It's unbelievably quiet!
I held it in my hand and it was making a whispering humming sound. Then I placed it back onto the metal shelf bolted to the wall with a single bolt, and the sound was amplified ten fold.
Clearly, all the noise is in the mounting, as you surmised!
Amazing that you knew that ... without even hearing it for your own ears!
My friend, I think your circulator motor could be put on some kind of padded support. No sense strapping it directly to the wall. You can expect HeBe-ub to give you grief, now. Read the "who is it" thread to understand why.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
If it's as simple as disconnecting the power, and if nothing 'bad' happens when I do so, then that's a simple plan of action.
I'm realizing from this discussion that you're right. It's the 'mounting' that is probably shaking the walls which is probably what's 'amplifying' the noise of the motor hum as it sound's louder in the living quarters above than right in front of it.
Did I draw the direction of current correctly in these pictures?
Where pipes connects to the tank:
To that purpose, if he adds a timer he doesn't want to eliminate the thermostat at the pump. He wants to ADD the timer. That way the pump would only run during the times of day when hot water is likely needed and it would only run until hot water fills the loop. If he eliminates the thermostat, then how water will be circulating constantly during the periods the timer allows, meaning more noise and energy loss.
I understand.
The thermostat would 'try' to tell the pump to go on, but it can't when there is no power to the pump, nor to the thermostat.
At certain times of the day (allowed by the timer), then the thermostat would have the power as would the pump.
The only thing I'm confused about is whether the thermostat itself needs power to run its own internals.
I agree. Right now it's hanging by the plumbing, but I need to somehow hang it from the ceiling or pad it to the wall.
I do not understand this statement as I am unfamiliar with "hebe-ub".
You're not missing much. Move along.....
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
I do not understand this statement as I am unfamiliar with "hebe-ub".
Thanks for the clarification.
The thermostat has wires coming out, which go to the pump which itself has wires coming out which go to the electrical outlet. So I wasn't sure whether the thermostat was 'powered' or not.
Based on what you wrote, the thermostat must simply be a mechanical switch that turns on the power to the pump from the wall outlet.
Thanks.
Oh. OK. Thanks for the insight.
I myself don't have an opinion either way on the recirculating hot-water systems. In fact, I knew absolutely nothing about them except the one in the house I bought made way too much noise.
Now I realize the noise was purely due to a lousy installation, and, in particular, an undamped steel-on-steel-on-wood-frame mounting.
Interestingly, with the noise of the pump eliminated ... now the complaint is the bubbling water from the two large hot water heaters ... sigh ...
Two water heaters? You may want to determine if you really need two of them.
Just moving into a new house, the last thing you want it to make a big renovation. Fact is, you may be able to save a bundle of money in energy costs by replacing old, inefficient equipment. Especially if you heat with oil. Certainly worth considering if you are in a cold climate. My system pays for itself just out of oil savings.
Once again, you mention me. What a life devoid of joy you must have. Of course that is to be expected inasmuch as, I'll wager, everyone in your community shuns you. Oh there are exceptions, I'm sure. Your church where everyone is (openly) welcomed, a merchant who wants your money and will put up with your anti-social behavior just long enough. Maybe some others.
I sure as hell won't put up with you!
You picked this fight and you are way outmatched.
I fully expect other posters to start picking sides; we'll see how the vote turns out.
Happy Easter, skell.
Bubbling noises from the water heaters? That doesn't sound right.....
I was thinking that too. If the demand isn't that high, I'd shut one off. Could try doing that and seeing if there is still enough hot water. If so, he's save on the standby losses. A friend of mine bought a house that has two water heaters. They were set up in parallel. I suggested he try shutting one off. The only issue is that the house also has a jacuzzi type tub. That takes all the hot water to just get it to an acceptable level and is the reason for the second water heater.
I can see the need filling that tub, but I have to wonder how often that tub is really used and how much does it cost to keep that much water on standby.
About 20 years ago, my wife and I stayed at a B&B that had one. Tried it, was not impressed beyond that one time.
It's common if there is a bunch of crud in the bottom. The heater should be flushed, if it's not too late.
We're also getting ready to move into a new house (I'll probably move in a couple of weeks and my wife will follow in July, or so). The WH is in the garage, at the opposite end of the house from the master (~70'). I was thinking about putting a small water heater, in series, nearer the bathrooms and kitchen.
I agree. I've had one for 17 years and used it once. I have a spa/ hot tub outside that is permanently full. I keep it heated to about 60 and raise it a few hours before I'm going to use it. Doesn't appear to cost very much to maintain that way, it's a whole lot better than the small bathroom ones and it's a nice place to smoke a cigar, have a few beers on a snowy night.
On the other hand, the running costs for that extra water heater are probably small. In summer by gas bill is less than $20 and you would think most of that is usage, not standby losses.
Here's an interesting question. If you had a second water heater in parallel that was 6 years old and not being used, would you turn it off but leave it full. Or drain it? Any guess as to which would result in longer life so that it could then be used when the active one fails?
I don't know if two are needed, especially as they're hooked up in parallel. When the teens take a shower, they run out of hot water - but they're in the bathroom for an hour (I kid you not).
UPDATE ...
One thing everyone has noticed is that the hot water 'seems' hotter now with the recirculation pump unplugged. I can't fathom how that can be but that's the universal opinion (I didn't make any measurements, nor adjustments. All I did was unplug the recirculation pump).
It is clearly from the heaters. Are they not supposed to bubble?
I should try that. I think the only one who would 'miss' the 100 gallons of hot water is the teen miss herself! :)
Would the tank 'go bad' just sitting there though?
I was wondering something similar.
I've had things turned off that never went back on again (due to crud, I guess). Once I left a perfectly well running car outside for six months, and it was a bear to get it going again.
I realize the dynamics are different ... but do people actually turn off hot water heaters for long periods of time (like years) and then turn them back on again.
UPDATE:
I'm leaving the hot water recirculation pump off for now, and, interestingly, not only is it quiet but more than one person commented the water in the shower appears to be HOTTER!
I don't see how that can be, so, maybe it's due to something else. But the good news is the fifteen second wait for the water to warm up now isn't at all a problem. Most of the time the water is warm right away anyway, instead of blazingly hot right away as it was before.
The main thing I'm thinking about now, since I'm likely to permanently leave the pump unpowered, is whether I should leave the three valves in the closed or open position (the two twist valves won't turn by hand).
Advice?
Not years, perhaps, but the water heater gets shut down at friend's cottage every time they leave - and sometimes it is off for 8 months or more. It is electric.
My brother's trailer has propane, and it is also shut down any time he's not there. That used to sometimes be 6 months, but he's there a lot more now.
Yes. Nope.
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