Shower Pump stopped working

[martinjgh]

Hi all!

My shower pump has stopped working, and I would very much like to hear what people on here think is the problem - and what a solution may be!

I've been reading through a lot of the historic posts on here, and I would like to think the problem is an air-lock (not that it would help me with the solution, for complex reasons described below) - but I am unsure as to what the true symptom would be.

So, basically one day the shower (which has a thermostatic mixer) was working fine (and has done for the previous 4-5 years). The next day, no power - though there is a "trickle" of water coming out from the shower (as if just fed by gravity). The pump is making no noise. I've checked the fuse on the wall switch but (again, described below) cannot easily get to the pump.

If there was an air-lock, is it possible that water could get past the lock, but not be of sufficient pressure to activate the pump? Or if there was an air-lock sufficient to stop the pump, would I just get no water at all?

Unfortunately I have a couple of complicating issues. When our bathroom was done, the guy who did it assured me that these pumps "never" go wrong, and so put tiles down on the floor without providing an access point. To take these up and replace the pump (or do anything else to it, like open connections) would be very disruptive and almost certainly expensive! I would like to eliminate all other possibilities (or try anything else) before having to resort to this.

The shower head is a fixed one and emerges from behind a tiled wall. so no way I can get to a tube to try to hold at a low level to syphon off from the system, or force water into or anything like that - so a lot of the suggestions I've seen on here would not work.

HEEEELLLLP!

Thanks in advance
Martin

Any suggestions welcome

 

[seco services]

what pump is it? make/model
where is the pump ?

 

[martinjgh]

Thanks for the quick response. I will have to check on the model and make - but it is situated under the floor in the bathroom, which in turn has (as described) been tiled over and so is not accessible!

 

[seco services]

not ideal as they need to air round them if its got to hot over time may have knackered it.
either way your probably going to need access to it.

 

[martinjgh]

Oh dear... I had really hoped that would not be the answer .

From my description of the symptoms though, is there any chance it could be an airlock? (desperately keeping fingers crossed)

 

[seco services]

poss but i don't think it will be.
could be a faulty flow switch on the pump, seized pump,loose wire on the pump.
all will need access.

 

[rssteve]

who in there right mind puts a pump under the floor, then tiles over it? not you surely?

Anyway, it needs relocating imo even if it was working fine, due to heat build up this is a fire hazard. Relocated it to the airing cupboard or something. If under the bath you need to check the ip rating etc.

also is there a fused spur for it? if so where is this located too?

 

[martinjgh]

No - not me! previous occupants.

There is a spur which is fused - but it's not the fuse unfortunately (were that it had been that simple!)

 

[crockett]

4 or 5 years of constant use can put a pump out of service, but as is said in the other posts, no decent plumber in his right mind would put a pump under tiling. Even if the customer didn't want it to be installed in certain areas, you still need it to be placed in an easily accessible location. The present location may have contributed to its demise