What am I missing?

Tim_28

Ok, I must be missing something, someplace... I'm putting in zone valves in my house. I understand the reason that they may make the banging noise. It sounds to me like that bang is basicaly a water hammer. Why don't I see, or read anyplace about useing a water hammer arrester to help mitigate this?

clammy

dead heading

That's not water hammer it sounds like it is a dead heading pump .Check the flow of your system and the flow on your zone valves make sur your zone valves are wired correctly so the circulator pump runs when the valve are in the open position if the promblem persist then you may have to pipe in a by pass .Where is your circulator and zone valves mounted and have you check to make sure there are no swing checks in the loops .What kind of heat elements do youy have baseboard ,raditors wall convectors and what type of piping system simple loop ,monoflw tees or 2 pipe,split supply or split returns ?Some times just splitting up a heating system or adding a zone or zone valves aren,'tas easy as all would think as dan would say some times you gotta get out of the boiler room and check the system .

J.C.A._3

A couple of reasons....

Body of the valve is installed backwards. Been there, done that....Or maybe too much pump and no place for the flow to go when the valve/valves shut.

Using a single pump for multiple zone valves requires some sort of pressure differential valve/by-pass to relieve the flow as they shut down. Which brand of valve are you using?

Tim_28

Actually the system isn't in yet so it might not bang, but I like to cover my bases before hand when the plumbing is still dry. This question is based on the bang that I have read occurs when two zones are active, and one shuts down forceing the valve to close against the pressure of the circulator. At that point, as the valve closes the speed of the water flowing through it increases until it slams shut, causeing the bang. I have a hard time accepting that the bang would be the valve slamming, but I can sure see how it would create a shockwave in the water.

Tim_28

I've got Honeywell valves. The system isn't installed yet, so this is mostly rhetorical. I would however prefer to avoid the issue before it actually occurs.

J.C.A._3

Say it out loud....

PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL.. Now think about it.... and it makes perfect sense. Where does that pressure go when the valve shuts, and the pump is running? With Honeywell zone valves, they power open and spring closed. Springs win with most pumps and small pipe. Multi valves will compound the problem as there has to be proper flow to satisfy the calling valves while also maintaining a single zone. The only realistic answer is to give the water somewhere else to go by means of a by-pass or pressure differential valve.

Like our esteemed host teaches ad-finitim...(or as the surfer dudes say..TOTALLY!),think like water! Chris

pitman9

Go to Taco zone valves

They're slow opening and closing. The banging goes away. That's assuming it's caused by the valves and not pipe expansion/contraction.

Eugene Silberstein 3

The Key is SPRINGS

If the valve closes too fast, you will definitely get a sound resembling water hammer as mentioned before.

Here's a cool trick...

Check your Honeywell valve and see how many springs there are in the valve. There should be two.

Remove one and you just slowed down the speed at which the valve closes and your noise will subside.

The valve will still close properly.

Larry (from OSHA)

Here's something to think about

Hi Tim,

I am a homeowner like yourself and have had the opportunity to have banging Honeywell zone valves and to make a few changes to stop them from banging. Like others have pointed out, there is more than one way to solve your potential problem. Since you have not installed anything yet, may I offer some suggestions. First of all, make sure that your circulator is mounted on the supply (coming out of the boiler). That is REALLY important. Then you have more choices. I put my three Honeywell zone valves on the return side and am pleased to say that there is NO banging. Depending on your overall system, you may need some check valves to the individual zones, but maybe not.

If you have not purchased the valves yet, you should know that there is a new version from Honeywell that is perported to be slow closing so location would not be an issue and supposedly are silent when closing.

Best of luck with your system and keep us informed of how things progress.

Larry (from OSHA)

Floyd_14

I have a novel idea.....

How about just installing a separate circ. pump for each zone..... and Bingo no noise, if a pump poops the bed, you still have heat in the other zones, they are easy as pie to wire with a SR zone control, and you don't have to wait for the short zones to get satified before the longer zones start to really heat up.
Yeah it may cost you a few pennies more a month to run the extra pumps, but let me see......what to I like less... bang or bucks????? No brainer for me... I'll put up the pennies for the peace of mind....
Go pumps and be happy!!!! ;-)

JMHO

Floyd