Hi again, hope all is well with everyone. I have a question. My gas supply valve has been making buzzing, odd noises for the past 2 weeks and it needs to be replaced. Do I need to have a professional install it or can I install it (a total novice) because I called up one place and they wanted $580.00 installed....

This is the 2nd gas valve that will be installed in my boiler because the 1st one was submerged in water.

Well, I wrote down the part number from the sticker and it's a Honeywell VR8300C4506. I don't know if this is the proper gas valve since it's a replacement from the original. My boiler is a Peerless MI-06 and I've checked websites and I've gotten 6 different Honeywell's that fit my system. I don't even know if the one installed on it now is the correct one or not? Help?.......

P.S.
I will update my other thread next Saturday when I get my gurgling and sloshing fixed from another HVAC company. I really hope they can fix it because this is driving me nutty and costing me lots of dough!

 

You can save quite a bit of money by DIY - I see that valve is available for about $120 on the internet.

When you say that you're a "total novice," do you have pipe wrenches and know how to apply pipe dope? Do you have a feeling for the torque to pull up pipe connections? And the pilot tubing and thermocouple connections? If you've never worked on piping systems, maybe this isn't where to start.

I assume the valve buzzes only when it is open? (Otherwise, it's de-energized and should be totally silent.) It's possible that there is a poor electrical connection in the 24-V circuit to the valve, causing low voltage and the buzzing. Looking at the Peerless electrical diagram, the thermostat, hi-limit switch, and flame-roll-out switch are in series with the gas valve. Do you have a multimeter? With the burner on, check the voltage across the 24-V terminals of the gas valve - you should get above 20V a.c. If not, suspect a bad connection somewhere. If a solenoid is provided with too low a voltage, it is more likely to chatter.

Make sure the buzzing is coming from the gas valve and not somewhere else. When the solenoid is energized, they are usually fairly quiet - maybe a hum. The solenoid is operated by 60-Hz a.c., so there is bound to be some noise.

How old is the valve? They are usually trouble-free for quite some time, but anything is possible. I can't imagine any source of buzzing except the solenoid.

I don't know enough yet to say for sure that the gas valve needs to be replaced. If you hire somebody to replace the valve for $580, they will do that - and if the replacement valve still buzzes, it'll still be your problem and you'll owe them the $580. What's really needed is to troubleshoot the cause of the buzzing - either by you or by some qualified person you hire.

 

Yes, and yes.

I've never touched any pipe system before, that's how "totally novice" I am, sorry about that

The valve buzzes when it wants to and not every single time it's called upon to ignite or open rather. Sometimes it doesn't make a sound, and other times I hear it making a double-clicking sound like it's re-opening a 2nd time even though the boiler has ignited and fired up.

Well, when I hear it buzzing I went downstairs, opened up the cover and put my hand on the gas valve and put some pressure on it and the more I applied, the quieter it got. When I say "buzzing sound" I'm talking like a loud buzzing house alarm going off, really loud.

Valve is 1 year old.

I see, understood thanks Mike Speed 30