Noisy water pump - making it quieter

[Lesherp]

Having a leak in the line to the cold kitchen cold water faucet required removing the sink to fix so I did all the plumbing modifications I had been considering.

Put in flex lines to the water pump to quiet it down and built a vibration dampener to mount the pump on. Because I also added ThePair’s bridge for fresh water transfer I ended up having to put flex lines on both ends. I mounted an accumulator under the sink by the wheel well after considering several other possible locations. I found a cold water line running to the back of the trailer there. In my mind it seemed like the best location given how little room I had in the pump area. The flair-it fittings were great to work with I did buy the tool for tightening them and was glad I did given the tight areas you have to work in.

The pump is quieter and it is amazing how well the bridge works.

I posted pictures for anyone that might be interested in doing something like this. Can’t thank everyone here enough for all the ideas and help you have provided me when I have posted a question.

[ThePair]

Nicely done!

So you put the accumulator under the water heater? Mine's got some kind of wood panel over that space, I never bothered to try to remove it.

You've got two big loops of the flex tube, did you just run it around twice, or does the second loop serve some kind of additional purpose?

[Lesherp]

The wood panel comes out easy (two screws), I had to remove it two run some wires once before.

The second loop is due to the bridge I installed for fresh water transfer. There would have only been a short flex hose running to it from the pump and it is ridged PEX pipe. I had the hose so I went ahead and made another loop.

Okay, I have some questions for Lesherp, ShrimBurrito, brulaz, thepair, so I figured I'd just post a reply, and also just in case anyone else has a similar question to mine you can hopefully have it answered in this forum. As reference, I have a 2720 (standard with the pump and fresh water tank under the dining table seat).

1. Is 1/2" ID 3/4" OD reinforced flex tubing correct? I ask because a) it looks larger than the flex that TM used going from the fresh water tank to the pump and b) The black screw adapters from the parts list of thepair's ultimate water transfer bridge do not slip on (so it seems the OD is too big)

2. Are the fittings needed to replace the PEX with flex tube (to quiet the pump) something you can get at the hardware store, or do you have to get it from iplumb.tv? I have seen descriptions of what to use, but wasn't sure if it is sharkbite, flair it, or what.

I have a transfer bridge built, but it is actually a little harder to install on a standard 2720 (in a way). There is plenty of room to work, however there is a very short run from the city water line in, so no room to directly cut into the PEX like most of the users here have done. I think I will have to cut into that line, but then put an adapter and run some more flex to connect up the other side. (see picture attached).

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you all for your help and insight.

[ThePair]

Originally Posted by Mike_M

Okay, I have some questions for Lesherp, ShrimBurrito, brulaz, thepair, so I figured I'd just post a reply, and also just in case anyone else has a similar question to mine you can hopefully have it answered in this forum. As reference, I have a 2720 (standard with the pump and fresh water tank under the dining table seat).

1. Is 1/2" ID 3/4" OD reinforced flex tubing correct? I ask because a) it looks larger than the flex that TM used going from the fresh water tank to the pump and b) The black screw adapters from the parts list of thepair's ultimate water transfer bridge do not slip on (so it seems the OD is too big)

2. Are the fittings needed to replace the PEX with flex tube (to quiet the pump) something you can get at the hardware store, or do you have to get it from iplumb.tv? I have seen descriptions of what to use, but wasn't sure if it is sharkbite, flair it, or what.

I have a transfer bridge built, but it is actually a little harder to install on a standard 2720 (in a way). There is plenty of room to work, however there is a very short run from the city water line in, so no room to directly cut into the PEX like most of the users here have done. I think I will have to cut into that line, but then put an adapter and run some more flex to connect up the other side. (see picture attached).

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you all for your help and insight.

Let's see what I can answer:

1) Dunno for sure, because I haven't tried to do the whole "noise reduction" thing. I do think that it is 1/2" ID, just like the PEX tubing. By the way, the black flex-tube adapters, that go into the tube? I never bothered using the inserts--I couldn't get them into the tubing, either. I just used the gray screws (to replace the white ones that come with the 3-ways) for the flex tubing. I threw away the inner, black tube adapters. Never had a leak or problem so far, so I think it's safe

2) You may be able to find a fitting that goes from PEX to barbed end (for the flex tubing) at your local HW store, and then use a hose clamp and make the connection that way. Should work just as well. The only reason I used the flair-it was because it was a 3-way, and then I used that flex-adapter kit (only the nut, as above) and it worked fine. But, to just replace a piece of PEX with a hose, a barbed end + hose clamp should work fine.

3) Yes, I agree it looks like the geometry of your setup is sufficiently different that you'll probably be best off running flex tubing for the sides, to make everything connect. You'll end up with a floating bridge, but it will still functionally work. I'd imagine you'll end up removing that elbow, and just hooking into the vertical pipe with one flex tube, and butting another into the city water inlet. If you plan on doing it this way, you can make sure to leave enough stub to get your connections solid (with a PEX/barb connecter, or whatever you find).

I cannot find that type of PEX to flex tubing adapter online (not iplumb.tv, home depot, amazon, etc), so I hope it is easier to find at the hardware store.

If I do find something that has a barbed end for flex, and a barbed end for PEX, can I just use a hose clamp around the PEX end instead of buying a PEX crimping tool and clamps?

Then of course a hose clamp on the flex barb side too?

Also for further clarification, I cannot get the nut from this:

http://www.iplumb.tv/product.aspx?prod=06325

to go on the 1/2" ID x 3/4" OD reinforced flex tube that I bought from Home Depot (Watts brand). Nothing to do with the rubber insert.

I'm wondering if maybe the hose I got was mis-labeled since the nut is made specifically to fit on 1/2" ID flex....
Is it possible that the reinforced flex that I bought (Watts brand) has a bigger OD than typical?

[ShrimpBurrito]

To go from tubing to PEX, I used:

• a nylon fitting with a barb on one end that goes into the tubing, and male NPT on the other
• a Sharkbite connector that with female NPT on one end (that connects to the above fitting) and slips onto the PEX on the other end

Dave

I don't yet have a TM but hopefully this may help someone.

Here's how I fixed the water pump in my old popup:

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...35979044kDSsgU
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...35979044nmBgUz

Different camper, but the picture may help.. I just used braided supply lines which cut down the vibration dramatically.

And as to working with PEX... I also added a permenant bathroom & shower to that popup. I splurged and went all out on the plumbing using the correct Oetiker clamps and crimpers. I didn't want to mess with plastic connections..

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...35979044gtUPce
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...35979044bHHspB
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...35979044QHBCOc

It was pretty easy on the Elkmont. IIRC the tank side of the pump was already fitted for flex tubing.

The other side had a PEX to female pipe thread adapter screwed onto the pump's male pipe threads. And you could just unscrew the pipe threads to disconnect the pex plumbing from the pump. So I did that and threaded in a male pipe thread to hose (5/8" ID, I think) connector instead, then a loop of 5/8" ID hose with hose clamps at each end, and then a hose to female pipe thread adapter that was screwed onto the pump's male threads.

In my case, using a 5/8" ID hose was just because the two pipe to hose fittings I bought were 5/8".

I got all the stuff locally (Home Depot, Lowes or Canadian Tire).

Fro your picture it looks like you can just unscrew the pex to pipe fitting from the pump like I did. But it's pretty tight in there so you may have to cut the pex and shorten a line to make room for everything.

[ThePair]

Originally Posted by Mike_M

I'm wondering if maybe the hose I got was mis-labeled since the nut is made specifically to fit on 1/2" ID flex....
Is it possible that the reinforced flex that I bought (Watts brand) has a bigger OD than typical?

I think your OD may be bigger, most likely. Bring the gray nut to the hardware store, and you can see what it fits on. I had no issues with it fitting on the flex tubing that's already in the TM, and the tubing fit onto the bridge parts fine, so, yeah, I'm thinking the OD is the culprit.