Which shower pump and advice on fitting

[blackfriars]

hi , okay firstly , turn off pump for 1 min and the run hot & cold to shower
once this is done then switch back on the pump and run either water supply till you get a steady flow , about 30 seconds
if you still get a pulsing in the pump that shows you have a water outlet passing on your cold supply , more than likely the toilet
just install a non-return valve on the cold side

 

[andytbrown]

Strange, did what you said and after running without pump then running for 30 seconds with just cold there was no pulse afterwards. Then tried just hot and it did pulse. If I switch it to cold before turning it off it pulses once then stops. If hot is introduced it pulses.

 

[blackfriars]

hi ok you have a weeping leak on your hot side
this does not mean you will see a pool of water , it just means 1 of your connections is not sealed properly and air is being drawn into pump, this is what is causing it to pulse
check your connections
this has nothing to do with the type of pump between positive or negative
you can always put the non-return valve on the hot outlet side
but i would suggest you check all connections first

 

[andytbrown]

You're right, it's the push fit connecting to the copper pipe on the hot outlet that's leaking ever so slightly. There's a plastic screw head in the connector, does this tighten it more?

 

[blackfriars]

hi,
no that screw is the built in isolating valve
is that the new hose or the old one that is leaking
you can take it off and push it back on and give it a little tug that should seal it

 

[andytbrown]

It's the old one, but I removed just this one before realising it would be easier to reuse the old ones and reattaching it. So don't know if this was the original problem or just me not putting it back on correctly. Probably the latter.

Will try again tomorrow, thank you

 

[blackfriars]

hi be carefull , these flexi hoses have a rubber O ring inside them , this is what seals them up and shark bite teeth to keep them in situ
now check the copper pipe that it is not burred, if it is use a bit of sandpaper and smooth the inside and outside and then gently slide the new flexi hose on
this will seal the joint and you will have no more pulsing

 

[andytbrown]

Hmm, I had real problems getting off, do you think I damaged the pipe? The issue was the existing hoses were slightly too long so took that one off before realising the new ones were much too short so switched back!

 

[blackfriars]

firstly tell me how did you manage to get it off ???
did you use a special tool
with these flexi hoses there is a little collar you push down on and then they just slide off easily , you can use a special tool or a spanner with a similar opening size to the copper pipe

i think you may have damaged the O rung in the flexi , these cannot be repaired easily
you have 2 options , 1 , use the new flexi by extending your copper pipe
2, get a new flexi
the new flexi does not have to be push on , it can be compression and it can be braided stainless steel
the problem you have is easily fixed , just be patient , you are nearly there

 

[andytbrown]

I used the collar but forced it a bit, will take a look in the morning when the light is better and inspect the pipe and O ring. What am I looking for in terms of damage?

 

[blackfriars]

you are looking to make sure the copper pipe is smooth on the inside and outside
you are looking to make sure the O ring is not torn or damaged, it should also be smooth
if the O ring is damaged throw the flexi out

 

[andytbrown]

So the pipe and ring were fine and I dried it all down and tested and it only pulsed once on both hot and cold before going off.

I then went for my first shower and after about 5 mins the pump cut out mid flow. It restarted again when I got out and switched it off and on but then pulsed!!!!

I'm thinking its time to call a plumber....

 

[blackfriars]

Most likely you have air trapped in the pipe work which will cause the water to continue to move back & forth through the flow switch.
Remove the shower spray head and let the shower run hot then cold. The pump is most likely able to deliver a higher flow rate then the outlet spray will allow thus trapping the air.

 

[andytbrown]

I didn't get chance to try your suggestions yesterday but the shower has been used twice this morning and didn't pulse once!

Hoping all the air is out and that will be the last of the problems.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[andytbrown]

Hi,

So the issues aren't over yet. Two showers today have both cut out after about 3 mins.

I called BES and they suggested its because air is getting in the pump, probably caused by the fact the hot water is drawn from the top of the cylinder and not the side. They suggested drilling a hole and fitting an Essex flange. I asked why this didn't happen with the old pump and they suggested it was less powerful.

I'm not confident of doing this work so will call a plumber but wanted to check this seemed like a reasonable explanation?

Thanks