Switching to city water

[Steve S]

So I'm switching to city water and I'm wondering if I need to do anything besides emptying the fresh water tank.
Are there any shut offs that need to be turned off?
Oh yeah I have that kit installed that's for winterizing it.

[GaryWT]

Generally for city water you connect the hose and be sure the pump if off and you are good. If you have one of the one place to connect and fill the tank or use city water then flip the switch over, you should be good.

[2014Fuzion300]

I don't empty my fresh water tank when switching to city water...

[hankaye]

Steve S, Howdy;

Turn off the pump. I always keep at least a 1/2 a tank of water in the
on-board tank, never know when the city's will have a problem.
I dump an re-fill mine every 6 months.
Just this morning the Park where I live swapped out the well pumps,
I just turned on my pump and never skipped a beat. I don't worry about
power outages either.

hankaye

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by hankaye

Steve S, Howdy;

Turn off the pump. I always keep at least a 1/2 a tank of water in the
on-board tank, never know when the city's will have a problem.
I dump an re-fill mine every 6 months.
Just this morning the Park where I live swapped out the well pumps,
I just turned on my pump and never skipped a beat. I don't worry about
power outages either.

hankaye

Sounds like a great plan I buried 300' of water pipe this summer to the trailer and it could freeze I don't think it will as the code is 18" down and I'm well over 2' down but one never knows in Canada where most of us live in Igloos! lol

[hankaye]

Steve S, Howdy;

At 2' below ground and below the 'code' depth, you should be alright.
Codes mainly set the minimums. When I lived in Ohio I think the depth
requirement was 36" for water lines.
However, one never knows about the "Artic Blasts" that drop in every
once-in-awhile. That's why I only keep the tank at 1/2, leaves room
for expansion should it freeze.

hankaye

[Steve S]

Hankaye I also have 25' of that rubber RV white hose that runs from the tap that I couldn't bury do to a row of cedars. I wrapped that all in that foam pipe insulation and built insulated boxes for the taps so I should be ok
I'm still going to leave the fresh tank half full though

[hankaye]

Steve S, Howdy;

Don't know what you average cold temps. are there but I'd get something like
http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Heat-AHB-...asy+heat+cable
Which is what I use in addition to the foam noodle type insulation. You don't
have to cover the first nor the last foot as it will provide enough heat to cover
those distances. I do however, move some over the top of the spigot itself as
it will help keep it nice and warm too.

hankaye

[Steve S]

Hankaye, here's a pic of what I did, I wrapped the pipe and raised it off the ground and strapped it with all around to the stakes. The reason I did this was that I noticed that when the water was turned on and off and with showers there sure seemed to be some major surges on the pipe and where it connects to the trailer.
Now things are much better and I shouldn't have a rupture at the trailer connection.

[hankaye]

Steve S. Howdy;

Originally Posted by Steve S

Hankaye, here's a pic of what I did, I wrapped the pipe and raised it off the ground and strapped it with all around to the stakes. The reason I did this was that I noticed that when the water was turned on and off and with showers there sure seemed to be some major surges on the pipe and where it connects to the trailer.
Now things are much better and I shouldn't have a rupture at the trailer connection.

Shouldn't have any kind of surges with the water being turned on and off
...you may need an accumulator (acts like a shock absorber for the water
system),... I've never had the surging and yours is the first elevated water
system I've seen since I last saw the aqueducts of Rome.
Have you put a regulator (water pressure ), in the system? Best place is at
the spigot so you don't have the hose containing excessive pressure.
Perhaps some others might have an experience with the surges and can /will
relate their methods of fixing the problem.

hankaye

[hankaye]

Steve S. Howdy;

Coulda' made an edit but they sometimes get overlooked ...
Just about every water line that I've seen in a Park, actually every
water line I've seen in a Park has sat on the ground.
Have you checked the check-valve where the water enters the RV to
see if it is doing it's job? Have you turned the pump off?
Here's some interesting reading, mostly common sense but some may apply.
http://www.newrver.com/freshwater1.shtml
Next one has to do mostly with using the water tank;
http://www.newrver.com/freshwater2.shtml

hankaye

[Steve S]

I have a pressure regulator that hooks up @ the city inlet on the side of the trailer, is that the one you're talking about?
The surges come from the use of water in the house as there's a bellow tank in there and I'm on well water.
I guess the question is can this do any damage? The water in the trailer flows nice and smooth and there's no surges.

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by Steve S

I have a pressure regulator that hooks up @ the city inlet on the side of the trailer, is that the one you're talking about?
The surges come from the use of water in the house as there's a bellow tank in there and I'm on well water.
I guess the question is can this do any damage? The water in the trailer flows nice and smooth and there's no surges.

I think we were understanding (or misunderstanding) your post to read that that surging problem was with your RV water but you do say that "the water in the trailer flows nice and smooth and there's no surges". So are the surges that you speak about taking place only in the house?

[jsmith948]

The way I read it, when water is used in the house there is surge/drop in pressure in the trailer?

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

[hankaye]

Steve S. Howdy;

Originally Posted by Steve S

Hankaye, here's a pic of what I did, I wrapped the pipe and raised it off the ground and strapped it with all around to the stakes. The reason I did this was that I noticed that when the water was turned on and off and with showers there sure seemed to be some major surges on the pipe and where it connects to the trailer.
Now things are much better and I shouldn't have a rupture at the trailer connection.

The Blue section is what I was mostly responding to (along with the photo in
orig. post), and presumed that you were referring to the RV.
The best place for a pressure regulator is at the hose connection where you
hook to the water system. Doing so helps to protect the hose as well.
If you are experiencing problems with your household system surging, then
you need to check the pre-load for your accumulator (bellow tank). It
should have a. air valve that allows you to "pre-load" it with air pressure
that will act like a shock absorber for your water system. Here's some
thoughts about troubleshooting and perhaps an idea or 2;
http://inspectapedia.com/water/Water_Tanks.php

hankaye

[Steve S]

K here's how I can explain things.
The well is well over a 1000 ft from the trailer, it runs to the main house which has the bellow tank, then the water runs to the cottage which is about 500 ft from the trailer, then it runs through 1/2" pipe to the trailer.
It seems that when the renters in the cottage are doing laundry or watering their garden that there's a drop in pressure and the garden hose that goes to the trailer bounces a bit if that makes sense.
There's no drop in pressure inside the trailer and everything works fine.
K so if I have a pressure regulator at my tap and there's already one on the trailer will that not slow down the water?

[hankaye]

Steve S, Howdy;

Originally Posted by Steve S

K here's how I can explain things.
The well is well over a 1000 ft from the trailer, it runs to the main house which has the bellow tank, then the water runs to the cottage which is about 500 ft from the trailer, then it runs through 1/2" pipe to the trailer.
It seems that when the renters in the cottage are doing laundry or watering their garden that there's a drop in pressure and the garden hose that goes to the trailer bounces a bit if that makes sense.
There's no drop in pressure inside the trailer and everything works fine.
K so if I have a pressure regulator at my tap and there's already one on the trailer will that not slow down the water?

What amount of pressure are you showing at the house, the cottage and also at the trailer? Have you watched a pressure gauge while someone turns the water on and off at each of the 3 sites? If there is a noticeable drop at the trailer when the cottage taps are turned on then you may want to install another accumulator (bellow tank), between the cottage and the trailer. That would absorb the surges from the cottage occupants water usage.
Just sorta thinking outloud with my fingers...

hankaye

[Steve S]

K so my plan is to put a regulator at my tap and see what happens.
I guess my only concern is if these surges could blow out the connection to the trailer.

[hankpage]

Your problem seems to be volume and not pressure ... ½" supply is not large enough to feed multiple fixtures especially at that distance. It is a mater of simple physics ..... not enough water. It may help to install another accumulator tank at the cottage but I doubt it will help much. JM2¢, Hank

[hankaye]

Steve S. Howdy;

Originally Posted by hankpage

Your problem seems to be volume and not pressure ... ½" supply is not large enough to feed multiple fixtures especially at that distance. It is a mater of simple physics ..... not enough water. It may help to install another accumulator tank at the cottage but I doubt it will help much. JM2¢, Hank

The 'Other Hank' brought up another possibility ^^^^^ What is the size
of the supply lines, for house to cottage and from Cottage to spigot that the
trailer's hose is connected to? eh? Something else to consider, what is the
topography like? flat or hilly, what is up hill from what ...?

hankaye