Water Pump "Bumping"

[sgrizzle]

Gotta question about our Shurflo water pump...it is really loud. I needed to replace my 3-way shut-off valve that I use to winterize the camper this week...As I'm doing this, I think it is a good time to address the loud pump.

What I noticed is that there is a lot of vibration and "bumping". I was able to reposition the pump a little to decrease some of the vibration, but there still is quite a bit of noise. It seems that where the "city water" connection hose connects to the water pump outlet hose, it seems to try to take water/air from the city water hose.

My question is this...if I install a "shut-off" valve on the short hose between the city water inlet and the water pump Tee...when I am not using city water, I "turn it off" that line, that should stop the "bumping" shouldn't it?

[sgrizzle]

Thanks guys! Sounds like great ideas! Happy camping!

[TurnThePage]

An accumulator would help. And even though the pumps are on rubber legs, I further insulated mine with heavy rubber hose sections between the legs and the floor. Adding flexible hoses from the hardware store also helps isolate the noise.

[wmoses]

sgrizzle wrote:
Yes, this was part of the problem and when I loosened the pump and repositioned it...I was able to decrease the vibrations...it is better, but I still have "bumping" noises and it seems it is due to air from the city water line...

Have you considered using an accumulator tank, also by Shurflo? I have both a Shurflo pump and tank with no other noise-mitigating components (flexible lines between pump and PEX, cushioning under pump, etc.) and I don't have the noises you describe. There is some noise but not enough to make me pursue this further. Had the tank in my previous RV also and that too was acceptable afterwards.

[ScottG]

If it's just a matter of the lines thumping against a hard surface, add some pipe insulation where ever this happens and it will quiet it down nicely.

[sgrizzle]

Huntindog wrote:
Lots of times the excess noise is due to the installation. The factory usually connects the pump directly to the pex water lines. These are a hard plastic, that will transmit any pump movement down the water line. It can be really bad if the pex is close to a cupboard etc. as it can actually vibrate against it.
The solution is to isolate the pump from the pex by installing flexible lines in a loop from the pump to the pex.
There is actually a water pump silencing kit available that has everything needed.
Or you can go to Home Depot and get the lines and fittings needed to save a few bucks.

Yes, this was part of the problem and when I loosened the pump and repositioned it...I was able to decrease the vibrations...it is better, but I still have "bumping" noises and it seems it is due to air from the city water line...

[2oldman]

water pump noise
More water pump noise
pump again 2011

[Huntindog]

Lots of times the excess noise is due to the installation. The factory usually connects the pump directly to the pex water lines. These are a hard plastic, that will transmit any pump movement down the water line. It can be really bad if the pex is close to a cupboard etc. as it can actually vibrate against it.
The solution is to isolate the pump from the pex by installing flexible lines in a loop from the pump to the pex.
There is actually a water pump silencing kit available that has everything needed.
Or you can go to Home Depot and get the lines and fittings needed to save a few bucks.

[BarneyS]

I would think so unless you have another leak somewhere in the lines.
Barney