Faulty pump?

Dickys3 · 5 May 2011

Hi all,

Great forum you have here!

Hopefully you can help me with my central heating problem?

I have the following:

Ideal standard icos condensing boiler
Circulating pumps CP53 pump

My house is a new build which is now 4 years old. The central heating system works fine, however yesterday i noticed that the pump in the airing cupboard is constantly running, even when the heating and water is switched off on the control panel. The only way I can get it to shut off is by switching the entire system off by the fuse.

As soon as I switch the fuse back on, the pump starts running. I've turned the boiler off and this has made no difference. Is the pump knackered? I've read that these pumps are not that great!

As I say everything works fine, I get hot water and the rads heat up. The pump is a little noisy, not rattling or banging, just a whiring noise.

Cheers
Rich

macfudd · 5 May 2011

It sounds like the micro=switch in a zone valve has stuck in the on position,had this a few months ago.Needed to change the valve head,but it may need a complete valve change,If this is the fault.
You`re probably best to get a heating engineer to check it.

Agile · 5 May 2011

Is this a new fault or has it always run all the time?

Might be an original wiring fault.

Tony

matt1e · 6 May 2011

Dickys3 said:
As soon as I switch the fuse back on, the pump starts running. I've turned the boiler off and this has made no difference. Is the pump knackered? I've read that these pumps are not that great!

As I say everything works fine, I get hot water and the rads heat up. The pump is a little noisy, not rattling or banging, just a whiring noise.

Cheers
Rich

No, there's nothing wrong with your pump
and a stuck valve microswitch would more than likely cause the boiler to be constantly on too
from your description I'd say it's more than likely a problem with your boiler's over run facility

Matt

bengasman · 6 May 2011

Either a honeywell valve gone after 4 years, or the Ideal is knackered; my money is on the boiler gone.

mysteryman · 6 May 2011

Probably the pump overrun circuit in the boiler. This will keep the pump running until the residual heat from the boiler is dissipated. This can't happen if you have an S Plan with a pair of two port valves. Your pump will keep running against a closed circuit, this will wear the pump fairly quickly. This is why a Y Plan is better, there is always an open circuit for heat dissipation.

If this is all happening with the boiler cold, it is probably the pump overrun circuit in the boiler itself which is at fault.

Dickys3 · 6 May 2011

Agile said:
Is this a new fault or has it always run all the time?

Might be an original wiring fault.

Tony

It's a new fault. Thanks

Dickys3 · 6 May 2011

Thanks to everyone who has posted!

I've just noticed that even when the central heating and water is off on the controller, the boiler kicks in and out on it's own! It goes for A couple of mins and then shuts down. Then it starts over again.

Does this mean anything?

The boiler is a system he condensor. Does it have a pump over run facility?

Thanks again

mysteryman · 6 May 2011

In that case there's something wrong with the external controls.

Dickys3 · 6 May 2011

mysteryman said:
In that case there's something wrong with the external controls.

Do you mean the controls on the wall where we put the water and central heating on?

Or other controls?

Sorry if my question sounds stupid.

Thanks

Netdragon · 6 May 2011

the Icos has no pump control unless its the system type which has the pump inside.

So you system is at fault due to a Motorized Valve (the box connected to the brass bit near the pump) either 3 port or 2 port, this will have either a metal leaver or a plastic one on one side that u can move try moving this back and forth a few times on how many valve s u got if the pump stops that is the problem.

And if the make is a drayton or a blue box from British gas (Drayton in blue skin) then these are prone to it more then any others.

picasso · 7 May 2011

mysteryman said:
This can't happen if you have an S Plan with a pair of two port valves. Your pump will keep running against a closed circuit, this will wear the pump fairly quickly. This is why a Y Plan is better, there is always an open circuit for heat dissipation.

try fitting a bypass valve on your s plan.

Dickys3 · 7 May 2011

Netdragon said:
the Icos has no pump control unless its the system type which has the pump inside.

So you system is at fault due to a Motorized Valve (the box connected to the brass bit near the pump) either 3 port or 2 port, this will have either a metal leaver or a plastic one on one side that u can move try moving this back and forth a few times on how many valve s u got if the pump stops that is the problem.

And if the make is a drayton or a blue box from British gas (Drayton in blue skin) then these are prone to it more then any others.

Thanks. The boiler is a system type.

I located the valve (2 port sunvic 2301) and move the lever and the pump stopped, so I thought we had cracked it!

I then shut the fuse off and put it back on, and the pump run again. I then tried moving the lever again on the valve, but I couldn't get it to shut off!

Not sure why it worked the first time!

I took the head off the valve and can see that the valve is closed when everything is off. Only if I put the water on will it move to open. If I put the heating on, it doesnt move. Does that sound right?

I think I'm getting go the point now where I need to phone someone to come out and take a look at it.

Cheers again
Rich

Netdragon · 8 May 2011

you may have another that may also have a fault with it, moving the leaver a few times can make a possible stuck micro switch inside the head pop back out. this is only a temporary thing to turn it off until there is a demand.

From the sounds of it you may need a new 2301 head but i advise you to get a gas installer out to check the voltages and replace if needed. The cause can be something else on the system a clock not turning off, back feed from somewhere.

commercialman · 8 May 2011

Netdragon said:
i advise you to get a gas installer out to check the voltages .

Gas installer?

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Faulty pump?

mysteryman

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