Fresh water pump: it's driving me mad!

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Modulation

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Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

It's an electric pump - switches on when I turn on a tap. Works absolutely fine except that it keeps on "hunting" when the taps are turned off. It makes this really irritating double snicking sound every 30 seconds or so. A friend said I should adjust the pressure setting - trouble is it doesn't have one . The only way I have learned to deal with it is to turn off the power supply.
Any ideas? You could save my wife's sanity.

<hr width=100% size=1>Brendan
 
Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

had the same prob with my bene 351, the surveyor mentioned it in his report, turned out it was the transom shower turned on, if the pump hunts you have leak!!
stu

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Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

I've mended mine finally. Not only that but the pressure had gone less and less. So had to wait ages for cup of tea. Surprising how much less water is used though!!

Fitted new surflow pump last week £95 works a treat.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>It's flog a flag day.<font color=red> Today.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

Does it have an accumalator? it should have, if the pump atarts as soon as you turn the tap on, you have an accumalator problem. That might need looking at, failing that the pressure switch is faulty or you have a water leak somewhere.

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Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

As stated in previous posts. Usually caused by a leak, either on any of the outlets or possibly sucking air in the inlet.

The pressure switches are replacable and some of them are adjustable. You may be able to reduce the pressure if you can stand the lower flow. This will certainly reduce the frequency of the 'topping up' bursts irrespective of the cause.

Iain

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Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

if you don't have an accumulator you will certainly get cycling. because the volume of water in the pipes is small, even a very tiny amount of water leaking back through the valves of the pump or driping from a tap will cause the pressure to drop. it's essential you have some air in the system to act as a pressure reservoir. the best type of accumulator is one which has a diaphragm to prevent the air being flushed out of the system.

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Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

Hi Brendan !

Just one further point worth checking re the air leak - I had a similar problem and it's worth checking the hose clamps throughout the system, but particularly on the pump input side.

Even though I thought mine were done up tightly enough, they weren't and air was leaking at the in-line filter exiting the water tank !

If u do it methodically, tracing the route from the tank u ensure that it's not something as simple as a jubilee clip (may save u the expense of pump replacement/parts) ! Not sure how old your pump is, but they tend to be relatively reliable - more likely to be a simple fault in the lines or even a faulty washer at the tap end !

Happy hunting,

Eric.

<hr width=100% size=1>www.HarryHindsight.com
 
Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

If you have an accumulator, doesn't this mean that you will have a check-valve of some sort in the system also, otherwise the pressure would just leak off back to the tank. Or does the pump itself prevent this from happening. If check-valve, then this could also have some crap in it allowing pressure drop. I'm not sure as I just turn on my pump when I turn on a tap. No accumulator.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/h00>http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/h00</A>
 
Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

you don't need a check valve, the pump valves will prevent pressure leaking back to the tank.

you absolutely mustn't have a check valve between the accumulator and the pump as that would prevent the accumulator pressure getting back to the sensor in the pump so the pump will cycle.

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Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

Obviously check every where for leaks first as several people have said already but only Snoeleopard has mentioned the valves in the pump.

If these are letting the pressure leak slowy back to the tank then you will get the symptoms you describe. They may be clapped out or there may just be a some grit in there. There should be a filter on the suction side of the pump, either built in as part of the pump or as a separate unit ( only a little plastic bodied thing with a fine gauze in it) to guard against his but check it out and fit one if there isn't one fitted.

I dont thnk its likely to be the pressure switch because I think that would lead to generally erratic operation, ie some times not working at all or not cutting out properly, but keep an open mind.

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Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

IMHO if you have no physical leak from the plumbing then water is leaking back through the pump into the tank.

Even if no non return valve is fitted on the suction side of the pump, fit one.

This will cure the problem. Had similar problem with a godwin pump some uears ago, where we fitted 2 non return valves!

<hr width=100% size=1>David
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.euroboating.net>http://www.euroboating.net</A>
 
Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

Ok, wasn't sure about the check valve, but in fact the answer is the same, just look on the pump itself as the check valve.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/h00>http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/h00</A>
 
Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

Although not directly related to your problem, I think it may be worth describing a problem I had recently, which resulted in almost water above the floorboards!!

The first symptoms were my complaints that the first mate was using the water too much, open rinsing of the washup, for instance. But after a few days, I noticed that the pump was 'running on' and sometimes burst into song for no reason. Stupidly, I allowed it to remain for some time in my subconscious, thinking I must look into it sometime. Then I happened to check the bilges and found the water just below the floorboards. Having pumped out, and a few checks later, I found that the pressure switch was not cutting the supply to the motor, and a pressure relief valve was dumping the excess pressure ( ie. water) into the bilge!

A new pressure switch was ordered, costing a small fortune.

<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all
 
Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

when i had the same problem it turned out to be a hair stuck in the valve!

these pumps are pressure sensitive. when pressure drops (because a tap is turned on, or a leak, or a faulty valve etc) the pump switches on till it rebuild pressure.

if there is no obvious cause, start by blocking the outlet (short blank piece of pipe on outlet) and seeing if the pump still cycles. if it does, the problem is in the pump which will need stripping and cleaning. if not, then its a leek in the downstream pipework / taps etc.

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Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

I don't have an accumalator and I don't have 'cycling'. As I had to replace pump ('cos it got submerged in salt water once upon adn time and I forgot about it..............) I fitted one that was 'available' (spare stock on shelf and going cheap) but with a lower pressure setting than existing.....it hunted.
Now have new correct pressure one - fine.
Agree about sanity issues.
Must get around to selling the spare sometime

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Re: Fresh water pump: it\'s driving me mad!

If the inlet valve on the pump is not sealing fully the pressure will be falling away when the pump is stopped. Test it by blanking off the discharge from the pump. If it still cycles on and off the problem is in the pump. If it stops cycling you have a leak somewhere.
If the pump is faulty it could be some debris from the tank stuck in the inlet valve. Try flushing through by turning all taps on together to get max flow for a few seconds then turn them all off several times.
If this doesn't work fitting a check valve in the supply to the pump may help.

<hr width=100% size=1>Richard
 
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