keeps shorting

[boris1981]

Hi Guys

Hoping someone can assist me. My hot water and heating aren't working every time I try to switch either of them on it shorts the fuse and I have to flick the switch on the fuse board to turn electrics back on. I have a grundfos ups 15-60 pump and there is some water that keeps leaking (some drops occasionally) from the bottom of this. I presume there has been a water leak into the electrics bit. So can I fix anything on the pump itself i.e. does it have a fuse? Or do I need to buy a new pump? If I need to buy a new pump can I install myself?

Thanks all

B.

 

[terryplumb]

Is the switch that trips RCD /MCB or an RCBO ? A pic of the pump indicating where the leak is may help

 

[boris1981]

The switch is called a contactum b16 which I believe is an mcb

 

[terryplumb]

Just to clarify..does it trip EVERY time you try to turn on central heating or hot water ? Or just sometimes trips and others works ? What do you use to turn on heating or hot water , is it a programmer / timer ? It may not be anything to do with the pump

 

[boris1981]

It trips every time I try either heating or water. I use a programmer and as soon as I switch either the ch or hw to continuous it trips.

 

[Daveydub]

While the power is OFF, remove the cover on the side of the pump and see how wet it is in there. If it has water over all the connections this will cause the trip to blow. Unless water can have dripped in there from above, tracked along the cable, this will be a new pump.

 

[terryplumb]

Then it appears you have a short circuit on the central heating system.could be anywhere from the isolation switch ,programmer, boiler ,pump ,wiring , jb,zone valves ,anywhere. You could isolate electrics and see how wet it is in the pumps wiring housing.

 

[boris1981]

Turned the power off and I removed the cover. There was water there. I blotted it up and a bit more appeared. So this is a new pump then? Is it easy to fit myself or should I get someone in?

 

[boris1981]

I got the switch wrong it is an rcd. Does this change anything?

 

[terryplumb]

Yes it does ,forget my post about short circuit. Its the water in the terminal enclosure. If you have dried it and more water is appearing ,can you see where its originating from ? Do make sure that the circuit is dead ,you DO NOT want to be poking around on a live circuit.

 

[boris1981]

I'm being very careful and ensuring electrics are off. I think that it is coming from the pump body although it is very difficult to actually see due to the positioning of it. It doesn't seem to be coming from anywhere external to the pump. Thanks for all your help so far.

 

[terryplumb]

If you are correct then pump replacement will be likely .

 

[boris1981]

Is it easy to replace these. Is it as simple as close the valves and then screw it in?

 

[terryplumb]

As long as the two isolators are in good working order ,and fully close off.you have spanners large enough to do the job . you will need two new seals for pump to isolators. Swap out the pump and connect cables correctly to new one.