water pump LOUD...help please

[strawberry joe]

Hi all,
lI have not used our water pump in the past...on this trip I have been using tank water pumped by on board water pump. I fill tank up to full to the top.
Now when pumping/demanding water the pump has been extremely loud. water pressure is fine.
As water is used the pump finally settles down to the normal dull roar.


So what can this be?...Seems like perhaps air getting into the system....but there is no spitting of water..or perhaps is due to my filling tank too full ??

any insight is appreciated,
Joe

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[Kirk W]

There are several things which can cause the noise issue with RV water pumps and most are related to the manner in which the RV manufactures position them and install them. By their very nature they will create vibrations and when the normal vibration is transmitted to the interior it becomes noise. Since the potable water tank is frequently placed under the bed to keep in in a heated area, the easiest/cheapest place to locate the pump is right next to the tank, where you will be annoyed most at night!

 

The first thing to do is to look at the pump while a helper turns water on and off and watch it operate. Most pumps are simply screwed to the floor with not type of vibration absorbing material at all. If yours is that way you can solve a great deal of the noise by devising some sort of vibration absorbing mounting. Frequently this can be improved by just using longer mounting screws and placing some type of rubber washer or spacer between the pump's feet and the floor where it is mounted. In extreme situations it may be that you will need to devise a mount that is layered with a vibration absorbing material sandwiched between wood or something which can be attached to the floor and the pump attached to it.

The other common issue is that the water lines are made of a semi-rigid plastic material, usually PEX or something similar and frequently that plumbing then transmits the noise into the water lines and carries it throughout the RV I had that problem with one of our RVs and solved it by connecting some flexible connectors such as are available for connecting a faucet to plumbing, between the water lines and the pump. When I did that I also installed an accumulator into the system which minimized the amount and frequency of water pump run time. All of these will greatly improve the amount of noise that comes from your water pump.

[bockofma]

Good morning, Joe.

 

Coincidentally here is today's "RV Daily Tips" which addresses your very issue:

 

http://www.rvtravel.com/?q=node/1821

 

Wishing you luck with resolving the problem.

 

Regards,

 

Michael

[SIBERNUT]

I put mine on top of a piece of 2" cushion foam with no fastening to the floor. Big help.

[strawberry joe]

Ok guys thanks,

as the pump is 12 years old i'm thinking the rubber mounting feet may be dry rotted.....this issue has developed...normal pump noise i understand..but his is not normal.

off to find some foam rubber....still wondering what would make it noisy on a full tank of water and not noisy on a lesser full tank.

thanks again,

Joe in potosi wi. coe park

[Clay L]

When I complained about mine Winnebago reinstalled it on a 1/2 inch thick felt pad. That helped but most of the noise was caused by the pex tubing vibrating as it touched various places where it was routed under the flooring and in the walls. They already used flexible hoses entering and leaving the pump and used little clamps to hold them against the compartment wall and floor.

I didn't have room to install an accumulator as mentioned by Kirk but I suspect that would have made a real improvement.