Noisy fresh water pump

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Noisy fresh water pump

July 30, 2011, 06:44:40 pm

I haven't got much to complain about I guess. But this pump is just too noisy. I know some here have this very same pump and say it is so quiet they can hardly hear it. I worry that ours is going to wake the neighbors. We use the pump rather than the city water pretty much exclusively.
Here's a photo of how it is installed. A couple questions:
1. Can you see anything about the installation that might explain the noise? There are rubber feet that don't show well.
2. What is the black cord coming out of the pump head end? What does it do and where does it go? I see the two wires that power the motor at the other end.
Other than the noise, this pump does it's job just fine; delivers plenty of pressure for a nice shower, etc. Based on comments I've read here about this pump, I'm thinking about ordering a replacement form FOT.
Thanks, Dick

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #1 – July 30, 2011, 07:04:14 pm

Make sure that both inlet and outlet to the pump are plumbed through hoses, not rigid pipe. Rigid pipe turns the whole coach floor into a speaker.

Don't hesitate to turn the pump around if it makes installation of a loop of reinforced hose in and out of the pump easier. Then use foam rubber to keep the hoses away from the pump and floor.

Brett

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #2 – July 30, 2011, 07:20:24 pm

Dick, I think Brett is on to something. it looks like the plumbing on the back side is the rigid PEX tubing. If you can install a flexible hose between the PEX and the pump it should quiet things down. I have the same situation and as soon as I see Steve, I plan to install some flexible hose to make mine quieter.

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #3 – July 30, 2011, 09:53:11 pm

Quote from: Kent Speers – July 30, 2011, 07:20:24 pm

... as soon as I see Steve, I plan to install some flexible hose to make mine quieter.

Could you show me how to do that one more time? My son and I have tried to pull that one on each too many times. The response now is either, "Yeah, right!" or "I think you should try it on your own."

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #4 – July 31, 2011, 07:52:35 am

Just another thought or idea - cheap and works!

We had the same pump, same flex "quiet" hoses, but still had noise. Wrapped all hoses with foam pipe insulation secured with tape and/or nylon ties. Cut the noise another 50%!

2003 U-270

Dan Spoor

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #5 – July 31, 2011, 10:33:32 am

Quote from: D.H. Spoor – July 31, 2011, 07:52:35 am

Just another thought or idea - cheap and works!

We had the same pump, same flex "quiet" hoses, but still had noise. Wrapped all hoses with foam pipe insulation secured with tape and/or nylon ties. Cut the noise another 50%!

Hey - great tip! Steve did that for our washer hoses and it helped there. Never thought of it for the fresh water pump!

Michelle

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #6 – July 31, 2011, 11:39:06 am

Our water pump is not especially noisy, but it has the annoying habit of "fading" once or twice before it gets pumping. by "fading", I mean the the water starts to flow, goes down to a trickle, and then comes back more forcefully ... twicw and sometimes three times before it settles down. What is that all about???

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #7 – July 31, 2011, 11:44:30 am

Quote from: Carol Savournin – July 31, 2011, 11:39:06 am

Our water pump is not especially noisy, but it has the annoying habit of "fading" once or twice before it gets pumping. by "fading", I mean the the water starts to flow, goes down to a trickle, and then comes back more forcefully ... twicw and sometimes three times before it settles down. What is that all about???

What pump do you have?

Do you have an accumulator? If so, what is it set at?

Brett

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #8 – July 31, 2011, 11:47:54 am

Quote from: D.H. Spoor – July 31, 2011, 07:52:35 am

Just another thought or idea - cheap and works!

We had the same pump, same flex "quiet" hoses, but still had noise. Wrapped all hoses with foam pipe insulation secured with tape and/or nylon ties. Cut the noise another 50%!

2003 U-270

Dan Spoor

Dan,

Could you be more specific as to where you got the foam tape and exactly what it is? I want to follow your tip. Thank you.

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #9 – July 31, 2011, 12:06:42 pm

George,

This is the split foam that you put around pipes to protect from freezing-- available at all home improvement stores.

Brett

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #10 – July 31, 2011, 12:16:33 pm

Quote from: Carol Savournin – July 31, 2011, 11:39:06 am

Our water pump is not especially noisy, but it has the annoying habit of "fading" once or twice before it gets pumping. by "fading", I mean the the water starts to flow, goes down to a trickle, and then comes back more forcefully ... twicw and sometimes three times before it settles down. What is that all about???

Here's the troubleshooting guide for the Aquatec/Aquajet pump (it also mentions what to look for with excessive noise)

The selected media item is not currently available.

Sounds like you might need to check for restriction on the lines or high backpressure on the outlet side of the pump, or air leaking into the pump (it might be losing prime).

Here's the installation/owner's manual for the pump.

The selected media item is not currently available.

Michelle

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #11 – July 31, 2011, 01:51:27 pm

George -
Brett is correct - HD or Lowes.

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #12 – July 31, 2011, 02:42:25 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – July 31, 2011, 12:06:42 pm

George,

This is the split foam that you put around pipes to protect from freezing-- available at all home improvement stores.

Brett

Thanks, Brett --

Best $2 improvement ever and I did it in about 10 minutes. And, it has made the pump a lot quieter. When I first installed the pump in April of this year, it was very quiet. As time went by it became nosier. So I was very pleased to read of the technique of using pipe insulation. What little pump noise we now hear is negligible.

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #13 – July 31, 2011, 03:46:09 pm

Michelle, thanks for the manuals. The gizmo in my outlet quiet loop is indeed an in-line check valve.

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #14 – July 31, 2011, 08:48:36 pm

Carol,

The symptom you describe is a characteristic of variable pressure pumps.

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #15 – August 01, 2011, 01:43:30 am

Quote from: amos.harrison – July 31, 2011, 08:48:36 pm

Carol,

The symptom you describe is a characteristic of variable pressure pumps.

I guess that is good to know. I was worried that it was another symptom of "altitude sickness" that seems to be plaguing this coach, and may also be part of our ongoing water problem. Once the pump gets going, it seems OK ... but it surely is annoying!

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #16 – August 01, 2011, 01:32:37 pm

Dick,

Flexible connections on inlet and outlet. Loop the hose on both and make sure they don't contact coach body except at ends. If still noisy the rubber mounts may be too tight or the rubber has hardened. Loosen off if tight (pump should wobble on mounts). If still transmitting vibrations into coach remount pump with existing rubber mounts on a heavy metal plate (best) or hardwood board (OK) and mount that to coach on SOFT rubber or spring mounts. If still too noisy replace coach. Sorry couldn't resist.

Keith

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #17 – August 02, 2011, 04:16:34 pm

Thank you all for the good ideas.
I found the main cause of the noise. There is an aluminum bracket behind the pump that supports the fresh water solenoid valve. The filter on the water pump was pressing against this bracket in the back. It's not visible from the front, but when I was trying different tension setting on the mounting screws and wiggled the pump the sound diminished. I could not pass a business card between the bracket and filter. I need to move that bracket just a bit, but for now I just removed the screw holding it down closest to the filter, pushed it back and secured it to the valve assembly.
DW was taking a shower, I was watching TV and I could not hear the pump! Water from the galley faucet about equals the pump noise. I am much happier now.

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #18 – August 14, 2011, 09:01:14 pm

I decided the check the filter basket for obstructions that might cause the pump to be starved and also to secure that bracket further back from the pump where it was rubbing.
I found quite a lot of plastic shavings from something in the filter (see photo). I don't know if they were enough to restrict flow enough to contribute to the noise or not. I was hearing a sort of 'rattle' sometimes. I think this was from the 'quiet loop' touching the motor and a run of pex that was causing some vibration. Hopefully I have solved those issues.

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #19 – May 30, 2013, 04:11:24 pm

Dick
Had same problem as you noisy pump , fitted flexible loops and wrapped with insulation also like you found plastic shavings in the filter . Did the shavings return ? Is the pump still working ?

Re: Noisy fresh water pump

Reply #20 – May 30, 2013, 05:04:16 pm

I did replace that pump with another 55 Aquajet ARV. I had problems with it pulsing and exchanged it. No problems since.
I have not looked into the filter for a couple years, guess I should check it again.

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