# Bradford White water heater making a tweeting noise



## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Brand new. The intermittent green light is flashing and other than an occasional noise it's working fine. I read through the trouble shooting guide and it did not mention any error code that was signaled by a sound, just different light patterns. Any ideas?


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Power vent or conventional?


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

If it's tweeting did a bird fell in the vent?


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## Dontbitenails (Oct 16, 2020)

I taught I heard a puddy cat


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tango said:


> If it's tweeting did a bird fell in the vent?


I had one call to clean a bathroom exhaust duct because it smelled. There was a booster fan in the attic that pulled air from 6" round duct from three different bathrooms. Each bathroom had a boot above the ceiling with a small grill installed through. The tenants called maintenance a week prior when they heard some birds and some feathers fell out. Then the next day they heard chirping so they called again. They called every day for the next week to remind maintenance. Each day the chirping got less and less.

By the time I got there the chirping was gone. One of the adults got stuck in the damper that must have been wedged open from rust but finally fell. The other adult and chicks were in the nest. I pulled the adults out by hand and vacuumed out the rest of the debris.

That was not an ideal job.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Conventional "B" vent. 
Did I mention it's my own water heater? It doesn't bother me a bit. However, there is *another* who fails to see the humor in it.


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Check the flue baffle in the heater under the draft hood. Sometimes those become dislodged and pop out of the slots during shipping.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Debo
Tech support told me to rotate the baffle and if that doesn't work they will send another one. It wasn't dislodged, though it may be now that I've f&*ked with it. We'll see.


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## canuck92 (Apr 1, 2016)

Plumbus said:


> Brand new. The intermittent green light is flashing and other than an occasional noise it's working fine. I read through the trouble shooting guide and it did not mention any error code that was signaled by a sound, just different light patterns. Any ideas?


Loyd !,You sold my dead bird to a blind kid??


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Plumbus said:


> Brand new. The intermittent green light is flashing and other than an occasional noise it's working fine. I read through the trouble shooting guide and it did not mention any error code that was signaled by a sound, just different light patterns. Any ideas?


Is it possible the sound is coming from something else? High pitched noises can be difficult to locate. Maybe your smoke or c.o. detector has a low battery.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

It's definitely coming from the inside of the tank. Rotated the baffle, sound persisted, though not as often. Rotated again, same. Wife is not happy. Guess I'll have to take B-W up on it's offer to send me a new one. Or, I could salvage the baffle on the old one which is still in the bone yard at my shop.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Plumbus said:


> It's definitely coming from the inside of the tank. Rotated the baffle, sound persisted, though not as often. Rotated again, same. Wife is not happy. Guess I'll have to take B-W up on it's offer to send me a new one. Or, I could salvage the baffle on the old one which is still in the bone yard at my shop.


I'd say just learn to live with it,lololololol tell wifey to ignore it the way she does you lololol


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

"Tell wifey to ignore it the way she does you lololol"
I'd rather fix the problem than deal with aching gonads.


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## RossFrank (Oct 21, 2020)

Just ensure the chicks don't come back.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Plumbus said:


> It's definitely coming from the inside of the tank. Rotated the baffle, sound persisted, though not as often. Rotated again, same. Wife is not happy. Guess I'll have to take B-W up on it's offer to send me a new one. Or, I could salvage the baffle on the old one which is still in the bone yard at my shop.


Is the dip tube broke or fell down in tank???that would cause racket I'm sure


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

The chirp happens when the burner is firing. Tech support suggested that it might be caused by expansion. They recommended an expansion tank. I countered with: "If so, why don't my neighbors (who all know I'm a plumber) complain to me about this phenomenon? And, why didn't the previous B/W tank make the same noise?"


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Plumbus said:


> The chirp happens when the burner is firing. Tech support suggested that it might be caused by expansion. They recommended an expansion tank. I countered with: "If so, why don't my neighbors (who all know I'm a plumber) complain to me about this phenomenon? And, why didn't the previous B/W tank make the same noise?"


Crickets was the answer I'm sure,I'd say that particular heater has a defect somewhere


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## money turds (Oct 10, 2013)

Is your gas line to the heater the flex type? ie,Gastite? and is 1/2"!
I have seen it numerous times where the noise is coming from the gas line. The gas flow over the corrugated line makes a hummimg noise on occasion. You must either hard pipe the gas line or change it to the next size up, usaully to 3/4"


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

money turds said:


> Is your gas line to the heater the flex type? ie,Gastite? and is 1/2"!
> I have seen it numerous times where the noise is coming from the gas line. The gas flow over the corrugated line makes a hummimg noise on occasion. You must either hard pipe the gas line or change it to the next size up, usaully to 3/4"


Like those flexible straws they put in kids drinks. They make great whistles!


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

money turds said:


> Is your gas line to the heater the flex type? ie,Gastite? and is 1/2"!
> I have seen it numerous times where the noise is coming from the gas line. The gas flow over the corrugated line makes a hummimg noise on occasion. You must either hard pipe the gas line or change it to the next size up, usaully to 3/4"


I'm sure that could happen but I have never come across this in 26 yrs but that don't mean nothing,it sounds like the gas pressure is to high if that is happening,pressure needs to be checked and new regulator put on


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

sparky said:


> I'm sure that could happen but I have never come across this in 26 yrs but that don't mean nothing,it sounds like the gas pressure is to high if that is happening,pressure needs to be checked and new regulator put on


Pressure too high or the flexible supply line is too small.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

skoronesa said:


> Pressure too high or the flexible supply line is too small.


Agreeeeee


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

I have seen and heard that from small gas flex, !


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

I've heard undersized gas flexes whine but I haven't heard them chirp.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Replaced the baffle yesterday. So far, silence. -)))))


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Still quiet, knock wood.
My experience with tech support at B/W was a mixed bag.
The first guy was helpful and it turns out his guess (a baffle issue) was spot on.
After suggestion I try rotating it and if that doesn't work he said to call back and arrange to have a replacement sent out.
When I asked for a new baffle, the second guy decided to grill me on the installation and 
I didn't respond too well. In fact, when he started to lecture me on code requirements, I lost my temper. When he realized I wasn't going to play ball, he gave me the
"I'm just here to help and your attitude is counterproductive." I said, OK, how do I get a new baffle?
He replies, You'll have to contact your supplier. 
Thanks for nothing, AH! 
He probably has to deal with HO's all day, so I can see where he might be a little jaded, but pissing off someone who identifies himself as a contractor who buys and installs water heaters on a regular basis is not a winning formula.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Plumbus said:


> Still quiet, knock wood.
> My experience with tech support at B/W was a mixed bag.
> The first guy was helpful and it turns out his guess (a baffle issue) was spot on.
> After suggestion I try rotating it and if that doesn't work he said to call back and arrange to have a replacement sent out.
> ...


Did you compare the two baffles side by side???what was the differenc???or was there any differenc??


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

I did not. Once the new one went in and stopped the noise, I said good enough and went about my business.
I did examine the original baffle and could see nothing abnormal.


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