Bemused by irregular clicking noise behind bath/shower controls

[Florine]

Evening all, me again. I'm rather confused by the fact that when I run a bath at night a very loud, fast but irregular "clicking" sort of noise (the best way I can describe it) occurs from behind the controls, and is so loud that it can clearly be heard even from downstairs, but when someone else runs the bath during the daytime you can't hear it. By controls I mean what seems to be a fairly standard plate with top and bottom quarter-turn taps for the shower and bath respectively and a "capstan"-type wheel in between them for controlling the temperature, and plumbing presumably behind, in the wall. Bath is a walk-in one, with one of those flattened cylindrical spouts (don't know what the technical term is), although I suspect that's not relevant.

I haven't been able to take a look behind the plate because I can't get the cap on the top tap unscrewed - I presume it would just be a case of unscrew the taps and the capstan and lever the plate off? - so I can't be certain what's going on behind, although I have my suspicions. Are these symptoms sounding familiar to anyone, please?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I haven't been able to take a look behind the plate because I can't get the cap on the top tap unscrewed - I presume it would just be a case of unscrew the taps and the capstan and lever the plate off? - so I can't be certain what's going on behind, although I have my suspicions. Are these symptoms sounding familiar to anyone, please?

Pipe expansion. due to hot water being run. Probably the pipe is rubbing on something, as it expands.

 

[Florine]

Harry, my apologies for the delayed reply, but I only recently found the notification in my junk folder. I am coming to the conclusion that it is probably related to the hot water pipe, as it seems not to start up immediately, but only once the hot water is running in, but I have a nasty feeling it may be more than just a pipe expanding. I'll keep an eye (ear?) on it and see if I come to any more conclusions.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Florine]

Pipe expansion. due to hot water being run. Probably the pipe is rubbing on something, as it expands.

After more detective work, I'm still not too convinced: would that really make a FAST clicking noise? Speed-wise, I'd compare it to the sort of clicking you get if you spin the front wheel of a bike fast.

I think I really need to get behind that plate and see what's happening ...

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

After more detective work, I'm still not too convinced: would that really make a FAST clicking noise?

Yes, it can. The pipe can get hot very quickly, causing rapid expansion of the pipe.

 

[Echo the husky]

Can you post a video/sound clip?

 

[Florine]

I'm not sure it will show up on my equipment, although I have considered it.

 

[Florine]

Okay, I have managed to get a sound clip: it was taken with the bath and the pump running. I've just had a lot of problems getting my phone to talk to my computer so I could post it.

And now I find that the forum doesn't support audio files! Is there anywhere else I could post it?

 

[Florine]

Found somewhere. This is the noise:

SndUp | Post Info

Record, upload, share! SndUp is a social network, for audio! We enable you to upload audio clips and share them with the world. Sharing your talent is simple!

www.sndup.net

 

[Florine]

I should perhaps also have said that I'm rather surprised that the shower (upper) tap, which I'm not using, gets hotter than the bath tap when I'm running the bath. Or perhaps this is normal?