Silencing My Air Pump

[dgwebster]

I've had to get a new air pump after one of the cats piddled on the electrical socket some time ago causing a fire. The new one is a lot larger as I also got a 36" airstone for a bubble curtain

with being larger, it is inevitably a little more noisy!! so here is the question: how can I make it a little more quiet?

I'm thinking about storing it in a tub, complete with sound deadening foam that routes a channel of air through to it. by routing the channel, my theory is that air will move happily through it but sound will be absorbed as it bounces through the bends?

any thoughts cos this is just my head thinking this up and it may be a pointless effort...

 

[OldMan47]

Try picking up the air pump in your hand. If simply lifting the air pump helps a lot with noise, the addition of a simple damping material under the air pump should give you a good reduction in noise. That means that a cushion of styrofoam or a dense foam material under your air pump can reduce your air pump noise.

 

[Ryan12]

I've heard of people hanging them so they don't touch anything. not quite sure if this would help your situation, but i thought i'd try.

 

[nurglespuss]

I screwmine down to a piece of wood, or sometimes construct a nestle out of polystyrene

 

[zesty]

I put mine on bubble wrap, cheap and effective.

 

[onebto]

I sit mine on a section of tycho pad works a dream

 

[Mr Spoon]

mine sits on a piece of polishing pad

 

[the biffster]

mine sits on a large car wash sponge
a new one that is but try not to let the pipe
touch any thing or the pump itself except
for what it is going to sit on i wouldn't tub it
or box it it might over heat and yet another fire

 

[chrisbassist]

The problem with a channel for the air is that if air can get through, so can sound. In some pa speakers, they tune the subs by making the sound go around in a channel, which actually (to the ear at least) makes it louder.

Having said that I think you are over complicating. The sound usually comes from the vibration against what it's sitting on or rubbing against. So as little as sitting it on something like a sponge to absorb that vibration should solve the problem.

 

[dgwebster]

I currently have the pump sitting on top of two folded bath towels: it is definately the actual running that is slightly noisey

With regards to the 'air tunnel' possibly amplifying the sound, this would be true of a material designed to reflect noise waves, such as a plastic or metal. It would also need to be designed very carefully to ensure that reflected waves match in the peaks and troughs to ensure the sound increases.

In the case of sound deadening foam however the cellular design means that the wave of sound penetrates into the material but is slowed and on trying to reflect back out, it is scattered in all directions making modulation impossible, killing the sound. Its the same principle that the f22 stealth fighter jet works in avoiding radar and lidar: by allowing the signal to penetrate a little instead of bounce it fails to reflect the radar sound wave

 

[chrisbassist]

In that case choose the foam carefully. Different densities and thicknesses will absorb different frequencies. If the sound happened to be as low as 60hz you might need a good 2 feet to make any noticable difference. If it's higher then a few mm might do the trick. The real difference will be made by the size of the air bubbles in the foam. Bigger bubbles will help with lower frequencies, smaller bubbles will be more efficient with higher frequencies.

Having said that you aren't likely to need too much for what I assume is a pretty quiet noise.

 

[dgwebster]

it is rather quiet, just at a good enough frequency and just loud enough to be irritating esp. during "whisper" moments on the telly as it has a habit of drowning out the crucial word.

im thinking a small tub lined with 2" should do the trick, will get some over the coming weeks and give it a go.

 

[Defiance]

Hiya's,

Clamps made for air pumps to lesson the flow

Or just as cheap a 1-way valve, only thing is you will lose some flow (did this on a really hummer of a pump, worked great but you could see the drop in air flow through a long air stone)

These only apply if you cannot stop the noise/vibration by suggested means

Tony

 

[Tolak]

Get a length of air line, run the pump in a closet, another room, or even in the basement if it's below you. Pumps do give off heat, and need air circulation around them in addition to the air that flows through them. You can pack some sort of insulation around it, and it will quiet it, but it will reduce the air circulation needed to keep it cool.

Choking off a pump with a single valve often will quiet them, but the increased back-pressure will shorten pump life by causing excessive heat and pressure on the diaphragm.