| Author |
Message |
Brian Elfert
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 2:24 pm: | |
I want to do a single handle faucet for the shower since it is easier to set temperature, but does this waste cold water while waiting for the hot water?
A double handle faucet shouldn't waste any water as the cold gets turned on once the water is hot.
How are you guys handling this?
I really don't know that I want to do a recirculating line for the hot water.
Brian Elfert |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 3:53 pm: | |
No difference. I like Moen fixtures. You will waste some water either way unless you have a loop to return hot water. I know a loop can be made, but someone else better explain it. |
don (Bottomacher)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 5:49 pm: | |
All you need is a 3-handle diverter, like the 1950's models. When you turn the center (diverter) handle to "tub" the water flows back to the tank via a pipe. When the hot water finally arrives, just turn the handle to the 'shower' position. That way you don't lose the water in the line between the water heater and the faucet while waiting for the hot water. |
don (Bottomacher)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 6:03 pm: | |
I forgot to add that you can do it with a single handle faucet, but it should have a diverter button in the diverter body, like the old Delta 600 (I think) series, rather than the button on the tub spout. I don't know of a single handle 'shower only' faucet that will work for this application. |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 7:18 pm: | |
A much used trick, somewhat like Don's suggestion but you don't have to find a diverter valve, is to put a small valve near the shower (or whatever) hooked into the hot water line, with a pipe going back to the water storage tank.
So you turn the valve on, hot water comes towards it and the cold water in the lines goes back to the storage tanks. As soon as the valve gets warm, you turn it off and now you have hot water waiting in the lines for your shower, no water wasted getting it there!
I have a single handle valve in my shower. Being that the shower is fairly smallish, I originally found that I often hit the handle during showers, resulting in either getting a blast of cold water or a scalding blast of water, neither of which was fun at all.
I fixed the problem by surrounding the valve and handle with a piece of 5" ABS drain pipe about 3" long that I screwed to the wall... now the handle is down inside the pipe just a bit and it can't be hit accidentally anymore. It worked perfectly. |
Brian Elfert
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 8:01 pm: | |
Don,
I noticed a number of shower/tub faucets at Home Depot today with the third valve to choose between tub and shower.
My first thought was to plug the tub side and use the third valve to turn the shower head on and off. My second thought was same as yours to use the third valve to send water back to the water tank or water heater.
Brian Elfert |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 8:09 pm: | |
Brian -
I found the single handled ones to be harder to regulate, when installed
in a low pressure rv system. |
James Stacy (Jim_stacy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 8:49 pm: | |
One of the guidelines for coach water system design is to get the water heater within a couple of feet of the faucets. Easier to do if the bath & kitchen are adjacent and the water heater is between them.
Single lever faucets are great in a coach. Buy a good brand name and take it apart anually to renew the silicone grease and they will work for years. Be aware that many of the brand name faucets available at the big box stores are special models with different interior design and may be impossible to get parts for. BTDT with a Moen fixture from Home Depot.
The new ceramic valves seem to be very longlived.
Jim Stacy |
Brian Elfert
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 11:22 pm: | |
John,
Do you recommend the regular two handle faucets for all faucets in a coach instead of the single handle ones? Certainly one way to save a few bucks. I'm not going to use high end faucets since this is not a full timing coach.
Brian Elfert |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 12:21 am: | |
In the last two RVs we owned, the previous owners had
changed many of the original accessories. (Hell, I made
numerous changes after purchasing any RV (or home) I've
ever owned).
With the last two Rvs, we had left the kitchen sink faucets as
the single-handled ones they were, but changed the rest (that
the owners had at some time, changed) to the two-handled type.
I (we) found that the electric water pump(s) didn't put out
enough pressure, for the single-handled ones to properly
regulate the water. It'd go hot/cold with the lightest twitch
of the handle. At a campground, it'd be OK...
Faucets, like the toilets, have to be purchased for the type
of environment they are intended to be used in. What works
well at home, or at a fancy campground, may not fare so
well, using an RV water pump and a water tank supply.
The commercial RV outfits aren't stupid. Most all I've seen,
use dual knob faucets on all but the kitchen sink. |
Brian Elfert
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 7:46 am: | |
I assumed the RV folks used dual handle faucets to save a buck, not because they worked better.
I hated the cheesy faucets in my travel trailer, but I can buy a better grade of two handle faucets.
Brian Elfert |
Kyle Brandt (Kyle4501)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 8:01 am: | |
Does the low pressure from the 12v pump cause problems with the 'pressure ballanced' shower fixtures? In theory (& according to the advertising on the box), the pressure shouldn't matter, but what happens in the real world?
Thanks,
kyle4501 |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 9:27 am: | |
We found the shower ran hot/cold with the pulsation of
the pump. After my wife scalded herself trying to adjust the
water temperature, I pulled it out and put a two handled one
in. That solved the problem... I'm not sure if the ones I removed
were the "self regulating" type or not.. But most require
normal home water pressure, and the RV pump can fall
well short of that. The self regulating types balance between
hot and cold, where if someone uses the cold water (at home),
the device cuts back on the hot side. In the RV, the pump's
pulses sends an irregular pattern to either side, or both..
Maybe others have great luck with the single handle types
in their RVs, but I won't use 'em; It was one scald too many. |
David Dulmage (Daved)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 11:43 am: | |
We have a single handle showere control that is adjustable to preset the limit for the hot water mixed with cold to avoid scalding. An accumulator tank can help overcome the problem of poulsations from the water pump.
FWIW
Dave Dulmage |
Brian Elfert
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 11:46 am: | |
An accumulator tank is going to have to be pretty big to not have the pump kick in during a shower. I had a 2 or 4 gallon tank in my travel trailer and the pump kicked in almost every shower.
Brian Elfert |
Jim (Skyslayer)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 11:54 am: | |
We use a single handle shower valve and accumulator tank and it works fine for that matter it works better than most RV parks showers do.
1964 4106-2802 |
motorcoach1
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 2:07 pm: | |
I use single handel fixtures in mine without problems. The accumulator tank is in 2 parts the top tank is air and the bottom tank is flow through water it works great the air tank keeps the pressure constant. Koler bath sink-Pegasas shower -Delta ,kitchen pullout duel head there all fine in operation on this system. PS single tanks lose their air when moveing or changhing from city to onboard water systems. |
niles steckbauer (Niles500)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 4:10 pm: | |
If your buying a 'new' fixture - it should already be equipped w/ anti-scald device - FWIW - |
Marc Bourget
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 5:26 pm: | |
You should be able to avoid the "fluctuations" between hot and cold by equalizing the flow to both supplies by proper selection of tubing size. A short cold water supply with a long hot run out of the same size tubing will promote temp fluctuations You might consider "looping" legs that supply more than one fixture. |
James Smith (Tomcat)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 12:02 pm: | |
I use a single handle Delta for the kitchen, bath lavatory and shower.
The only place I couldn't adjust the flow volume was the shower, so I went to HD and bought a small showerhead with an adjustable flow.
Coupled with my RV500 demand water heater, I have steady hot water temps, and enough hot water to turn you into a prune.
My showerhead flows just over a pint before supplying hot water, so I didn't mess with a return.
Jay
87 SaftLiner |
DMDave
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 6:45 am: | |
To repeat what Jim Stacey reported, the major companies do have an inferior product they sell to the major chain stores. The repair cartridges dont fit and you do get what you pay for. Spend the extra 20-30 bucks at a plumbing supply. |
FAST FRED
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 31, 2006 - 5:33 am: | |
Living here in Fl for half a year , we have gone thru a bunch of cheapo single hand faucet rebuild kits.
When not home the hard water caused enough damage & roughness that the damn things leak.
With campers used infrequently and with out water softening aboard , this could be a hassle for anyone that travels in the hard water areas.
Solution , ONLY purchase a setup with ceramic valves.
American Standard is just under $100 at a box store .
Works for me ,
FAST FRED |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 01, 2006 - 12:56 am: | |
There's some interesting price-fister single handle valves that Home Depot has been carrying for 4-5 years now, that have an equalizer diaphragm built in so as pressure varies on one side, it automatically compensates the other side...no more scalding due to someone turnng on a faucet or flushing the toilet.
I have them in my house and I have one on da bus, and I love them. In the house, I can be showering away and someone can totally kill the cold line by turning on a hose outside, flushing a toilet, etc. All that happens to my shower is that the pressure goes down but the temperature never changes. Same in the bus. VERY nice valves... around $100.
I also have a secondary valve inline with the showerhead to turn it on and off.. that way when we're in the boonies we can turn the shower on and off for soap-up and rinse, without messing with the main valve and temperature... |