Ringing pipes

[johngrant]

Just installed Weil-McLean Ultra and the 1100 standard pump that comes with it. Quiet (except for noise of water moving through the pipes) for a month then this "tone" or "ringing" noise began to sound from the piping every time the pump went on. Almost like a tuning fork noise. Very strange. The noise is carried through the pipes throughout the house, and it is definitely hard to sleep at night with it! The contractor doesn't seem to know what's causing it, exactly. On my own I've traced the origin of the noise to the junction to the expansion tank.

I'm guessing that the water moving by that particular junction is causing the pipe to vibrate at a frequency that produces the "ringing" noise, a bit like blowing across the mouth of a beer bottle: at the right air pressure you get a similar ringing noise. Would the solution be to change the pump so as to move the water at a different speed?

John Grant

[HeyBob]

I had a problem like that once on an install, drove me nuts for a month, except it was at a zone valve.

It turned out to be a big clump of solder in the pipe.

[beenthere]

The ultra is very flow sensitive, so don't do any thing that will slow down the water flow.
BBB is probaly right about the cause of the noise.

Your ultra should be piped primary/secondary, is it?

[johngrant]

I'm not knowledgeable on "primary" and "secondary," but the Weil McLean rep checked the boiler after instalation and ok'd everything. Of course, the noise began after he did his check!

[beenthere]

The primary loop would be the ultra circing water back to itself, and the heat loop/loops circ pump to the heating zone.

[johngrant]

Yu learn something new every day.

Jg

[tb7025]

I have the same exact problem with my Ultra. Any suggestions I can make to the install tech to help correct the noise? It is only when the primary/secondary run. The noise is not present when the DHW calls.

[simpleman]

Velocity noise maybe?

[tb7025]

Yeah, I am looking into it. I have 1.25" primary loop with a 0011 and a 1" zone with a 007. The zone is a 120' run to a hydrocoil.

[beenthere]

Where is the 007 piped, pushing toward the ultra, or pulling away?

Push and hold in the reset button on the ultra for 5 to 10 seconds, that will cause the 0011 to run and no other circs, and see if its the 0011 circ.

[tb7025]

007 pulls from boiler loop and pushes into zone loop. when only the 011 runs by itself it stills makes the humming noise.

[beenthere]

I would would shut the service valves and open the cir up to see if debree got in it, may be a bad 0011 circ, had 1 or 2 make noise already, and had to change them out.

[tb7025]

I think I found the problem and a solution. The installer used 3" PVC pipe for the venting and intake. The run is over 30' and should have 4" PVC pipe. I believe this is causing the blower to operate much louder then it should. However, if this is true wouldn't I notice the sound when ever the boiler turned on for space heating or DHW heating? I only notice the sound when the boiler is space heating. Go figure.

TB