Showerforce Easiboost Pump

[sam8364]

Hi,

I have a showerforce easiboost pump which works fine most of the time. THe pump is set at the lowest pressure setting and apart from ebing noisy it produces a nice shower.

However, every so often it appears to loose pressure, the pump still sounds like it is operating, althought the noise changes pitch slightly, but the pressure drops off to near gravity fed pressure. There is no rhyme or reason to it or and obvious way of getting it to stop or to replicate the problem but the problem is getting more regular.

Has anyone got any ideas or experience?

Sam

 

[ChrisR]

Probably cavitation or sucking air.
Flange?
HW temp?

 

[stem]

I have a brightplan shower pump which did exactly the same.

I never found the reason why, but when I reduced the temperature setting on my hot water cylinder thermostat slightly it stopped it. Increase the temperature again and it returns.

 

[sam8364]

Interesting, the wife was complaining last night that the hot water is hotter than usual - perhaps that accounts for the problem becoming more regular....

...excuse my ignorance - but why should the HW temperature make any difference to the operating of the pump?

If is sheds any light - when I am having a problem, if I turn the mixer valve to a colder setter (but not a hotter setting) the power will come back but only momentarily. They next time I use the shower the whole problem will like as not disappear.

 

[stem]

I'm as ignorant as you. I have no idea why it happens, it just does.

 

[sam8364]

I checked the manual for the pump last night and they state a maximim water tempreture of 65 degrees. The thermostat on the tank was showing about 62/63 so I have turned it down a bit.

Only time will tell if this sorts it.

I would still be fancinated if someone could tell me why the water tempreture makes any difference.

 

[leejones111]

Here ya go - It is due to the Temperature - heat causes air bubbles - see link below for full explanation

http://www.showerforce.com/ntpages/sfntspumps

 

[TicklyT]

Water boils at 100 degrees (as the crow flies) at standard atmospheric pressure, but it's boiling point is reduced if the pressure is reduced.

The pump works by trading it's inlet water pressure for velocity, increasing that velocity and trading it back for a higher outlet pressure.

So the hotter the water is, the more likely it is to vapourise as it passes through the low pressure areas inside the pump.

The vapour bubbles can eventually damage the interals of the pump.