Escapees May June 2015 Demo

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Water Leak in Vintage Trailer Q. We have a 1964 Silver Streak Sabre 22 trav- el trailer. We use one of those standard inline pressure regulators without a gauge when connecting to a campsite water source. Most of the time, we’re okay with no leaks. Then, at other times, our plumbing leaks. I have a suspicion the pressure regulator only steps the pressure down by a specific amount and not to a specific pres- sure. For example, if the hose bib pressure is 120, the pressure regulator steps it down by, say, 40 pounds, leaving 80 pounds of pressure. It would be great if the pressure regulator would take whatever input pressure and step it down to, say, 45 pounds. Is there such a device? Or should I insert two in line to reduce the pressure further? On the trailer side, is this a sign that I should be considering a complete replumbing of our trailer? It does leak when the pressure is too high, and this is a bit unnerving. We really want to enjoy our trailer far into the future. Rick A. Congrats on your neat vintage Silver Streak. Those are exceptional units, and I always love to see one that is still in use. Most RV water pressure regulators are supposed to maintain a set output pressure regardless of how high the incoming water pressure. escapees.com/url/026 , to determine whether or not your existing regulator is doing its job properly, or purchase a new regulator that has a pressure gauge on it. Most higher-quality regulators not only come with a gauge, but are also adjustable. Check out www. rvwaterfilterstore.com/PressureRegulators.htm for some examples of these higher-quality regulators. Even if a new regulator appears to stop the leak, I sug- gest that you take the time to identify what part of the plumbing is leaking and make the necessary repairs. Long-standing plumbing leaks can do significant dam- age to the structure of the RV, and chances are that the weak spot in the plumbing system will start to leak again down the road, even with a properly functioning pressure regulator. However, they can fail and allow higher pressure than it is designed for in the water system. If you are using a simple brass non-adjustable regulator, and you’ve had it for a while, I would be sus- picious of its accuracy and functionality. I suggest you either use a simple pressure gauge, like this one www.

Watts New Lead Free Adjustable 263A-LF Regulator. Photo courtesy of www.rvwaterfilterstore.com .

out of alignment. I am one of those folks who really prefers to do it myself whenever possible, but I am not sure I would tackle a slide-out myself. However, it is possible for you to adjust your slide mechanism, and I’m sure other RV owners have done it successfully. Slide- outs are tricky, so be aware of the weights and forces involved, and be careful if you choose to work on yours. The first thing you need to do is identify the manufacturer of your slide mecha- nism, and get the appropriate manual to guide you. A lot of RVs utilize Lippert

slide mechanisms, and they have a wide range of manuals available in the customer service area of their Website www.lci1.com . Other manufacturers include HWH and AccuSlide by Norco. Once you have the correct manual in hand, you will be able to determine whether it is a job you can do or something you’d rather take to a service facility.

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