Buzzing Hot Water Tank

[Burnerman]

No such things as stupid questions, Kelly - but there maybe stupid answers!
From this distance its impossible to know if the tank stat is actually connected to anything, but we'll assume it is. If the water in the copper cylinder is too cool then you wont have enough hot water to serve your home, so the water is made hotter in the cylinder so at the sink or bath you add more cold to get the temperature you want - therefore 60 deg is the norm. However, if you are happy with what you have then you may wish to leave it be.
I would think that your noise is there all of the time - just in the daytime there is too much background noise for you to hear.
For obscure noises such as these, we can use a stethoscope to track them down - but thats really only for anorak and flat cap wearers
Happy hunting!
John

 

[KMB17]

Thankfully the noise (the buzzing not the rattling) isnt there all the time, as its REALLY loud! I know it isn't because it's only every now and again that its there on a night time, not every night. Thats whats so confusing!

The rattling is there everytime the boiler fires up so I just assumed it was normal. The boiler makes the same noise as well, so figured it was the pipes or somesuch.

I'll keep investigating the noise when it happens again and will let you know what I come up with next!

Thanks again, Kelly

 

[TonyW2]

Have you got an air seperator in the circuit?[/img]http://www.toolstation.com/images/library/stock/webbig/75473.jpg

 

[KMB17]

Yes!! I have one of those; at least I know what is rattling now.

I take it they rattle normally? What I mean is; is it faulty with it rattling, or is that pretty standard?

One mystery solved...
Kelly

 

[TonyW2]

Nothing wrong with it--just unfortunate. A gentle tap with hammer sometimes works.
Have you traced the noise to that source?

 

[KMB17]

Yes for the rattling noise - as soon as I went upstairs and looked it was obvious where it was coming from, simply by knowing where to look and listen!

Ref the humming noise that happens, I will have to wait and see - it only happens on a night when the system is off, and not every night. Definately from the airing cupboard and there's nothing else in there so much be something to do with the cylinder! Will wait for it to happen again and try to pinpoint it.

Thanks, Kel

 

[TonyW2]

Try leaving the immersion off during the night when the boiler is also off.
There could not be anything from the electrics then to cause a buzz.
If there is a buzz, it is probably water pipes; does the WC get flushed around the time when the buzzing starts?

 

[KMB17]

Immersion was off last night as well as the boiler and it still made the noise.

The buzzing/humming noise goes on all through the night, even when we don't use the toilet/taps. I'm never sure when it starts but the other night I noticed it at half 8 (boiler etc went off at and it went on all through the night until the boiler fired up at half 6 the following morning. No break in it at all.

 

[TonyW2]

When the boiler is off, in the night, leave the immersion off as well, and check if the pump or divertor/motorised valve is buzzing. (Some diverter valves also have a light on them; this should be off)
Sometimes the microswitch inside it sticks and then keeps "running"

 

[KMB17]

Thanks, that's what John suggested I try as well. Will just have to wait for the weird noise to start up again!

I'll let you know how it goes...

 

[KMB17]

Wahoo! I've found the source of my buzzing/humming noise; and you were both right, it was the motorised valve thingy after all.

It is doing it now; only just come home so the house was noise free for a change and heard it. I've gone up and pressing on the metal casing for the valve, and the tone of the buzz changed, I squeezed it as well and it the did same, so definatley that.

Soooo, question time again (if you're not fed up with me yet John!):
Is there anything I can do to silence it?
Does it mean there is potentially something wrong with it, or do they sometimes just make a noise?

Thanks again! Kel

 

[Burnerman]

Pleased you're getting somewhere, Kel!
Its difficult for me to say what to do about the hum, as some valves remain energised when switched to that position, and they get warm too.
However, it is possible just to buy these valve tops (powerheads, they're called) and a new one could well be quieter. Replace like for like, looking at the numbers on the side if you fancy doing this.
Even just slackening the screw on the side of these things tends to change the tone too.
Either way, the noise doesn't necessarily indicate a fault present, or imminent disaster!
You could try starting another thread of course and asking again, now that you know what the noise is!
John