Adding Accumulator - How to mount?

[bradbev]

I'm planning to add the Sureflo 182-200 accumulator and trying to come up with a good mounting arrangement.  My system was making a lot of noise,  much of it was the white hose on the output side of the pump.  It was vibrating against the mounting board.  I unmounted the pump and slipped a sheet of foam rubber under the pump and the vibrating hose which made a difference.  I then hooked up the accumulator and tried some different pressures.  About 30 to 35 psi was about right. Now I need to get this stuff mounted rather than letting if float in the air.  Any suggestions or pictures?  Wondering how the factory is mounting?  Much easier to do it from scratch rather than trying to re-plumb it.

[KarenLukens]

You should go into the owners manual for the pump and look at the pump and filter position... You may decide to replumb to the pumps recommended specs because it says for best results, the filter should be mounted at least 18" from the pump... The pump has a built in accumulator and the pump is set to come on at 40psi. Generally, you want the extra accumulator set 2lbs below the pump starting pressure. I haven't seen Oliver's newest fix myself yet but probably a new mounting board with a place for the accumulator built in to it is in order. I think that I read on the accumulator PDF that it's supposed to be mounted between the pump and the filter, but I couldn't get Oliver to send me one for free :) I did try though :)

[topgun2]

I too have one of these coming sometime over the next 8 days from Amazon except I went the cheaper route with the Seaflo https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MVA6GCC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Given that I store my Oliver off-site I'm guessing that it will be a couple of months before I try to tackle the installation.  If anyone has pictures of the factory install it sure would be handy.

 

Bill

[Mainiac]

I have one, but have yet to install. I was sent a picture from the factory showing their installation. Maybe a search of Accumulator will show it on here? Basically it looks like the water heater controller is unscrewed from the white board that the pump and all the fittings sit on. On the right side of the pump the swivel connector, that comes with the unit, is connected. Then the unit. Then the white hose is connected and routed down under the unit and hooked back up at original spot. This allows access to the air valve. We always set the empty air pressure to the turn on pressure of the pump. Then the water heater controller is reattached, just further back on the board. A neat and simple installation. Maybe I will look for the picture and see if we can post. That should give me something to do and keep me busy while waiting for Spring...

 

 

[bradbev]

I'd appreciate the photo if you can locate it.   I don't have the water heater control box, possibility because I've got the tankless system.

 

I've ordered the 2 30" hoses Shurflo sells as a noise reduction solution.  This will give me some mount location options.  I'll post a picture as soon as I get it mounted.

[Try2Relax]

I don't know how much those Shurflo lines cost, but two 30" braided lines from Home Depot work great.

[Mainiac]

As far as I know, you do NOT need extra hoses.

 

And you are right, if you have the tankless you won't have the controller.

[topgun2]

Since I have not received my accumulator yet nor have I ever observed one installed, I do not specifically know if additional hoses are "needed" or "preferred" for installation of the accumulator.  However, lets make sure that we are talking about the same thing here.  There is a "kit" available from Surflo that basically consists of two longer hoses than are present in the original water pump installation.  These two hoses are purported to be used to help reduce the noise of the water pump.  The accumulator can also be used to help reduce the noise of the water pump, but, its main purpose is to reduce the "cycling" (the number of times the water pump comes on and off) of the water pump and the "pulsing" of the water as it exits a faucet.  Not surprisingly, sometimes people install both at the same time which gives the added benefit of having more choices of where to place the accumulator tank due to the addition of the longer hoses.  Try2relax has a good point if one is planning on buying those two hoses from Surflo - they do seem rather expensive for what appear to be normal water hoses.

 

Bill

[Mainiac]

I found the picture sent to me, but can not seem to replicate. Thought the search function would bring it up, but evidently not the case. If you find it, the hose goes around the right side and back in and under the accumulator to point of origination. The hose is hidden under the accumulator but just barely visable.

 

We received the picture from TOliver October 26, 2017 @ 6:52 pm EST. Attachments: 20171015 164832-1.jpg.  Also there is: Quote #75883

[Try2Relax]

Sorry about that, correct I was referring to reducing the vibration/noise created from the pump.

 

 

as for the accumulator, I went down this road along time ago and after researching it, decided I didn't see the point in such a small model, measured out all the space and decided on one of these http://www.flotecpump.com/ResidentialProduct_fl_hw_tk_FP7105.aspx it nestles nicely in the spot right where the new tank feed should go I believe, so I will need to relocate it. When I installed it I placed a shutoff valve directly in front of it so it can be completely removed (winter) if necessary.

[Windwalker]

Here is a photo of my accumulator-filter-bigger water pump, this bigger pump is anything but Quiet but the added water pressure is great.

 

Marc

[bradbev]

Thanks for the photo. Looks like you spent time and effort coming up with a nice solution.

[KarenLukens]

Here is a photo of my accumulator-filter-bigger water pump, this bigger pump is anything but Quiet but the added water pressure is great. Marc

 

Is that the 60psi pump? That would be a nice upgrade :) Have you tried insulating around it to quiet the whole compartment? It would probably help quiet the water heater and furnace also...

 

Reed

[bradbev]

I was delaying winterizing until I could get the accumulator installed, but cold weather started creeping up on us (finally).  So, I will wait until the next camping trip to complete the install.  I received the 30"  SHURFLO 94-591-01 Pump Silencing Kit which will give me some options of exactly where to install the accumulator.  We will head down to Pancho Villa State Park (Texas) near the Mexican border around the middle of January, then on to Quartzsite for the big RV show that starts January 20th.  Lots of my projects get done on the road with the help if friends when we're all together.  The gals play cards, the guys do projects.

 

Randy, I purchased a larger accumulator like yours for an install in a larger trailer, but ended up selling the trailer before I completed the job.  First thought was that it would no way fit, but maybe it can somewhere.  Where exactly did you end up mounting the larger tank?  I can't tell from your picture.

 

Brad

[Mainiac]

An aside, when installing the 182-200 ; you only need to attach one side to the system. It doesn't have to have flow through to work. One side can be capped. Basically it can be like a bubble on the side of a pipe.

[Try2Relax]

Randy, I purchased a larger accumulator like yours for an install in a larger trailer, but ended up selling the trailer before I completed the job. First thought was that it would no way fit, but maybe it can somewhere. Where exactly did you end up mounting the larger tank? I can’t tell from your picture. Brad

 

The tank wasn't installed in that photo. I tucked it all the way forward in the water control area, it rests directly against the plywood wall of the drawers, so I screwed a tie down on either side and strap it in.

 

I believe it would also fit in the rear access behind the furnace, the space is there but I'm not sure about getting it in there.

 

These only have a single connection, so they are just a pressure bubble in the system, just like if you have a well system at home. I can get an entire shower 'Navy style" with one running off the pump to pressurize the system. The other nice thing to having a larger size is it stays pressurized so if you stop for lunch you can wash your hands and other things (like flush the toilet in the middle of the night) without having to run the pump and eat up battery life.

 

[topgun2]

Jason Essary sent me the picture below this morning (thanks to Jason!).  It shows the Oliver factory 2017 model installation.

 

Bill

 

[Overland]

I really like those larger Flotec units.  Do you guys with them depressurize the system while traveling?  I've had the bath faucet vibrate open while on the road and I guess were that to happen that you'd lose whatever water was in the accumulator.  That might not be a big deal if the water goes down the drain, but if you have a fitting break, that two gallons might go somewhere you don't want (I've got a pressurized line running past all my electrical, street side, and I've also had a fitting break right behind the return air vent which gushed water straight into the cabin).  It might also make it more difficult to diagnose smaller leaks, since the recurrent blip of the water pump is usually what gives them away.  Maybe a valve on the accumulator would be handy (assuming it's placed somewhere...handy)?