Salamander RSP100 Problem

[CarlAllen]

Hi Folks, I really hope someone can help me with this. I have had a new Salamander PSV100 pump fitted to my power shower. It worked ok for a few weeks and then started getting intermittant. When i opened the mixed valve in the shower sometimes nothing would happen, only a trickle. The pump would not activate. I had to turn the temp control back to hot and cold several times and then if lucky the pump would kick in. However, now I simply cant get the pump to start at all. I am an electronics engineer and so have tested all the obvious things. Power is arriving at the terminal block mounted on the pump. There is also 240v at one side of the Flow switches which are mounted inside the hot and cold outlet. When the mixer valve in the shower is opened. I presume either the flow of water or drop in water pressure in the outlet pipes should cause the switch to 'make' or close which should then activate the pump. Given how thin the swich wires are I imagine a small relay is hiding somewhere inside the pump motor housing. Anyway, bottom line is the switches are not closing. I find it hard to believe that both swiches have gone at the same time. They are connected in parrallel so it should only take one of the two switches to close to activate the pump.
I may have made to many presumptions about how the pump operates but there only so much you can glean while on your back with a torch in the hot press.

Can anyone please help. Perhaps theres an adjustment somewhere and the switches need to be made more sensitive?? Any assitance would be greatly appreciated as we have visitors arriving on Friday and only an onsuite shower in my bedroom. Not really suitable for 6 adults and 7 Kids..Yikes!!!

Regards
Carl

 

[Dan Robinson]

Call the installer back - you have either:

the wrong pump,.
wrong installation setup
faulty pump.

 

[Steve Vickers]

Hi,
It sounds as if you are experiencing the same problems as I am, and the answer may well be a more expensive pump.
The cause is that the pump pressure sensors are not picking up the reduction in pressure due to an open valve.
First check at the high point of the installation, probaby in your loft, where there should be an air bleed valve on both hot and cold feeds. These are to remove potential airlocks in the system. Slacken the knurled screw on each until a small amount of water passes. As your pump has worked OK in the past an airlock may well be your problem.
If not then I guess you may be in the same position as me, in which case, with your shower switched on (ready to pass water) squeeze the flexible pipes on the outlet side of the pump. This should trigger a pressure drop and cause the pump to run. This is what americans call a work-around and my wife calls faffing about. Needless to say I'm looking for a more robust answer.