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G’day all,
First let me apologise. I was going to take copious before and after measurements: heat-up time, precise on/off times while idling, and noise levels while pumping; but I couldn’t wait for it to heat up and then cool down before I insulated the boiler and Dynamated the case, so there are no exact figures.
Before
Boiler: was on for about 4-5 seconds and off for 50-55.
Noise: reasonably noisy while pumping although a full water tank helped. Turning on the machine with the toggle switch made a hollowish metallic clang as if a toggle had been installed on a 44 gallon drum, except higher pitched. Rapping the sides or rear panel also gave an ‘empty drum’ type noise.
What I did (see pics)
Boiler: three layers of Insul-Brite, fastened with Velcro strips contact cemented to the I-B, and a drawstring in the top to tighten around the top lip of the boiler. No insulation was placed on the bottom of the boiler due to the many connections and the top was also left basically bare.
This was really easy to do, the I-B is easy to work, cuts with scissors, very clean and was manipulated into place in minutes. According to the data both glue and all materials are good to >150°C.
Dynamat: 5 inch squares were stuck on all 4 side panels of the case. Strategically placed 25 or 50 mm wide strips on the top, by the pump on the floor of the machine, on the metal pump bracket, and any other bent metal bracket that I thought might vibrate. One 5 inch square is left over.
This stuff is a polymer bonded to a thick aluminium foil and is very pliable and soft, cuts easily with scissors, and sticks like nothing I’ve ever used before! The sheet is about 1.5 mm thick and since it is designed to withstand the heat in car engine compartments is good to about 149°C. It is “peel and stick.”
After
WOW.
Boiler: now on for 4-5 seconds and off for 80. This is a increase of 25 to 30 seconds in the cycle time! A very worthwhile saving.
Noise: Reassembling the machine was much quieter, the case didn’t ring at all while fitting. What noise there was sounded really well-damped—thuds and thumps rather than clangs as before the treatment.
The toggle switch now sounds like a quiet toggle on a high quality amplifier—more of a loud ‘snick’ with no reverberation from the case at all.
Turning on the pump almost gave me a heart attack—the whole thing is so quiet I thought I’d broken something! I can hear the water rushing through the system.
Was it worth the total of less than $45? You bet.
Would I do it again? Sure would. The whole job, including waiting for the glue to dry took about 2 hours.
If there is any change I’ll update this but I’m not really expecting anything.
WOW.
Greg
First let me apologise. I was going to take copious before and after measurements: heat-up time, precise on/off times while idling, and noise levels while pumping; but I couldn’t wait for it to heat up and then cool down before I insulated the boiler and Dynamated the case, so there are no exact figures.
Before
Boiler: was on for about 4-5 seconds and off for 50-55.
Noise: reasonably noisy while pumping although a full water tank helped. Turning on the machine with the toggle switch made a hollowish metallic clang as if a toggle had been installed on a 44 gallon drum, except higher pitched. Rapping the sides or rear panel also gave an ‘empty drum’ type noise.
What I did (see pics)
Boiler: three layers of Insul-Brite, fastened with Velcro strips contact cemented to the I-B, and a drawstring in the top to tighten around the top lip of the boiler. No insulation was placed on the bottom of the boiler due to the many connections and the top was also left basically bare.
This was really easy to do, the I-B is easy to work, cuts with scissors, very clean and was manipulated into place in minutes. According to the data both glue and all materials are good to >150°C.
Dynamat: 5 inch squares were stuck on all 4 side panels of the case. Strategically placed 25 or 50 mm wide strips on the top, by the pump on the floor of the machine, on the metal pump bracket, and any other bent metal bracket that I thought might vibrate. One 5 inch square is left over.
This stuff is a polymer bonded to a thick aluminium foil and is very pliable and soft, cuts easily with scissors, and sticks like nothing I’ve ever used before! The sheet is about 1.5 mm thick and since it is designed to withstand the heat in car engine compartments is good to about 149°C. It is “peel and stick.”
After
WOW.
Boiler: now on for 4-5 seconds and off for 80. This is a increase of 25 to 30 seconds in the cycle time! A very worthwhile saving.
Noise: Reassembling the machine was much quieter, the case didn’t ring at all while fitting. What noise there was sounded really well-damped—thuds and thumps rather than clangs as before the treatment.
The toggle switch now sounds like a quiet toggle on a high quality amplifier—more of a loud ‘snick’ with no reverberation from the case at all.
Turning on the pump almost gave me a heart attack—the whole thing is so quiet I thought I’d broken something! I can hear the water rushing through the system.
Was it worth the total of less than $45? You bet.
Would I do it again? Sure would. The whole job, including waiting for the glue to dry took about 2 hours.
If there is any change I’ll update this but I’m not really expecting anything.
WOW.
Greg
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