Is there a quiet/silent water pressure pump, or a way to make one quieter?

[chris14679]

We have a so-called "Quiet Quad" 12v drinking water pressure pump which sounds like a motorbike and a Shurflo one which is a little better but not much.

Does anyone know of a genuinely quiet water pressure pump design? We are sick of waking each other up in the night by turning on the tap!

I guess an impeller type pump would be a lot quieter than a diaphragm pump if it could reach the required pressure but I've never seen one sold for this purpose.

I'm pretty sure the domestic water pressure booster pumps sold in the UK do use impellers but they are all 230v and way too big for use on a boat. The motors tend to be rather noisy too and they have impellers both ends for hot and cold water. It shows that the concept of an impeller based pressure pump works though. Perhaps an impeller and pressure sensor from one of those could be coupled to a quiet, brushless 12v motor? Could be they use a flow sensor not a pressure sensor though.

Has anyone tried something like that? Any other ideas?

Cheers,
Chris

[a64pilot]

Mount it in the Lazarette where you cant hear it.

I like hearing mine, it lets me know if we have a leak or the switch gets stuck or maybe someone didn't get the sink turned all the way off etc.

[sailorboy1]

I like being to hear mine also as that’s how I know th3 on service tank is empty.

But just cracking a tap at night shouldn’t make it come on if there an accumulator in the system.

[Singularity]

Maybe consider installing an accumulator tank?

[Dsanduril]

Pressure booster pumps on land have pressure pushing the water into the pump inlet and thus a straight centrifugal pump can be used.

Boat systems generally use diaphragm pumps because they have decent suction lift and are self-priming. If you use a non-self-priming pump then the inlet needs to be below the water level in the tank, which is tough on most boats.

I don't like the noise of ours either, especially when I'm the first one up in the morning and want to make coffee. But I, too, use the noise to let me know when I have a drip somewhere. And I've mostly learned to fill the kettle before going to bed

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Singularity

Maybe consider installing an accumulator tank?

Mounting it to a plate that is mounted with rubber feet can help as well.

[chris14679]

We have an accumulator tank, which can be isolated. The pump runs less frequently with the accumulator tank in use but is still just as noisy.

Our pump is below the water tank so it doesn't have to be self priming, although self priming is preferred to help it gulp the last bit of water from the bottom of the tank.

Could be the domestic pumps I mentioned are centrifugal rather than impeller. Centrifugal might still work for us as we are gravity fed. Needs to survive if the tank runs dry though.

The diaphragm type pumps are noisy by nature and no amount of rubber mounts will silence them.

Does anyone have any suggestions for really quiet water pumps which you've actually used?

[Singularity]

Sorry not answering your electric pump question...but as an alternative idea...have you considered a manual/foot pump? I don't have one but should at some point (if for no other reason to have non-electric redundancy). They're quiet enough...

[anthem00]

I have a paragon jr pump. It’s mounts on rubber feet and it’s still loud as hell. But apparently it’s one of the top models out there as the price news going up on them. Last check they are over 1k and they have rebuild kits for them that are 200+. But an accumulator tank will help a lot. Make sure it has pressure in it though

[donradcliffe]

The first time someone leaves a faucet open and your quiet pump empties your tanks, you will consider going back to the noisy one.

[undercutter]

Don't all the Jabsco Parmar water pumps use impellers. I never heard of diagram pumps for water supply. Bilge and sump applications sure, but not water supply.

These pumps only tick over to supply a single use faucet hardly working at all as they try and maintain a constant pressure. Mounted or rubber they are not too loud, but then some of us are deaf anyway.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by undercutter

Don't all the Jabsco Parmar water pumps use impellers. I never heard of diagram pumps for water supply. Bilge and sump applications sure, but not water supply.

These pumps only tick over to supply a single use faucet hardly working at all as they try and maintain a constant pressure. Mounted or rubber they are not too loud, but then some of us are deaf anyway.

My understanding is that the squarish plastic bodied pumps are diaphragm and the roundish bronze pumps are impeller. My house water supply is via a Jabsco diaphragm pump. I know it is because I have rebuilt it.

[Jim Cate]

I'll add my vote for installing foot pumps where needed. They are reliable, silent and help considerably in conserving water. In our case, we only have pressure water for the shower and the aft washing shower on the sugar scoop. Both sinks are served solely by foot pumps. You may not want to be so spartan, but adding foot pumps in parallel with the pressure system would mean that silent water supply would be on hand when you need the quiet, and the rest of the time your noisy electric pumps could be hosing away.

Jim

[Lepke]

If you mount your noisy pump on a piece of Styrofoam it will be much quieter.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Singularity

Sorry not answering your electric pump question...but as an alternative idea...have you considered a manual/foot pump? I don't have one but should at some point (if for no other reason to have non-electric redundancy). They're quiet enough...

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

The first time someone leaves a faucet open and your quiet pump empties your tanks, you will consider going back to the noisy one.

All you need to know is in these posts. In short:


1. Don't try to make the electric pump silent; you need to hear it.


2. Use a foot pump for getting water without waking people up. Or just leave out a pitcher of water when you turn in.