My mistake regarding the cycling. I thought that you meant that the pump was going on and off with the boiler thermostat/burner.
On the vast majority of systems the pump goes off when the room thermostat is satisfied anyway. On the old gravity hot water and pumped central heating systems the room thermostat was wired straight to the pump and turned it on and off directly. Then motorised valves came along, they have a microswitch inside to shut down the pump and boiler when not needed. This interlock is now required on new systems to save energy as part of the building regulations.
Most newer boilers however need a 'by-pass circuit" and pump 'overrun' to get rid of excess heat and prevent the boiler overheat tripping when the boiler goes off. In this instance, the pump is wired directly to special pump terminals on the boiler. The pump will then run on for just a short time after the boiler goes off to get rid of built up heat.
This is I think where doitall was going when he asked about your boiler make and model. I have just looked at a manual for the Ideal Classic FF250on the internet and I don't see any requirement for a by-pass or wiring for a pump from the boiler itself. If you had needed it, it should have been there already for when the old programmer turned the boiler off anyway.
Regarding shortening of the pumps life, I doubt it, I would think that it will extend its life as it will be operating less, and as I said the vast majority of systems shut the pump off when everything is up to temperature now anyway.
On the vast majority of systems the pump goes off when the room thermostat is satisfied anyway. On the old gravity hot water and pumped central heating systems the room thermostat was wired straight to the pump and turned it on and off directly. Then motorised valves came along, they have a microswitch inside to shut down the pump and boiler when not needed. This interlock is now required on new systems to save energy as part of the building regulations.
Most newer boilers however need a 'by-pass circuit" and pump 'overrun' to get rid of excess heat and prevent the boiler overheat tripping when the boiler goes off. In this instance, the pump is wired directly to special pump terminals on the boiler. The pump will then run on for just a short time after the boiler goes off to get rid of built up heat.
This is I think where doitall was going when he asked about your boiler make and model. I have just looked at a manual for the Ideal Classic FF250on the internet and I don't see any requirement for a by-pass or wiring for a pump from the boiler itself. If you had needed it, it should have been there already for when the old programmer turned the boiler off anyway.
Regarding shortening of the pumps life, I doubt it, I would think that it will extend its life as it will be operating less, and as I said the vast majority of systems shut the pump off when everything is up to temperature now anyway.
