Caravan water pump noise

Hi Ross,

Water pumps have a quick acting pressure relief valve and work on 50 psi. This can cause severe vibration if fixed to some different types of bases. Remove the screws and put a piece of rubber like from an old mud flap under it and screw it back down. Also the pipes to and from the pump can be installed too short and tight. This can also cause the effect you mention. A nice free loop of pipe causes less pulsing to be transmitted through the floor.

Hi Guys

we have seen some caravans with the inline Whale brand pumps, we fitted one to our camper trailer and is suspended away from the chassis on a bracket, we can hardly hear it. We have a friend who has one on his van and is very noisy, only because it is mounted hard up against the floor underneath and the vibrations resonate a noisy humming noise.
I dont know about what pumps come standard on vans but maybe a bit of foam insulation between the pump and the van may limit some noisy vibrations.

Worth a thought.

doey

There was a discussion about noisy water pumps on the Caravaners Forum In it there is a link to an article in Caravan and Motorhome Books which talks about mounting of pumps and pipes.

I believe noisy pumps are not a bad thing. They won't encourage you to waste water.

Yep - our Flojet was very noisy, as mounted by the van maker - they work on a fast, strong pulsing action - the vibration produced drums in the wall that the pump is mounted on, PLUS the pulsing action is transmitted along the water lines too (causing vibration in whatever those lines are fixed too as well). Ours was mounted to a thin ply cupboard wall - much like a guitar body !! While leaving the plumbing and power connections as is, I moved the pump into a foam lined box on the cupboard floor - and sat the box on foam too - much quieter as a result. The pump will happily run either horizontally and vertically mounted (and they can run dry too). In my case, rubber padding under the pump made no difference.

Thanks for those hints ,looks like a weekend job coming up.