Grundfos Selectric UPS 15/50 on upside down

[PGC]

Hello all I really hope someone can give some advice.

We moved into our current house last January & the central heating has always been noisy & we regularly have to bleed the rad in the bathroom because of air buildup. The people who lived here before us said it's been like that as far as they can remember. But a week ago the CH packed up altogether.

I'm no expert but have now read through lots of web sites & feel sure there's a problem with air in the system. It's a vented system with F&E tank in the loft & has a Grundfos 15/50 fitted which is on upside down (which their manual says isn't recomended) and is pulling water down the venting pipe & I'm sure is drawing air in with it.

I'm not keen on tinkering with what I don't understand so called out an engineer.
Sod's law as soon as we turned it back on it seemed to start working again, but now it only heats the upstairs rads. He checked the pump & said he thought it was OK, the motorised valve & boiler are OK & he checked the valves on all the rads too, but still no heat to downstairs. In the end he admitted he didn't know where the problem was & suggested replacing the pump & see it that does the trick.

before doing that I would like to know if it would be worth turning the existing pump the right way up & running it like that for a few days to see if it rectifies the fault?

I also asked the engineer if there could be sediment in the pipes causing a blockage but he said the water in the F&E tank is clear so it's not that. I spent about a half hour in the loft last night when the timer kicked in watching the F&E tank & the water in the tank might be clear because nothing seems to come out of the vent pipe when the water has heated up.

Any suggestions & advice would be greatly appreciated.
I've had a cod for last couple of days & it looks like the wife is about to come down with it now so I have to get it sorted.

Many thanks

Patrick

 

[45yearsagasman]

Post a pic of the pump and the motorised valves if you can. The arrow on the pump body tells you the direction of flow and nothing else. The arrow should point towards the motorised valves.
What do you mean by "upside down"?

 

[PGC]

Thanks Pete

I hope I've done this right


View media item 54248
View media item 54249
So it does look like the pump is sending water in the direction of the MV.


The pipe leading to the top of the pump is in fact connected to a 15mm pipe from the bottom of the F&E tank so don't think any air can be getting in through there.

 

[CBF]

why are the pics private ?
no water should come out of the vent pipe it's there to vent air not water
def get yourself someone who knows what he is talking about as the "plumber" who looked doesn't seem to have a clue

 

[matt1e]

your images aren't showing as they seem to be set to private

 

[45yearsagasman]

Review how you posted pics and make then visible to all.

 

[PGC]

Hi

I thought that attaching an image would be similar to copy & paste that I'm used to with emails. Did n't realise when setting up the album that it worked using a link & set all settings to private (doh!).
Now when I go to album settings there an option for edit, but it does n't seem to do anything.

Perhaps it would be easier if I created another account now I think I know how it works then post to this thread.

 

[PGC1]

Fingers crossed

Pump & MV

• PGC1
• 29 Dec 2012
• 1

Close up

• PGC1
• 29 Dec 2012
• 1

 

[45yearsagasman]

Just so long as the arrow is pointing downwards to the 3 port valve it is OK.
I would think your system pipework connections are something like this.
The problem you have may well be near the feed and vent connections. View media item 39013

 

[PGC1]

Thanks Pete.

The diagram is about right although it's in a "H" shape.

I've just tried a small fridge magnet on the short 3 inch cross piece & it sticks, so looks like a rust buildup happening there.

Is there anything thing else you recommend I get checked while this is being done?

 

[45yearsagasman]

All around that area where the magnet sticks needs to be cut out and either cleaned out manually or simply replace the copper. While your plumber is at it, he needs to check the pump valves and pipework up to the 3 port for restrictions. It sounds horrendous, but in reality is simple work. With a following wind it can be done in 90 mins. Your setup looks fairly easy to get to.