Potterton pump trouble.

[chalkboy]

Hi all, this is my first post. Hope you can help.


Unfortunately for me my house has a Potterton Puma 80 boiler installed.

Here's the story;

A week ago, central heating was put on, seconds later boiler makes a rushing noise, gas flame sounds really noisy, pressure starts to rise, boiler starts making clanking noises then steam starts blowing out of the pressure release valve.

Plumber came, checked the pump, said it had gone and we had a new pump fitted.

Great. Central heating back on line.

But....

Couple of days later I decide to check the pressure, it looks low. As I'm about to top it up I notice water dripping out of the boiler.

I take the front cover off and can see water dripping out of the new pump every 4/5 seconds. The floor of the cupboard it's in is soaking, so it's been happening a while.

Plumber tells me over phone to make sure I keep the pressure up and I can still use the boiler until he can get over to have a look ( 5/6 days).

A day later and now the pump has sprung 2 leaks. I put the central heating on and the same problem as before occurs - rushing noise, gas flame sounds really noisy, pressure starts to rise, boiler starts making clanking noises then steam starts blowing out of the pressure release valve.

No heating.

Sorry about the long winded saga but my question is;

Is it a faulty replacement pump or is something else going on with the boiler causing it to fail?
Will replacing it with another new pump end with the same problem?

By the way, the original/old pump didn't leak. Also, as a bit of extra info, after the new pump was fitted whenever the gas flame kicked in it sounded very loud - excessively so - it was much quieter originally.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

Cheers.

 

[Gasguru]

Was the complete pump replaced or just the pump head?

What make/model of pump is it?

 

[chalkboy]

Hi Gasguru,

Thanks for the reply.

The pump make is;

Grundfos - Super Selectric.
Type UPS 15 60 130

PC 0947

It looks like the head that's been replaced. It's screwed onto an older part of the boiler with 2 pipe connections coming from it (I presume that's the rest of the pump)

Many thanks.

Thanks.

 

[chalkboy]

Hi Gasguru,

Thought I'd add this;

the first leak is coming from the new part of the pump. On the right hand side theres a black panel connected to the main part of the pump ( it has a switch on it) the water is coming out of the seal where the 2 parts meet.

The second leak is coming from where the new pump meets the old.

Hope I've explained that clearly enough.

Thanks again.

 

[greemyamochop]

Just sounds like its not sealed properly when he changed the head for the new one, 5 - 6 days for something that may be his fault is a bit out of order in my opinion i would attend that before doing any other work for my peace of mind.

The noise is more likely air, if your constantly topping up and re filling then the heat exchanger and pump are probably never vented etc properly

 

[chalkboy]

Hi greemyamochop, thanks for the input.

I can understand it leaking where the head meets the original pump section but the initial leak sprung from part of the new unit just behind the switch.

Does the head come in one piece?

 

[Gasguru]

He's fitted the wrong pump....hence the leaks.

The standard Puma pump was originally manufactured by Myson (part of the Potterton/Baxi group). The Grundfos pump head is not compatible.

Either get an original pump for the Puma and just swap the head or buy a "Circulating Pumps" head (cheaper option). "Circulating Pumps" took over from Myson....the pump will be a multispeed (rather than the original single speed) but just set it to maximum.

 

[chalkboy]

Thanks very much Gasguru,

Very interesting information - now I have to raise the issue with the plumber and hope I don't get into an argument about different plumbers opinions!

Much appreciate your help.