Water Pump pulsates when not using water

[Mtpockt]

To be clear; when we are not hooked to water and are using the pump. Periodically the pump will run/pulsate when no water is being used; such as thru the night for just seconds, like it is losing pressure. Suggestions?

[djalbrec]

You probably have a leak somewhere in the system.

[Screwby]

You either have a very small leak somewhere that’s just enough to make it lose pressure so it needs to cycle real quick, your outside shower isn’t all the way off,or you have an internal pump seal that doing the same thing. How often it does that directly correlates to how bad your “leak” is. The leak could be in the toilet valve, pump itself, or any of the dozens of splices and threaded hookups to the sinks, toilet, shower valves, outside shower, hot water heater, ice maker etc.

Start at the hookups under the sinks and look and feel for wet spots. Give them a twist and make sure they are tight. They vibrate loose over time. Then check the water pump fittings, same thing, check them for tightness. After that it’s a matter of looking everywhere for signs of moisture anywhere plumbing runs.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by Mtpockt

To be clear; when we are not hooked to water and are using the pump. Periodically the pump will run/pulsate when no water is being used; such as thru the night for just seconds, like it is losing pressure. Suggestions?

If your pump has never done that in the past, but just started to, I might suspect a minor leak or pump valve as mentioned above. If it's done it right along since new, the internal temperature in your water heater will vary up and down some, creating a difference in pressure, and the pump will run for a second or two when that pressure is at its low side. Our TT has done it since new, and it's really noticeable in the middle of the night when all is quiet, and it's cooler outside.

It does make you wonder why it does that, and it's a good time to check for any possibility of a leak somewhere.

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

If your pump has never done that in the past, but just started to, I might suspect a minor leak or pump valve as mentioned above. If it's done it right along since new, the internal temperature in your water heater will vary up and down some, creating a difference in pressure, and the pump will run for a second or two when that pressure is at its low side. Our TT has done it since new, and it's really noticeable in the middle of the night when all is quiet, and it's cooler outside.

It does make you wonder why it does that, and it's a good time to check for any possibility of a leak somewhere.

This is a good point and one I left out. Ours will do that if we leave the water heater on all the time. We turn ours off unless someone is going to take a shower soon or do some dishes. When we first got ours and left the water heater on all day and night we’d get the same issue

[norty1]

Another thing could be a leaking check valve on or in the pump, not leaking water but pressure.

[madmaxmutt]

Because it is free and the easiest issue to occur, my first check would be the winterizing valves. Just make sure all valves are 100% in their normal through position.

[klassic]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

If your pump has never done that in the past, but just started to, I might suspect a minor leak or pump valve as mentioned above. If it's done it right along since new, the internal temperature in your water heater will vary up and down some, creating a difference in pressure, and the pump will run for a second or two when that pressure is at its low side. Our TT has done it since new, and it's really noticeable in the middle of the night when all is quiet, and it's cooler outside.

It does make you wonder why it does that, and it's a good time to check for any possibility of a leak somewhere.

Well I think you just solved my pump blips.
I was going to say mine does it... but not all the time. Now that I think about it it’s when the heater is on.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by klassic

Well I think you just solved my pump blips.
I was going to say mine does it... but not all the time. Now that I think about it it’s when the heater is on.

That sounds like it's perfectly normal. It's good that you asked, because you never know when something else can cause late night noises. The first time we heard the pump blip, I was up and looking for a leak too. Didn't find one. A couple of years later when it did it again, it turned out to be the water heater pressure relief valve wasn't seated, and it was dripping. I still check when the pump blips.