Making pumps quieter

[Shaun Sweeney]

I have two rather large pumps that supply my two 140 gallon tanks and they make an audible hum when operating. No surprise there. That hum has been made worse by the fact that both the box frame they sit on, and the open 1/2 of the sump, resonate in sympathy and act as amplifiers.

I originally sat the pumps on small pieces of styrofoam boards but they didn't help much.

This morning I decided to loop a couple of bungy cords under the motors and suspend each pump from a rafter in the basement. I tensioned them just enough so that I could slide the styrofoam boards out and leave the pumps hanging.

WOW! Goodbye hum and I mean goodbye. Completely gone. I can barely hear them now. Any thoughts?

 

[Kevin Junkin]

great idea. any advice for dulling the noise for one sitting on the bottom of a sump?

 

[Cflip]

great idea. any advice for dulling the noise for one sitting on the bottom of a sump?

Food grade silicon. You can cut up a dish mat made out of silicon and place it under or around the pump.

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

Don't underestimate the amplification characteristics of both the sump and the enclosure the sump is in. Changing the shape of either can reduce the volume. IE: a speaker place in the corner of the room will technically double the volume (and greatly increase the bass tones) but what we actually hear is a magnification of 4 times. In my previous closet sump room, I used lead lined foam that is commonly installed in boat engine rooms. I attached a piece to the door to the closet. There are also frequency absorbers commonly used in music halls. If you go that route, you start by determining the frequency you are trying to "absorb" and then you get a container that resonates to that frequency. The easiest way to build them is to use a tube cut to resonate at a particular frequency. The good news is that your pump puts out the same constant frequency so you don't have to cover any range.

 

[Seyoz]

great idea. any advice for dulling the noise for one sitting on the bottom of a sump?

Rubber Stomp Mat from Lowe's/H.D.
Cut for footprint and screw into Rubber Mat then into base of stand. Then use extra pieces to line inner parts of stand. Focusing on Sides and Behind Doors.

Could sound proof like recording studio DIY egg crates. But chances if opening will echo otherwise all above.

 

[Seyoz]

Don't underestimate the amplification characteristics of both the sump and the enclosure the sump is in. Changing the shape of either can reduce the volume. IE: a speaker place in the corner of the room will technically double the volume (and greatly increase the bass tones) but what we actually hear is a magnification of 4 times. In my previous closet sump room, I used lead lined foam that is commonly installed in boat engine rooms. I attached a piece to the door to the closet. There are also frequency absorbers commonly used in music halls. If you go that route, you start by determining the frequency you are trying to "absorb" and then you get a container that resonates to that frequency. The easiest way to build them is to use a tube cut to resonate at a particular frequency. The good news is that your pump puts out the same constant frequency so you don't have to cover any range.

Wow great explaining your thoughts on this thread. When setting up try to sound proof it in beginning or mentally you'll always here it.
Unlike: "Living by a Airport and how the unicorn in the room eventually disappears."

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

Love that comment about the unicorn. How true it is.