Apartment Water Pump Trouble

jack_pearse

Hi
My tenants are complaining about when they use the shower in the apartment. The first shower is fine, but when a second person goes to use the shower straight after the pump just makes a 'whirring' sound and no water gets to the shower. After a a little while it works fine again, like the pump over heats?
The pump also feeds the taps and the cistern but these don't seem cause the issue
Any ideas whst could be going on?
Thanks

Froststop

jack_pearse wrote: »

Hi
My tenants are complaining about when they use the shower in the apartment. The first shower is fine, but when a second person goes to use the shower straight after the pump just makes a 'whirring' sound and no water gets to the shower. After a a little while it works fine again, like the pump over heats?
The pump also feeds the taps and the cistern but these don't seem cause the issue
Any ideas whst could be going on?
Thanks

What size is the hot water cylinder?
How much storage have you in the storage tank?
If the storage is not enough you might be running out of water. It works fine when the tank fills again.

jack_pearse

The hot water tank is huge and it has been fine for 5 years until recently.
The cold water I think comes directly from the mains.
Who would I call out for an issue like this....
If it's a pump problem will a plumber be able to repair it?
Or would I be better calling someone who repairs showers/pumps etc?

I was thinking of htese guys
http://westernshowerservices.com/

Froststop

jack_pearse wrote: »

The hot water tank is huge and it has been fine for 5 years until recently.
The cold water I think comes directly from the mains.
Who would I call out for an issue like this....
If it's a pump problem will a plumber be able to repair it?
Or would I be better calling someone who repairs showers/pumps etc?

I was thinking of htese guys
http://westernshowerservices.com/

The tank is probably doing all the apartments.
Is it a top floor apartment?
Can you post a few pictures of the pump and hot press?

jack_pearse

Here are a couple of photos, sorry for delay.
Went for a look and this pump is serving all the taps inthe apartment.
It's a Techflow QT45.
When the shower is turned on the pump runs OK for 5-10 mins but then it stops.
Leave it for ten mins and it's back in action.
Also noticed screeching from the pipes but this is fairly normal I think.

Thanks

sullzz

Screeching pipes isn't normal .
No picture .
If its taking 5 - 10 mins for it to happen it might also be happening with your taps , you probably don't leave them running for that long . When it switches off during the shower does it work the taps ok .
If it is only affecting your shower and not the taps the problem lies with your shower and not the pump , what make shower (pic?)
If it has a hose it could be collapsing internally with the hot water , if its thermostatic it could be a faulty thermostat , try running the shower without the hose attached and see if it happens.

jack_pearse

Sorry see attached picture.

Taps won't work also when the when the water cuts out.
Checked the shower hose and it seems OK.
I'm thinking the screeching pipes have something to do with it.
It may be struggling to get water for some reason, although there is plenty of pressure when you turn on the shower\tap.

sullzz

jack_pearse wrote: »

Sorry see attached picture.

Taps won't work also when the when the water cuts out.
Checked the shower hose and it seems OK.
I'm thinking the screeching pipes have something to do with it.
It may be struggling to get water for some reason, although there is plenty of pressure when you turn on the shower\tap.

Are you sure the screeching noise is not coming from the pump , perhaps the motor , if the pump sounds ok when its working the problem is probably with the fluid switch , which is the fitting located on top of the pump , I'm not familiar with that brand of pump so I can't give you an exact figure for a replacement fluid switch but I'd be guessing around the 90 -100 mark a replacement negative head pump would be a hell of a lot more

scudo2

Photo of the top of your cylindre pz. It looks like a self contained storage tank and cylindre. If so you only need the ballcocks cleared/cleaned as it isn't filling the tank guick enough and that's why your running out of water.

sullzz

That is a valid point , I never thought of that , it's defo a combi cylinder by the looks of it.

scudo2

sullzz wrote: »

That is a valid point , I never thought of that , it's defo a combi cylinder by the looks of it.

Sometimes were right, sometimes were wrong) nice to get all polite opinions. I hate when somebody replys with something like "your totaly effin wrong.......and then they give the right answer" or words to that effect.

All opinions and info helps us all, cheers Sullzz .

A second set of eyes on a problem always helps. ta

K.Flyer

This is a typical combi water storage cylinder, with hot water stored in the lower section and the cold water in the upper section.
As Scudo says check that the ball-cock is filling the top section properly.
The water level should be approx 6" from the top of the tank if its not the the ball-cock most likely needs cleaning and also check that the two red valves in front of the tank are fully open as well.

gifted

K.Flyer wrote: »

This is a typical combi water storage cylinder, with hot water stored in the lower section and the cold water in the upper section.
As Scudo says check that the ball-cock is filling the top section properly.
The water level should be approx 6" from the top of the tank if its not the the ball-cock most likely needs cleaning and also check that the two red valves in front of the tank are fully open as well.

Some bang of toe jam in that hot press i'd say

sullzz

Nothing to do with your problem your having but your cylinder stat is tired a bit too high on your cylinder

scudo2

gifted wrote: »

Some bang of toe jam in that hot press i'd say

????????????????????? ? What ????????

sullzz

scudo2 wrote: »

????????????????????? ? What ????????

Lots of shoes = bad smell of feet

scudo2

sullzz wrote: »

Lots of shoes = bad smell of feet

Sorry I'm lost there. ?

K.Flyer

sullzz wrote: »

Nothing to do with your problem your having but your cylinder stat is tired a bit too high on your cylinder

Saw that as well, looks a good 14 - 16 inches too high.

scudo2

sullzz wrote: »

Lots of shoes = bad smell of feet

Sorry for been slow !!

I'm to much the professional, only looked at the cyl.

First time I've heard the expression " toe jam"

Ps how did OP get on with the problem ?

Froststop

jack_pearse wrote: »

Sorry see attached picture.

Taps won't work also when the when the water cuts out.
Checked the shower hose and it seems OK.
I'm thinking the screeching pipes have something to do with it.
It may be struggling to get water for some reason, although there is plenty of pressure when you turn on the shower\tap.

Water tank may not be filling fast enough to supply shower.
Check tank ballcock to make sure it's filling at full flow.
Note following:
2 Reduced/Intermittent Flow

2.1 Incorrect or no anti-aeration flange fitted

2.2 Incorrect pipe sizes: Check that 22mm pipe work is used on inlets and outlets (Your out lets are reducing to 1/2", the pump can cavitate which creates air in the pump if water is to hot & is not moving through the outlet fast enough, Low flows or high flows for which the pump was not designed can also cause cavitation-like noise)

2.3 Blocked inlet filters: Clean and re-test

2.4 Air in system: Run system on full hot with pump switched off (i.e. gravity only) for several minutes
Check that vents are fitted as detailed in instructions (Your outlet hoses look as if they are dropping, causing a high point which can't vent naturally)

2.5 Hot temp. set too high: Reduce cylinder stat setting to 65°c max as some pumps will cut out if pump temp is too high.

jack_pearse

Sorry for the late reply was waiting for someone to come out to me.
Had a pump guy out and he opened it and changed the capacitor on the motor of the pump. It looked fine but he checked it and it was reading 6 when it should have been 10. So he said that may have been the issue, just have to wait and see.
What do you think, would this have caused the problem I was getting?