C H Pump.

[AnneC]

A friendly plumber has told me my pump (which has been on 6 years) was probably put on the wrong way round. Does anyone know how i can tell for sure , before I go swapping it round?

 

[oilman]

Yes , it's got an arrow on it

If you look on the side of the pump near the inlet/outlet end you should see an arrow pointing in the flow direction. It should move water from the flow pipe of the boiler to the return. They may be marked as such.

What make is the pump?

 

[AnneC]

Thanks very much oilman .. you are right , the arrow pointed in the direction of the flow (which I have worked out from the pipework) . I have put a new pump on and so far , so good!!! If the problem reoccurs , it can only be the motorised valve , cause I've changed everything else!! I have a 'drip' (or what sounds like one) onto the kitchen ceiling , so I reckon I have also uncovered a leak somewhere (I ran a desludger through the system) obviously the sludge was bunging up a hole !! Eeh , its all good clean fun isnt it? !!! .. Thanks again

 

[oilman]

Have I missed some posts somewhere? I don't like the idea of changing everything from left to right until it works. I expect to see an improvement with each operation.

What's the problem?

 

[AnneC]

Hi Oilman , thanks again. Let me tell you whats happening/happened. All of a sudden I got banging in the boiler. I had no drain cocks so laboriously drained, then ran cleaner through, then again flushed the system. .. the problem remained. Also, I noted that every time I drained the system (I have now put a drain cock on the kitchen rad.) air was getting trapped .. this appears to be between my upstairs and downstairs (lounge) rad. so , every time I drain it, I manually drain the longe rad (Which is always cold at this stage) and then (with the pump running) force the air out of the lounge rad flow and return pipes (air mainly in the return), and bingo! The lounge rad is back to normal. However, the banging in the boiler persists. I have put a new pump on (cause the other was fused to the pipes and the the gang valves were bust), and have also put new valves either side of new pump. I also had a 'ticking' .. like a drip, but have had all floor boards up , and there is no leak. However, as well as the banging boiler , I now have a noise (between a humming and a whistle), which is everywhere, ie.. sounds like its every rad and the boiler!! I have no idea what this whistle/hum is about , But the banging only comes in with the central heating.. As there is a motorised valve on the central heating return (not the hot water which joins the return pipe after this valve), its the only thing left to replace !! I would be grateful for any advice.. As you can imagine, as a female, I am losing patience and apart from having cleaned the system and fitted a new pump and a drain cock, I havent made any progress from the original problem , and have now also developed another noise !!! Thanks again.

 

[AnneC]

Hi Oilman . I also forgot to mention that the system is airating, hot water is gushing into the expansion tank, via the vent pipe!! .. Or at least was, last time I looked!! Ta

 

[oilman]

All of a sudden I got banging in the boiler

I might have missed it somewhere, but what is the make and model of boiler. The discharge into the tank and the banging sound like boiler overheating. The pump obviously moves water but does it go through the boiler?

 

[AnneC]

Dont Know Model , But Its a Gloworm. Water Is going through it, and after 15 mins, both the flow and return pipes to/from boiler are hot.

 

[oilman]

It could be the boiler thermostats/thermistors. You'll need help from the gas boys for this though, as I know nothing about gas boilers. (or are you now going to say it's solid fuel? ) You should give this a reasonably high priority. It might be worth starting a new topic fot the thermostats.

 

[AnneC]

Cheers Oilman .. I think It'l be cheaper and easier to move house !!! .. I've had enough of it now .. It is a gas boiler , and I'm now pretty sure the whistle/hum is coming from the new ( 5 day old) pump!!

 

[oilman]

I admit if you got me in to sort the problem it might have been cheaper to move house but even if the pump is noisy (though I've not come across a new one that is), the pump does circulate the water, and the boiler pushes hot water into the tank. The boiler will only do this if it overheats, either no circulation through it, or the temperature controls not working. (Apologies for stating the obvious)