Adding an accumulator tank
I'm going to put in a 2 gallon residential accumulator tank. Went looking for the parts to hook it up. Couldn't find what I was looking for so I asked the Lowes guy. He told me that RVs usually hav...
Forum Discussion
BFL13 wrote:
I got a small accumulator to go with the pump in our 5er. It was supposed to reduce the water pump action, which is noisy despite the added coils of hose I put in and the added "packing" where water pipes go through walls to reduce vibration.
Anyway, it didn't do much good. All it does is delay when the water pump comes on, but eventually you still have to replace that water, so the pump still runs as long, only later after you run the tap.
A bigger accumulator tank would delay the pump coming on for a longer time, but IMO would not reduce the pump time once it comes on to replace the water.
So unless somebody else can explain it better, the accumulator idea is a total waste of money and effort no matter how big of a tank it is. :(
The worst thing you can do to almost any electrical device is turn it on. How many times have you seen a simple light bulb fail the instant you flipped the wall switch on? The fewer on/off, heat/cool cycles a device is subjected to, the longer it will last. Running the pump longer instead of more frequently extends the life of the pump motor and pressure switch contacts. We have a 2-gallon accumulator and wouldn't be without one. And not hearing the pump run every time we open a faucet for a couple of seconds is a bonus.
