Freshwater System Hammering

[Kimberly Dawn]

Hello to all Ranger Tug Owners,

We have a 2019 R27-OB that has water hammer issues. We have (4) locations providing both hot and cold water - swim step, transom, galley and head. Hammering occurs anytime any single location is used, but is reduced or eliminated if (2) locations are used simultaneously. You become very aware of the hammer noise in guest moorage, in the quiet of darkness, four feet away from your mooring neighbor.

I am curious about other models, but especially other R27-OB owners. I am reluctant to give up storage space for an accumulator and pay for a solution to a problem we didn't create. Likewise, some pump manufacturers lay claim to variable flow pumps that eliminate hammer without adding an accumulator, but once again that's an added cost.

How's your water system?

Bob & Kim
The Doghouse 2

 

[captstu]

The pulsing on the Rangers due to the pump cycling on and off is intrinsic if that’s sort of design. Best to learn to ignore it.

Hammer is a much more serious problem that I doubt that you have on your boat. If you have hammer something is seriously wrong.




Stuart Bell
Ranger 25: Shearwater
(561) 352-1796

 

[NorthernFocus]

Not sure what you are calling water hammer. And I doubt that true water hammer is even possible in the system. Which means that an accumulator will do you no good. As previously suggested is it simply the sound of the pump running that you find objectionable? Regardless of the source if the water system creates more noise than you can tolerate then finding and eliminating the source is certainly possible. Like most things it just depends on how much time and money you are willing to spend on it.

 

[dclagett]

I agree with Stuart, what you are probably hearing is the pump going on/off. It is annoying, however it is the standard for boat fresh water systems. On my 22 C-Dory I had a variable speed pump. They are pricey, however you never hear the pump run. When the fresh water pump goes on my RT I will replace with a variable speed.

 

[captstu]

I installed a continuous freshwater pump to get rid of the noise on a previous boat. As mentioned above it was silent.

After a month I removed the silent pump and put the old pump back yet. We did this because we accidentally left the faucet running and went all the way through our freshwater supply without noticing the usage.

The system is designed by Ranger is annoying at times but it does give you positive feedback that your freshwater system is working correctly. I would do it exactly the way Ranger did it if I were building a boat fresh.


Stuart Bell
Ranger 25: Shearwater
(561) 352-1796

 

[Toucan]

On Toucan, our 2017 R27 Classic, we installed a small accumulator next to the hot water tank to reduce the pulsation and splashing caused by the pump cycling on and off a couple times per second. Now the pump runs for several seconds and is off for a few seconds when only one faucet is open. Turning motors on and off is much harder on them than running, so minimizing cycling promotes longevity. We also want to hear the pump running if water is flowing. It avoids unintentional emptying of the tank and is an aid to conservation.

We also swapped the sprayer in the galley with the one in the head. Now, the spray in the galley goes into the sink and not all over the counter.

Barry and Lynne Thompson

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

On our R29S the water lines are a hard plastic or plastic type material and when the water is turned our hoses vibrate against fiberglass and cause a hammering type of noise. I bought some long dense foam circular hole in the middle pipe insulation, also used as floats in pools. Where I could I cut a piece to size, put a slit in the material and put the piece over the water piping. I zip tied it to keep it in place. I’ve done this whenever I’ve had something apart, a drawer or floor cover up and I spot a water hose and I have to say it has made a difference in making the hammering noise you refer to quieter.

Jim

 

[Kimberly Dawn]

Thanks for the replies.

When the system has a leak, the pump periodically comes to recover lost pressure in the system. We do not have a leak.

We have (4) H&C faucet locations. Our transom sink seems to function normally... no pulsating, hammering noises.

The other (3) have all have pulsating hammer noises, except the CW supply in the gallery seems to work without issue.

Stuart, once you replaced the pump with one that worked, why did you go back to the stock pump?

Bob

 

[captstu]

Bob, I returned to the pump that went on and off because I wanted to hear the noise of the pump cycling when water was running.

I did this after a faucet was left on accidentally and all our water went down the drain because the silent pump gave no indication that the water was running.

Not such a problem when you’re near shore in a Ranger but kind of inconvenient when you’re 100 miles or so off shore and our previous sailboat.


Stuart Bell
Ranger 25: Shearwater
(561) 352-1796

 

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks for the replies.

When the system has a leak, the pump periodically comes to recover lost pressure in the system. We do not have a leak.

We have (4) H&C faucet locations. Our transom sink seems to function normally... no pulsating, hammering noises.

The other (3) have all have pulsating hammer noises, except the CW supply in the gallery seems to work without issue.

Stuart, once you replaced the pump with one that worked, why did you go back to the stock pump?

Bob

Sounds like you have the same issue that Jim described in the prior post. Since it is specific to certain faucets it is clearly differentiated from the sound of the pump, then tubing banging against the hull/structure sounds most likely. Simple to fix though not necessarily easy.

 

[Matty]

Old thread but have some thoughts..
Went on a 3 night trip. Tied up in marina. Everyime wife turned on water i cringed due to hammering noise of pump off and on. I knew it was pressure issue. When we got back i took off the inlet filter at the pump. Bunch of plastic filings from when installed. Removed them and rinsed screen filter.
Pressure doubled and no pulsating. Very pleased. Next i will cover as many pipes as i can because they do vibrate. The pump vibration is transferred to plastic pipes and travel all the way across boat to head.
I am sure it will help.
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