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Common causes of noise in hot water systems. . .

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[Deleted User]
[Deleted User] Posts: 0
in THE MAIN WALL
WHat about the moaning sound that a copper fin tube boiler makes when the flow is too low, or glycol has been induced. Noise will scare the bejeebits outa ya.

Was describe to me once by a customer as "Whales humping in the ocean..."

Another described it as "Ghosts with irritable bowel syndrome"..

It'll get your attention in a hurry.

ME

Comments

  • Keith_11
    Keith_11 Member Posts: 25
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    Let's have 'em.

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  • tom_49
    tom_49 Member Posts: 269
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    Water............












    when mixed w/ air

  • Timco
    Timco Member Posts: 3,040
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    Chatterin' check valves!

    T
    Just a guy running some pipes.
  • Uni R
    Uni R Member Posts: 663
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    Expansion Noises

    Yet another reason for outdoor reset...
  • Tom R.
    Tom R. Member Posts: 139
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    Noise

    Fins
  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
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    Velocity in pipes

    Inducer fans on boilers, transformer and relay buzz, harmonics from undersized gas flexes.

    hot rod

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  • oil-2-4-6-gas
    oil-2-4-6-gas Member Posts: 641
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    broken couplings -squeeling sleeve bearings too large of a pump--or too small --chattering flow checks partially air bound zones w/cool water slammed w/hot water / honeywell zone valves on the supply-multiple zone --- ifc check valves -- the light off of delayed ignition - barometrics - the old plugged suction line -broken blower wheels
  • SCOTT K_2
    SCOTT K_2 Member Posts: 3
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    AIR

    And a partridge in a PEAR TREE!
  • S Ebels
    S Ebels Member Posts: 2,322
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    3 basic causes

    Expansion/contraction caused by rapid temperature change, solved by using reset and constant circulation.

    Flow velocity noise, solved by using the correct pipe size and circulator.

    Air in the system, solved by proper piping and pump location along with a good air seperator.

    Some of the other "noises" listed are common to any mechanical equipment such as tranformer buzz, inducer fans, etc.
  • Tom R.
    Tom R. Member Posts: 139
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    Loudest noise

    Unsatisfied customers
  • S Ebels
    S Ebels Member Posts: 2,322
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    That is a wierd noise

    We don't run into many residential copper tube boilers in these parts so it didn't pop into my frazzled cranium right off the bat this AM.

    I did get involved with an installation that was fired by a pair of Patterson Kelly 1.2M copper HX's. They were in a local school and those suckers would howl like banshee's. The classroom next to the boiler room was just about unusable by times and the school super told me he actually went outside to see where the helicopter was landing on one occasion.

    Whales humping in the ocean wouldn't hold a candle to the noise those two PK's made.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    The \"solution\" to your problem...

    Chelates. I had two 2.5 mil P-K's with glycol in them that you could hear through TWO concrete walls. Pumped 1 gallon of chelates into them and it disappeared IMMEDIATELY.

    ME
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,232
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    Christmas Tinsel....

    an occasional piece of solder,Small pieces left over from reaming the pipes that may have fallen into a pipe,thrashed impellers and the parts and pieces clinking around in the lines from that,cavitation and high frquency whines of spring checks on Whacko...:)
  • Plumdog_2
    Plumdog_2 Member Posts: 873
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    Chelates

    What is it?
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Resonances.

    Possible causes:

    1) Poor or inadequate pipe support,

    2) Interaction between circulator, boiler and piping. Most insidious in zoned systems when it only occurs when a certain zone (or combination of zones) calls.
  • Bob W._3
    Bob W._3 Member Posts: 561
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    just above a whisper...

    The trapped cries of a steam system that was converted to HW.
  • Brian (Tankless)
    Brian (Tankless) Member Posts: 340
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    Gollllly, Bob

    you REALLY do think like water/steam :O) If only systems could talk. Moaning doesn't count :)

    One of the worst noises I've heard, is when you give a HO the quote....."WHAT, HOW MUCH".

    The sweetest sound...."When can you start".

    B.

  • S Ebels
    S Ebels Member Posts: 2,322
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    Not a Chelate type fix on this one

    Purely flow related and it wasn't just the boilers howling. There were 9 circs ranging from little 1/6 HP B&G's to a 3HP Taco high head hummer. Most were 3/4hp and up. When both of the big dogs(a 2&3hp) would run simutaneously, all the other circs would run out of water due to the boiler piping and the common manifold they were all sucking from. Can you say Vacuum? Can you say flashing to steam in the boilers due to below atmospheric pressure? OK, that was kind of a long one but that's what was happening in this system. Ripped out the boiler piping and the common manifold and repiped the system Pri/Sec, used a seperate boiler circ for each boiler to ensure adequate flow through the copper tubes and PRESTO, no more noise. They can actually hold a class in the adjacent room now. The sad part of this is that the school spent over $50K during a 7 year period on engineers, mechanical firms and other contractors trying to fix the noise. During that time they also blew two HX's on the PK's.

    They should have read pumping away first.
  • windy33
    windy33 Member Posts: 1
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    mysterious noise what could be cause/remedy?

    Our house is about 20 years old. We have a gas heating system. We have a forced hot water system. Everytime the heat comes on in our house there is a sound like a bubbling brook coming from one of the walls in kitchen. This is the only place in the house the noise seems to be coming from. We noticed a few days ago. It started out kinda of soft but has gotten louder as the days go on. We are worried and nervous because we have no idea what the sound could be. Please help if you can. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!
    Sincerely
    windy33
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    Run!!!!

    Run to the Book Store located in the upper left hand tool bar of this page and purchase "Pumping Away and other cool piping tricks" read it, design your own repairs and call the local soldering talent to come in and perform a PONPCectomy on your systems and your troubles will go away.

    I guarantee it or my name ain't Orville Redenbocker :-)

    Seriously.

    ME
  • clammy
    clammy Member Posts: 3,111
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    building settling

    I have seen and heard the noises accociated with foundation settlement on older systems from baseboard to hot water rads from the ticking to long moans from steel pipes expandand rubbing on tightly drilled or settled beams .in finished cieling usually after the opitions off demoing cieling or walls to fix these concerns usually the HO will live with it or accept the finding and let the repairs start peace and happy holidays clammy
    R.A. Calmbacher L.L.C. HVAC
    NJ Master HVAC Lic.
    Mahwah, NJ
    Specializing in steam and hydronic heating
  • Concerned Apartment Owner
    Concerned Apartment Owner Member Posts: 47
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    What about a steam radiator

    making a cracking sound when air from the A/C-Heater unit passes across it? Thanks
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
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    Boken circ coupler

    How about a broken spring coupler on a B&G HV circulator at 2:30 am with ceiling radiant. Had to pry me off the ceiling when that cut lose, in the middle of the call for heat. Then bounce off the walls half asleep in B-day suit attire to track the noise down. Its a good test for plaster integrity.

    Gordy
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