Pressurised water system -help!

[max]

Apologies for yet another fitting out question.

Basic pressurised system - two basins and shower with hot and cold to each (Heating from gas heater).

All has worked fine for years. This winter the pump seized solid and I replaced it with similar pump - same flow rate and pressure switch (20psi), but the pump doesn't cut in when you turn the tap on. 'Fit an accumulator tank' said a wise man. I did (8ltr) and by fiddling with the pressure in it, the sytem seemed to work Ok. Until last weekend when the only way I can get the pump to kick in is to bleed air out of the tank. And then it doesn't work the next time you switch the tap on.

The instructions say to ensure that the pressure on the 'air' side is around 3 psi less that the system pressure. In the absence of an accurate guage this could be wildly out. Could this be the cause, or have I missed something else really basic.

Family visit planned to the boat at the weekend - they are unlikely to be impressed with my winter efforts so far!

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks

Max

P

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[bedouin]

Sounds like a faulty pressure switch on the pump.

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[vyv_cox]

Difficult to analyse what is happening from the info given, but here's a try on first principles. Opening the tap doesn't drop the pressure enough to cut the switch in. Bleeding the air out of the accumulator reduces the pressure enough to cut it in. Presumably the accumulator is close to the pump? My guess is that the pressure switch cut-in setting is too high. There is enough back-pressure in the system to keep it off. It may be adjustable, don't know your make. Make sure it is seated properly, they can sometimes become displaced.

The accumulator is a red herring - it will work OK whether there is air in it or not - just stores more or less water. I set mine by pumping it up with the water pump running until the delay between stop/starts is at a maximum.

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[Guest]

1. Is it possible you got the intake and outlet reversed?
2. If it is a mixer tap try opening in the cold water position only.

Let us all know what the cause/result was when you find out.

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[david_bagshaw]

As mr cox says it is the pressure switch that is at fault

on some types both the cut out pressure and the differential of the cut in to out can be adjusted.

<hr width=100% size=1>David
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.euroboating.net>http://www.euroboating.net</A>

 

[max]

Re: And the answer is.....

the switch - according to jabsco uk customer services when I rang to pick their brains. I They were very helpful and apologetic: there has been a batch fault. We thought we had got them all but feared some had gone out to stores.

And the long and short is that they have put a replacement in the post.

And hopefully, that's that.

Maybe we will have water this weekend.

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