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.
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.
Or replace a defective one (BTDT)
Hopefully, it's preset. Mine was.
True (or less, I paid $12)
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.
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.
Same here. I also have several available in the basement, but all of those are after the regulator.
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.
Or replace a defective one (BTDT)
Hopefully, it's preset. Mine was.
True (or less, I paid $12)
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
"SteveB" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.infowest.com:
It likes your body.
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.
An expansion tank (about $40) might work. It protects your water tank, creates a buffer in the piping, saves appliance valves too.
That would be the wrong tool for this particular job.
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.
A Water pressure regulator valve is what is called for here. It will reduce the pressure (the actual problem) without restricting the volume of water.
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