Plumbing chatter
 

I was taking a shower, when the water started a chattering noise, and the
spray was a pulsed spray. This came on when the Moen twist dial was in the
same position for about two minutes. I changed the dial, then returned it
to the original temperature position, and it did it again. A little
adjustment of the dial makes it go away, but it returns. What's this?

Steve

Plumbing chatter
 

On Oct 12, 10:01*pm, "SteveB" wrote:
I was taking a shower, when the water started a chattering noise, and the
spray was a pulsed spray. *This came on when the Moen twist dial was in the
same position for about two minutes. *I changed the dial, then returned it
to the original temperature position, and it did it again. *A little
adjustment of the dial makes it go away, but it returns. *What's this?

Steve

Is it an anti-scald valve? Sounds like the mechanism that controls the
balance might be hanging up.

I'm not sure if a rebuild kit contains those parts.

Give Moena call and see.

Plumbing chatter
 

On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:01:40 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I was taking a shower, when the water started a chattering noise, and the
spray was a pulsed spray. This came on when the Moen twist dial was in the
same position for about two minutes. I changed the dial, then returned it
to the original temperature position, and it did it again. A little
adjustment of the dial makes it go away, but it returns. What's this?

Steve


The overall water pressure in your house has increased. The chatter is
the anti-scald device trying to deal with too much pressure.

You need to install a water pressure regulator and set it at around 50
psi. The easiest way to check and adjust the pressure is to buy a
water pressure gauge that has a standard garden hose fitting on it.
You can buy these ready made for about $15. Screw it on to any hose
bib to use it.

Plumbing chatter
 

On Oct 13, 6:19*am, wrote:
On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:01:40 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I was taking a shower, when the water started a chattering noise, and the
spray was a pulsed spray. *This came on when the Moen twist dial was in the
same position for about two minutes. *I changed the dial, then returned it
to the original temperature position, and it did it again. *A little
adjustment of the dial makes it go away, but it returns. *What's this?

Steve

The overall water pressure in your house has increased. The chatter is
the anti-scald device trying to deal with too much pressure.



You need to install a water pressure regulator...

Or replace a defective one (BTDT)

and set it at around 50 psi.

Hopefully, it's preset. Mine was.

The easiest way to check and adjust the pressure is to buy a
water pressure gauge that has a standard garden hose fitting on it.
You can buy these ready made for about $15.

True (or less, I paid $12)

Screw it on to any hose bib to use it.

To *use* it, that's true, but *which* bib you use might depend on what
you want to check.

The hose bib at the front of my house is before the PRV and therefore
at street pressure.

The hose bib at the rear of my house is after the PRV and thererfore
at "house" pressure.

I knew my PRV was bad when they both read about 85 psi.

And yes, the chattering went away after I replaced the PRV.

Plumbing chatter
 

On Oct 13, 12:35*pm, wrote:
On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:24:23 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03





wrote:
On Oct 13, 6:19*am, wrote:
On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:01:40 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I was taking a shower, when the water started a chattering noise, and the
spray was a pulsed spray. *This came on when the Moen twist dial was in the
same position for about two minutes. *I changed the dial, then returned it
to the original temperature position, and it did it again. *A little
adjustment of the dial makes it go away, but it returns. *What's this?

Steve

The overall water pressure in your house has increased. The chatter is
the anti-scald device trying to deal with too much pressure.

You need to install a water pressure regulator...

Or replace a defective one (BTDT)

and set it at around 50 psi.

Hopefully, it's preset. Mine was.

Don't count on it. I've seen several that were labeled as being preset
to 50 pounds that were pretty far off. I highly recommend VERIFYING
that the regulator was set correctly by the factory.

The easiest way to check and adjust the pressure is to buy a
water pressure gauge that has a standard garden hose fitting on it.
You can buy these ready made for about $15.

True (or less, I paid $12)

Screw it on to any hose bib to use it.

To *use* it, that's true, but *which* bib you use might depend on what
you want to check.

The hose bib at the front of my house is before the PRV and therefore
at street pressure.

Same here. I also have several available in the basement, but all of
those are after the regulator.



The hose bib at the rear of my house is after the PRV and thererfore
at "house" pressure.

I knew my PRV was bad when they both read about 85 psi.

And yes, the chattering went away after I replaced the PRV.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I too have one at the utility sink that is after the PRV, which is
good since the rear hose bib is soon to be at street pressure.

I'm gonna try one of those SnakeBite Tee's to tap into the pipe at the
front of the house and run PEX to the rear hose bib.

Plumbing chatter
 

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
On Oct 13, 6:19 am, wrote:
On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:01:40 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I was taking a shower, when the water started a chattering noise, and the
spray was a pulsed spray. This came on when the Moen twist dial was in
the
same position for about two minutes. I changed the dial, then returned it
to the original temperature position, and it did it again. A little
adjustment of the dial makes it go away, but it returns. What's this?

Steve

The overall water pressure in your house has increased. The chatter is
the anti-scald device trying to deal with too much pressure.



You need to install a water pressure regulator...

Or replace a defective one (BTDT)

and set it at around 50 psi.

Hopefully, it's preset. Mine was.

The easiest way to check and adjust the pressure is to buy a
water pressure gauge that has a standard garden hose fitting on it.
You can buy these ready made for about $15.

True (or less, I paid $12)

Screw it on to any hose bib to use it.

To *use* it, that's true, but *which* bib you use might depend on what
you want to check.

The hose bib at the front of my house is before the PRV and therefore
at street pressure.

The hose bib at the rear of my house is after the PRV and thererfore
at "house" pressure.

I knew my PRV was bad when they both read about 85 psi.

And yes, the chattering went away after I replaced the PRV.

reply: I have one of the gauges. Will check the pressure next trip to
Vegas.

Steve

Plumbing chatter
 

On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:01:40 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I was taking a shower, when the water started a chattering noise, and the
spray was a pulsed spray. This came on when the Moen twist dial was in the
same position for about two minutes. I changed the dial, then returned it
to the original temperature position, and it did it again. A little
adjustment of the dial makes it go away, but it returns. What's this?

Steve



The flow of water is the same Hz (or multiple of) the natural
frequency of the piping. Try slightly decreasing (or increasing) the
flow rate through the pipes to stop the noise.

Plumbing chatter
 

On Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:19:42 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:01:40 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I was taking a shower, when the water started a chattering noise, and the
spray was a pulsed spray. This came on when the Moen twist dial was in the
same position for about two minutes. I changed the dial, then returned it
to the original temperature position, and it did it again. A little
adjustment of the dial makes it go away, but it returns. What's this?

Steve


The overall water pressure in your house has increased. The chatter is
the anti-scald device trying to deal with too much pressure.

You need to install a water pressure regulator and set it at around 50
psi. The easiest way to check and adjust the pressure is to buy a
water pressure gauge that has a standard garden hose fitting on it.
You can buy these ready made for about $15. Screw it on to any hose
bib to use it.


An expansion tank (about $40) might work. It protects your water
tank, creates a buffer in the piping, saves appliance valves too.

Plumbing chatter
 

On Oct 14, 9:22*am, Phisherman wrote:
On Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:01:40 -0600, "SteveB"
wrote:

I was taking a shower, when the water started a chattering noise, and the
spray was a pulsed spray. *This came on when the Moen twist dial was in the
same position for about two minutes. *I changed the dial, then returned it
to the original temperature position, and it did it again. *A little
adjustment of the dial makes it go away, but it returns. *What's this?

Steve

The flow of water is the same Hz (or multiple of) the natural
frequency of the piping. * Try slightly decreasing (or increasing) the
flow rate through the pipes to stop the noise.

I hope you are suggesting this method as a "test" not as a "fix".

Since chattering pipes is not a normal occurrence, the OP shouldn't
have to set a faucet to a specific flow rate to get it to work
properly.

Patient: "Hey Doc, it hurts when I do this."
Doc: "Don't do that."

Find the root cause and fix it, don't just treat the symptom.