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Shower Trouble

  • 13-01-2010 11:03am
    #1
    JohnnyCrash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 978 ✭✭✭


    Have a shower pumped by a STUART ST-55 pump. My prob is,that,over a short period of time,is gotten more and more temperamental. i.e. to get it working,i have to turn the mixer tap in the shower to cold to get the pump to kick in,and,when its turned back towards hot,the pump pulses intermittently or stops altogether.Would this be the mixer tap giving trouble or the pump?All suggestions greatly appreciated.P.s.Not related to the big freeze,started happening way before all that.


Comments

  • #2
    sky6
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,444 ✭✭✭sky6


    It could be either but I suspect it is the Mixer as pumps tend to work or not work.

    I had a similar problem recently and found it to be the flexable hose feeding the shower head. I had first spent about 2 hours taking apart and refitting the mixer all to no avail. If the Hose is a few years old I would begin by replacing the Hose.


  • #3
    items
    Closed Accounts Posts: 672 ✭✭✭items


    JohnnyCrash wrote: »
    Have a shower pumped by a STUART ST-55 pump. My prob is,that,over a short period of time,is gotten more and more temperamental. i.e. to get it working,i have to turn the mixer tap in the shower to cold to get the pump to kick in,and,when its turned back towards hot,the pump pulses intermittently or stops altogether.Would this be the mixer tap giving trouble or the pump?All suggestions greatly appreciated.P.s.Not related to the big freeze,started happening way before all that.

    ST pumps have anti dry run protection, if no water passes through pump sensors soon enough it will stop working. You could have a problem with hot going into pump, or a problem with pump sensor on hot side. If pump is fitted correctly, their should be 4 isolation valves connected above flexi hoses, if you can, shut off all pump valves and flip it around so hot is now going into where cold used to be. If you find trouble is now with cold side then its a pump problem, if you still have trouble with hot, then its a hot water problem.

    Special attention has to go towards hot side of pump, if feed from cylinder is not taken in the right way, air can be drawn into pump, your cylinder is vented you could possibly have an aerated hot supply going to pump.

    If you can post picture of cylinder with hot supply to pump it might help better.


  • #4
    JohnnyCrash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    sky6 wrote: »
    It could be either but I suspect it is the Mixer as pumps tend to work or not work.

    I had a similar problem recently and found it to be the flexable hose feeding the shower head. I had first spent about 2 hours taking apart and refitting the mixer all to no avail. If the Hose is a few years old I would begin by replacing the Hose.
    Only recently fitted a new hose because old one was broken,so thats that out of the way.Have noticed that the mixer controls are a bit stiffer,so im hoping its as simple as lime or something like that.Cheers for reply-keep ye posted!


  • #5
    JohnnyCrash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    items wrote: »
    ST pumps have anti dry run protection, if no water passes through pump sensors soon enough it will stop working. You could have a problem with hot going into pump, or a problem with pump sensor on hot side. If pump is fitted correctly, their should be 4 isolation valves connected above flexi hoses, if you can, shut off all pump valves and flip it around so hot is now going into where cold used to be. If you find trouble is now with cold side then its a pump problem, if you still have trouble with hot, then its a hot water problem.

    Special attention has to go towards hot side of pump, if feed from cylinder is not taken in the right way, air can be drawn into pump, your cylinder is vented you could possibly have an aerated hot supply going to pump.

    If you can post picture of cylinder with hot supply to pump it might help better.
    Should have added that,even when shower runs at cold,the pressure is crap!


  • #6
    JohnnyCrash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    Prob sorted. Was a combination of 2 things.
    1. Mixer tap was seizing
    2. Look like someone had it dismantled before,possibly for cleaning,and when they refitted it,didnt line it up correctly,so tap wasnt going through the full range.
    Thanks for replies.


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  • #7
    carrickcolin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭carrickcolin


    my old st55 pump needed the flexihose housing unit replaced so i bought a second hand st55 pump. I installed the pump and connected the hot/cold inlet/outlet pipes as the instructions on the pump instructed me to but when i turn on the shower the pump will not work at all..can someone help please

    thanks


  • #8
    ment
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭ment


    items wrote: »
    ST pumps have anti dry run protection, if no water passes through pump sensors soon enough it will stop working. You could have a problem with hot going into pump, or a problem with pump sensor on hot side. If pump is fitted correctly, their should be 4 isolation valves connected above flexi hoses, if you can, shut off all pump valves and flip it around so hot is now going into where cold used to be. If you find trouble is now with cold side then its a pump problem, if you still have trouble with hot, then its a hot water problem.

    Special attention has to go towards hot side of pump, if feed from cylinder is not taken in the right way, air can be drawn into pump, your cylinder is vented you could possibly have an aerated hot supply going to pump.

    If you can post picture of cylinder with hot supply to pump it might help better.


    This was very useful information - thansk - I now believe that I may have an aerated hot water supply going into pump as cold water pumps fine but as soon as i mix it the water starts to 'splutter' on and off - any ideas how this can be solved or do i need a plumber to solve?


  • #9
    Carlow52
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,389 ✭✭✭Carlow52


    ment wrote: »
    This was very useful information - thansk - I now believe that I may have an aerated hot water supply going into pump as cold water pumps fine but as soon as i mix it the water starts to 'splutter' on and off - any ideas how this can be solved or do i need a plumber to solve?

    where is the feed for the hot to the pump taken from?

    I suspect that the pump is sucking the water in the vent pipe from the top of the cylinder as the cold feed to the cylinder from the tank isn't fast enough.

    The proper way for this to be done is to use a slurry flange on the top of the immersion cylinder


  • #10
    cnocbui
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,091 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    Carlow52 wrote: »
    where is the feed for the hot to the pump taken from?

    I suspect that the pump is sucking the water in the vent pipe from the top of the cylinder as the cold feed to the cylinder from the tank isn't fast enough.

    The proper way for this to be done is to use a slurry flange on the top of the immersion cylinder

    I think that might be 'Surrey' flange. ;)

    There are also other types like the Essex.

    http://www.letsfixit.co.uk/html/pump_hints.html


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