Escapees May June 2015 Demo

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| May/June 2015 |ESCAPEES .55
Do You Have a Question for Mark?
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“Mark, My Words” Column
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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 ther 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.
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.
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
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
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.
Watts New Lead Free
Adjustable 263A-LF Regulator.
Photo courtesy of
Staff