Pump Direction

[Munroast]

Plumber has just been around and fitted new central heating pump - has he put it on backwards ?

I take it the arrow gives direction of flow?

If this is so, then this would be flowing the water from the top of the hot water tank towards the top pipe in the boiler (i'm thinking it should take the hot water from the boiler and feed it to the top of the heat exchanger in the hot water tank

 

[Johntheo5]

Yes, the flow is normally from the boiler HW outlet to the users and the returns to the boiler return.
What make/model is the boiler?.

 

[Munroast]

its a Ideal Mexico
and the arrow is pointing towards the boiler, towards the highest of the flow pipes

what is the consequences of running backwards ?

 

[Johntheo5]

The boiler would now be controlling its set point (target) temperature based on the return so the actual flow temperature will be the target temperature + the dT (temperature rise through the boiler).

 

[dilalio]

Can't tell from photos.
Pump may be on the return pipe.
Find out which pipe on boiler is flow and which is return and trace back to pump location.

 

[Munroast]

would the "Flow" not always be the highest ?

 

[dilalio]

would the "Flow" not always be the highest ?

Usually but check with boiler MI's.
Also, it's before the MVs so would expect flow in right to left direction but best to check.
Also, no harm in calling the plumber and just double checking he's sure it's correct. We all make mistakes!
Tell him you've looked into it as you wanted to try and learn before calling!

 

[dilalio]

It may be that he's copied the pump head orientation from the previous pump, not realising it had been rotated on the body! This happens a lot.

 

[Munroast]

It may be that he's copied the pump head orientation from the previous pump, not realising it had been rotated on the body! This happens a lot.

that is EXACTLY what has happened

 

[Munroast]

And just in case the last pump had been fitted backwards (25 years ago) and I ask this as it has always made a lot of gurgling noises when heating the Hot Water - and this new pump is heating the water without any of those noises!

Here is a better photo of the rear

 

[Johntheo5]

I would start from scratch, first identify the flow and return pipework on the boiler, then fire it up from cold, if possible, after a few minutes, feel both pipes at the boiler, the hotter one will indicate the flow direction through the boiler.

 

[ericmark]

On my oil boiler, the pumps are on the return.

 

[Munroast]

I would start from scratch, first identify the flow and return pipework on the boiler, then fire it up from cold, if possible, after a few minutes, feel both pipes at the boiler, the hotter one will indicate the flow direction through the boiler.

that is the highest - which is what I expected through convection currents. So I still think this is on the wrong way around

I have spoke to the plummer who asked if it is heating the radiators up and heating the hot water; Which it is - to this e says then he must have done it right and not to worry myself !


So may be its been flowing the wrong way for the last 25 years (the bloke who originally installed it was hopeless (and still is)

and it is interesting this last couple of nights how quiet heating the HW was - it normally sounds like we're living in a ww2 submarine.


But overall I am still convinced it is on backwards - it shouldn't be pumping into the top pipe of the boiler

 

[Johntheo5]

Which pipe is the hottest when its on??.
On HW heating only, the pump may not run so, ensure CH also on (+ pump) then check hottest pipe.

What is the boiler (Ideal Mexico) Model?
Is it a condensing boiler?.