Any heating engineers about?

[captain-destructo]

What kind of pumps do power showers use? Ebay isn't throwing up anything with that description but it sounds plausible!

this is the kind of thing i was thinking of
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_o...shes&_nkw=power+shower+pump+-brushes&_sacat=0

 

[Richard.]

Lots there to go with.

 

[julianthegypsy]

I love this forum! That's brilliant Captain, many thanks. Next question, all these pumps have four ports, any idea how to hook them up? I just have an inlet and an outlet hose. The reservoir is right above where the pump will go so it will be gravity fed. Mains water usually has a couple of bar feed pressure, will this matter?

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Ideally you need a single impeller pump which only has 2 ports, you could use a twin impeller pump and just use one end.

 

[Richard.]

I love this forum! That's brilliant Captain, many thanks. Next question, all these pumps have four ports, any idea how to hook them up? I just have an inlet and an outlet hose. The reservoir is right above where the pump will go so it will be gravity fed. Mains water usually has a couple of bar feed pressure, will this matter?

A good pump will draw it from the tank you should not need any feed going to the pump other than the water been available to it.

 

[captain-destructo]

the shower pumps have 4 pipes because they pump the hot and cold seperately so just use one side as per wendelspanswick comment above

if the pump is below the tank you should not have any problems impeller pumps dont like air in the system and wont pump the air out to get the water to it

if you have ever had to use a petrol water pump you will know exactly wwhat i am on about

 

[julianthegypsy]

All good. One, hopefully final question. These pumps seem to have an internal pressure switch so they come on when you turn the tap on and the pressure drops. That won't happen on my welder with the tank 30cms above the pump. Or will the switch be permanently on because the head pressure is so low? Just panicing before I hit the buy button and commit!

 

[eSCHEn]

It was indeed a bargain. My landlords were packing in. They had sold all their main Kemppi welders, the plasma cutter etc etc and just wanted everything gone to close the books so offered it to me. They offered me the plasma too, fitted to a huge profile cutter, but I didn't have the funds for that. The welder needed a new torch, I got a trafimet off ebay and the last thing is the cooling. It's a lovely welder anyway, I've been amazed how good it is at thin stuff too, even running on 1mm wire I'm not blowing holes, and it blasts through 5mm of course, but gets stuttery very quickly as the torch gets hot.
What kind of pumps do power showers use? Ebay isn't throwing up anything with that description but it sounds plausible!

My old one had ceramic impellers as the drive, takes in a hot and cold feed and outputs a boosted version of each. Not this one but just like it www.plumbworld.co.uk/salamander-ct50-twin-impeller-1653-22149

Edit - too slow!

 

[eSCHEn]

How much are you paying Julian? I might have the old one kicking about still, will need to check tonight.

 

[daleyd]

Are the duty rating of those pumps listed on ebay relevant? ie is it going to run continuously or stop/start when required??

 

[julianthegypsy]

Are the duty rating of those pumps listed on ebay relevant? ie is it going to run continuously or stop/start when required??

it will run when the welder is switched on. There is a separate switch on the welder, but in all honesty, I don't leave the welder switched on all the time as its quite noisy, so it will probably be on for half an hour at a time then switched off for a bit while I regroup. I could turn it off and leave the welder on but I'd worry about the nozzle being hot and steam building up so I'd rather leave the welder and pump on until its properly cool. It switches off when the welder is switched off regardless of whether the pump is switched on or not. One thing that slightly worries me is that the outlet from the tank is quite small, and it's a moulded tank.

 

[julianthegypsy]

How much are you paying Julian? I might have the old one kicking about still, will need to check tonight.

Hi, I'm looking at about £30 or a bit more if needed?

 

[eSCHEn]

If you're happy to wait 'til tonight then I'll take a look-see for it Julian. It's been in my shed for years now so a few beer tokens and postage will be more than enough mate.

 

[julianthegypsy]

If you're happy to wait 'til tonight then I'll take a look-see for it Julian. It's been in my shed for years now so a few beer tokens and postage will be more than enough mate.

That would be great thanks, I'll put aside a big bag of beer tokens!

 

[Richard.]

Happy days good luck with the install if he has it and some pics of it when in would be great.

 

[julianthegypsy]

Happy days good luck with the install if he has it and some pics of it when in would be great.

I'll photograph it as soon as it's in and working!

 

[eSCHEn]

Dug it out and heath robinsoned a rig to test. It's all working except the flow sensors. Will pop up some pics in a wee bit, have to clean up rig first. It's in the kitchen and if the missus sees it she'll have me

 

[eSCHEn]

Here's the pump in question:



Here's the backplate with ratings etc:



I fired up the pump and at first it showed no signs of life. I stripped back to the impellers and both were free and in good condition. I disconnected the flow sensors from each side and bingo, fired into life That's why the red leads are hanging out. That does mean there's no minimum head now though, subject to not starving the impellers and running it dry which will kill it.

Once reassembled it ran fine and pumped 21 litres in one minute at about ⅞ full tilt. One side was pumping better than the other but that could have been starvation due to the rig:




If not then I'd be tempted to put a fan on the weaker side and use it push air across a small radiator. Just thinking aloud

There's the installation manual and all four pipes (the white ones). The two intake pipes have mesh filters on them to protect against the crud.

Let me know what you think Julian.

 

[Richard.]

Looks like that could be a good solution. A bit of bracketry and pipe work that could be a nice addition to the unit.

 

[julianthegypsy]

Here's the pump in question:
View attachment 56378


Here's the backplate with ratings etc:
View attachment 56376


I fired up the pump and at first it showed no signs of life. I stripped back to the impellers and both were free and in good condition. I disconnected the flow sensors from each side and bingo, fired into life That's why the red leads are hanging out. That does mean there's no minimum head now though, subject to not starving the impellers and running it dry which will kill it.

Once reassembled it ran fine and pumped 21 litres in one minute at about ⅞ full tilt. One side was pumping better than the other but that could have been starvation due to the rig:

View attachment 56377


If not then I'd be tempted to put a fan on the weaker side and use it push air across a small radiator. Just thinking aloud

There's the installation manual and all four pipes (the white ones). The two intake pipes have mesh filters on them to protect against the crud.

Let me know what you think Julian.

Just got in from birthday dinner for the home secretary. That looks like it should do the job fine I should think. Since the tank above it will always be full, I can't see starvation being a problem. . PM on the way!