Central Heating Pump(s) not working / burning out..questions

tigersIron

My central heating pump is not working I believe, i.e. not turning / pumping which I am confirming by looking at it. I had it replaced a couple of months ago, as on a routine inspection (plumber doing other work in house) the original was found to have been not working and was burnt out. The heating still seems to work, i.e. the rads all get good and hot (after about 1/2 - 3/4 hours, dont know if this is normal), but the pump seems not to be spinning / pumping. It was spinning / pumping when installed a couple months ago alright.

My questions are :-

Is it ok for the boiler to be working when the pump is not ?

Does pump work all the time normally, or only sometimes ?

Why would the pumps be burning out ?

Do I actually have a problem here ?


I dont know much about these Central Heating Systems so I apologise if the above makes no sense.

Thanks.

Buford T Justice

When you switch on your central heating, the pump should be going all the time. If its not, then there's an issue.

It does sound strange that all the rads are heating if the pump isn't working though.

It may be the case that the pump switches off when the boiler turns off due to heating the water to the desired temp. Can you check if the pump is wired correctly?

youtheman

I had a problem with my previous gas boiler. The thermostat that turns the pump on/off had an intermittent fault. So it tripped the pump when it was not supposed to. When the pump was turned off (with the boiler still on) it suffered from severe 'water hammer'. And when I say 'water hammer', I mean exactly that, neraly shook the house to bits.

So I doubt if your boiler can run normally with the pump off.

You state that you can confirm that the pump is not working 'by looking at it'. May I be so bold as to enquire when and how you developed this amazing talent ?.

tigersIron

Fingers McGee wrote: »

When you switch on your central heating, the pump should be going all the time. If its not, then there's an issue.

It does sound strange that all the rads are heating if the pump isn't working though.

It may be the case that the pump switches off when the boiler turns off due to heating the water to the desired temp. Can you check if the pump is wired correctly?

Yes, I have checked and it is wired correctly

tigersIron

youtheman wrote: »

I had a problem with my previous gas boiler. The thermostat that turns the pump on/off had an intermittent fault. So it tripped the pump when it was not supposed to. When the pump was turned off (with the boiler still on) it suffered from severe 'water hammer'. And when I say 'water hammer', I mean exactly that, neraly shook the house to bits.

So I doubt if your boiler can run normally with the pump off.

You state that you can confirm that the pump is not working 'by looking at it'. May I be so bold as to enquire when and how you developed this amazing talent ?.

Eh, I simply looked at it. There is a central spindle thingy that spins around when the pump is working, like in the photo attached. The circular (looks like a screw head) thing in the centre of the pump. It was spinning before and now it is not. Ergo, I think the pump does not work. I am open to howls of derision if I am mistaken however.

youtheman

That central spindle thingy is a vent, and it's not supposed to turn. It's supposed to be closed tightly.

Suggest you get a large flat bladed screw driver, and put the blade hard up againts the pump and then put your ear up against the handle. Then turn the boiler on and off and see if you can hear the distinct sound of the pump 'churning' when it is turned on.

meercat

to check pump is circulating

unscrew the "central spindle thingy"completely
a small amount of water may come out
insert a screwdriver into centre of pump where you removed"central spindle thingy"
if you feel resistance on screwdriver then pump is circulating
rescrew "central spindle thingy"

youtheman

meercat wrote: »

a small amount of water may come out

Slight understatement. I reckon you'll get more than a small amount of water. You'll need your flippers and mask on cause you're gonna get wet.

Or did you intend to recommend closing the valves upstream and downstream of the pump.

meercat

youtheman wrote: »

Slight understatement. I reckon you'll get more than a small amount of water. You'll need your flippers and mask on cause you're gonna get wet.

Or did you intend to recommend closing the valves upstream and downstream of the pump.

trust me.im a doctor

youtheman

meercat wrote: »

trust me.im a doctor

This is going to end in tears !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tigersIron

youtheman wrote: »

That central spindle thingy is a vent, and it's not supposed to turn. It's supposed to be closed tightly.

Suggest you get a large flat bladed screw driver, and put the blade hard up againts the pump and then put your ear up against the handle. Then turn the boiler on and off and see if you can hear the distinct sound of the pump 'churning' when it is turned on.

Thank you sir
I have tried this out and am satisfied. The pump seems to be working alright. Therefore I never really had a problem

Thanks for the suggestion meercat but I probably will give your suggestion a miss for now.