Slow and surgy house water pressure

[PlanetoSea]

I would try removing the accumulator. When I installed my replacement pump (a variable speed Remco) I spoke with Remco directly. They where adamant that an accumulator NOT be used with their variable speed pumps. They discovered accumulators frequently cause issues with variable pumps. The pumps would constantly run or not reach full pressure.

Before you go thru the effort of removing the accumulator, you could also try fully filling the water tank. What you describe could also be a crack or split in the tank’s dip tube. If the tank were partially full and the crack was above it, the pump would have difficulty priming and reaching pressure.

Great advice and suggestions—thanks. I’ll give those both a try tomorrow.

 

[Wee Venture]

I would try removing the accumulator. When I installed my replacement pump (a variable speed Remco) I spoke with Remco directly. They where adamant that an accumulator NOT be used with their variable speed pumps. They discovered accumulators frequently cause issues with variable pumps. The pumps would constantly run or not reach full pressure.

It would be good to check with the manufacturer of the variable speed pump you are installing. Not sure which brand PlanetoSea has. Here is a quote from SPX/Johnson documentation on their variable speed Flow Master 5.0 pump which I have installed:
"For minimizing the number of starts and stops - and thereby reducing wear and tear on the pump when only small amounts of water are drawn off - it is recommended to install the WPS pumps together with an accumulator tank."

John

 

[PlanetoSea]

I have the Pentair ShurFlo and Accumulator that Alpina listed earlier in the thread. The docs with both make no reference to being either good or bad with each other. The pump has no advisory about accumulators at all and the accumulator says nothing about not working with any Pentair pumps. I set the accumulator pressure to 30 psi in accordance with the directions that said to set it to the same level as the pressure when the pump begins to open its bypass valve. I do wonder if that pressure is correct though. If the pump is unable to fill the accumulator to its correct pressure, it would keep running too if I understand that correctly. Not sure I want to adjust pressure switch or bypass valve settings on the pump. It advises not to do that without a tech and measuring equipment. Anyone go down that path with good results?

 

[Alpina]

. I set the accumulator pressure to 30 psi in accordance with the directions that said to set it to the same level as the pressure when the pump begins to open its bypass valve.

I used the accumulator as sent from the factory. Didn’t measure its pressure so I don’t know what it’s set to. My brother added PSI to his accumulator and had issues. I’m planning on being at the boat Sat and can measure it then.


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[PlanetoSea]

I used the accumulator as sent from the factory. Didn’t measure its pressure so I don’t know what it’s set to. My brother added PSI to his accumulator and had issues. I’m planning on being at the boat Sat and can measure it then.

The accumulators ship unpressurized, so I think it is acting as just a pass through in your install currently. Interesting about your brother's experience. I'm going to depressurize mine and see if it all flows well, then if it does, I'll likely remove the accumulator since it will be serving no purpose at that point. Mine is not seeming to get prime and a solid ingest of water at start, so I am going to also try to he tip above about filling my tank more since I was using a minimum amount of water in the tank to test. I'll report back with what I find.

Also, Aplina, I do have the hot/cold shower on the stern by the swim step door, and do not have those valves. If you bought your RT from a prior owner, I'm guessing they had those installed. I'm trying to figure out the advantage to doing that (other than being able to isolate the shower, of course). Maybe keeping those closed normally allows better pump/system performance if the shower isn't being used most of the time? Not sure...

 

[PlanetoSea]

An update for anyone interested. All is well now. One of the challenges of push-to-connect PEX hardware is the “push” part...you gotta get that PEX all the way in! I had one on the inboard side of the pump that was out just enough still to leak air and prevent a seal and prime. Once I fixed that, it ran like a champ. I tried with the accumulator pressured and then totally depressurized and it worked pretty well both ways, with an advantage to the pressurized setting. If you have one, I’d say pressurize it as specified in the guide for your pump model. If you have this Pentair Shurflo model listed above, it seems to work really well without the accumulator as well. And while the water flow is now “like home”, the thing I am most impressed with is how quiet it all is getting water now! Very well worth it in my opinion.

 

[Wee Venture]

PlanetoSea, glad you are working now, and thanks for the very thorough and helpful update! (I am currently installing an accumulator on our own system.)

John

 

[Alpina]

An update for anyone interested. All is well now. One of the challenges of push-to-connect PEX hardware is the “push” part...you gotta get that PEX all the way in! I had one on the inboard side of the pump that was out just enough still to leak air and prevent a seal and prime. Once I fixed that, it ran like a champ. I tried with the accumulator pressured and then totally depressurized and it worked pretty well both ways, with an advantage to the pressurized setting. If you have one, I’d say pressurize it as specified in the guide for your pump model. If you have this Pentair Shurflo model listed above, it seems to work really well without the accumulator as well. And while the water flow is now “like home”, the thing I am most impressed with is how quiet it all is getting water now! Very well worth it in my opinion.

Thanks for the update. Glad it worked out. I assumed it came pressurized. Will check it next time I’m at the boat. My brother likely over pressurized his trying to get it to work. Turns out his pump pressure switch was bad. Regarding the valves, maybe the previous owner added. Really don’t know the value of having them. I’m doing to add a different valve with a nozzle where I can use pressurized air to clear the shower lines for the winter. Probably a fall project. Best to you. Franco.


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[PlanetoSea]

Thanks Franco. My best guess (although just a guess...) on the valves is they can help isolate the stern shower and the long water lines that go out there so when you do want to clean your strainer, for example, you don't have to worry about bleeding air out of those hoses. I think they may be some of the longest runs of PEX, so if you don't use that shower often, it makes sense to just isolate it right there near the pump. Now that I learned how to cut and seat PEX fitting well enough, maybe I'll insert some valves for those lines as well. Maybe a late summer or early fall project... 😀