Circulator noise question.

Jean-David Beyer

There are four Taco 007 circulators in my system; three of them are the IFC type.

The one without the IFC pumps down and is the boiler circulator. One pumps down to heat my radiant slab. One pumps horizontally to get the water out of my indirect back into the boiler. One pumps up to run the baseboard upstairs. Originally they were all very quiet. I could hear them only if I put my ear near them.



Now, about a year after the system was installed, the one to the upstairs makes a noise. It is not objectionable, and the circulator seems to continue working. At first, I thought it might be air (I am not an experienced contractor), but I am not sure. Both the upstairs and the downstairs circulators get their water from the output of a Taco 49-125 air eliminator (and the air vent screw is open 1 1/2 turns) that has the expansion tank and makeup water connected at the bottom. It seems to me that if the noise were air, the air would go right up (at least when the circulator was running and the IFC was open). It is not a squeak, like a bad bearing; nor is it a rattle, as if a ball bearing were in it. I wish I could post the sound.



I have a spare (non-IFC) on the shelf, so I am not too worried if it quits, though I would be disappointed. But to be safe, what happens if it seizes up? Would it draw too much current? Would it heat enough to cause a fire? Or would I just get no heat until I replaced it?



I suppose I could just have the circulator replaced, but I would like to understand what is going first, if there is a way to do that.

World Plumber

Electrical

Well, That's kinda like me asking what color is my dog? It's electrical so you never know what they will do. 99% of the time they just stop working and get warm. They draw a low current so mostly only get warm. Rarely see a cartridge pump draw enough to pop the circuit. Is there a chance of something else happening, it's slim to none.

    How are the motors oriented? Are they all horizontal or do you have one or more on top or bottom. The bearings depend on the water for lubrication and to keep them quite. With the motor on top they have a tendency to get noisy and fail prematurely. With the motor on the bottom water has a tendency to leak through the seals and damage the motor.

    I have one mounted wrong that has been noisy for 12 years now. I've seen them fail in a very short time when they first came out. It seems like they have perfected them. They seem to last a lot longer then when they first came out.

Jean-David Beyer

Orientation.

The axis of the motors are all parallel to the floor.



I had my "spare" Taco 007 in use for three of four years, and it never made any noise. That is not a long time, but I have no experience as to how long one of them should work. I do not even know if the noise I now experience from one of them is abnormal or not. It may be withinn specification.

Joe Mattiello

taco pumps

Hi JDB

I was reading your tread, and appreciate your concern with the noise, I will try to help correctly diagnose the root cause of the noise, Try calling me directly at 401-942-8000 for me to better help you.  

billtwocase

sounds like

there is a ball of solder somewhere