Optimum House Water Pressure

This is nuts. Used to have 80-100 PSI so I added PRV with factory setting at 50. Read about that at the outside taps. I just put in the expansion tank for water heater. Now pressure is at 40. Is this going to be a problem for my sprinklers in spring. Should I monkey with the PRV and boost the pressure. What does everyone find a good pressure to be?

If everything is closed when you are setting the regulator it is sometimes hard to get a reliable setting.

Do you have a gauge on the house side of the regulator? Open a faucet to let a little flow through and increase the pressure to 55 or 60 psi.

Pressure

The best I can do is hooke it to the outside hose bib. I'll follow your tip, hook it to the bib, open a faucet inside, and then adjust the PRV. How's that?

That's fine if the hose bib is on the regulated side of the regulator. Don't open the faucet all the way. You just need a gallon per minute or so.

If your hose bib is on the inlet side of the regulator, do you have a washing machine connection?

Is there any practical way to separate the outside water supply from the inside? It would require a backflow valve in the outside line, but your pressure would be as high as the city main. I say practical not possible, because anything is possible given time and money.