My house water pressure regulator has started to make a high pitched 'whine'
whenever the water is on somewhere in the house.

I put a pressure gauge on the outside hose bib, without any water running in
the house, and the pressure gauge showed 118 psi.

I opened a bath tub's hot and cold faucets, and the pressure dropped on the
gauge to 48 psi;

I then also opened the second tub's hot and cold faucets, and the pressure
gauge dropped to 28 psi.

I'm confused as how the pressure regulator is suppose to work; and isn't an
initial 118 psi a tad bit high?

Anybody out there know anything about these things and give me a bit of
direction?

Thanks in Advance,
Charlie

Charlie wrote:
My house water pressure regulator has started to make a high pitched 'whine'
whenever the water is on somewhere in the house.

I put a pressure gauge on the outside hose bib, without any water running in
the house, and the pressure gauge showed 118 psi.

I opened a bath tub's hot and cold faucets, and the pressure dropped on the
gauge to 48 psi;

I then also opened the second tub's hot and cold faucets, and the pressure
gauge dropped to 28 psi.

I'm confused as how the pressure regulator is suppose to work; and isn't an
initial 118 psi a tad bit high?

Anybody out there know anything about these things and give me a bit of
direction?

Thanks in Advance,
Charlie



You're on the right track. Ideally, the PRV should maintain a
fairly steady pressure in the range of 40-60psi.

Your initial reading of 118 psi says that either the PRV is
leaking internally (not seating perfectly) OR there is
thermal expansion from the water heater causing pressure buildup.
You could rule this out by doing the test when the heater is not firing
and bleeding some water off first.

The drop in pressure as fixtures are opened may or may not be normal
and will be difficult to evaluate since it depends upon so many
factors unique to your house piping and supply pressures.

You can get rebuild kits for most of these valves or just take apart
and clean the seating surfaces.

Jim

So for starters, throw the breaker on the hot water heater (electric,
obviously) and then run out some hot water and check the pressure again.

The take the PRV apart........

Charlie


"Speedy Jim" wrote in message
. com...
Charlie wrote:
My house water pressure regulator has started to make a high pitched
'whine'
whenever the water is on somewhere in the house.

I put a pressure gauge on the outside hose bib, without any water
running in
the house, and the pressure gauge showed 118 psi.

I opened a bath tub's hot and cold faucets, and the pressure dropped on
the
gauge to 48 psi;

I then also opened the second tub's hot and cold faucets, and the
pressure
gauge dropped to 28 psi.

I'm confused as how the pressure regulator is suppose to work; and isn't
an
initial 118 psi a tad bit high?

Anybody out there know anything about these things and give me a bit of
direction?

Thanks in Advance,
Charlie



You're on the right track. Ideally, the PRV should maintain a
fairly steady pressure in the range of 40-60psi.

Your initial reading of 118 psi says that either the PRV is
leaking internally (not seating perfectly) OR there is
thermal expansion from the water heater causing pressure buildup.
You could rule this out by doing the test when the heater is not firing
and bleeding some water off first.

The drop in pressure as fixtures are opened may or may not be normal
and will be difficult to evaluate since it depends upon so many
factors unique to your house piping and supply pressures.

You can get rebuild kits for most of these valves or just take apart
and clean the seating surfaces.

Jim

Your pressure regulator should keep the pressure steady at whatever it was
set at, somewhere between 40 and 60 lbs. You can change the secondary
pressure, usually with a small adjustment screw.

Your street pressure is probably 118 lbs. Because you pressure drops to as
low as 28 lbs, your pressure regulator is defective.

I never had any luck repairing these things. Better to drop in a new one.
They last 10 to 30 years.

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-
"Charlie" wrote in message
nk.net...
My house water pressure regulator has started to make a high pitched
'whine'
whenever the water is on somewhere in the house.

I put a pressure gauge on the outside hose bib, without any water running
in
the house, and the pressure gauge showed 118 psi.

I opened a bath tub's hot and cold faucets, and the pressure dropped on
the
gauge to 48 psi;

I then also opened the second tub's hot and cold faucets, and the pressure
gauge dropped to 28 psi.

I'm confused as how the pressure regulator is suppose to work; and isn't
an
initial 118 psi a tad bit high?

Anybody out there know anything about these things and give me a bit of
direction?

Thanks in Advance,
Charlie

Thanks.
I'll find a new replacement Monday, THEN tear this one apart.

Charlie

"Walter R." wrote in message
...
Your pressure regulator should keep the pressure steady at whatever it was
set at, somewhere between 40 and 60 lbs. You can change the secondary
pressure, usually with a small adjustment screw.

Your street pressure is probably 118 lbs. Because you pressure drops to as
low as 28 lbs, your pressure regulator is defective.

I never had any luck repairing these things. Better to drop in a new one.
They last 10 to 30 years.

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-
"Charlie" wrote in message
nk.net...
My house water pressure regulator has started to make a high pitched
'whine'
whenever the water is on somewhere in the house.

I put a pressure gauge on the outside hose bib, without any water
running
in
the house, and the pressure gauge showed 118 psi.

I opened a bath tub's hot and cold faucets, and the pressure dropped on
the
gauge to 48 psi;

I then also opened the second tub's hot and cold faucets, and the
pressure
gauge dropped to 28 psi.

I'm confused as how the pressure regulator is suppose to work; and isn't
an
initial 118 psi a tad bit high?

Anybody out there know anything about these things and give me a bit of
direction?

Thanks in Advance,
Charlie