Increasing speed of pump or changing it?

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Dear all

If anyone can help, gratefully received. I have moved into a victorian 3 bedroomed semi in Kent. The radiators were all shut down for some reason, and on starting the system up, those at the bottom of the house were very cool. The system is 30 years old I believe, from the boiler handbook (1983). I have used desludger and drained the system, and balanced the radiators, with minimal effect. I have a Grundfos UPS 15-50x18 pump. In the middle is coin size disk with a grove in. Does this adjust the speed and can I turn it up (sorry to be ignorant), and if not, would changing the pump to a bigger size be my only option? The hot water is very hot, so the boiler seems fine. Many thanks to anyone who can advise.

Richard M.
 
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the 'disc' i presume is not for setting the speed but for bleeding the pump of air (well it is with a modern pump). If the pump is really old then it may be worth upgrading to a modern equivalant anyway, if there is still a prob then speak to the superduper pro's on this site.
 
RichardMaid said:
...on starting the system up, those at the bottom of the house were very cool.
Most often a sign of a worn or faulty pump.

I have a Grundfos UPS 15-50x18 pump. In the middle is coin size disk with a grove in. Does this adjust the speed
No. It's a cover with a water seal - you can remove it to check that the pump spindle is turning. Use a bowel or towel to catch the small amount of water that will emerge.

...and can I turn it up (sorry to be ignorant), and if not, would changing the pump to a bigger size be my only option?
I'd replace it with a 15-60 to eliminate two possible problems, being (1) worn pump and (2) inadequate pump for a 3 storey house.
 
Softus - can you explain the pump numbers for me. i think that 15 relates to its length (cm) and does 60 relate to 6 meters pump head?

never been entirely sure :confused:
 
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Softus
Use a bowel or towel to catch the small amount of water that will emerge.


I would not recommend trying to catch the water using your bowel, :eek: probably be quite difficult, try using a bowl instead :evil:
 
Bamber gaspipe said:
Softus
Use a bowel or towel to catch the small amount of water that will emerge.


I would not recommend trying to catch the water using your bowel, :eek: probably be quite difficult, try using a bowl instead :evil:

LOL :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Athough to be fair Softus didn't say use "your bowel" just "a bowel" - presumably he has one just for this purpose in his van.

Softus - which do you prefer Pig or Cow bowel, or does it depend on the size of the system.
 
Bamber gaspipe said:
I would not recommend trying to catch the water using your bowel, :eek:
You got me. ;)

bster said:
Softus - can you explain the pump numbers for me.
From hazy memory, the first number (e.g. 15) indicates the size of the pump waterways, the second (e.g.) is the head that it will pump, in units of feet, and the 180 (which you quoted as being "18") is the pump length, in millimetres, between the valve flange faces.

I'm sure that the Grundfos web site holds the definitive information.
 
Many thanks to all who helped me out with this one, much appreciated.


Richard M
 
I have a bowel in my fridge by chance but its still full of Haggis at the moment!

The very old Grunfoss pumps did have a pump pressure adjustment on the bottom! Probably some type of paddle. Must have been before Softus's time!

You dont normally see them much now and they are just changed and thrown away double quick.

I see the OPs problem as sludge in the system!

Blandly saying he has desludged it does not convince me! Very few DIYs manage to properly desludge their systems. Just tipping some cheap bottle of near water will do virtually nothing!

Tony
 
Richard - nodbody's pointed out that the pump has probably got a switch on the plastic part which adjusts the speed. Probably 3 or 4 settings.
 
Thanks Chris. Yep, you're right, underneath I've found a dial with 3 settings, but it's up to 3. :( On the desludger 'Agile', I take your point, and I had lots of discussion with a local plumber about chemical desludgers and their value. Was advised to leave it in for several weeks, and turn up the heating to 'ccok it' which I did, then went ahead draining the system. It has allowed what warmth there is to be more uniform, but it's not an amazing change. I was advised that jet flushing probably wasn't wise on a system this old and it's more money of course.


Richard
 

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