"David" wrote in message
m...
Jeff Wisnia wrote in message
...
David wrote:
Problem: House pressure rises during the night from 40 PSI to 70 PSI.
Is incoming pressure regulator failing?



Based on the OP's thorough description I'd say it HAS to be an imperfect
presure reducing valve.

My mind started running off in the direction of the pressure reducing
valve being "perfect" but the incoming water was real cold, and the
house warmer, which could cause a pressure increase as the water warmed
up and expanded during the night. Then I went back and read that he had
a thermal expansion tank in the system, which killed that bright idea.

The pressure reducing valve must be weeping more than just a tiny bit,
because that thermal expansion tank (assuming it IS in proper shape)
would have to accept quite a bit of water before it'd "bottom out" and
permit the full line pressure.

Chances are a new valve, or a rebuild of the present one would reduce
the weepage to the point where the expansion tank could easily handle
it, certainly during an overnight idle period.

Jeff

Some more data. I tried the following. Open house faucet. Pressue
drops below 40 PSI, an expected result when using water. Then close
whole house shut off valve. Pressure should rise within several
seconds to line pressure comping out of regulator, right? Instead, I
have to wait several MINUTES for pressure to rise. Does this further
add to the evidence that the regulator shoudl be replaced?

A pressure regulator is meant to hold (regulate) the downstream pressure
when there is flow. When the system is shut down (faucet closed) the
regulator shuts down also. If the system pressure rises to the upstream
level it would mean (in my opinion) that there is some leakage past the
shutoff seals. To be sure, one would need a schematic of the regulating
valve to understand just how it works. Most regulators have a differential
area so that the forces acting on the valves are such that if the downstream
pressure rises above the controlled, or regulated pressure, the valve will
close.
MLD

MLD