News1 min ago
Shower Pump Problem
20 Answers
Evening all,
Put a new shower cabin in the bathroom over the weekend and continue to use a Stuart Turner shower pump that was already there feeding the old steam/shower cabin. All was fine until the night following the installation of the new cabin - the shower pump kicked in of it's own accord (only for a few seconds) at 0430 !! Same thing happened the second night and also last night at 0500 !! Only stays on for a few seconds but woke us both up at 0500 this am. Can't really put up with that so was wondering if anybody had any idea what is/could be causing this ?? Many thanks
FBG40
Put a new shower cabin in the bathroom over the weekend and continue to use a Stuart Turner shower pump that was already there feeding the old steam/shower cabin. All was fine until the night following the installation of the new cabin - the shower pump kicked in of it's own accord (only for a few seconds) at 0430 !! Same thing happened the second night and also last night at 0500 !! Only stays on for a few seconds but woke us both up at 0500 this am. Can't really put up with that so was wondering if anybody had any idea what is/could be causing this ?? Many thanks
FBG40
Answers
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Shower pumps are controlled by a flow switch ie, when you turn on the control water begins to flow and this flow prompts the pump to start. When you turn off the control the water stops and the flow-switch turns off the pump. If there is a fault with the flow switch in the pump or the electrical connections, the pump could operate spontaneously. You don't say whether there is any water in the shower cabin when you check it - with faulty electrics/flow switch the pump could run but be unable to pump water if the control is off.
My shower has a Salamander pump, which has flow switches in both hot and cold pipes and both switches need to be activated before the pump operates; I don't know how a Stuart Turner is wired.
My shower has a Salamander pump, which has flow switches in both hot and cold pipes and both switches need to be activated before the pump operates; I don't know how a Stuart Turner is wired.
Still grasping at straws - I assume you had to disconnect then reconnect the pipework between the pump and the shower when you changed the cabinet. Is then any chance of a very slight leak on that pipe run? I'm just thinking that a very slight leak might, after many hours, lose enough water for a flow though the pump to operate the flow-switches.
There won't be any water in the tray since the shower valve is OFF.
I think bhg is right about the flow switches. Might just need adjusting, or possibly replacing.
There's a remote possibility that there is air in the system, especially as it has recently been disturbed. With a bubble of air in there, the switch might sense the lack of water and "think" that it needs to come on.
Using the shower a few times should clear it.
Otherwise...
https:/
I think bhg is right about the flow switches. Might just need adjusting, or possibly replacing.
There's a remote possibility that there is air in the system, especially as it has recently been disturbed. With a bubble of air in there, the switch might sense the lack of water and "think" that it needs to come on.
Using the shower a few times should clear it.
Otherwise...
https:/
To All
Contacted Stuart Turner and got this reply :
There’s 2 potential causes for this type of pump to be kicking in on its own randomly. As its very old and out of warranty, we can’t offer any service to repair it. However
It could be quite a simple fix or it could be the internal printed circuit board on the pump has gone faulty which would require the pump to be replaced as we no longer manufacture parts for that pump.
Most commonly this random on action occurs when the pressure vessel attached onto the pump has depleted of air. To check and refill this is quite simple as the valve on the vessel to refill it is the same valve you find on car tyres and bike tyres (Schrader valve). The vessel should have 0.9bar or air pressure in it which is about 13 PSI. In order to re-pressurise the vessel you need to isolate the pump electrically and isolate the water to the pump. Then open up an outlet the pump is connected to release the water and pressure in the pipes. Once this is done you can attach an ordinary bike pump onto the vessel and see if it has lost pressure over time as if its below 13psi then this would be a possible cause for the random activating in the middle of the night.
I would strongly recommend monitoring this pressure as if the vessel is losing charge then it suggest that the vessel is leaking and faulty and would require replacement.
I'm going to check the pressure and if the need arises will change the pump. Once again many thanks for all the advice, much appreciated.
FBG40
Contacted Stuart Turner and got this reply :
There’s 2 potential causes for this type of pump to be kicking in on its own randomly. As its very old and out of warranty, we can’t offer any service to repair it. However
It could be quite a simple fix or it could be the internal printed circuit board on the pump has gone faulty which would require the pump to be replaced as we no longer manufacture parts for that pump.
Most commonly this random on action occurs when the pressure vessel attached onto the pump has depleted of air. To check and refill this is quite simple as the valve on the vessel to refill it is the same valve you find on car tyres and bike tyres (Schrader valve). The vessel should have 0.9bar or air pressure in it which is about 13 PSI. In order to re-pressurise the vessel you need to isolate the pump electrically and isolate the water to the pump. Then open up an outlet the pump is connected to release the water and pressure in the pipes. Once this is done you can attach an ordinary bike pump onto the vessel and see if it has lost pressure over time as if its below 13psi then this would be a possible cause for the random activating in the middle of the night.
I would strongly recommend monitoring this pressure as if the vessel is losing charge then it suggest that the vessel is leaking and faulty and would require replacement.
I'm going to check the pressure and if the need arises will change the pump. Once again many thanks for all the advice, much appreciated.
FBG40
Here you are, bhg.
https:/
I'm still trying to get my head around how reduced vessel pressure could cause the problem, especially when the unit is dormant overnight
https:/
I'm still trying to get my head around how reduced vessel pressure could cause the problem, especially when the unit is dormant overnight
Thanks TheBuilder. I've never dealt with a negative pressure system so I was unaware of a pressure vessel. The only showers I've installed are at our house and our daughter's house and both were old-style cold-water-tank-in-the-loft systems that had over 1m head.
Thinking about it, the house would be at its coldest at 4-5am, so the pressure in the pressure vessel would be at its lowest; if this triggered the pump the pressure vessel would be re-inflated by the pump's action in a few seconds. It seems it would be worth fbg getting out his bike pump - nothing to lose.
Thinking about it, the house would be at its coldest at 4-5am, so the pressure in the pressure vessel would be at its lowest; if this triggered the pump the pressure vessel would be re-inflated by the pump's action in a few seconds. It seems it would be worth fbg getting out his bike pump - nothing to lose.
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