Mind the gap - Grundfos UPS3 is shorter than old pump

[daved]

Hi,

A daft question perhaps but as someone who has no plumbing skills I'm turning to you lovely people (again) for some advice.

My old Grundfos domestic water pump that lives in the airing cupboard gave up the ghost a couple of days ago, leaking due to being corroded around the pump valves.

I had emergency cover for leaking pipes but not for the central heating/boiler but the chap that came out kindly fitted two new brass union gate pump valves in the same position as the old ones, so that theoretically I could go out and buy a new pump and fit it myself.

Went out today and bought a replacement Grundfos pump but its 15mm shorter port to port than my old one - and looking at all the new Grundfos pumps it seems they are all 130mm port to port leaving me with a 15mm gap between the two valves.

My question is this - is there any kind of coupler/extender/adapter/whatever you want to call it that i can fit to the top valve or any other way of bridging the 15mm gap to avoid having to fit a longer pipe?

Appreciate it may be easier to call out a plumber but thinking if this is a couple of quid fix i can get my hot water and central heating back on rather than having to call out a plumber after the bank holiday.

Many thanks in advance.

Dave

 

[cross thread]

you can get a extension piece ,but suprised if any one stocks it .

 

[ianmcd]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CENTRAL-...hash=item1a165cd189:m:m4v2vy-zsHY-pJaWmzx0vZw

 

[ollski]

Is there no play to pull them together?

 

[OvertonPlumber]

All standard pumps maintain standard 130mm port to port. Larger pumps are 180mm
The existing valves were probably iso pump valves and the new ones are gate type valves or vice versa. Slight variations in the length of the brass body between the two.
What we would do is bung the system then cut the pipework inserting a compression coupling to lengthen one side.

 

[muggles]

Are you sure the new pump you've bought is actually suitable for your system? If you had a 180mm one before, it's possible that there was a reason for it. What were the specs of the old pump?

 

[daved]

Thanks for the quick replies all, much appreciated.

I'll try to respond as best i can.

Ollski - no pull whatsoever unfortunately

Ian/Crossthread - good shout, i looked for these but didnt know what to call them. I went to Wickes before posting the original post to ask whether they did such a thing but the chap said they didnt because it would leak due to the pressure (which I wasnt too convinced by). Only problem is those on ebay appear to be 25mm where my gap is 15mm - will this still fit as I can't find a 15mm alternative.

Andrew/MrBenchmark - The gap between the two valves is only 145mm so i don't think the previous pump was 180mm, i still have the faulty pump but part of it came off with the valve - it measures around 130mm. At some point the head was changed and although its a Grundfos head its part number doesnt show up on their website. I suspect the old valves were slightly longer as suggested by MrB.

I think i'm resigned to the fact that I may have to do some pipework - i'm going to try to post a pic of the current setup as i suspect there could be a couple of options as to the easiest way/right way to do it.

Cheers

Dave

 

[daved]

Water Pump

• daved
• 5 May 2019
• 3

 

[daved]

What I’m wondering is whether it would be easier to fit a longer pipe by unscrewing the part where the two bits of tape are rather than cutting into the pipe by the top valve and fitting the joint? Realise I would have to fit the gate valve to the new longer pipe but would it be the better option that cutting? And if so it is relatively easy? The pipe itself has no water in currently as far as I can tell when i opened the upper gate valve to check

 

[OvertonPlumber]

Jesus that 3 port is old!! The cylinder is pre 1980 as well!!
The 3 port is a 1" bsp valve designed for iron pipework and they have bushed it down to 3/4 -22mm

 

[daved]

MrBenchmark, I’m going out on a limb here, but something in your reply leads me to think you’re not being complimentary about this setup I’ve inherited???

 

[daved]

The house was built in 1975 so guessing it’s all the original build - what you’ve said about the 3 port, is it something I should be looking to replace at the same time?

 

[dilalio]

Sods law says you'll change the pipework, fit the new pump, fill the system up and the 3 port will pack up

I'd change the 3 port and get rid of all that ptfe mess on the compression joints... Bring a new bit of pipe down from the 3 port to measure up exactly for your pump

 

[daved]

You're probably correct with the 3 port as i seem to recall having problems with it in the past - its sounding more and more like im going to have to bite the bullet and arrange for a professional as im assuming that a new 3 port wouldnt be the same dimensions as the old one which would mean more pipework?

 

[dilalio]

You're probably correct with the 3 port as i seem to recall having problems with it in the past - its sounding more and more like im going to have to bite the bullet and arrange for a professional as im assuming that a new 3 port wouldnt be the same dimensions as the old one which would mean more pipework?

Correct