Hot water tanks contantly over flowing

[Reltub]

Got called to a job - overflow contantly running, got in loft open hot outlets which are all run off a wickes pump to lower water level in tanks so i can see what is causing the overflow. The vent wasnt chicking water back in and the ball valves arent passing. you can hear a humming noise coming from the shower and it stops or changes tone when you adjust the temperatue lever. I think water is being pushed from the cold main in the shower back through the hot and filling the tanks casuing them to overflow. I will attach a pic of the pump and a drawing of the config of the system.

So i need to know - can you connect cold side to the mains and pump the hot? for the shower
- is the pump being used the correct 1 (it is noisy as hell)
- could it be the water from the mains on the shower casuing the tanks to back fill?



Thanks

 

[Irish]

Is there non a return valve on the hot?? Looks like a right mess in there air freshener??? Wtf? Also pump looks like it's got no room for ventilation

 

[Reltub]

I didnt see 1 should there be?

 

[Howsie]

Have a read of the instruction for the pump and you'll find that it's been installed incorrectly.

I'd turn the pump off until it's been fixed. Our at the very least on and off after ever shower.

 

[Reltub]

Have a read of the instruction for the pump and you'll find that it's been installed incorrectly.

Good point i should if done that.

I'd turn the pump off until it's been fixed. Our at the very least on and off after ever shower.

Turning the pump iff doesn't stop it overflowing.

Cheers

 

[Howsie]

Of course if won't, silly me(morphine).

You need to isolate the cold feed to the shower or the feed to the pump.

 

[gassafe]

That pump should not be pumping all hot water outlets, its a dedicated shower pump! Would need a whole house type pump...

Best to rip the mess out & install unvented cylinder!

 

[Reltub]

Of course if won't, silly me(morphine).

You need to isolate the cold feed to the shower or the feed to the pump.

Do you think a non return in the hot would do it like irish suggested?

 

[Reltub]

That pump should not be pumping all hot water outlets, its a dedicated shower pump! Would need a whole house type pump...

Best to rip the mess out & install unvented cylinder!

I agree mate but they aint really an option

 

[Killy Bing]

Unvented or switch it to a twin impeller and gravity feed the cold instead of mains?

Unvented sounds easier!

 

[gassafe]

If the shower is on mains cold & pumped hot then what is the cold side of the pump feeding?

From noises you described, the cold mains is definitely pushing back thru the hot side and overflowing tanks!

Shower is incorrectly installed and causing the probs... You need pumped hot & cold to it, probs difficult now tho with concealed pipes?

 

[Howsie]

Do you think a non return in the hot would do it like irish suggested?

Is a fudge and should be put right IMHO as NRV do fail.

 

[gassafe]

Non return valve will probs cause probs with shower pump... It will struggle to get natural flow to kick the pump in due to the restriction on flow..?

 

[Killy Bing]

Non return valve will probs cause probs with shower pump... It will struggle to get natural flow to kick the pump in due to the restriction on flow..?

Also the mains would activate the nrv leaving only a cold shower?

 

[gassafe]

Just tell the custard its a mess, it gets done properly or find someone else... No good patching up a bad job, as it will be you who they blame when that shower pump or anything else gives up & floods the place...

 

[Ray Stafford]

If the shower is on mains cold & pumped hot then what is the cold side of the pump feeding?

What was the answer to this question?

 

[Killy Bing]

What was the answer to this question?

toilets probably!!

 

[Ermintrude]

Cold mains in to pump cold mains oot? Probably explain noise and header overflowing??

 

[Reltub]

Just tell the custard its a mess, it gets done properly or find someone else... No good patching up a bad job, as it will be you who they blame when that shower pump or anything else gives up & floods the place...

True its for a friend once i get enough info ill tell him what needs to be done.

 

[Reltub]

What was the answer to this question?

There is nothing coming from the cold, they've got the draw off straight into the pump the the outlet of the pump going to the taps.

 

[Ray Stafford]

There is nothing coming from the cold, they've got the draw off straight into the pump the the outlet of the pump going to the taps.

But a twin impeller pump has two inlets and two outlets. Is there nothing connected to the other side?

 

[Reltub]

No its must be capped off

 

[Ray Stafford]

No its must be capped off

Ok, I don't know who made the Wickes pump, but assuming its the same design as most twin impellers, I expect that the bearing and seal on the cold side are now completely knackered if it has been running dry since installation. Most of the good solutions to this problem involve taking a tank fed cold supply through that pump, but unfortunately thats unlikely to be possible now without replacing the pump.

What a flippin' mess.

 

[Ermintrude]

Ah thank DIY for that.

 

[Ray Stafford]

G
- is the pump being used the correct 1 (it is noisy as hell)

Ok, I don't know who made the Wickes pump, but assuming its the same design as most twin impellers, I expect that the bearing and seal on the cold side are now completely knackered if it has been running dry since installation. Most of the good solutions to this problem involve taking a tank fed cold supply through that pump, but unfortunately thats unlikely to be possible now without replacing the pump.

What a flippin' mess.

That would explain the noise.