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Author:
boaterbob (SC)
I'm stumped! I have a 4 year old house (on slab) in SC. I have 3/4" PEX coming from the water main, thru a Watts 3/4 in. Cast-Bronze Pressure-Reducing Valve, thru a ball valve whole house shut off and continuing to my water heater. Inside the house I have 1'2" PEX.
Using a Watts 3/4" water pressure test gauge, I measure the water pressure at an outside hose bibb (farthest from the water entry side of the house) and get 67 lbs. I get the same for the outside hose bibb close to the entry point (opposite side of the house).
If I have the pressure gauge on one hose bibb (reading almost 70lbs) and open the other hose bibb, the test bibb drops to 30lbs pressure.
The reason for testing was because of the water pressure drop inside of the house when more than one faucet is opened at the same time - the shower will drop considerably is a kitchen faucet is turned ON; the outside lawn sprinkler (on a hose) will almost stop if a toilet is flushed; etc; etc.
I have no idea if this can be corrected. I seem to recall that I didn't have this problem when the house was new - but then the builder's plumber came to do some warranty work and I think he messed with the pressure-reducing valve. I have screwed the valve's adjusting screw IN and OUT and the water pressure (with the pressure test gauge attached to a garden hose and measuring almost 70# pressure) does not seem to change at all while looking at the guage.
Any thoughts?
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Author:
Wheelchair
You mentioned 3/4 inch PEX and 1/2 PEX. Is that OD or ID PEX measurement? Because the wall thickness is much greater with PEX, you may not have enough ID to allow volume and pressure.
Please Advise
Best Wishes
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Author:
boaterbob (SC)
I took OD measurements with an OD caliper.
Additional information (forgot to post this info with the original posting) -
If the hose (3/4" x 50ft) has a sprinkler attached and the water is turned on, even with a static pressure of 67lbs pressure before attaching the hose, the sprinkler only puts out a very limited distance of water where as the houses on either side of me have strong sprays. - they can spray twice as far as my hose sprinkler can.
So it appears I have a static pressure of 67 lbs pressure but that pressure can not be kept when any water usage is turned ON.
I'm beginning to think it must somehow be related to the pressure regulator - could it be bad? Also, the two newer house on either side of me were the last houses built in the subdivision and the lacked many standard feature of the other 300 houses - one thing they both lacked was a water pressure regulator valve in-line with the main water line coming into the house - they have the main water coming in w/o and regulator (save a few dollars I guess).
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Author:
packy
is there a filter screen on the inlet of the pressure reducing valve?
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
1/2" OD pex is 3/8"nominal.
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Author:
Wheelchair
Thanks Paul. That was my point.
Best Wishes
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Author:
LemonPlumber (FL)
bob it is hard to describe the flow that should come from the tubing, when disconnected at the beginning.but you need to look at the start of your system.even with 1/2"{pex you should see no pressure drop across two maybe three fixtures if your pressure is above fifty psi provided.
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
Get the builders plumber back to figure it out. He knows the system better than anyone.
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Author:
hj
Your PRV has failed. Replace it.
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