Growth on copper pipe

[BoboBB]

Hi,

I have a Boilermate A-Class. It uses a Grundfos pump. I was taking a look at it yesterday and noticed the following 'growth' on the copper connector connected to the in side of the pump. I have attached an image. It's a bit tight in there to get something next to it for scale (the picture makes it look huge!) but it's probably about the size of a 5p coin.

My first thought was it must be a leak but I have removed the cover of the platform the Boilermate sits on and traced the pipe directly downwards and can't see any evidence of a leak/water damage. I ran the pump while I watched carefully and no water came out.

I didn't want to clean this thing away without checking with some pros first as I was worried that if something was leaking then this would be holding the water in! I'm not sure what that little nodule on the pipe is, like a bung of some sort? I poked it a little and some crumbled off very easily.

There's the same nodule on the 'out' side of the copper connector but this doesn't have a growth on it. It has a little bit of green around it which I'm guessing is just flux.

Anyone got an idea of what this is? Thanks for any help with this

 

[Dan Robinson]

It's the remains of a leak from the crappy service valves for the pump.

Full drain down needed when the pump fails.

 

[BoboBB]

Hi Dan. Thanks for clearing up what it is. So should I just leave it alone, keep an eye on it and just get it all sorted when the pump eventually dies?

Nothing I can do to it in the interim to 'seal' it up or anything? Or just leave it be?

 

[muggles]

Leave well alone - if you poke it, it'll most likely start leaking again

 

[BoboBB]

Thanks a lot guys. Much appreciated. I will check on it every so often but will leave it alone.

 

[Dan Robinson]

You don't need to worry about it until the pump dies and you have a half day labour charge for sorting out what should take half and hour..... Thank Gledhill for that

 

[BoboBB]

Haha. Fantastic! I've already had a 3-port valve replaced on this thing a few years back which I noticed was leaking. I'll start saving up Cheers Dan.