Our new 20' Safari did not come equipped with an accumulator. There was plenty of room to add a ShurFlo accumulator right next to the ShurFlor water pump and the installation was quick and easy (just had to lengthen one piece of PEX tubing). Pump and water system works much better now. Any reason Airstream doesn't put them in at the outset? Roger S
Michelle,
How many pounds of pressure? Before I knew what an accumulator was, I pressed on the "valve stem" (only for a second!) so I don't know what the pressure should be. Help!
Hey Roger S,
I'd like to put one on my 20' Safari, too! Happen to have a picture of your work?
I also found that putting foam pipe insulation around all the loops of PEX under the twin sinks made a huge difference in pump noise. But I definitely want to put in an accumulator. I feared it might interfere with the below-oven drawer...?
Try one of the new 'Extreme Series' variable speed water pumps and you won't neeed an accumulator at all. They are super quiet and give you domestic quality water pressure.
Not cheap at all, but they really do the job!
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lewster
Solar Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
Victron Solar Components and Inverters, Zamp Solar Panels, LiFeBlue and Battle Born Lithium Batteries, Lifeline AGM Batteries
An accumulator is a small water tank, usually 1-2 gallons, that acts as a buffer between the demand (faucet) and the supply (water pump) in a water system. It relieves the water pump from constant on/off action when a faucet is opened for ocassional use, as it is pressurized.
It will generally stop water hammering in a system.
Hope this answers your question.
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lewster
Solar Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
Victron Solar Components and Inverters, Zamp Solar Panels, LiFeBlue and Battle Born Lithium Batteries, Lifeline AGM Batteries
The accumulator is a small sealed tank that is divided by a flexible rubber partition. One side of the partition has the sytem water going through it and the other side has air under pressure at 10psi. When the pump starts, the pressurized water compresses the air in the accumulator. When the pump stops the water is maintained under pressure by the air trapped in the dry side of the accumulator. This allows some water to be used without causing the pump to start every time and absorbs the hammering of the pump whiile it is pumping. To bias the accumulator, shut off the pump and open a faucet, then put 10 psi in the accumulator via the valve.
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"Not all who are laundering are washed" say Bill & Heidi
'78 Excella 500,"The Silver Pullit". vacuum over hydraulic disc brakes, center bath, rear twin. '67 Travelall 1200 B 4X4 WBCCI 3737
Thanks to Excella CM's link, I read up on, then found the Jabsco Model 30573-0000 accumulator tank (1 liter) at West Marine in town today. I chose this unit over the Shure-flo 0.65 liter model available at CW because it's nearly twice the capacity with the same diameter -- and I could get it immediately
I installed it this afternoon with no trouble. This accumulator came with both threaded and barbed 1/2" QEST fittings, compatible with the existing water pump. I connected the pump to the accumulator with a short (8-10") length of flexible 1/2" i.d. 200 PSI cold water hose and plugged the existing flex hose -- QEST fitting and all -- into the tank's exit port. I figured it's a good idea to maintain a flexible exit from the pump...
I used neoprene rubber washers to sandwich the tank's mounting flange as well, but I don't think that was absolutely necessary.
All is wonderfully quiet now
Some additional observations:
The factory-installed pump's mounting screws were overly tightened, severely diminishing the effectiveness of the rubber mounting dampers. The installation manual clearly indicates these should be tightened to just-touching the rubber dampers to avoid compressing them.
I wrapped virtually all of the many loops of PEX plumbing under the sinks, as the stiff material vibrated against the walls, sink, and other plumbing quite loudly (before adding the accumulator).
This accumulator provides a lot more running water than I expected, before the pump kicks in again. I'm real impressed.
What size piping did you need in connecting your accumulator.
The existing factory installed flex hose is "Accuflex 1/2" cold water IAPMO 150 psi".
I couldn't find that exact hose at Home Depot, but I did find similar 1/2" i.d. (inner diameter) flexible reinforced water hose rated at 200 psi. It didn't have a brand name or markings at all on the hose itself.
I used the QEST * 1/2" Barb fittings supplied with the kit, plus a couple of SS hose clamps.
The tank itself is mounted w/only two screws. It's difficult to see in my pictures, but I used two #10 x 1" screws, sandwiching the tank flange above and below with 1/4" #6 neoprene rubber washers, topped with a SS washer at each screw head. These are lightly snugged down, in the hopes of preventing noise transmission through the tank flange to the floor.
I think someone also mentioned to check the pump screws, too. Mine were waaaay over-tightened, completely deforming and defeating the rubber bumpers that the pump is mounted to. These should be just tight enough to hold the pump in place, w/o squishing them down.
Wow! I sure would like to have the access to my water pump that you do. In the 30' Excella it's squeezed into the compartment underneath the closet floor along with the heater ductwork to the rear bedroom.
I installed the Jabsco accumulator about 2 months ago and really liked the decrease in pump noise. But, on our recent 3 week trip it seemed like it was not working properly. I checked the air pressure in it and water came out the valve. Upon opening it up I found the inner bladder had torn.
The manufacturer was quick to replace it but it still meant we went 3 weeks without it. We could have used the power being sent to the pump since we were boondocking most of the time and nearly ran out of electricity.
The accumulators work well, but they do have problems like the bladders rupturing.
As an alternative, check out the new generation of quiet, variable speed water pumps from ShurFlo. They give you residential-like pressure and no buzzing or hammering. I've been putting a lot of these in the MoHo's I service, and have one waiting for me to install in my CCD.
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lewster
Solar Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
Victron Solar Components and Inverters, Zamp Solar Panels, LiFeBlue and Battle Born Lithium Batteries, Lifeline AGM Batteries
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