The Boiler Pump

amandstu · 30-01-2014 2:27pm #1

Hi
I have a Wilo Star-RS 25/4 pump that is on a go slow. (http://productfinder.wilo.com/en/COM/product/000000040003031a0001003a/fc_product_salesdata)

It feeds the upstairs water tank as well as the radiators but for the past couple of days will only do the hot water and that at a reduced rate.

When I put my hand on it I get very little feeling (no swishing about like it does normally)

I took off the electrical box on the side to check for the current and the phase tester lights up on one of the leads .I am not qualified to say if that is an indication of the electrics being in order as although I have a Digital Multimeter (http://www.sinometer.com/uploadImage/2012-09-26/2012092616392048545720.jpg) I have never been able to use it on account of my ignorance.

Would there be any hope for this pump?Can they go suddenly like that (not completely but suddenly slower)?

There are 3 speeds and I have tried them all to no effect.

There is a leak in the roof but it doesn't seem to have got into the electric box and I wouldn't have thought it could get into the pump itself , surely not?

I am the only person who goes near this pump so the settings were not changed in any way before this happened.

Above and below the pump there are "collars" (piping that is wider than the pipes that go around the house) about 2 or 3 inches tall.In each of these collars there is a screw .When I attempted to unscrew these to see if it would "bleed " the pump they only unscrewed a short distance (half a turn).What do these screws actually do?Are they for bleeding? Adjusting flow?-I never touched them at all before this but for a while there the flow seemed to have dropped to a standstill until I touched them again and it is now back to "go slow"

Would draining the system be likely to free any blockage that could have got into the pump? (it doesn't even sound like it is working even though it is pumping the water albeit slowly)

K.Flyer · 30-01-2014 6:45pm

The "screws" that you describe are valves and should be kept in line with the pipe ==(-)==
Pumps like these can just stop working for no particular reason irrespective of age and a replacement is usually the only solution, but they do have a capacitor which sometimes is the cause of problems and are usually straightforward to replace.
But as capacitors are for getting a pump started and you say yours is turning, albeit slowly, its more than likely not the capacitor.
Best to get someone out to have a look at it.

Dtp1979 · 30-01-2014 6:58pm

And I also wouldn't use a phase tester again to check for power because you could be the one lighting up the next time!!

amandstu · 30-01-2014 7:09pm

Dtp1979 wrote: »

And I also wouldn't use a phase tester again to check for power because you could be the one lighting up the next time!!

thanks but what would you suggest instead?

Why are phase testers likely to pass current ?Is it that they are misused or or they inherently dangerous?

I must have had 4 or 5 bad shocks in my life and have known other people to be very badly damaged so I am always very wary.Even if you are lucky enough for the shock to have no lasting effects it is always really unpleasant.

If I check for current I nearly always keep the other hand behind my back as I have heard that that will prevent any current crossing your heart but I don't know if that is a sufficient precaution (I also wear dry shoes -again I don't know how good that is but I do know that bare feet is lethal)

rightjob! · 30-01-2014 7:42pm

amandstu wrote: »

thanks but what would you suggest instead?

Why are phase testers likely to pass current ?Is it that they are misused or or they inherently dangerous?

I must have had 4 or 5 bad shocks in my life and have known other people to be very badly damaged so I am always very wary.Even if you are lucky enough for the shock to have no lasting effects it is always really unpleasant.

If I check for current I nearly always keep the other hand behind my back as I have heard that that will prevent any current crossing your heart but I don't know if that is a sufficient precaution (I also wear dry shoes -again I don't know how good that is but I do know that bare feet is lethal)

they are a bad way of checking for power,anybody that works on electrics will tell you this.
they cost about 1 euro and you are risking your life with them basically
multimeter all the way

amandstu · 30-01-2014 8:27pm

Ok I will take that on board.I do have a multimeter and so I will use it from now on.

Dtp1979 · 30-01-2014 10:31pm

amandstu wrote: »

Ok I will take that on board.I do have a multimeter and so I will use it from now on.

Always put one probe on the earth first. Not the other way around

amandstu · 31-01-2014 12:27am

thanks

amandstu · 12-03-2014 4:12pm

Well if I just replace this pump with an exact replacement is that a technically difficult thing to do or would I need to get the plumber?

I am not completely incompetent but I wouldn't want to have to stop half way if ,for example I had to force the pipes just to remove the pumps or reinsert the new one.

I don't fancy getting out the hacksaw to make room for it or if I have to change the olives .

The Boiler Pump

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