Noisy water pump

[yukionna]

I've recently noticed that my water pump is noiser than usual. When I first turn it on, I hear a concert of loud bangs-clangs-booms-shakes for a good 20 seconds. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to reduce the racket? Egads, if this keeps up, no one will want to camp next to me!

[j54mark]

Sounds like water hammer. Somewhere, perhaps more than in one location, your pipes are in contact with a wall, a partition, or a panel of some sort. Any of these will act as a sounding board to amplify a simple vibration into a cacauphony of noise.

The closed cell foam insulating tubes they sell at home centers works very well to dampen such noise. And it is cheap: $4 or $5 worth will do the entire plumbing system in your Bambi.

It is also possible that part of the mount for the water pump has worked loose and the pump itself is vibrating against whatever it is mounted to.

Mark

[WayWard Wind]

Must be the Bambi model, as we also have a 2002 Bambi & I tremble when I use water. Sounds worst than an out of tune marching band, inside a drum. Seems like everytime we use the unit, the sound comes from a different location. I know for sure, if we parked next to a cemetery, the dead would rise in protest. I've tried almost everything, but that pipe wrap. Sounds like something else to try. Thanks,
Best,

[j54mark]

Originally Posted by A.E. Milliman

Must be the Bambi model, as we also have a 2002 Bambi & I tremble when I use water.

I am thinking AS now uses an Aquajet variable speed pump for the Bambi, and other models as well. I ran into the same problem when I changed out the old Sureflo for a new Aquajet ES variable speed pump. The pressure was so much greater that the pulsations of the pump really echoed where ever the plumbing touched anything.

Supposedly there is an allen head adjuster on the back of the pump to reduce pulsing. I keep forgetting to try it. However, the foam insulation around the plumbing runs really, really worked.

Mark

[Silvertwinkie]

Our 2003 Bambi did the same thing. The ShurFlo pump the way it is mounted can be REALLY noisy until it primes itself....after that it still was kind of loud, but better then when first started after the tank is filled after being emptied.

I've noticed that the Safari is a bit quieter, however it too when is priming itself can be louder than normal too.

[smily]

I had this problem on an older unit. It was very noisy.
To fix, I added accumulator tank right next to water pump and it was fixed.
You can buy accumulator tank at RV store.

MFG: Shurflo
P/N 86-8139 or 181-203
Cost $40.79

Probably a little easier than covering every pipe in your plumbing system.

Smily