Shur-Flo pump is Too Loud

[star kitty]

I purchased and installed a low capacity (2.5 gpm) shur-flo pump this winter along with all new PEX water lines. The pump is resting directly on the floor with four screws right next to the water tank. The problem is, when I open a valve, it sounds like a train is running through my Airstream.

I am trying to figure out ways to dampen/solve the loud noise. I realize there is noise associated with a pump but I'm hoping to lower the sound a bit.

I usually don't add a lot of water into the tank because the demand is not there and I don't want the extra weight. Could some of the sound be caused by air in the lines because I am not carrying enough water? Could it be the rigid PEX pipe that runs along the street-side wall? Or is it because the pump is resting directly on the plywood flooring?

Thank you.

[mandolindave]

I put foam pipe insulation around the pipes on both sides of the pump. The pipes were touching various furniture framing. The next step for me is to
mount the pump on a piece of plywood. I'll mount the plywood on top of a piece of scrap carpet, and screw the new plywood mount to the floor using rubber washers. ( grommets will work ) I mounted my inverter this way so vibration
wouldn't loosen any components on the circuit board.
It might help.

[DKB_SATX]

I think it's a combination of semi-rigid piping and bolting the pump directly to the plywood resonator..er... floorboard. You can go a long way toward determining which it is by unscrewing the pump from the floor and holding it up off the plywood while someone opens a tap. You'll still get most of the noise that the pipes transmit (minus a little because your hands will damp the pump's vibration more than the solid mount it was on before.)

If it's quiet enough like that, you need some sort of rubber isolators between the plywood and the pump. If it's still too noisy, you may also need a bit of more-flexible line to join the pump to the pex.

[Silver Goose]

Some pumps sound louder than others. Were there rubber grommets or feet that isolate the pump from the floor? Floating the pump on a sandwich of plywood and soft foam rubber will help reduce some of the noise. Some of the noise is also telegraphed through rigid plumbing to the tank and floor. Using flexible lines forming a loop to the inlet and output can be helpful in reducing the noise.

[Zia]

I replaced my pump with variable speed pump which lowered the noise substantially. I paid $159 for the 4.5 gpm shurflow pump on-lin purchase. The pump was slightly taller, however, it fit in the original pump location. The electrical wiring is identical to the exisiting pump. Kept the old pump as a spare

[star kitty]

I thought it may be because its bolted to the plywood flooring but the Shur-Flo website says to mount the pump on a solid base to reduce noise.

I should remove the screws and let it rest on a soft base. That may help. The replies lead me to believe its a combo of where its mounted and the PEX plumbing.

[InsideOut]

We put an ShurFlo Accumulator Tank inline past the pump (under our dinette) and it seems to help reduce the rumble. You can see it here - post #378.

Shari

[Rockwell]

Shur-Flo makes a pump silencing kit...consists of two flexible hoses that you put on the input side and then the output side. takes most of the noise right out of the pump as the pluse direct to the Pex is absorbed in the flexible hoses. Worked on mine (2003 Safari) Took about 5 minutes to install, took about 75% of the bump noise out.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

We put an ShurFlo Accumulator Tank inline past the pump (under our dinette) and it seems to help reduce the rumble.
Shari

I don't think the accumulator pump will actually reduce the pump noise, but it will reduce the frequency the pump runs. It will run less often but run longer. It will also extend your pump life expectancy.

[J&C]

Originally Posted by Zia

I replaced my pump with variable speed pump which lowered the noise substantially. I paid $159 for the 4.5 gpm shurflow pump on-lin purchase. The pump was slightly taller, however, it fit in the original pump location. The electrical wiring is identical to the exisiting pump. Kept the old pump as a spare

Star Kitty, I agree with Zia on the variable speed pump (Shurflow Extreme Series) It makes a big difference in noise & elimantes the harsh/abrubt on-off cycling. Short flexible lines help too, JB

[Ag&Au]

Run all the faucets, including the outside one and the toilet, one by one until you are sure the air is out of every line. This is often the cause of noisy water systems.

When you travel carry enough water in the tank to be sure the pump can't draw air.

Ken

[Jim Foster]

We have ShurFlo "Whisper King" pumps in both trailers. Each has a circular coil of flexible water hose on the inlet and outlet of the pump. Each pump is screwed directly to the floor.

Nearly no sound in either unit. Be sure that the coil of hose has nothing laying on it.

[HiHoAgRV]

There is an up-side to a noisy pump...it will awake you when a pipe leaks in the middle of the night...

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV

There is an up-side to a noisy pump...it will awake you when a pipe leaks in the middle of the night...

This is a concern to us, especially on the Caravel.
We make sure the pump is off at night, and when we leave the trailers.

Hey, we are talking quiet here.

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by Jim Foster

This is a concern to us, especially on the Caravel.
We make sure the pump is off at night, and when we leave the trailers.

Hey, we are talking quiet here.

we spent several years on a boat...the sound of a running pump meant you were sinking...

[Jim Foster]

Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV

we spent several years on a boat...the sound of a running pump meant you were sinking...

We had a houseboat on the Sacramento Delta for 25 years. I know exactly what you are talking about.

No noise is good noise.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

I don't think the accumulator pump will actually reduce the pump noise, but it will reduce the frequency the pump runs. It will run less often but run longer. It will also extend your pump life expectancy.

It helps eliminate "water hammer" noise...not the actual sound of the pump itself running.

Shari

[FreshAir]

Originally Posted by star kitty

I purchased and installed a low capacity (2.5 gpm) shur-flo pump this winter along with all new PEX water lines. The pump is resting directly on the floor with four screws right next to the water tank. The problem is, when I open a valve, it sounds like a train is running through my Airstream.

I am trying to figure out ways to dampen/solve the loud noise. I realize there is noise associated with a pump but I'm hoping to lower the sound a bit.

I usually don't add a lot of water into the tank because the demand is not there and I don't want the extra weight. Could some of the sound be caused by air in the lines because I am not carrying enough water? Could it be the rigid PEX pipe that runs along the street-side wall? Or is it because the pump is resting directly on the plywood flooring?

Thank you.

Our Shurflo will become noisy when the tank water is TOO low. I too try to travel with minimum water level but with twin tanks that total almost 40 gals of water a low supply could be just under 1/4 tank.
Neil

[loechli]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

We put an ShurFlo Accumulator Tank inline past the pump (under our dinette) and it seems to help reduce the rumble. You can see it here - post #378.

Shari

I had noise problem with water hammer after swapping my original 1972 pump with a new surflo.

I also ended up installing a ShurFlow Accumulator Tank and in stopped the water hammer and pump cycles far less.

[Wingeezer]

I recently installed a lower priced Shurflo pump and was very impressed with how little noise it made compared to the defective Aqua jet I took out.

Mind you, the Aquajet had rigid piping on the intake side and a length of flex hose on the outlet. When I put in the new pump I put a length of flex hose on both inlet and outlet.

The Surflow that I used had some sort of flexible mounting base to minimize sound transmission - I would have thought they would all have that, or rubber grommets or something. If not, you could improvise.

I can barely hear mine when it runs. The old one sounded as you describe - so maybe it was the hard piping on the inlet that caused the noise in my case.

I didn't change the old pump due to noise - it seized up.


Brian