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Old 08-30-2019, 10:31 AM   #1
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Quiet water pump

I have always been really irritated by the noisy water pumps in RV's that I have spent time in. I knew that when I bought my 17B that I would be working on getting it quieter as one of my first projects.

So, first I tried the Shurflo water pump quieting kit. The hoses that it is supplied with are softer than the trailer's PEX that the pump was plumbed directly to and made an improvement. But only about 10% or so. I knew I needed a softer hose.

So I bought an 8' washing machine rubber hose from Home Depot and the NPT to garden hose adapters so I could plumb it to the trailer's NPT style connectors. This hose was much softer than the hoses in the Shurflo kit. This made a huge difference. The noise is probably 50% or more better than original. Definitely well within my "acceptable" range. If/when the pump fails I will go with a variable speed quieter pump to reduce the noise even further. I installed the 8' hose on the output side of the pump and coiled it up next to the pump. I also placed good foam rubber water heater insulaton over any of the PEX or the new rubber hose where they rubbed or touched anything. The input side did not need a hose since mine already has a soft vinyl hose going to the fresh water tank.

Please note: We do not use the water from the fresh water tank for drinking or cooking. The water heater hose is not drinking water safe as far as I know. We will be bringing along bottled water for drinking/cooking purposes so the trailer water will only be used for showers and washing dishes.
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Old 08-30-2019, 01:44 PM   #2
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Is there anything under the water pump, foam or carpet?
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Old 08-30-2019, 02:11 PM   #3
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The pump is mounted on the vertical wall under the bench. It’s mounting pads are rubber isolation mounts.
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Old 08-30-2019, 04:42 PM   #4
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Would your method eliminate the need for the optional hose kit that Shurflo sells? Is there a hose product that would be drinking water safe and still eliminate noise?
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Old 08-30-2019, 07:54 PM   #5
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An accumulator tank might also help dampen the noise significantly in addition to reducing how often the pump runs.
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Old 08-31-2019, 12:16 AM   #6
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Would your method eliminate the need for the optional hose kit that Shurflo sells? Is there a hose product that would be drinking water safe and still eliminate noise?
All of the drinking water safe hoses that I could find were the relatively stiff type hoses like what is supplied with the Shureflo kit. If someone knows of a soft one please speak up.

Yes using the washing machine hose eliminates the need for the Shureflo kit. Cost was about the same sourcing the parts from Home Depot but works a whole lot better.
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Old 08-31-2019, 12:24 AM   #7
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An accumulator tank might also help dampen the noise significantly in addition to reducing how often the pump runs.
True but space is at a premium in my 17B. I could probably make one fit but it would be more complex to mount than the washing machine hose.

Personally I think a good quiet variable speed pump with the washing machine hose on the output would be the most simple and effective way for a stealthy quiet water supply.
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Old 08-31-2019, 07:21 AM   #8
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I suggest mounting the water pump on a soft pad, like a thick mouse pad.
It worked well on my 17 footer because the cabinet wall acted like a drum and transferred the pump impulses.
The soft pad dampens the impulses.
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Old 08-31-2019, 10:52 AM   #9
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I suggest mounting the water pump on a soft pad, like a thick mouse pad.
It worked well on my 17 footer because the cabinet wall acted like a drum and transferred the pump impulses.
The soft pad dampens the impulses.
Thanks for that Thane. I may try this in the future. Sandwiching a mouse pad between two 1/4" thick plywood plates which are glued to the mouse pad should work. That way I can use different mounting screws for the pump to plate connection than for the plate to trailer wall connection. That way the pump is truly isolated from the wall by only the mouse pad. If I screw the mounting screws through both, the noise could be transmitted thru the screws to the wall.
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Old 08-31-2019, 12:18 PM   #10
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I added the accumulator tank ,3ft Shurflo silencing hose kit and removed pump off wall . Made a stand and installed pump horizontal. Gave us silence and a little extra water for flushing .
Also noticed (knock on wood ) haven’t had to replace water pump for a while . Carry a extra and the latest is number 4 . Pat
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Old 08-31-2019, 02:14 PM   #11
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Also noticed (knock on wood ) haven’t had to replace water pump for a while . Carry a extra and the latest is number 4 . Pat

Here's another possible reason. We are on water pump number one, as installed in 2008. We turn it on when water is needed and turn it off when no longer needed.
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Old 08-31-2019, 02:23 PM   #12
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Here's another possible reason. We are on water pump number one, as installed in 2008. We turn it on when water is needed and turn it off when no longer needed.
Ok Mr. smarty been doing that for over 30plus years . My last RV same pump for over 12 years and the same with our motor home . Pat
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Old 08-31-2019, 02:51 PM   #13
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Here's another possible reason. We are on water pump number one, as installed in 2008. We turn it on when water is needed and turn it off when no longer needed.
I don't understand the difference. I leave mine powered on after getting to a site, as it only runs when we are using the water, it is in effect the same as you only turning on the power when you use it. What am I missing?
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Old 08-31-2019, 06:00 PM   #14
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What am I missing?

I don't know.

All I know is Pat has been through four pumps and I'm still on the one installed during the build, and that we switch it off when not in use.

As I said, "another possibility".
Or not.
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Old 08-31-2019, 08:03 PM   #15
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I had a Burro from Floyd (on FGRV) and he'd installed some kind of water pump that was whisper-quiet. I have no idea what kind or brand.



I'm surprised to hear that changing the water lines from hard to soft material can make so much difference in pump noise. I'd assumed that water pump noise was caused by, well, the pump!
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Old 08-31-2019, 08:21 PM   #16
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Might think about changing to the currently installed water pump. Mine is very quiet. You do have to make sure the bypass valve is properly adjusted.
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Old 08-31-2019, 08:23 PM   #17
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I had a Burro from Floyd (on FGRV) and he'd installed some kind of water pump that was whisper-quiet. I have no idea what kind or brand.



I'm surprised to hear that changing the water lines from hard to soft material can make so much difference in pump noise. I'd assumed that water pump noise was caused by, well, the pump!
The pump makes the noise, then it get transmitted through the mount, the pipes, and the water. Foam helps with the mount, flexible hoses isolate the pump from the other pipes, and softer hoses or a pressure accumulator dampen the part coming through the water.
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Old 08-31-2019, 08:39 PM   #18
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You could get one of these and compare.
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Old 08-31-2019, 08:42 PM   #19
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Adding a small accumulator tank dramatically quietened our pump, with no additional changes made to the pump itself. That was a bonus, as the primary desired effect was smoothing out the spurt-spurt-spurt of the pump, which the accumulator did.
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Old 08-31-2019, 09:48 PM   #20
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How we quieted the water pump on our 2013 Escape 19

The pump in our 19 is mounted to the the bottom of the refrigerator wall under the bed. Last year the pump fell off. It was only then that I noticed that the plywood panel it was attached to was very loose, which added to the whole drum effect.

A few more screws and a bracket to secure the panel to the floor really helped. After we mounted the pump back to the same position, the difference in sound is amazing. Pump noise is not an embarrassing problem any more!

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