Dripping sound occurs only during and after using the heater

[Richard66]

I’m getting a very clear and loud dripping sound only when the heater is activated. The dripping sound starts soon after the heater starts, and continues for 3 to 5 minutes after the heater stops. The leak (sure sounds like a leak, although there are no signs of water inside or outside) is located (on our 2018 27 Globetrotter) close to the shower wall at the foot of the bed). Any one familiar with this issue know what the fix is?

[dznf0g]

Sounds like the sound of metal in the heat exchanger expanding and contracting. Totally normal.

[richard5933]

Sounds similar to my nearly endless hunt for a dripping in my shower at home. Every time I'd go in there and turn on the lights I'd hear what sounded like a drip. Finally realized it was the metal can around the light fixture making noise as the heat from the bulb hit it. Took a long time for that realization to take place though.

If the dripping is only heard in your trailer when the heat runs I'd write it off as metal expansion noise. But to be safe you can double check to see if there are any water lines in the area.

Something else to check is to see if any of the lines (electrical and gas) are pulled too tight leading to the furnace and/or if they are rubbing on something. Possibly what you're hearing is one of them being pulled tight as the furnace heats up and being pulled across a rub spot. If this is it it's an easy fix to protect the line and prevent future damage from abrasion.

Same for checking where the gas line feeding the furnace passes through the belly pan (or wherever it enters the trailer) to make sure that the grommet or other protective piece is still in place and that you're not hearing the gas line rubbing when the heater runs.

[JMynes]

Trust me, it’s a drip.
The water heater has lost it’s air pocket. The heating water has no room to expand, and is finding the weakest connection to leak out of.
When I had this issue it was dripping behind the shower control on the back side of the shower enclosure.
The cure is to turn off your water heater and water pump, disconnect city water, and open a hot faucet to release pressure. Close the faucet.
Now remove the hot water tank drain plug. CAREFUL! IT COULD BE HOT! Carefully open the temp/pressure release valve to break the vacuum in the tank.
Drain a couple of gallons and replace the plug, shut the t/p valve. You don’t have to drain the tank completely.
Turn on your water pump or city water to repressurize the system. The hot water tank will fill to the correct level and the air pocket in the tank will be restored.
Turn on your water heater. Listen for no dripping.
I have to do this pretty frequently. I don’t know why the air pocket disappears, but once restored, life is good.

[dznf0g]

I am assuming OP is talking about the furnace operation causes the sound. He just says "heater"?????

[CBWELL]

Assuming that you are refering to the propane furnace, the "dripping" sound is the expansion and contraction of the metal in and around your furnace. The colder the temperature, the more expansion and contraction takes place. This is normal. Do not be alarmed.

[Kawboy01]

If you need to access the back side of the shower controls there is an access panel in the closet adjacent to the shower. Remove and take a look. The water pump converter city and fresh water fill lines as well as the heater ducting to the front vedroom.and the underbelly are located beneath the closet. We installed a leak alarm in that space incase the shower, water pump, or any.of the water.inlets located in there leak. Good luck but please post your findings when you find you leak so we all can learn.

[14tidewater]

Do you have an ALDI heater system? I've heard this sound too in our Classic. I always assumed it was the liquid in the system from the reservoir dripping...our ALDI coolant/heating liquid container is in the wall right next to the shower...just a thought you could be hearing the same

[Richard66]

I noticed last night that the sound was happening prior to the heater starting it’s night work. Also, the sound is of different intensity, some that might resemble the “normal” clicking, but there are louder “thuds” that really sound like dripping water - but still no sign of water anywhere visible. So first thing I’m going to try is de-pressurize as has been suggested and see if I still get the same sounds. We were not getting this sound with pretty extensive use of the heater on our way south when we were only plugged to electricity. I’ll run the heater once depressurized and let you know how it goes.

[CBWELL]

Is this the water heater or the furnace? We really need to know what unit your are talking about to help you.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by Richard66

...We were not getting this sound with pretty extensive use of the heater on our way south when we were only plugged to electricity. I’ll run the heater once depressurized and let you know how it goes.

Are you saying that it's only there when you run the heater with propane?

If so, perhaps the noise is expansion caused by the propane burner and the hot exhaust running up the side of the trailer.

Agree that it would be easier to help if we knew if this was a water heater or furnace.

[Richard66]

To answer and be more precise, this is the furnace heater I’m talking about. No such problem using the water heater.

As a number of you have suggested, I do hear the sound of metal expansion / contraction which as you say is normal and not to be worried about. But there is another louder more distinct sound that points to another issue.

Also, there is a clear before and after: we were heating pretty extensively in Canada while waiting for the border to open on Nov 8. Camp water was obviously closed down for the season so we were only hooked up to electricity, using our water tank. The point here is that during those 10 days we were hearing, I was not getting this “dripping” sound. This is a new issue that started only when we plugged into camp water when we arrived here in Sedona AZ.

Yesterday I followed through with JMYNES suggestion to restore the air pocket in the tank. I opened the valve, let out water, and popped the pressure valve. Unfortunately, while the furnace is doing a fine job keeping us warm, the sound when the furnace turns off continues intermittently for up to 10 minutes, and with quite a lag (20 to 60 seconds) between single loud drips.

I’m sure there will be bigger issues than this, but my concern here other than the annoyance is the possible liquid accumulation in the chassis.

I did open the inside panels of the closet and saw nothing in terms of liquid accumulation. What also baffles me is the location of this “drip”: it seems to be concentrated inside the wall, on the shower side (port side) a foot+ away from the shower close to the window. What could possibly be related to the furnace there? I know it only occurs as a result of the furnace operating.

Some other possibly relevant information I can share is that I was NOT using a water pressure regulator when I first plugged into the camp water on arrival. Yesterday I purchased and installed one that will keep things at 50-55 PSI, clearly much less than we had running directly off the camp pressure. It hasn’t resolved the problem, but I’m wondering if that initial camp pressure might have been a contributing factor. Also we are now much higher in elevation, over 4000 feet.

So all this to say the mystery remains. Any further suggestions are surely appreciated, and if we can’t resolve this I’ll have this thread to share with the Phoenix Airstream dealership when we are there early December.

[richard5933]

Have you tried a simple binary test...

Disconnect from the water spigot and keep your pump off. Relieve any pressure in the pipes.

Turn on the furnace and listen. You'll know right away if it's related to the plumbing or not. I'm guessing it's not.

Possibly the furnace is creating condensation inside the wall over the exhaust which you hear dripping?

[Tappett]

Bear in mind that you heater is ducted so it could be causing expansion ticking from anywhere.