Heating issues HELP needed

[Bez9]

Hi All

First thread I live in a ground floor apartment and have an economy 7 immersion heater with the booster and I have issues all round...

1st I have an electric water pump for the shower and hot taps in the bathroom which cuts out after 10-15 minutes of use and won't re work for atleast an hour? Any suggestions? Replace or any quick fixes?

2nd I have an external overflow pipe (white one exiting the building) that constantly drops which I replaced the ball valve thinking it was sticking open but that wasn't it, the water in the cold tank is usually warm for baths and showers which makes it practically warm water not cold I've replaced the thermostat thinking it was over heating and pushing hot water into the cold tank but even when I left the hot water off for a few days it's over filling and don't know why??? Serious help needed guys I'm loosing the will to live with this one.

3rd and final one... I replaced the double pole switch for the Eco 7 over night heater which worked fine as the old one eventually failed, then the next day I flicked the booster on in the evening to top up the warm water and from then the Eco 7 won't work has the switch failed or is there something else that could be causing it???


Please help I can't ever seem to find answers online.

Thanks
Sam

 

[Bez9]

^^^

 

[simond]

24 hr service here.

Water over filling is probably a cheapo mixer tap/shower with one side on the cold mains, the other on the HW gravity. A 'let by' causes the cold mains to gradually leech backwards into the cold tank via the hot inlet. Then you see an overflow.

Pump locking out after 10 mins is either running out of water in the CW tank or the water in the HW cylinder is excessively hot causing a thermal trip to set in the pump. Putting a load of insulation round the pump to quieten it is another good way of setting the house on fire or tripping the thermal cut out.

There's some really nasty elec accessories out there that can't take 13amps, and burn out. Had a customer with a 1yr old Megaflo (not installed by us) both immersions dead. Both double pole switches were burnt out. Buying MK Electric is a safe bet if in doubt, we use their accessories on all our installs, even though they are up to 300% more expensive than cheap crap.

 

[Bez9]

Hi, the shower and taps are brand new, the shower is powered fully by the water pump and the shower is a £300 job from a reputable manufacturer, the whole bathroom is brand new and wasn't cheap. The water for the shower comes from the pump from both hot and cold water tanks. and so does the bath, but the sink is completely separate apart from the hot.

The pump is old and the cold water tank never really gets below half, but shouldn't the pumps be built to handle hot water temperatures. and its free from insulation and isn't noise protected which is annoying but I'm a stickler for being safe.

The eco 7 switch was a 13 amp but i think its now a 20 amp double pole could that be the reason.?

 

[JohnD]

Turn on the hot basin tap. Put your thumb on the spout and stop the flow. Now do the same with the cold basin tap. Can you?

Post a pic of your kitchen sink tap. Look underneath it at the pipes. Can you see service valves? Also your basin tap.

You say you have refitted the bathroom. Did these problems start before or after the refit?

Photos of your cylinder, tank and pipes may help.

 

[Bez9]

Hi sorry for the delay in replies and I appreciate the help.

I replaced the original double pole switch with an MK 20amp double pole switch I've just removed it and there is burn marks on the rear of the socket. The Live wire has a slight burn mark on it and some slight burn on the eart sleeve.

What parts of the pipes do you need a picture of around the pumps???

I've felt the pipe that's comes from the top of the hot water tank and over flows I'm presuming into the cold tank above?? So could the boiler be over flowing and forcing water up into the cold tank???

Thanks

 

[Bez9]

Hi

Ive replaced the switch and is all fine now, I have also done some research on the pump I am using which has a trip for 20 mins use then 40minute wait I believe ... is this correct as I am in a flat and have low pressure anyway so the pump powers most of the bathroom.

The main issue is that water is pushing up from the hot water tank through the overflow into the cold water tank which is causing the cold water tank (that is only used for bathing/washing purposes) to be slightly warm. I went on holiday for 10 days with the hot water system turned off and the valve that fills it off. When I came back it was still leaking from the cold water tank to the waste outside not a fast flow only really a trickle.

is there a fault with my hotwater/ boiler tank which isn't stopping filling and continuing to just fill slowly?

please help as Its the last thing with the flat to repair lol

Thanks in advance.

Sam

 

[muggles]

Your pump sounds like a cheap thing that is only rated for short duty cycles. Better pumps can be run continously

Sounds like your loft tank needs a new float valve possibly

 

[Bez9]

Cheers for the response, I plan on upgrading the pump early next year.

I live ground floor flat with a cold water tank with a hot water tank below with an Eco 7 set up with two heaters, I've replace the ball valve in the cold tank. is there a float in the hot water tank.

 

[muggles]

No, the hot tank is fed by the cold tank. No float, just gravity. How is the flat heated?

 

[Bez9]

storage heaters, its a right pain in the arse having no gas so fully electric