Campground Drama - Courtesy of Girard

chasfenwick · 10-28-2017, 10:48 AM

Admit it. You thought that this was going to be another rant about Girard and their much maligned water heaters. To the contrary. We think that the water heater in our 2017 Precept is just fine. No complaints.

We were enjoying a very quiet evening, watching TV, when all of a sudden there was this very loud, screeching noise that sent us flying out the door to investigate. Was coming out of the water heater, and water was pouring out of it. We hadn't run any water for hours. City water hookup. We shut down everything, planning to deal with it in daylight hours.

Fast forward to morning. It seems that this campground has very high water pressure, and the pressure relief valve had been triggered. Happily, it is self-resetting, and we were good to go - using the fresh water tank.

Crisis terminated. I had been too lazy to hook up the pressure regulator that I've been carrying around in the box it came in. Live and learn, right?

pconroy · 10-28-2017, 10:55 AM

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww - as a "content" Girard owner too, I was really looking forward to a rant!

Les7h · 10-28-2017, 01:23 PM

A water pressure regulator is very cheap insurance - 50 - 55 psi for less than $20 - I never hook up without one

chasfenwick · 10-28-2017, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Les7h

A water pressure regulator is very cheap insurance - 50 - 55 psi for less than $20 - I never hook up without one

This is the first time in 6 years of RV travels that I have needed one, insofar as I could tell. Even now, no harm done. If I ever hear "that noise" again, I'll know immediately what it is. Very distinctive!

GrumpyDad · 10-28-2017, 03:02 PM

I balooned my fresh water hose at one campground down in Idaho before I bought a pressure regulator. Now the regulator stays on the end of the hose and I can't hook up without it.

Old skipper · 10-28-2017, 04:19 PM

Although extremely high pressures are rare, I have been lazy in the way I was hooking up my water. Because the inline filte has that short piece of flex hose in the past I would attach the flex hose then the inline filter then the pressure regulator. Well last summer did just that turned the water on and bust the end right off the inline filter. Turns out camp ground water pressure was in excess of125 pounds.

t18skyguy · 10-31-2017, 12:09 PM

I use this Rinaldo adjustable water pressure gauge. Very high quality. Got it on Amazon. Use a screwdriver on the top to adjust up or down.

chasfenwick · 10-31-2017, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t18skyguy

I use this Rinaldo adjustable water pressure gauge. Very high quality. Got it on Amazon. Use a screwdriver on the top to adjust up or down.

I have one of those, still in its box. Guess I'll have to get serious about actually USING it!

t18skyguy · 10-31-2017, 12:44 PM

This is just a guess on my part, but what I think screws up a lot of people with the Gerard heater is the difference between static pressure and running pressure. The running pressure is much lower than the static pressure, and I think the Gerard wants a certain minimum flow or pressure. With this guage you can see both. It's nice.

jkaras7 · 11-01-2017, 04:59 PM

We don't hook up any water hose without a regulator. What is nice is the number of times we have been warned by RV park owners that their water pressure is high. Most of them have water regulators for sale in case you don't have one. Yes, I know there is a large mark up on the regulators they sell, but that is certainly less expensive a ballooned tank or blown water line.

**Mustang65** · 11-01-2017, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t18skyguy

I use this Rinaldo adjustable water pressure gauge. Very high quality. Got it on Amazon. Use a screwdriver on the top to adjust up or down.

We have one of these and it works GREAT! I made an easy to install filter/regulator combination.

Don

My Registry

RVing with SOLAR

RDM · 11-04-2017, 07:56 PM

Earlier this year we were camping with friends and learned a lesson about using a regulator. We all went out to dinner and when we came back our friends had water pouring out of their camper. The feed to the toilet had popped off at a fitting. We checked and the park pressure was near one hundred pounds psi so he/we assume that’s what caused it to fail. I use a Rinaldo regulator now and I often turn the park water feed off if we are going to be away from the TT for a few hours.

chasfenwick · 11-04-2017, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RDM

Earlier this year we were camping with friends and learned a lesson about using a regulator. We all went out to dinner and when we came back our friends had water pouring out of their camper. The feed to the toilet had popped off at a fitting. We checked and the park pressure was near one hundred pounds psi so he/we assume that’s what caused it to fail. I use a Rinaldo regulator now and I often turn the park water feed off if we are going to be away from the TT for a few hours.

Wow! Looks like we’ve been lucky, running around to a lot of different RV parks, over our 6 years in the RV activity. The subject of a park’s water pressure never came up until now. But I’ve gotta hand it to my wife - she had mentioned that the water pressure seemed awfully high before the thing blew.

wags999 · 11-04-2017, 11:05 PM

Out west I have run into extremely high water pressure as often as electric issues. Where we were this last summer the pressure was 130+. I ALWAYS use a regulator and an EMS, cheap insurance. I had one camper tell me they never use a regulator they just don't open the valve all the way.. I tried to explain the valve only controlled volume not pressure but she argued . They were only there one night and I didn't hear of an issue, but it's sure playing with fire.

Wusaah · 11-05-2017, 07:10 AM

I will not leave the CG with the water spigot on. The DW says I am a little on the OCD side of compulsive with this, however I feel I am the guy that errs on the side of caution. I think it is cheap insurance against returning home to see water flowing out of the 5er. My DW always complains because I usually forget to turn the water back on when we return but... it takes less than a minute and she has water.

Rob

WeRJuliian · 11-05-2017, 07:21 AM

A couple of years ago we camped at a site where the pressure was high enough to blow the tap off the end of the pipe on the post.
Luckily it was a small family site and the owner was on the spot to fix it right away...

But that, and a water hose that turned into a fountain, served to convince me, and we always hook up with a pressure regulator and an electrical surge protector now..

snowbird47 · 11-05-2017, 07:44 AM

We essentially only camp at parks (county, state, fed, forest, etc.) and have only stayed at one private campground. We have never encountered high water pressure and wondered if any of you have found high water pressure at the above types of CGs?

ifallsguy · 11-05-2017, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowbird47

We essentially only camp at parks (county, state, fed, forest, etc.) and have only stayed at one private campground. We have never encountered high water pressure and wondered if any of you have found high water pressure at the above types of CGs?

You can run into high pressure at any CG, just as you can have low pressure.

When we purchased our first TT, our salesman handed us a fixed 45lb regulator and told us to make sure we used it as the TT (used 2009) should not have pressure over 50lb. His explanation was it plays it safe with the hoses, internal plumbing and piece of mind. He told us about a CG in Utah he and his family were at when the CG had a pressure problem (CG pressure regulator on their well failed) and he and a number of other campers had various damage (blown hoses, internal leaks) from the pulse and higher pressure. Since then, he always gave buyers a regulator as a gift from a lesson learned.

We've always used it and have been at campgrounds with pressures up to 135lb and a number with very low pressure. That gift regulator has since been replaced for one with a gauge, but we won't hook up, even at home, without one. Cheap insurance!!

KCSA75 · 11-05-2017, 09:02 AM

I bought a Camco regulator at Amazon for less than $10 when we had our pop-up. It's worked like a champ. I just leave it connected to the water hose.

chasfenwick · 11-05-2017, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowbird47

We essentially only camp at parks (county, state, fed, forest, etc.) and have only stayed at one private campground. We have never encountered high water pressure and wondered if any of you have found high water pressure at the above types of CGs?

Our dramatic experience occurred in a county RV park.

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