Pressure Regulator Mystery

[ibldstff]

Hi,

My house has 115 to 120psi with bursts at 180psi. I checked the pressure on two hose spigots and then on a second story washer connection. I replaced my regulator and nothing has changed. The new regulator is preset at 40psi. I've only been in the house for about 7 months and the plumbing is creative to put it nicely. There was an interior valve that shut off the water without having to go to the main so I don't think there is another regulator. Could this be an issue with the main and on the water company? Wouldn't the pressure regulator prevent that type of issue? I have more plumbing experience than the average non-plumber but this one has really got me aggravated.

 

[phishfood]

Is this continuous, or is it only occasionally? Do you have provisions for thermal expansion on the water heater?

You need to get this fixed immediately, most water pipe is not rated for that pressure on the hot water side. Neither is your water heater. If you can't figure it out, get someone in there pronto.

 

[ibldstff]

I have an expansion tank on the hot water heater. I just replaced the hot water heater and the expansion tank a week before I replaced the pressure regulator. The pressure is constant 115psi with bursts up to 170psi.

 

[Mr_David]

Make sure the PRV is installed in the right direction.
Even a new PRV can fail if it has debris on the seal.

What brand and Model # of PRV do you have. We can check the specs.
Sometimes when we have 180 psi supply we install a high range PRV before the standard range PRV. Even though they are rated for 300 psi.

We use the Wilkens 600 ( Zurn )