Everything You Need To Know About Quieting An Rv Water Pump

Are you looking for a way to quiet your RV water pump? By quieting your RV water pump, you can create a more comfortable environment inside your motorhome or travel trailer. When you are trying to sleep at night or just relax during the day, it is important to not be disturbed by noise. Your RV water pump creates quite a bit of noise and can be heard from the inside of your motorhome. There are some simple solutions that you can use to quiet your RV water pump with minimal effort.

Quieting your RV water pump is one of the best things you can do to extend the life of your unit. It is not hard to do, and in this post I will show you how to quiet any small or large 5th wheel water pump.

What is an RV water pump, and why is it important?

The job of the water pump is to move the water from the freshwater tank through the plumbing and into your faucets. It creates pressure in the plumbing line so that when you open a faucet, water will flow out.

It does this by drawing in water from the freshwater tank via a strainer. Then it pressurizes that water and moves it through the plumbing lines to your faucets. As it does this, it also pushes air through the system.

As you use your water and drain your tank dry, air gets into the system. That's ok, as long as there's not too much air in there or too little water. Too much air can cause cavitation in your pump, which means it's "crying" for more water.

The water pump in your RVs plumbing system helps distribute water from your fresh water holding tank to your faucets. When you turn on a tap for fresh water, the pump turns on and pushes water through your plumbing fixtures.

There are two main types of pumps used in RV plumbing systems:

Shurflo pumps

These are smaller pumps that do not possess enough power to push water up to the second level of a motorhome. They also have a shorter life than their larger counterparts. Shurflo pumps are commonly found in travel trailers, fifth wheels, and pop-up campers.

Jetter pumps

Jetter pumps are larger and more powerful than Shurflo pumps. They can move more water per minute, which means they can push enough water to the top of a motorhome or trailer. Jetter pumps are common in Class A RVs, as well as smaller motorhomes and trailers with multi-level plumbing systems. A properly-functioning RV water pump should shut off when no faucets are open on your rv.

What causes an RV water pump to be noisy?

Water pumps are designed to create enough pressure in your pipes to get the water out of the faucet. The noise comes from the motor, which is constantly switching on and off as it tries to build pressure in the pipes.

This constant switching makes your system noisy and uses a lot of power. An accumulator tank essentially acts like a battery by supplying the necessary pressure so that your motor doesn't have to cycle all the time.

If you've been RVing for any amount of time, you're probably familiar with the screeching sound usually caused by a worn-out pump impeller. In extreme cases, it may even sound like the pump is going to explode!

The most common cause of pump noise is a worn-out impeller. The impeller inside the pump is what actually moves water from your freshwater tank through your RV's plumbing system and into faucets at your sink, shower and toilet.

The parts inside the pump are made of plastic so they won't rust or corrode over time. But they can wear out and break down if they're not lubricated properly. That's what happens when you forget to add water pump anti-freeze to the system before storing your rig for winter. The impeller can become dry and brittle, and then it will start making noise when you turn on the water pump again.

The loudness of your RV’s water pump depends on several factors:

The specific model of the pump
How it’s mounted
What pressure the pump is set to output
The amount of insulation around the pump itself

Why Do You Want To Quiet an RV Water Pump?

First of all, why do you want to quiet an RV water pump? They are noisy! The noise is a clunk, clunk, clunk sound as the pump switches on and off. Most people can’t stand the noise and wonder how to quiet an RV water pump.

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The sound is caused by the water pump switching on when too little water flows through it. As soon as the pressure in the water line increases, the pump switches off. The pump switches on again when the pressure drops. This process repeats over and over each time you turn on a faucet or flush a toilet.

So you're settling in for the night, enjoying a quiet evening in your RV, when all of a sudden that familiar high-pitched sound fills your ears. If you've ever had to deal with the incessant buzzing of an RV water pump, then you know just how annoying it can be.

However, there's good news! Quieting your RV water pump is fairly easy and can be done by anyone. To start erasing the noise from memory, follow along with this guide to learn how to silence an RV water pump.

How to Quiet a Water Pump - 6 Options to Choose From

Replace the Pump with a Quieter One

RV water pumps are available in different sizes, shapes, and styles. Some will be louder than others, so if you want to get a quieter one, the first thing you can do is replace the existing pump with another one that's quieter.

Install a Pump Silencer kit

The simplest solution is to install a silencer on your existing water pump. You need to remove the cover from the pump and then attach the new cover using the original screws. This method doesn't really quieten the pump but does muffle some of its sound. The cost is about $10-$15 for a universal fit kit. A friend of mine had success with this method so it's a try if you're looking for an inexpensive solution and don't mind doing some tinkering around inside your RV plumbing system.

Install a Water Pump Vibration Pad

Most RV water pumps come with rubber feet attached to them. This helps protect your countertop from scratching and reduces vibration as well. However, if your motorhome doesn't have any place for the vibrations to go into other than the countertop or sink, it can still cause some noise. If this is your case, you can use a rubber pad for the addition of more vibration dampening abilities.

Wrap the Pump with Insulation

The first thing you can do to quiet an RV water pump is wrap it in insulation. This is a very inexpensive way to quiet down the noise produced by the pump and it takes just minutes to complete.

You’ll need some type of foam insulation material and some plastic garbage bags or painter’s plastic sheeting. Place the plastic sheeting around the pump so that no foam touches it directly when you start insulating.

Anchor the RV Water Pump

If your water pump isn't anchored, then it's most likely vibrating and causing excess noise. To anchor the pump, you'll need some rubber sheeting (you can get this at any hardware store), screws, and a drill. Make sure to use the proper size screws for your rig. Next, you'll need to measure the bottom of the pump to cut out 4 squares from the rubber sheeting. Place a square of rubber under each corner of the water pump and screw them in place with your drill.

Cut Down on Air in Water Lines

If there is air in your RV's water lines, then it will be pulled into the pump when it's turned on, causing a loud noise. You can get rid of most of the air by turning on all faucets (including the outdoor shower) and letting them run until only water comes out. The best time to do this is right after you have connected your rig to its water source and have filled up your tank for the first time after you've been without water for a while (such as during winter).

What is a Soft Start Water Pump?

The Soft Start Water Pump operates by providing either full flow or low flow, depending on what you need at the moment. It has an automatic shutoff feature that prevents it from running dry and helps it last longer. The Soft Start Water Pump is also much quieter than traditional RV water pumps.

How to Install a Soft Start Water Pump

Here are the basic steps for installing a Soft Start Water Pump in your RV:

Turn off the main water source and open the faucet to drain all of the water out of the system.
Remove any hoses from the original pump and unscrew it from its mounting bracket.
Mount the new pump on its bracket by screwing it into place with mounting screws. Make sure that it is securely mounted so that it doesn't come loose while driving down the road.
Attach hoses to the new pump, making sure they are tight enough with hose clamps so that they don't leak but not so tight that they restrict flow and damage them over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are many ways to quiet a water pump and make it run more smoothly. The best way to quiet your water pump is to change out the filter with a foam filter. The foam filter will reduce the noise from the water pump by allowing water to flow freely through it but will also absorb the sound waves that are created by the noisy water pump. You can also prevent pipe vibration by wrapping a rubber band around each pipe as close as possible to where it connects with the water pump. This will absorb the sound waves and quiet down your RV’s noisy water pump.

Here’s a great solution to keep your RV water pump as quiet as possible:

Buy a couple of piece of foam pipe insulation. Cut three pieces of foam long enough to go around the water pump, but short enough to leave a little space between each piece and the walls of the compartment where it is located.

Apply silicone sealant or adhesive to one side of one of the pieces and attach it to the body of the water pump. Apply sealant or adhesive to one side of another piece and attach it to the bottom surface on which the water pump is mounted. Apply sealant or adhesive to both sides of the remaining piece and attach it to the wall behind the water pump.

Attach these three pieces in this manner with about 3/8 inch between them and you will find that virtually all vibration from your water pump is dampened.

Excessive water pump vibration can be caused by a number of factors.

The first thing to do is check the mounting surfaces for the pump and make sure that there is no corrosion, paint or other foreign material preventing it from being mounted properly. If you have access to a lathe, you could machine the face of the mounting bracket to remove any high spots.

You could also try to balance the pump motor by installing small washers behind one or more of the mounting screws and seeing if this reduces the vibration. You will need to experiment but this should reduce or eliminate the vibration.

Lastly, you can install a pump silencer on your system which will dampen vibrations significantly.

Conclusion

Once you are accustomed to the pump sounds when the flow is at its highest and lowest, it becomes an audible reminder of how much water you are using. As the water flows through your RV pump, the diaphragm contracts, forcing the water out the intake or exhaust lines with higher pressure. The diaphragm expands, creating greater volume and lower pressure, and valves on the outlet to the chamber are closed, so the water flows back to the chamber, and the valves on the entry ports are opened.

There are a few things that make them so loud, which you just learned about in this article.