Water pressure

Relie · 08-14-2017, 10:09 AM

Question--on the water inlet (on the trailer), is the little black piece that's in the center supposed to be fixed or float freely? I have low water pressure inside camper. Help!

Relie · 08-14-2017, 11:37 AM

I think it a back flow valve of some type. Help!

krazedave · 08-14-2017, 02:06 PM

Yes is a back flow valve. With the pressure released inside the trailer with your pump off in case there is water in your tank you should be able to push on the stem and it should push in and then recover.

Relie · 08-14-2017, 02:39 PM

Thanks Dave but, it's hooked up to city water. I've never used the fresh water tank. It's always been empty.

krazedave · 08-14-2017, 03:24 PM

Okay but check if it is moving freely. Also is it all your faucets or just one. If just one unscrew the strainer on that faucet and check for something causing a clog.

Relie · 08-14-2017, 05:56 PM

I've checked the screens and they're all clear. Slow running is the kitchen sink and shower. The bathroom sink one is ok.

**Sunline Fan** · 08-14-2017, 11:21 PM

It should take some force to push it. Put city water to the trailer, pressurize/fill the lines, then shut the water off and disconnect. It should take a lot of effort to push that relief valve, like I couldn't do it easily with my finger, it took using a tool to push on it.

If you can easily push it or it wiggles around, either the valve is faulty or you have a leak somewhere else. Being a fairly lower point in the system, you should get a decent gush of water when you push on it.

You haven't noticed any wet spots under the trailer while the water is on, have you?

Relie · 08-15-2017, 07:13 AM

No wet spots in or under trailer. I'll try what you said today. Thanks!

mainah · 08-15-2017, 08:22 AM

If the valve is bad when you run the camper pump all the water will flow out of the city water valve and onto the ground that is what the valve is for it's not a backflow preventer per say it's a check valve or one way valve if you will. Lower water pressure is common with the shower and kitchen sink due to the smaller piping in the shower head and the kitchen fixture. Mine is the same way real good bath room pressure and mediocre pressure else where, 90* fittings longer piping take a toll on water flow.

Relie · 08-15-2017, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mainah

If the valve is bad when you run the camper pump all the water will flow out of the city water valve and onto the ground that is what the valve is for it's not a backflow preventers there per say it's a check valve

I don't use the tank with the pump, never have. Use only city water hook up. So, could the back flow valve be bad or what?

mainah · 08-15-2017, 11:37 AM

Not likely if you have good pressure at one point. Is it restrictive? Yes to some extent but they all are. The biggest issue with any camper is the multitude of 90* turns, T's and runs the further away from the water source the worse it gets. I don't know if you are using a pressure regulator if so try it without but not long term just for a test it could be causing a problem.

**JohnB** · 08-22-2017, 01:51 PM

Hi,

I'm late to the party, been away from a good internet signal.

I do not know if you found your problem yet or not but I will pass this on. Sunline may have changed the brand and type of city water inlet check valve over the years so this may or may not apply to your 99 camper. It will if you have a 2004 or newer for sure. Don't know exactly what year they starting using the newer style check.

I'm assuming you already pulled the washer screen out and make sure it was clear at the fitting on the side of the camper? Once behind the washer screen you will see a white plunger in the middle or it was white when new anyway. That is the check valve main plunger.

If the pressure is released to zero inside the camper by opening a few faucets and no water coming out, this plunger pushes in from the outside with great ease. It may only be 1 or 2 pounds of force and it moves inward towards the camper.

CAUTION: You really do not want to press this plunger with "any" water pressure inside the camper. And I mean any pressure even a few psi. If you do, this is like burping the system my pressing that plunger and the little O ring will fly off the stem and never seal again until you take it apart and put in back on. If and when this happens....

See this post. It shows how to take it apart and put it back together again. http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...air-11736.html

I was winterizing the camper one time and I pressed that little plunger to get anti freeze up into that pipe. Big mistake.... Once that o ring falls off the valve will never seal and like mainah said, water will not stop coming out that hole if you are using the on board water pump which we do.

I really do not think this valve is your issue as all the water comes through it. If this valve is bad all faucets will be bad.

Is this issue only on the hot water or the cold water or both? If it is the hot water, then there can be issues with the hot water heater discharge check valve that is part of the winterizing kit.

Need some more info on if this problem is still on going or not.

Hope this helps

John

Relie · 08-23-2017, 07:47 AM

Thanks John. I'm going to print and save all this info for future reference.

Dave

**Sunline Fan** · 08-24-2017, 09:33 PM

John, I think Sunline went to the current style inlet around 1989 or so. Prior to that, it was a similar kind, even though I never looked at it super close internally. I bet it was of a similar design though.

Attached is a picture of the inlet on my '86.