RO Booster pump soooo loud!

[Anthony.Luciano]

I've had the Aquatec 8800 booster pump for like a year and i never bothered to complain but now after filling up a 450 and it being on all day and night for like a week it started to bug everyone in the house. This thing is practically silent when standing next to it and its on its rubber feet in the basement sitting on the concrete floor. Now I just don't understand I can't even hear it when standing next to it but it does something to the pipes that you can hear the vibration throughout the entire house so loud from the basement to the attic. Thats 5 floors its crazy. I can't figure out why. The intake isn't vibrating any of the pipes but it seems this little thing that can fit in my hand vibrates through an entire house. Does anyone else have this problem or know how to fix it?

 

[James77]

How is it connected to the RO system...with standard 1/4" tubing? Seems odd that that would transimt any sort of vibration.

I know when my my float valve starts to shut down my RO, it makes a most hirrible sound that scares the crap out of me every time. Its like a heavy vibration sound, maybe from the auto shut off valve? Could you try just bypassing that and seeign what happens.

 

[Anthony.Luciano]

Yep I just use the same 1/4" tubing everyone uses lol. I just can't figure it out. It's not like anythings even vibrating against anything else. The pump sounds normal when I'm next to it but if I go like 2 or 3 floors up it sounds like I'm standing next to a washing machine it's just so weird.

How is it connected to the RO system...with standard 1/4" tubing? Seems odd that that would transimt any sort of vibration.

I know when my my float valve starts to shut down my RO, it makes a most hirrible sound that scares the crap out of me every time. Its like a heavy vibration sound, maybe from the auto shut off valve? Could you try just bypassing that and seeign what happens.

 

[tkeracer619]

The frequency your house vibrates at is right about the same as your pump.

This is why you hear bass from cars with loud speakers from a very long distance inside your house as well.

Not a lot you can do about it. You might be able to change the frequency by putting some dynamat on the pump. Don't go overboard because it might not be able to cool itself properly if you do. A couple thin strips should do the trick. Any car audio store can help you and probably have some scrap laying around they will give you.

Worth a shot.

 

[Anthony.Luciano]

oh ok thanks. I think I'm just gonna leave it now because even though thats a good idea from now on I only need to make like 50-100 gallons per week so it will only be on for a couple of hours during the day.

The frequency your house vibrates at is right about the same as your pump.

This is why you hear bass from cars with loud speakers from a very long distance inside your house as well.

Not a lot you can do about it. You might be able to change the frequency by putting some dynamat on the pump. Don't go overboard because it might not be able to cool itself properly if you do. A couple thin strips should do the trick. Any car audio store can help you and probably have some scrap laying around they will give you.

Worth a shot.

 

[Hamsternuts]

I know exactly what you're talking about. I can hear my pump running throughout the house also.

But, I don't think the problem is the pump itself vibrating. I'm pretty sure its the vibrating pressure force it puts on the house's water lines. I think that what we're hearing.

Google "water hammer arrestor" and you should find the gizmo that was meant to quiet water pipe noise. I have no idea which size would be to code for your house though. You should put it as close to the pump's line as possible. Mine isn't bad enough to annoy me.... Yet.

 

[Anthony.Luciano]

Now I have the return pumps on for the first night and I'm laying in my bed right now 2 floors above it and I hear that thing running. This house..........:headwally: I hate how all these pumps sound so quite when in the same room yet they sound like a washing machine in any floor above it.

 

[tkeracer619]

Is this a new house? What type of construction does it have? Floors and walls?
Edit: (I know you have them but what are they made of :lol

This could become a problem with everything. Your pumps are operating at 60hz, your house might be vibrating at 30hz... You might be able to purchase a power supply that lets you adjust the pumps Hz slightly to get the pumps out of sync with the home. Might not be able to, I really don't know, this is getting out of my realm...

The natural frequency, or frequencies, of any physical system or object are the frequencies at which it will vibrate if physically disturbed.

Resonance is the phenomenon that occurs when a physical system is periodically disturbed at the same period of one of its natural frequencies.

Even small amplitude disturbances will then reinforce the energy stored in the system, causing the amplitude of the vibration to increase.

This will continue until the energy loss in the physical system due to non-elastic motion (resistive loss) equals the energy supplied by the disturbing force. In extreme cases, the system will exceed its limits and self-destruct before equilibrium occurs.

The above is true of any physical system
a: Tuning forks disturb the air around the fork, and the air transmits the periodicity of the tuning fork motion to one's ear. In reverse, striking the piano key causes the piano sounding board to vibrate and disturb the surrounding air which reaches the tuning fork and, if the frequency is the same as the natural frequency of the tuning fork, it will start to vibrate in your hand.

As for electromagnetic systems, they are just different physical systems, their energy being stored in the electric and magnetic fields, and their natural frequencies being determined by their physical construction and the relations between that construction and the rates at which their energies may be built up or dissipated.

 

[Anthony.Luciano]

Yes brand new house structure, is concrete floors and cinderblock outside walls I believe with the outside being brick and the inside is like I said all concrete floors with either granite or hardwood and the walls are wood framed with sheetrock. Thats basically all I know structually wise.

Is this a new house? What type of construction does it have? Floors and walls?
Edit: (I know you have them but what are they made of :lol

 

[tkeracer619]

Are there any exposed I beams?

You should be able to get a "Electronic Frequency Converter" to turn the Hz down. The pumps will run slower but it should also get rid of the noise through the house.

Alternatively you can replace the pumps with controllable pumps like the red dragons.

 

[Anthony.Luciano]

Funny how I just finished learning about this exact topic in physics class now I'm having problems with it:lmao:

Is this a new house? What type of construction does it have? Floors and walls?
Edit: (I know you have them but what are they made of :lol

This could become a problem with everything. Your pumps are operating at 60hz, your house might be vibrating at 30hz... You might be able to purchase a power supply that lets you adjust the pumps Hz slightly to get the pumps out of sync with the home. Might not be able to, I really don't know, this is getting out of my realm...

 

[percula99]

Anthony, did you ever solve the problem? I bought the Aquatec 8800 also before Christmas with the transformer and pressure switch shut off. It did the exact same thing as you describe. It's relatively quiet while standing beside it, and yet two or three floors above it the sound reverberates everywhere. I returned it and the company sent me a brand new one, which does the exacxt same thing. I had it mounted on the wall directly to a stud and also stacked on some bricks on a concrete floor. I even put a rubber pad underneath to absorb the vibration with no luck. How did you fare out?

 

[Anthony.Luciano]

I just live with it. I came to a realization that it's sucking water out of the pipes at such a high pressure that the copper piping throughout the entire house vibrates. It just travels through the walls when its on. A few times when the booster pump was on with the heat and hot water at the same time my tankless boilers shut themselves down with a low water pressure error so I usually change my water every sunday evening to avoid this problem. The water pressure 3 stories high in my house is 60 psi so that pump really must do work if the boilers shut themselves off because of low pressure. It was all 3 not just 1 of them.

Anthony, did you ever solve the problem? I bought the Aquatec 8800 also before Christmas with the transformer and pressure switch shut off. It did the exact same thing as you describe. It's relatively quiet while standing beside it, and yet two or three floors above it the sound reverberates everywhere. I returned it and the company sent me a brand new one, which does the exacxt same thing. I had it mounted on the wall directly to a stud and also stacked on some bricks on a concrete floor. I even put a rubber pad underneath to absorb the vibration with no luck. How did you fare out?

 

[fishysteve]

I have the same pump and I live in a first floor apartment. Wonder if my upstairs neighbors hear that noise. Too bad for them if they do. lol

 

[percula99]

I called Aquatec today and spoke with an engineer for a half hour. He eventually came up with the idea that it might be the flexible hose that runs between the cold water copper pipe and the booster pump. It is a polyethelene tube which is flexible, but still pretty stiff and may be carrying the vibration to the pipes, which is what I am hearing throughout the house. He said a less rigid hose may insulate the transfer of vibration. He suggested that I find a 1/4 inch vinyl hose, preferrably the kind with the white mesh in it. It needs to be able to take the 95 psi the pump puts out. The regular 1/4 clear vinyl you can get a Home Depot is only rated for 55 psi. I guess I am on a quest to find the holy grail tubing he suggested...if it exists. I will report back if I can find it. He also said if that does not work to try a small accumulator tank. If you put it before the booster pump it is also supposed to help deaden the vibration.

 

[Anthony.Luciano]

Wow. I will definitely purchase some of that tubing if you do find it somewhere. I was observing the pump today and if you look closely the intake tube does vibrate a lot and it goes all the way back to the cold water pipe and I could see that vibrating all the way into where it goes into the wall.

I called Aquatec today and spoke with an engineer for a half hour. He eventually came up with the idea that it might be the flexible hose that runs between the cold water copper pipe and the booster pump. It is a polyethelene tube which is flexible, but still pretty stiff and may be carrying the vibration to the pipes, which is what I am hearing throughout the house. He said a less rigid hose may insulate the transfer of vibration. He suggested that I find a 1/4 inch vinyl hose, preferrably the kind with the white mesh in it. It needs to be able to take the 95 psi the pump puts out. The regular 1/4 clear vinyl you can get a Home Depot is only rated for 55 psi. I guess I am on a quest to find the holy grail tubing he suggested...if it exists. I will report back if I can find it. He also said if that does not work to try a small accumulator tank. If you put it before the booster pump it is also supposed to help deaden the vibration.

 

[percula99]

I went to two LFS and a couple of hardware stores with no luck in finding that 1/4 inch vinyl hose the engineer told me to buy. When I got home I went through my aquarium bits and pieces box and found some 1/4 inch hose that I have had for several years. It is sturdier than a regular vinyl hose but not as stiff as the polyethelene tube that I use on my RO unit. It is white and semi opaque. Do not ask me where I got it because I do not remember. When I changed the polyethelene tube for it I noticed there was less vibration transferring to the copper pipe. When I went upstairs there was definitely less vibration noise, by probably 50%. So it is much better, but I will continue to search, at my leisure now, and hopefully some day I will find the hose the engineer mentioned....if anybody does make it. Usually a vinyl hose with a mesh inside it is used for larger diameter tubing, not 1/4 inch. Anthony, I hope this helps.

 

[Anthony.Luciano]

Thanks, I will also continue to look for that tubing. I am so used to the noise now it doesn't even bother me but it would be great to be able to stop the noise anyway.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

They use tubing for RO units that come in different colors in 1/4" & 3/8" diameter.
Most online vendors have it. I use it on a booster pump with no problems.

 

[percula99]

I got a follow up phone call from Aquatec technical support yesterday. He agreed with the engineer who said the softer vinyl tubing probably would help. He also suggested the Aquatec 6800 booster pump would be better than the 8800 for a RO unit because it has a smaller motor and would cause less vibration, but still be effective.