What’s that noise!? (Newbie owner question)

[Heebson]

Hey gang,
now had two trips in the new van - and had a great time in amongst all the learning (frost dump valves!!)).

One thing we’re semi-puzzled by is the pump/boiler. When taps are being used or heating switched on, there is a repetitive clicking noise that I’m presuming is the pump doing its job. However, we hear this noise periodically, when we’re just sitting about. Lasts no more than 5-10 seconds.

Is this normal? Circulating water in the boiler? Everything seems to be working fine, so this is just to kill a niggling concern.

thnx,
Heeb

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

If you have got all the air out of your water system then you could possibly have a leak if the pump is still working periodically when you are not using your taps.
Best to check your plumbing.

 

[Phill D]

You are likely to have air in the system

 

[Bailey58]

I seem to remember another thread on this recently, normally similar queries are shown at the bottom of the page but a search might find it.

 

[IRHP]

Adria have it as an early warning system for when you have a plumbing leak. . The boiler shouldn't be recirculating anything. The pump comes on when there is a pressure drop in the system. There's either air in the system or a leak or a dripping tap or possibly a leaking dump valve. If there's no sign of water in the van have a look underneath for wet patches or drips.

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[Richard n Ann]

It could be the non return valve on the pump outlet if you can't find a leak. Effectively it's leaking back into the water tank

 

[Heebson]

Thanks for the quick replies. Obviously after the dump valve being triggered, the whole system needed to be refilled - do I need to do anything to release air apart from runs the taps for a while? (They did sputter quite a bit to start with.)
From your replies then, I should expect silence unless it’s doing something - I guess running water or boosting for heating?

 

[Richard n Ann]

No just run the taps and when they stop spluttering the air is all out.
The pump should be off all the time unless you open a tap.

 

[Speve]

Are sure it’s not the igniter on the boiler clicking to light it as water temp drops it might even be the fridge igniter clicking

 

[WildBunch]

It should be easy to eliminate the fridge as the possible source of the clicking, just turn it off or put it on electric.

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[Heebson]

It should be easy to eliminate the fridge as the possible source of the clicking, just turn it off or put it on electric.

We were on hookup.

Are sure it’s not the igniter on the boiler clicking to light it as water temp drops it might even be the fridge igniter clicking

it could be! I guess I can experiment with settings (Water off == silence)..
thnx

 

[Richard n Ann]

We were on hookup.

it could be! I guess I can experiment with settings (Water off == silence)..
thnx

The water heater lighting clicks are fast, usually about 3 per second, and it tries for about 5 seconds and if it failes to light, it gives up for 20 seconds or so. That's how our Whale one works anyway.

 

[davidbaldam]

My pump runs on every now and then, as you say just for a few seconds. I’ve had the Van 10 years and have search high and low for a leak and not found it yet. Even charged the pump about 3 years ago and it didn’t help.

 

[Gaston aires]

If it’s a Shurflo pump it will kick in occasionally to repressurise the system. It’s normal and you can always switch off the pump when not in use.
Phil

 

[DBK]

It could be a leak as suggested but it may also be the pressure is not being held because water is slowly leaking back into the tank due to a faulty valve. It may not fail completely for some time if ever.

If the clicking wakes you at night just turn it off.

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[Trevor Wbm]

My pump started doing it. I also noticed that that the boiler drain valve developed a tendency to occasionally 'hammer' for want of a better word, i.e open and close rapidly. It's obviously in a practically inaccessible space under two drawers and a lift out panel in the wardrobe floor and connects to a pipe inside boxing that flips off sideways when you remove it, but after much grunting, degree level swearing and knuckle skinning I fitted a new one. Which promptly did exactly the same thing.

Anyhoo, whilst refitting all the jubilee-clipped joints I'd had to release, I learned just how well they have to be fitted and how extraordinarily tight they have to be to withstand the pressure the pump generates. Based on what I saw on the usually out of sight woodwork I reckon one of the joints I re-did had been leaking, but so slightly that the water was soaking or evaporating away before becoming visible.

Get hold of a flat bladed screwdriver that's a good fit for the jubilee clip screws and has a handle you can get a good grip of, and tighten all the clips you can get at. It'll proably be one of the others that's leaking but worth a punt.

 

[Lenny HB]

My pump runs on every now and then, as you say just for a few seconds. I’ve had the Van 10 years and have search high and low for a leak and not found it yet. Even charged the pump about 3 years ago and it didn’t help.

You definitely have a leak with a pressurised system it can be so small that it let's air in but no water comes out.

If it’s a Shurflo pump it will kick in occasionally to repressurise the system. It’s normal and you can always switch off the pump when not in use.
Phil

Not normal at all it will only do that if there is a leak letting air into the system.

 

[mitzimad]

Get hold of a flat bladed screwdriver that's a good fit for the jubilee clip screws and has a handle you can get a good grip of, and tighten all the clips you can get at. It'll proably be one of the others that's leaking but worth a punt.
much better and safer to use a socket and small ratchet screrwdrivers and jubilee clips tend to result in no head on the clip and blood on your hands

 

[nicholsong]

My pump started doing it. I also noticed that that the boiler drain valve developed a tendency to occasionally 'hammer' for want of a better word, i.e open and close rapidly. It's obviously in a practically inaccessible space under two drawers and a lift out panel in the wardrobe floor and connects to a pipe inside boxing that flips off sideways when you remove it, but after much grunting, degree level swearing and knuckle skinning I fitted a new one. Which promptly did exactly the same thing.

Anyhoo, whilst refitting all the jubilee-clipped joints I'd had to release, I learned just how well they have to be fitted and how extraordinarily tight they have to be to withstand the pressure the pump generates. Based on what I saw on the usually out of sight woodwork I reckon one of the joints I re-did had been leaking, but so slightly that the water was soaking or evaporating away before becoming visible.

Get hold of a flat bladed screwdriver that's a good fit for the jubilee clip screws and has a handle you can get a good grip of, and tighten all the clips you can get at. It'll proably be one of the others that's leaking but worth a punt.

Better still tighten with a small ring spanner if there is space, or if not with a socket, extension and a ratchet handle.

 

[ROCHESB]

Look for leaks wherever there is a push-fit connector, over the last 20 years we have had several motorhomes & caravans that have had leaks in the fresh water systems and most of these leaks have been caused by poorly fitted push-fit connectors. The worst ones were the tap connectors lurking under sinks. Some brands of connectors have inserts available but the manufacturers don't seem to bother with these.

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[Fdhadi]

Don’t forget to open the shower tap to release the air from that.

 

[Orion]

Better still tighten with a small ring spanner if there is space, or if not with a socket, extension and a ratchet handle.

This little ratcheting Draper Expert set has been worth it’s weight in gold for the amount of scraped knuckles and industrial strength cursing it’s saved me over the years. Ideal for hard to access nuts/screws or working in very confined spaces.

 

[Lenny HB]

This little ratcheting Draper Expert set has been worth it’s weight in gold for the amount of scraped knuckles and industrial strength cursing it’s saved me over the years. Ideal for hard to access nuts/screws or working in very confined spaces.

View attachment 600838

I have a Lidl one instead of sockets it has a bigger range of Splined/Torx & alan bits, an invaluable bit of kit.