Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Expansion tank noise

1928steam
1928steam Member Posts: 40
in THE MAIN WALL
Another problem … the expansion tank is making a bubbling noise … it’s a hot water zone off of a steam boiler, closed system.  I had trouble with circulator pump before and oiled it.  Now the expansion tank which seems to be from late1998 is making noises, photos and video with sound to follow.


Comments

  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,548
    Is the hot water loop piped directly off of the boiler or through a heat exchanger?
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • 1928steam
    1928steam Member Posts: 40
    I cannot seem to post video but the noise is not dissimilar from popcorn popping, same irregular noise, just slower.
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,548
    Can you answer my question?
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • 1928steam
    1928steam Member Posts: 40
    There is a heat exchanger visible in first photo, as well as pipe coming from boiler.
    here is another photo showing furnace
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,382
    That type of sound is common when heat exchanger surfaces get scaled up. Also tank water heaters that have scaled up, sometimes called percolation. Like an old tea kettle.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • 1928steam
    1928steam Member Posts: 40
    Any danger?  It just started.  How does one know if the expansion tank needs to be replaced?  Thanks!
  • 1928steam
    1928steam Member Posts: 40
    So the inside of the expansion tank can scale up like a hot water tank?
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,382
    Unusual to hear an expansion tank make noise, it’s just a vessel with a rubber membrane inside.
    Maybe the piping is transmitting the noise and the tank acting as an amp.ifier, a large surface area drum?
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • 1928steam
    1928steam Member Posts: 40
    No, definitely inside the tank.
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,470
    Maybe you don't have any water pressure in the HW side of the system should be 12-15 psi your gauge could be bad.
  • Erin Holohan Haskell
    Erin Holohan Haskell Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 2,354
    1928steam said:

    I cannot seem to post video but the noise is not dissimilar from popcorn popping, same irregular noise, just slower.

    Please upload your video to YouTube or similar and share the link here. Thanks!

    President
    HeatingHelp.com

Categories