Loud water pump and possible solution?

[Plumber101010]

Travel Trailer 32 ft. Newbie. So loud water pump kicks on every time you open any water source. Being a master repair plumber for 35 years, I cant help but feel adding a small, bladder / resorvoire tank will solve that problem AND give added volume at the few rare times more than one faucet is needed.

Fact, I'm not sure why not used all the time on this type setup? A tank will allow running of water WITHOUT the pump kicking on and off in sync with usage. Plus its nice having a reserve incase water pump or water source goes out.

Seeing as how it's under the sink, only a 1 gallon would fit, but if I remove the shelf, a 5 gallon would fit and that would be just dandy and wonderful. Pump would seldom kick on.

So why am I here if I am a know it all NEWBIE :)))). Well....not sure these little baby pumps can build ANY pressure at all? Hoping someone here would know. They would need around 30 psi, 40-50 perfect.

[handye9]

Most of the noise is from the PEX lines, and in some cases the pump itself, vibrating against the floor or a wall. Adding flex lines and foam cushioning quiets it down considerably.

If you were to add some type of bladder, you would either need to add some type of drain and bypass, or, use a lot of antifreeze to winterize. The large amount of antifreeze option, would also require a lot of flushing to clear it out.

[azrving]

No, the tank isnt used to reduce noise. The bladder tank only consolidates the run time. Instead of chattering on and off, on and off. I would think that they must have a very good switch in most of those pumps to be able to do so much rapid on and off cycling. It's actually what you dont want in an electrical circuit. Constant start stop arcing isn't good for any switch. The tank consolidates it down to turn on for a much longer time, then turn off for a much longer time. Tremendously less switch cycling which would seem to equate to much longer life. But, they do last a long time.

Same as a well pump in a house. They always have a bladder tank to prevent rapid cycling or if the rubber bladder tank becomes "waterlogged" from a defective rubber bladder the pump switch will be turning the pump on and off very quickly. Very bad for switches and pump motor which could be 200 ft down in the well pipe.

So because it's so easy to access it's not critical in an RV if the pump is cycling constantly just a personal choice of which way you like to hear it.

You will also only be able to get so much noise out of the pump circuit because of the type of pump it is. It's a diaphragm flap valve type pump not a centrifugal/jet type that's used in a home. OP knows this part, just sharing for others.

[DutchmenSport]

Doug33 wrote:
To make things worse, my pump is located near/under the master bed. Which makes no sense, since all the plumbing is on the other end of the TT.

The reason the pump is so far from the plumbing is probably because it's close to the fresh water tank. You've got to remember, when you first fill your water tank and turn the pump on, there is air in the lines between the tank and the pump. The pump has to suck that air out as it sucks water up the line. The farther the pump is away from the tank, the longer and harder it has to suck air. Sometimes, a pump will not even work or fails if it sucks too much air. The solution is to shut the pump off and turn it back on again and then it usually works ok again. But that the reason the pump is at one end, it's close to the water tank.

About the pressure tank. Although in homes on a well, the tanks are usually placed at the location nearest the spot where the water line actually enters the house, there is really no rule where the tank needs to be installed. It can be anywhere in the line and still work. So if you don't have room at the front of the camper, you can always install it at the back of the camper. Just make sure it's installed on a cold line, and not your hot line.

[brulaz]

I added a small reservoir from Home Depot to my old trailer. Worked pretty well. But the noise was because the pump didn't have flexible tubing connecting to the PEX. The PEX pipes were attached right to the pump. Fixed that, added some foam around the pump and the noise disappeared.

New trailer's pump is different and properly installed. Doesn't need a reservoir and not that noisy.

[Doug33]

To make things worse, my pump is located near/under the master bed. Which makes no sense, since all the plumbing is on the other end of the TT.

[LarryJM]

IMO adding tanks, etc. will give marginal performance enhancements and just add items to contend with when winterizing. I feel it's best to just work with what you have, no need to try and make it like your S&B home.

Larry

[tcp]

I added one of the small RV sized bladder tanks and, while it helps a bit, rubber mounting the pump and adding foam insulation around the PEX pipes near the pump helped much more to reduce the noise. It' seemed to be the pipes rattling against nearby wood cabinets causing most of the noise. Soft hoses at the pump connections would help a lot. As well.

[azrving]

Welcome and welcome to the club of rv modifications. It's a pretty common upgrade and obviously you already know exactly whats going on. Condense the pump run time and avoid the constant on and off. I did it with about a 2 gallon tank from HD and put 2 ge (?) in line filters in. I also plumbed it so my winterizing valve can suck water out of a 5 gallon jug and put it in the fresh tank. Put an extra gate valve next the the bladder tank and it pumps straight to fresh. Dont have to lift the jugs to fill my holding tank. I'm old.

Also helps on the noise a little if you cushion the pump mounts and go to flexible hoses.

I like to be able to hear it a little and as I tell people, it's also a diagnostic "tool" to pay attention to. If you hear it kicking on momentarily for just an instant when you haven't turn anything on it can often mean a small leak somewhere or internal pump leakage.

I found a water heat leak that way. Problem is that things start getting destroyed and people dont realize it.

As far as pressure and volume we dont seem to have any problem with showers or most distant kitchen sink with 14 yr old pump.

[avoidcrowds]

I am far from an expert, but...

I believe you don't want to put more than 30 psi into the water lines. That is why there is a safety valve to be used when you are connected to city water. If you created a pressurized tank system, you would not want to pressurize to more than 30 psi, I believe. You would also need a valve system to that the drop in tank pressure didn't immediately trigger the pump.

But, there are "quiet" pumps sold through Camping World, and elsewhere, that may resolve your noise issue. They have rubber mounts, and newfangled technology (if you believe the marketing material) that reduces the noise from the water pump. Have not tried one, but I might next year. Make sure your current pump body is not against a wall or something, as that will also make it louder than it needs to be.