What causes noisy hot water tank filling up?

[Neil23]

Just started recently - sound like a 'whirr' when hot water tank fills up after hot taps used for a few minutes or after a shower.

I don't think anything to do with Potterton boiler as the noise happens when the boiler isn't on - for either water or heating.

The noise seems to be from the cold water pipe that is filling up the hot water tank.

Any suggestions?

 

[Rob Foster]

Do you mean the cold water storage tank - the bigger one that feeds cold water down to the cylinder ?.

 

[Neil23]

ps - we have recently had a problem - that seems to have now stopped - with water coming out of the overflow pipe - this was for about a week and stopped when we run hot or cold water - and then started again - coincidentally the new 'noise' seems to have started but the dripping overflow has stopped.

 

[Neil23]

Do you mean the cold water storage tank - the bigger one that feeds cold water down to the cylinder ?.

Yes, we think that is close to where the noise is coming from - unfortunately, there was a 'loft conversion' some time ago (before us) and they have put panelling up and sealed off access to the tank - debating ways to cut a hole through the plywood

 

[Rob Foster]

you ought to be able to get in there anyway - when you do tell us what you see

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Sounds like the ball valve has failed in the cold water tank

 

[Neil23]

Sounds like the ball valve has failed in the cold water tank

But the water tank does stop filling... just it is noisy when it does fill.. and the 'noise' only appears to happen when we use the hot taps for a while (or hot and cold) - not when flushing the toilet etc... the dripping overflow pipe has now stopped.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

toilets could be on mains pressure not tank

 

[Karl]

When the diaphragm washer goes in the ball valve in can cause pipe vibration and alsorts of noises through the pipe work as the tank gets nearly full

 

[Ric2013]

That said, if you have a BS1212 Part 1 float operated valve, it will often sound like a T.A.R.D.I.S. parking with the handbrake left on, even in normal circumstances. Mine does anyway.

 

[JCplumb]

Ric you're such a geek, are you referring to what River Song said about the tardis being silent unless the handbrake's on?
I watched that episode last night on iPlayer

 

[Neil23]

If the Cybermen or Daleks come down the stairs I will let you know... hold on... I can hear...................................