Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club Info & Discussion Forum

Hello, I just drained the system but when I refilled and turned the water on, it works properly but has a "chatter" sound. I tried running all the spigots for a good while but the "chatter"persists. Is this a partial prime or air in the lines? Does anybody have any ideas?
Thank you for any help.
Blake

Check to see if the pump is vibrating against the back wall of the pump area. I slipped a piece of flooring material between the pump and the wall and noise went away.

Thank you Rich for your suggestion, however, a little more clarity, my pump has always had a smooth humm, now it's a stutter or chatter that I can feel in the pipe and see in the water flow. This happened after I drained the system and refilled it.

Sounds like there is air still in the line. Is the hot water tank filled?

Thank you John. I agree that I thought it sounded like air was in the line. I ran the hot water at both sinks and shower. The only way I know to fill the hot water tank is to open the hot water outlets at the sinks & shower. Is there more I should do ?
Thank you

BlakeLinda wrote:Thank you John. I agree that I thought it sounded like air was in the line. I ran the hot water at both sinks and shower. The only way I know to fill the hot water tank is to open the hot water outlets at the sinks & shower. Is there more I should do ?
Thank you

Air is pesky stuff. I used to blow out all my lines, but the past few years I've taken to using anti-freeze instead. That makes it so you don't have to push much air out. If you have captured air somewhere, the pump can pressurize the air causing the hammering sound.

When I de-winterize, I generally do it from city water and a pressurized hose... and I start with opening the bypass valves on the water heater, and opening the pop-off valve on the water heater and the kitchen HW faucet. Then turn on your hose. Close the pressure release valve on the WH when water starts flowing out, and then close the kitchen HW faucet it when water runs clear and air stops coming out of the line. That fills the HW tank, and gets the air (and/or antifreeze) out of the hot water line the furtherest from the city water connection. Then I start with each of the successive furthest and highest lines, kitchen cold, bath hot then cold, toilet and then shower hot and cold, including the exterior shower. Then, after all of the air/anti-freeze is run out, I go back to the kitchen and run both the hot and cold again until I'm reasonably sure there is no more air in the lines anywhere. After I've got the lines clear of air/anti-freeze from the pressurized city water, THEN I disconnect the hose from the city water spigot and fill the tank... after that, the water pump should self-prime and pressurize against the water already in the system with a minimum of air in the lines. I usually run the cold at the kitchen for a minute or two more using the pump which gets any of the air out that may have been pumped in during priming.

Let us know what you figure out.

Roger

When you drained the system did you drain the hot water tank also? Did you move any of the valves at the hot water tank?

Is it the same chattering if you are just running the hot or cold water separately?

Did you run all the faucets, including the outside shower and the toilet spray? Any one of them could have air in the line causing a pressure backup.

Just taking guesses.

John

John's post reminded me
A bubble can remain in the water heater even when water is flowing to the taps. Turn on the water pump, with all taps closed and the system pressurized go to the outside water heater panel and lift the steel lever on the safety relief valve near the top of the water heater and let the air escape until it bleeds off and water begins to flow. That''s it It may or may not fix the chatter/hammering but it is something you should do every time you refill and prime the system for smoother water flow. - Mike

Thank you all. Excellent suggestions. I did forgot the handheld toilet spray. I will try that first John and if that doesn't work then I'll try the hot water relief valve Mike so I'll know which one made the difference. Great advice.

Has the problem been solved? Curious as to what you found, if anything.

Hi John,
I'm answering for Blake. The day after his last comment, Blake's back went out and he has not been able to work on the problem. Hopefully, he will be able to resolve it soon! Thanks again for all the responses. He'll "BE BACK" soon!
Happy Thanksgiving all!
Linda