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27-08-2018, 11:30
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Global Travels
Posts: 202
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Water Pump Noise Reduction
Looking for best practices in noise reduction on water pumps.
We run a Jabsco 5.0 fresh water pump that services 5 sinks, 2 heads and 4 showers. The pressure is fine but the noise is like a big-rig engine-braking below our floor boards. Not so wonderful a 3AM when using the head.
It currently is mounted via four bolts over rubber balls onto a hull mounted plate. I have installed an accumulator tank to increase the cycle time so it is less active, but it still vibrates the hull like the speaker at a rock concert.
Any ideas, beyond earplugs, on how to reduce the volume?
My wife thanks you in advance.
__________________
Rand and Ellens/v Golden Glow
Anteres 44i a Glorious Good Day starts w a sunrise over a new bay...
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28-08-2018, 02:39
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: UK, Croatia
Boat: Fountaine Pajot Athena 11.6m Rapa Nui II
Posts: 743
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
Mount pump on raft at least twice the mass of the pump. Mount other things on raft to increase mass. Mount raft to hull using bobbin mounts on stiffest parts of hull. Use long looped flexible pipe tails to isolate pipework.
Or turn pump off at night
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28-08-2018, 04:07
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Seattle Washington, USA
Boat: 38" Sailboat
Posts: 97
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
Check out the Marco Pumps made by Mate, they are costly but run much more silently. They are a variable speed pump you would need to eliminate the accumulator. While I don't have one was on a sailboat with one and it was almost silent.
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28-08-2018, 05:29
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#4
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cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
Turn the pump off at night, you shouldn’t eliminate the noise as it’s important to hear if you spring a fresh water leak or the pump goes into cavitation.
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28-08-2018, 05:47
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Marina del Rey, California
Boat: President 43 Sportfish
Posts: 4,105
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rapanui
Mount pump on raft at least twice the mass of the pump. Mount other things on raft to increase mass. Mount raft to hull using bobbin mounts on stiffest parts of hull. Use long looped flexible pipe tails to isolate pipework...
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This is the correct approach. Isolate the base plate ("raft") from the hull using vibration isolators (Barry Controls) and isolate the pump from the base plate. Additionally you may want to soundproof the area in which the pump resides or build a soundproof enclosure using acoustical foam.
__________________
1st rule of yachting: When a collision is unavoidable, aim for something cheap.
"whatever spare parts you bring, you'll never need"--goboatingnow
"Id rather drown than have computers take over my life."--d design
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28-08-2018, 06:01
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#6
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cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 405
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
Most likely you have a Diaphragm type pump at the moment. They are very noisy and very inefficient power wise.
There is a variety of Centrifugal 12VDC pumps now available that are very quiet and far more efficient, but their downside is that they best need to be located below the supply water level or use a non return valve in the suction supply tubing.
Cheers OzePete Ozefridge | 12 Volt Refrigeration Systems
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28-08-2018, 06:14
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Martinique
Boat: Fortuna Island Spirit 40
Posts: 2,298
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
This is a very common solution used on RVs.
Although I haven't done it on our boat (I want the noise), I did it in my RV. After mounting like this I could barely hear it. It was just a slight hum that was barely audable in the silence of the night.
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28-08-2018, 10:28
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Queensland, Australia
Boat: None at present--between vessels. Ex Piver Loadstar 12.5 metres
Posts: 1,476
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
The bearings in them are CRAP!!
I replaced the bearings in mine with stainless steel Japanese fully sealed and waterproof bearings of identical size--the pump purred quietly and gushed as before.
The bearings cost about 25 dollars. Not cheap for such small bearuings--but when one pays a good price for a pump--proper bearings should be expected instead of the rubbish bearings that were in there.
Also--it is important that these pumps be mounted with the body vertical and on a firm mounting. If the body touches anything it will act as a sounding board. Foam rubber can help here.
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28-08-2018, 12:59
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Global Travels
Posts: 202
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
Thank you all.
The berry control mounts look good. Working on sourcing. I will add the water filter to the mount plate to increase mass. Looking for flex tubing to fit the 15mm plastic equal ID quick connectors. Suggestions?
We are full time live-aboards, so try to eliminate daily tasks, like turning things on and off. This is for fresh water so have a volume limit to any leaks and I imagine we will still be able to hear cavitation unless motoring. Finally, thank you for quality pump replacement ideas, will consider those once I have gone through the several rebuilds this pump has in it's future.
Thank you again.
__________________
Rand and Ellens/v Golden Glow
Anteres 44i a Glorious Good Day starts w a sunrise over a new bay...
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28-08-2018, 13:54
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: France in summer, aboard GALAWA in Caribeans in winter.
Boat: Catamaran PRIVILEGE 435
Posts: 119
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
You have an water&air tank which contains water and compressed air, actually compressed by the pumped water, to stretch the cycle time of the pump.
Make sure the compressed air is there. If the air has leaked out, the tank resonates with each pump stroke and make a considerable noise.
On my boat, I have a bicycle pump stored near the water&air tank and reinflate the water&air tank every month.
__________________
Beyond our expensive yachts and powerfull tenders, beyond the beach front bar, live the real inhabitants of the land we mean to visit.....
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28-08-2018, 14:02
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Marina del Rey, California
Boat: President 43 Sportfish
Posts: 4,105
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
Quote:
Originally Posted by GALAWA
...I have a bicycle pump stored near the water&air tank and reinflate the water&air tank every month.
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You must have a leak. These accumulators very rarely require service.
__________________
1st rule of yachting: When a collision is unavoidable, aim for something cheap.
"whatever spare parts you bring, you'll never need"--goboatingnow
"Id rather drown than have computers take over my life."--d design
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28-08-2018, 14:54
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Global Travels
Posts: 202
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rapanui
Mount pump on raft at least twice the mass of the pump. Mount other things on raft to increase mass.
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If using the water filter to increase the mass on the 'raft' can the water weight be included or does the liquidity cancel or substantially reduce the effect of that weight of the mass effect on the inertia?
__________________
Rand and Ellens/v Golden Glow
Anteres 44i a Glorious Good Day starts w a sunrise over a new bay...
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28-08-2018, 15:22
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Australia
Boat: Milkraft 60 ex trawler
Posts: 4,651
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terra Nova
This is the correct approach. Isolate the base plate ("raft") from the hull using vibration isolators (Barry Controls) and isolate the pump from the base plate. Additionally you may want to soundproof the area in which the pump resides or build a soundproof enclosure using acoustical foam.
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You could get that carried away.
I simply mounted mine to a bit of 1/2inch ply and sandwiched an old thong between it and the boat

Always find at least one washed up on a beach
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28-08-2018, 17:34
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#14
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Melbourne
Boat: Jenneau Prestige 46
Posts: 50
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
See video on noise and vibration reduction at
This is after market variable speed control for pump.
pm me if you require further details
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29-08-2018, 00:29
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: UK, Croatia
Boat: Fountaine Pajot Athena 11.6m Rapa Nui II
Posts: 743
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Re: Water Pump Noise Reduction
Jabsco do snap in ports for 1/2 inch bsp connections, you can buy stainless flexible pump tails at plumbers merchants 1/2 inch bsp to most pipe fittings including plastic push fit.
Yes, the mass of the water will help increase the mass of the raft.
Another option is to suspend the pump using a bungee cord cradle if you have a convenient location.
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