Shower pump wont run continuously

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I have a 2-bar pumped shower (Water Mill pump) fed from a large cold water tank in the loft and the hot water cylinder in an upstairs room. The pump is located at the base of the hot water cylinder. Pipework is plastic 22mm routed up and over to a thermostatic shower mixer (with 22mm inlets and non return valves) on the same floor as the pump.
My problem is that the pump will not run continuously without stuttering every 5 or 10 seconds. The pump stops and then instantly starts again. The only way to guarantee an uninterrupted water flow is to force either the hot or cold side pump reed switch ON with an external magnet and manually switch the power to the pump. The shower was installed around 8 years ago. This problem has been present for at least 2 or 3 years.
I have checked the pump impellers (brass) and its filters. I have fitted an automatic air bleed valve in the hot side at its highest point (this stopped the pump pulsing when turning the water off). I have recently had the shower mixer cartridge replaced . This was very furred up due to hard water.
I am now wondering the problem could be something to do with the non-return valves in the mixer elbows. They are under the tiles and so have never been inspected. However if it is these I have no idea how they could be causing the problem.
Has anyone any idea what could be wrong?
 
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To me it would sound like you are having a problem with the natural flow through the pump. Most pumps require a natural flow as a baseline to keep the flow switches suspended and it sounds like you are sometimes dropping below this and the floats are dropping out and turning the pump off.

hope this helps
 
To me it would sound like you are having a problem with the natural flow through the pump. Most pumps require a natural flow as a baseline to keep the flow switches suspended and it sounds like you are sometimes dropping below this and the floats are dropping out and turning the pump off.

hope this helps

I agree it seems like the reed switches are dropping out, but I cannot understand how this can be happening. The natural flow on the cold side is pretty good. You could almost take a cold shower under this flow alone. Not so on the hot side where there is very little natural flow. In practice only one of the switches needs to be engaged and the pump never hesitates to start when first turning on the tap. Once the pump is running I'm not sure how the natural flow would affect things.
 
I would say that it could have a blocked inlet hose from debris from the hot water cylinder. Normally bits of foam.

Andy
 
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I will have to check how the expansion pipe is fitted, but as only one of the pump's flow switches needs to be engaged, wouldnt the cold side flow keep the pump running?
 
I would say that it could have a blocked inlet hose from debris from the hot water cylinder. Normally bits of foam.

Andy

Thank you. The pump filters are both clean. Do you mean the pipe from the hot water cylinder to the pump? The cylinder has been changed since this problem occurred and this had no affect on tyhe problem. Also wouldnt flow on the cold side keep the pump running in any case?
 

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