No Water Pressure - Montana Owners Club

G McCall · 01-02-2007, 03:58 AM

Anyone have this problem ?

We lost water pressure this past week.

The temporary fix led to more problems.

We lost water pressure and I discovered there is a one/way valve at the city water inlet. When that valve works, I suppose it will not let water back flow out.
However, WHEN THE CHEAP PLASTIC PARTS FAIL on that one/way valve.....your in trouble. Not only will water not go into your trailer, but without a plug of sorts at that trailer city water inlet, water will come out the inlet when you turn on the pressure pump.

To make matters worse, while discovering the problem and examing the pressure pump connections, the factory water hose connected between the city water inlet and pressure pump sprung a leak and would not stop leaking after all other problems temporarily fixed... and we were parked 20 miles from the nearest hardware store.
After going to town and buying all I needed I was able to continue our stay comfortably. I nearly had all parts but needed a certain size clamp.
Luckily I had parts to plug the city water inlet and switch to pressure pump when the outside temperature dropped into the mid 20s°)

The temporary fix was to remove the plastic broken one/way valve parts and then the city water supply works fine. To accomplish that, you have to get into the pressure pump side of the system to remove one of the plastic parts. Other pieces came out the outside location.
I then cut the 1/2" factory hose that failed and installed a 90° 1/2" hose connection that requires using a clamp. Luckily I had that 90° connection already as the hardware store had none. A straight connection would not work without more alterations.
That day was shot.

I will now need to replace the "fail safe" water hose and a broken one way valve.

BTW, we have had this new trailer barely less than a year.

richfaa · 01-02-2007, 07:27 AM

We are having problems with low water pressure and am reviewing all the post on the subject for a solution. When one of us is in the shower and the other turns on the water anywhere in the camper..the shower stops. The water in general runs slow throughout the camper. 22 days on the road and we are noticing a lot of "things" We are sure it is not Keystones fault but a vendor problem and a isolated incident.

dsprik · 01-02-2007, 09:41 AM

My water press is all over the board. I too saw the one way plastic vavle in the city inlet. I played with it a few times - it is cheap - then overrode my intense impluse to remove it from the system and left it alone.

I connected my water hose directly to the black plastic connector directly behind the one way valve and tried that. Seemed to give me marginally better pressure. I wanted to do one connection at a time this way, then discovered only the couple black fittings will fit on the end of the water hose with an adapter (which I didn't have).

I put everything back together - I did leave the screen washer out of the inlet connection - and we seem to be getting just a little better press, but still not close to the press coming out the end of the hose when I disconnect it and turn the CG water on full.

A curious side note... today, I shut my CG water off and forget. Turned on the kitchen sink, which reduced all press in the system, said, "Oops...", shut the faucet back off after it ran out of water, ran out and turned the CG faucet back on, had the best pressure for taking a shower that I have experienced in 3 months. Could some sort of back press be building up on these things???

G McCall · 01-02-2007, 10:04 AM

If the valve manages to partially close or stick in the wrong position, the water pressure could be affected.

I know that we should carry parts for an emergency fix when the check valve fails. Atleast have a simple cut off faucet connector to plug the city water inlet so the water system can run off the pressure pump.
That brings out a new question....
What happens when the check valve between the pressure pump and fresh water holding tank fails ? better load up on extra plugs and check valves.

richfaa · 01-03-2007, 04:58 AM

Water pressure..Things you notice when you live in these things for long periods of time.. What is up with the low water pressure in the camper..It is fine at the hose end.low in the camper. We know all about check valves, restrictors, etc and we have looked at all the post on removing them Etc....however..why are they there. There must be a sound engineering/design reason at to why we have them.They are usually used to protect something so what are they protecting and if we remove them what are we..un protecting... before I remove or modify something that was designed in for whatever reason. I would like to know what the reason was and what the consequences of removing them might be?????Anyone have a clue??

ols1932 · 01-03-2007, 12:07 PM

I don't quite understand the water pressure situation. We've lived in our rig for over 6 years and have never had a low pressure condition except when the CG input pressure was low. I use two filters in the line from the CG to my city water input and then regulate it to no more than 80 psi. Anything less than that from the CG will be regulated at whatever it is.

Orv

richfaa · 01-03-2007, 12:15 PM

Water pressure measured at the city water input is 50psi but inside it is low.. The montana in back of me is exactly the same???

Glass Guy · 01-03-2007, 01:16 PM

Rich could you have a pinched water line somewhere, or maybe one of your valves near the water heater may be half open or closed. Just a thought. With the weather we are having around here you could have stayed north this year 50 degrees all week, good luck hope you find your water problem. Roman

JH Sechelt · 01-03-2007, 01:22 PM

Like G McCall, Our Water line going from the back of the Trailer ( Where it hooks up to city water) to the front, where it hooks up to the rest of the trailer, sprung a leak the second time we were out using the trailer. It was cold out, never have figured out if the line froze or was cracked at the factory. Anyways bought a new pc of pex water line, hooked it up to the excising line. Using the old water line, I pulled the new line through the trailer. It only got caught up once, but did manage to pull it trough OK. Hooked the new line up to the one way valve at the back, and added a ball valve up at the front, where it hooks up to the rest of the trailer. Now, when winter camping I can isolate that section of water line, and just use the water in the tank. Or if the one way valve packs it in, I can turn that line off. seems to work OK.

J&D

Mudchief · 01-03-2007, 01:42 PM

That valve is in the city water input for a reason. Should you run your internal water pump without a hose connected you would pump your water out onto the ground.

richfaa · 01-03-2007, 02:37 PM

We have no leaks, nothing froze, I am not sure that it is not normal(at least in a Montana)If the valve near the hot water heater was malfunctioning would that not only affect the hot water??As mentioned the 3475 Montana in back of me is exactly the same.I am really not going to start removing things till I know what they are there for??? The low pressure, at least I think it is low, is annoying and may be normal.But it does sound like others think the same thing.

dsprik · 01-03-2007, 03:01 PM

Rich, I think there is a problem with all these new 2007 hoses/plumbing. It would be one thing if my pressure stayed the same. It does not. The swing in press from one day to the next is exasperating, as I know there must be a reason. Today, I took a shower and the press was way low. Takes forever to get my hair wet - and I don't have that much hair! Maybe have to take a trip to a dealer.

richfaa · 01-03-2007, 04:42 PM

Dave..Our campers were built just 3 months apart..maybe we share the same problem...if it is a problem???

G McCall · 01-04-2007, 01:34 AM

The two check valves shown in a typical RV plumbing diagram do have a purpose.
As Mudchief said, the check valve that is at the city water connection keeps the pressure pump water from flowing out onto the ground. I know that for sure.
There is suppose to be another check valve of sorts next to the pressure pump that keeps the city water pressure from filling the fresh water holding tank.

Regarding low water pressure, I know one of my friend's with a Cardinal 5th wheel removed his canister water filter as he found it was restricting his water pressure greatly. He tried a new filter in the canister with no luck.
He purchased a smaller water filter with less restriction.

I do believe some of us probably have kinked water lines that may be causing problems.
my trailer looses quite a bit of pressure from the water hose to shower etc.
There may be stronger pressure pumps. I know you can adjust the cutoff pressure on some of the pumps.

richfaa · 01-04-2007, 04:15 AM

G Mc Call..Now that is a explaination that makes sense. The newer units have the transfer switch in the "docking station" to transfer city water to the fresh water tank, will take a look at that..We have a older canister water filter..will check that. great suggestions..thanks.

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