looking devices that screw onto a hose bibb fitting just like the white drinking water supply hose that goes to the faucet on the RV utility pedestal that you may be parked beside for connecting up to that "city water" source.  I have seen them for about $15.00, but you can get more elaborate ones that have a pressure gauge and are also adjustable for more money. 

     Something else to consider is a device for pressurizing the water system through the "city water" port on the RV.  There are some very simple looking and low cost things made of a molded plastic that you can use with an automotive air pressure hose to put air into the RV water system to "blow it out" when removing water for "winterizing" the RV.  However, that may not be enough for testing your RV water system to tell if it is leaking somewhere, except perhaps when the leak is really bad and you can easily hear the leak, or you have already found water loose at an undesirable location.  

     Please note:  Do not put air pressure into your water system higher than 100 PSI.  Normally I test mine at just 65 PSI, but the maximum pressure from my water pump back by the fresh water tank is only 45 PSI, and my city water pressure regulator is also 45 PSI.     

    There is a device that RV technicians use that will depress and hold open the check valve at the city water connection port.  The main and most expensive part is what is known as the "Blue Test Plug,"   The main part of the B&B Molding "Blue Test Plug" is the part that is the same shape as the male end of a water hose, and it threads into the city water connection port, but it also has a projection that sticks out the front.  The projection is about 1/2 inch or 13mm in diameter, and it has a water hose washer on it so that it sticks out only 3/8 inch or 10mm past the sealing surface of the water hose washer.  It is that projecting part that holds open the water check valve inside the city water connection port, and allows the pressure gauge on the assembled air pressure test fixture to show the air pressure that the water system pipes and things are holding.  You let it sit on there for about 10 minutes and watch for any drop in the air pressure reading to indicate whether or not the plumbing system has a leak that should receive attention. 

     While the B&B Molding people are the makers, and the J-R Products people are the distributor for it, the main retailer for the "Blue Test Plug" right now is Makarios RV Parts and Accessories;     www.makariosrv.com    

     The one disadvantage about the "Blue Test Plug" is its price.  The normal retail price is right around $90.00.  Makarios RV may be selling it still for about $60.00, which is the price I paid for mine.  That is the only disadvantage I know for the "Blue Test Plug."  

     The main reason why the "Blue Test Plug" is necessary for air pressure testing your water system is that water check valve just inside the city water port.  If the check valve is really doing its job well, you may not be able to see a slow drop in the pressure over a time period, until the pressure drop exceeds the spring pressure holding the check valve closed, and then some air in the pressure tester and gauge can go inside the water system and give you a lower pressure reading.  However, if you have a really bad leak, it will show that very quickly even without the recommended "Blue Test Plug."   If the system will not hold any pressure, then you know there is a problem.  The projection on the "Blue Test Plug" holds open the water check valve enough so that you can see even a slow air pressure leak from your water system.  

     So why is there a check valve inside the city water connection port?  Mainly so that you do not pump out your fresh water tank through the city water port when you are not hooked up to city water. 

     I will make and post a photograph of my assembled RV water system pressure tester. 

          Enjoy;  

          Ralph 

          Latté Land, Washington 

    

[kera mchugh]

thank you both so much for your help! 

we're thinking that we may need/want to just replace the water system entirely as more issues have presented themselves - so this will be extremely helpful information as we contemplate doing that.

ultimately, i think we'll aim for a dry-composting toilet and eliminate this piece of that puzzle entirely.

our city water hose has a filter on it... but it doesn't suggest that it in any way affects pressure - so assuming this would be a separate device to add to the incoming water line? i think we'll definitely go get one for the short term, as the composting toilet is a hefty expense that will be down the road a ways.

thanks again!