Apartment Water Pump

vonbarracuda

Question is it normal for an apartment water pump to just ranondly go for a second every now and then! Maybe once every half hour if it's not being used.
Have had a look around no dripping taps on toilets

Calahonda52

Not normal, the drip in a cistern can be minuscule, u may not see it unless u look closely.
Tell us a bit more about the setup, age of kit etc, and what exactly is being pumped, and tell us about your heating system and hot water
could be the pressure vessel bladder gone.
A few pics would help

K.Flyer

If your water pressure boosting pump is cycling on a regular basis it may be one of several reasons.
Firstly the smallest pressure loss through a tap or cistern drip is the most common cause.
After eliminating them from being the cause then its most likely to be a non-return valve on the outlet side of the pump leaking or there may be an issue with the small expansion vessel on the pump.

vonbarracuda

Pump does all water in apartment bar the cold tap in kitchen . Will look later see if I can see any ripples in the toilet cistern ! Thanks for all the help

Shuttle666

On the same vein, an idea what might be going on when the water pump is still pumping cold water to the bathrooms, but not any hot. Presume pump is dead?

K.Flyer

Shuttle666 wrote: »

On the same vein, an idea what might be going on when the water pump is still pumping cold water to the bathrooms, but not any hot. Presume pump is dead?

If you have normal pressure in all the cold taps etc but nothing from the hot taps, most likely there is a problem with the hot water supply to the pump, either a blockage or an airlock.
Other problems could a blockage after the pump, or problems with the impeller in the pump. But if you turn on the tap and get pressurised cold water does it bring in the hot water if you leave the cold running, if so, then its a flow sensor.
All depends on which make / model you have, but usually repairable depending on age / condition etc.

vonbarracuda

Just bumping this up. Last time I found a small drip in one the showers but now I'm back to square one , every 10 minutes my pump runs for a second and stops when I'm not using anything !
Have checked for drips can't find anything .
Anything I can do before ringing someone and can anyone recommend if I need to call someone in

K.Flyer

vonbarracuda wrote: »

Just bumping this up. Last time I found a small drip in one the showers but now I'm back to square one , every 10 minutes my pump runs for a second and stops when I'm not using anything !
Have checked for drips can't find anything .
Anything I can do before ringing someone and can anyone recommend if I need to call someone in

Check and see if you have isolation valves on the outlet pipes from the pump.
If you have then shut them off fully and wait to see if the pump continues its cycling pattern.
If it stops, then you do have a small leak or drip somewhere that you have not found yet.
If it continues, then the issue is most likely the non-return valves in the pump.
Other potential problems can be with the expansion vessel or pressure switch.

vonbarracuda

Here's my pump no idea what's what

K.Flyer

As you look into the closet, are there any valves on the copper pipes that are on the right hand side that connect to the pump.
If there are, turn them off and see if the noise stops.

vonbarracuda

The two coppers pipes go up the wall and these two are there . Ones marked cold water other ones isn't

K.Flyer

If, for example, the pump is cycling every 1/2hr, you will need to shut the valves for at least an hour to see if it stops. Unfortunately the type of valves that you have are not the most reliable for closing and may still allow water to pass, enough to allow the pump to run.
Try it and see what happens.

vonbarracuda

Ok finally got around to investigating . When I turn water off to both my toilets the pump runs as normal ! So I think my problems is toilet related. New push buttons ones ! Looks like a load of white crap in cistern . Could something inside syphon be breaking apart?

K.Flyer

Most of the push button flush valves have a rubber seal that holds back the water when filling. If a small piece of crud gets caught there it will cause the cistern to empty very slowly, which in turn re-activates the filling valve and the pump.
Usually the flush valve can be easily un-clipped for maintenance, so see if it will come out and give the cistern and the seal a good clean.

vonbarracuda

Many thanks for your help. I've attached a picture . Excuse the colour as there was a toilet block in. But u can see the build up of crap at bottom. So basically just clean it out! Can't seem to remove anything in it without taking cistern off

K.Flyer

Those bleech block and blue loo blocks are nothing but a nuisance.
Take a hold of the main flush valve, the bit with the cable attached, and give it a twist anti-clockwise. It should disconnect from the holder much the same way as a light bulb from its holder.
Then clean all that mess out off it.
Where the valve sits in, make sure that there are no remnants of the blocks caught where the seal sits down. After its all cleaned up re-fit the valve and see if that has sorted out your problem.

vonbarracuda

No seal is that normal ? Just clipped it out

K.Flyer

Its the grey rubber disc attached to the red bit at the bottom of the valve.
Give the cistern a good clean, wipe the seal clean and make sure where the seal sits into the receiver is clean with no remnants of the bleach blocks.

vonbarracuda

Might have to raise the white flag and call someone in! Cleaned seal and still same! Strange enough it's worse , when I flush toilet pump will go through its cycle . Then start stop around 10 times and I can hear the cistern being topped up slightly! Then it will go quiet and go off every 10 mins for a second ! It's like when I'm flushing it's not topping it up fully! Like its a pressure issue!

K.Flyer

Ok, try something. .
With the lid off the cistern, flush the toilet and allow it to fill. When its full try to mark where the water level is at. Turn off the water supply to the cistern and check if the water level drops away. If it doesn't, then it's probably the filling valve.

vonbarracuda

Ok left toilet off over night. Water didn't drop. So I reckon I should replace the bit of right hand side the red part with tube attached. Maybe with a more modern one?

K.Flyer

If the water level did not drop and the pump issue only occurs when the filling valve is active, then change it out for a new one (both cisterns).
The only valve I would recommend is the FluidMaster Pro45B and no other.

vonbarracuda

Many thanks K for your ongoing help.
Just had a quick look online Brass shank on bottom? Seems I might have to order it online as can't see anywhere that sells them

K.Flyer

vonbarracuda wrote: »

Many thanks K for your ongoing help.
Just had a quick look online Brass shank on bottom? Seems I might have to order it online as can't see anywhere that sells them

Yes, brass shank is the better one.
It should be possible to pick one uo, where are you based?

vonbarracuda

Dublin 13. Going to try grange hardware and B and Q tomorrow see how I get on

K.Flyer

You might get one in Davies on Harmonstown Rd or Chadwicks on the Malahide Rd. Coolock, but i would phone them first. I have rarely seen them in HeatMerchants, but you could try the Baldoyle branch. If you feel like going in as far as town, Plumb Merchants on Dominic St. always have them as does Smallmans in Ranelagh.