water pressure regulator

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

Reply to
Charlie
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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

Reply to
Speedy 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

Reply to
Charlie

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.

Reply to
Walter R.

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

Charlie

Reply to
Charlie

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