Help With Noisy Pump

[emory]

I just purchased my first hot tub, a Nordic Crown II. My main criterion was to find a quiet tub and unfortunately it seems I didn't do my research as this thing makes a great deal of noise. I have three different neighbors with hot tubs that are silent, all the time, no matter how long you sit in them, so I guess I just assumed mine would be the same way. It's not. The pump comes on to heat it (and to filter every 12 hours) and makes a tremendous amount of noise, even on low speed.

So my question is: what can I do to make it silent? Here the options that come to mind:

* Switch off the breaker every time I use it and remember to switch it back on when I get out. (This is what I'm doing now.)

* Add a separate circulation pump (somehow in parallel with the factory pump or with it's own plumbing) that would run all the time and heat when necessary. (This is what the other hot tubs I've used seem to do and how I assumed they all were these days.)

* Replace the factory pump with a different 2-speed pump that has a very low speed setting and doesn't make so much noise.

* Replace the 2-speed factory pump with a small circulation pump that could run all the time. (I would lose the jet functionality but having a quiet tub is the most important thing.)

Thanks,

Emory

[Dr. Spa]

Lets start with how/where is it installed. On concrete (if on concrete, is it a stand alone pad, or it is attached to or touching the houses foundation)? On a wood deck? How far from a wall or house?

More likely it's where it's installed and the sound reverberations than the actual pump...or at least that's going to be a big part of it.

[emory]

Thanks Dr. Spa! The tub is installed on its own 4-inch-thick concrete pad. Tub touches nothing but the pad and the concrete touches nothing but the ground (pad is about 6 feet from the house). To clarify, this is not a vibration problem and I don't hear anything inside the house. It is just the normal hum of the pump that I hear when I'm sitting in the tub.

I live in a remote area of Colorado with no traffic noise or close neighbors and when I go out and sit in the tub it is perfectly silent. Only the sounds of birds or occasional snow falling from the trees. Then the pump comes on (startling me out of my reverie) and it's all I can hear. It would probably be no big deal to someone in an urban setting and I'm sure it's the way the pump is supposed to sound. All the same, I want it to go away!

I've been in several tubs where there is no noise. Just constant circulation with a trickle of water coming out near the feet that becomes hot when the heater is on. Surely this can be done, right?

[ronnyaderson]

It may be some minor issue in your hot tub pump. I hope my tips may help to eliminate this noise.

Check the bolt holding your pump. loose or tight? If the bolt is okay then check the skimmer basket. Sometimes problems in the skimmer baskets can be responsible for the noise in pump motor.

In case it doesn't work, check out this link below

http://blog.poolfilters.biz/how-to-eliminate-unwanted-noise-in-a-pool-pump/

[emory]

thanks ronny.

maybe i wasn't clear with my question. this is a brand new hot tub and the pump is properly installed and seated. it is simply a noisy pump and i want to replace it with one that is silent. has anyone done this or does anyone have suggestions as to how to best proceed?

-emory

[PreservedSwine]

Pump noise can come from the pump, or cabinet vibration. If it's the pump motor, simply ask them to replace it. It shouldn't be noisy on low speed. If it's pump vibration causing the cabinet to resonate, it can be challenging to repair.

Most pumps, even the cheap made in China ones, are pretty quiet. The cabinet vibration, however, can be quite loud. A new pump won't solve that problem, but it can be overcome with rubber or foam insulation under the pump base.

[emory]

it's not just the pump. the water flow and the bubbles are just as noisy as the pump. even with the air intakes closed, there is still some air getting sucked in and even if that were not the case just the water flowing through the jets makes noise. if i manually close all the jets and then put my toe over the one jet in the bottom that can't be closed (effectively dead-heading the pump i assume) then the tub is pretty quiet, but if i'm going to go to all that trouble i might as well just get out and turn the breaker off.

i have used several hot tubs that simply don't make any sound. the water doesn't swirl around or have bubbles coming out of the jets. they are just still and silent and you would never know the pump was running unless you happen to put your foot next to where the trickle of hot water is flowing out.

can i not just replace my pump? surely someone makes a two speed pump that has a very low flowrate on low speed rather than mine which moves a lot of water on low speed...

[PreservedSwine]

All 2 speed spa pumps have the same rpm (1725/3450). If the motor is not noisy, replacing it will a smaller pump to be quieter might be a solution, although you would have less pressure at the jets on both low, and high speeds.

Does the dealer sell a premium line of spas? Since it's brand new, would the dealer consider returning it for a more expensive, premium spa with a 24 hour silent circ pump?