Loud Howling Sound After Installed New Gas Water Heater Control Valve

[roger8]

Hi.

I just installed a new AO Smith gas water heater control valve.

When I finished, I light the pilot just fine. But when I turned on the gas, it sounded like the burner ignited just fine, but then in about 5-10 seconds the water heater itself started to howl.

It was a scary noise and it sounded like it was building. I immediately turned off the gas valve and the sound stopped.

I tested it a couple more times and same thing. What could it be? I haven’t heard of any kind of noise like this? Does anyone have an idea of what it could be?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Bryan In Wyo.]

i am assuming that you did not mess with the water side of the heater?

 

[roger8]

The pressure relief valve works, but it is closed when I light up the system and have the problem.

 

[Bryan In Wyo.]

ya sorry, that was kind of a dumb question...i am assuming that you did not mess with the water side of the heater??? Just the gas/control side of things?

 

[Bryan In Wyo.]

is there a bleader valve that might be loose?

 

[roger8]

When I installed the water heater control valve, I created the vacuum lock to install the new one. After the problem, I drained the tank following direction (closed water valve/ open drain valve/ open pressure release valve—then reversed the directions to fill). After I drained it, it seemed like it filled in no time. Problem remained. I'm not aware of a bleader valve

 

[Bryan In Wyo.]

first thought is that your making steam
so go to a sink and make sure your getting some water out of the hot water side of the sink. purge any air. then manually override the pressure release valve for a second to purge any air...you should be getting water out of both places....verify that the water supply to the hot water heater is open... if your getting water steady from both places this isolates any lack of water in the system and rules out the sound your hear being hot air.

 

[roger8]

I was thinking along all those lines. Took a hot (cold) shower and then ran every hot facet to get out all air. The howling sound sounds like the tank is empty, which is why I did all that.

 

[roger8]

I just test the pressure release value once again—all water and no air.

 

[Bryan In Wyo.]

and it only takes 10-15 secs to start howling? why did ya replace the control valve in the first place? I know if the dip tube is broke on some of these heaters they will start acting funny.

 

[roger8]

I had a code 5 and 7 and both codes indicated needed new Honeywell/AO Smith control valve. Pilot light was on but burners would not come on.

Apparently, it did fix the problem because the pilot light came on and the burners lit up. That howling noise is not anything I’ve heard mentioned anywhere.

I did take out the burner assembly because I was going to replace thermopile. I didn’t have right part, so I didn’t change it. Tomorrow I will take out the burner assembly back out and see if some I did something wrong in there.

This problem is not the problem I was having before. And yes, it starts to howl after just 5-10 seconds. I don’t even have enough time to get a good look at the burner burning, but I do see it gets bright down there and I do hear it light up.

 

[Bryan In Wyo.]

odd... the gas side of things is pretty straight forward...the howling has to come from the water side of things...but sounds like there should not be a reason for it.

 

[Bryan In Wyo.]

I wonder what happens if you override the pressure relief valve while it is howling?

 

[breplum]

What size gas flex do you have?
Make sure to use a 1/2" I.D. gas flex and flare adapters, not 3/8" I.D.

 

[roger8]

Hi Breplum, with help, I’m starting to think it’s starved or gas or starved for air. I’m using the same gas flex and flare adapter that has been working for years, but I do not know that it is 1/2". I will look into that. Thanks.

I am suspecting that it is starved for air because in the brief glimpse of the flame that I saw, I thought it looked very yellow, not blue. I suspect when I pulled out the burner assembly I did something. I will pull it out tomorrow and check it.

I’m also looking into why it may not be getting air, when it was getting air before this.

 

[roger8]

It was starved for air. I figured out that the vent was probably under the burner and I had probably not got the burner up on the little ledge that it is supposed to be on. So the burner was sitting right on the vent. I removed and reinstalled the burner correctly and it works like a champ. Thanks for all of your input!

 

[Jeff Handy]

I was going to guess that the howling was from your wife, crying about not having any hot water yet, haha!

 

[Jeff Handy]

Totally off topic, but:

This reminds me of one of the scariest Twilight Zone episodes, it terrified me as a kid.

“The Howling Man”.