Woke this morning to a cold house. Had a new CH boiler installed about a
month ago that's been working well.

Checked the boiler and it had tripped out due to overheat. I reset the
boiler and noticed that the pump wasn't running. Whacked it with a big
screwdirver and it gurgled into life.

The pump is about 12 years old. Should I just replace it now or is this
likely to have been a one off sort of thing? I know it's not in it's first
flush of youth but it's not too hard to give it the occasional whack if
that's all it's likely to need.

(BTW, the system was well flushed before and after the new boiler was
fitted. I don't think there's any excess crud in the system)

Tim

The message
from "Tim Downie" contains these words:

The pump is about 12 years old. Should I just replace it now or is this
likely to have been a one off sort of thing?

Quite probably dying. It may simply be clogged up with clag, so I'd take
it out first for a look-see.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

"Tim Downie" wrote in message
...
Woke this morning to a cold house. Had a new CH boiler installed about a
month ago that's been working well.

Checked the boiler and it had tripped out due to overheat. I reset the
boiler and noticed that the pump wasn't running. Whacked it with a big
screwdirver and it gurgled into life.

The pump is about 12 years old. Should I just replace it now or is this
likely to have been a one off sort of thing? I know it's not in it's
first
flush of youth but it's not too hard to give it the occasional whack if
that's all it's likely to need.

(BTW, the system was well flushed before and after the new boiler was
fitted. I don't think there's any excess crud in the system)

Tim

I think the only surprising thing is that you didn't change the pump when
the new boiler was fitted.

Paul Andrews wrote:

I think the only surprising thing is that you didn't change the pump
when the new boiler was fitted.

So, aside from have a dig at possible penny pinching, do you have anything
useful to say?

Admittedly it would have been easy enough to do but I've known many CH pumps
to last much longer. Why change a working pump?

Tim

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Tim Downie wrote:

Woke this morning to a cold house. Had a new CH boiler installed
about a month ago that's been working well.

Checked the boiler and it had tripped out due to overheat. I reset
the boiler and noticed that the pump wasn't running. Whacked it with
a big screwdirver and it gurgled into life.

The pump is about 12 years old. Should I just replace it now or is
this likely to have been a one off sort of thing? I know it's not in
it's first flush of youth but it's not too hard to give it the
occasional whack if that's all it's likely to need.

(BTW, the system was well flushed before and after the new boiler was
fitted. I don't think there's any excess crud in the system)

Tim

It *could* be a one-off - so I wouldn't rush out immediately and buy a new
pump. However, if it does it more than a couple of times, I would certainly
replace the pump - no-one wants to wake up to a cold house on a regular
basis! Even if it doesn't fail repeatedly, it may be a wise precaution to
replace it before next winter - but at your leisure, rather than as a
desperate emergency.

Was the control system also updated when the new boiler was fitted and - in
particular -were TRVs fitted to most of the radiators? If so, you may wish
to consider installing a Grundfos Alpha pump - which varies its output
according to demand, and will turn the wick down when a lot of the TRVs are
shut, reducing not only noise but also electricity consumption.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

"Tim Downie" wrote in message
...
Paul Andrews wrote:

I think the only surprising thing is that you didn't change the pump
when the new boiler was fitted.

So, aside from have a dig at possible penny pinching, do you have anything
useful to say?

Admittedly it would have been easy enough to do but I've known many CH
pumps
to last much longer. Why change a working pump?

If the pumps been working for 12 years, it's only a matter of time before it
goes. You spend £X on a new boiler, have to
re-do the pipework and then pass up the chance of fitting a new pump (what
do they cost? £50) at the same time . Now you have some new hassle to
go and get the pump replaced, when you could have avoided it, so you haven't
saved money or time, or disturbance.

I just hope that anyone else thinking of replacing an old boiler that's been
around a long time will think about your experience
and go that extra bit further and replace the pump too. I'm a bit suprised
the fitter didn't ask as a matter of course.

Being goody two shoes, we had a new boiler and replaced the pump,
thermostats and controller etc, so apart from the main
pipework we've got a new system. Of course it might still break down, but it
won't be down to old age.

Anyway, I guess if you are going to have a pump failure, now is a good
time - it's not really cold.

Yes, it's a bit of a dig, but I wish you well with the replacement and
anyone thinking to change boilers - take heed!

Paul

Tim

"Paul Andrews" wrote in message
...
"Tim Downie" wrote in message
...
Paul Andrews wrote:

If the pumps been working for 12 years, it's only a matter of time before
it
goes.

Our house was built in 1972 and the central heating was installed at the
same time - we're still on the original pump! And, the guy who changed the
boiler for us about 10 years ago said that if ever the pump did give up the
ghost, try to have it repaired rather than having a crappy new one, as they
"don't make 'em like they used to" )

Mogweed

Tim Downie used his keyboard to write :
Woke this morning to a cold house. Had a new CH boiler installed about a
month ago that's been working well.

Checked the boiler and it had tripped out due to overheat. I reset the
boiler and noticed that the pump wasn't running. Whacked it with a big
screwdirver and it gurgled into life.

The pump is about 12 years old. Should I just replace it now or is this
likely to have been a one off sort of thing? I know it's not in it's first
flush of youth but it's not too hard to give it the occasional whack if
that's all it's likely to need.

Ours is 24 years old this year and still working any problems and
absolutely quiet. Its predecessor lasted just six months and was
changed under guarantee. So my suggestion would be to leave it for the
time being if its not noisy or repeatedly failing to start up - what
has happened might just be a one off event.

--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

Roger Mills wrote:
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Tim Downie wrote:

Woke this morning to a cold house. Had a new CH boiler installed
about a month ago that's been working well.

Checked the boiler and it had tripped out due to overheat. I reset
the boiler and noticed that the pump wasn't running. Whacked it with
a big screwdirver and it gurgled into life.

The pump is about 12 years old. Should I just replace it now or is
this likely to have been a one off sort of thing? I know it's not in
it's first flush of youth but it's not too hard to give it the
occasional whack if that's all it's likely to need.

(BTW, the system was well flushed before and after the new boiler was
fitted. I don't think there's any excess crud in the system)

Tim

It *could* be a one-off - so I wouldn't rush out immediately and buy
a new pump. However, if it does it more than a couple of times, I
would certainly replace the pump - no-one wants to wake up to a cold
house on a regular basis! Even if it doesn't fail repeatedly, it may
be a wise precaution to replace it before next winter - but at your
leisure, rather than as a desperate emergency.

I think I'll take it out and make sure it's de-clagged at least as per Guy's
suggestion.

Was the control system also updated when the new boiler was fitted
and - in particular -were TRVs fitted to most of the radiators?

No because they're there already.

If
so, you may wish to consider installing a Grundfos Alpha pump - which
varies its output according to demand, and will turn the wick down
when a lot of the TRVs are shut, reducing not only noise but also
electricity consumption.

That's a very timely answer because I was just about to add a query about
variable flow pumps and that sounds like just the business. Cheers.

Tim

Guy King wrote:
The message
from "Tim Downie" contains these
words:

The pump is about 12 years old. Should I just replace it now or is
this likely to have been a one off sort of thing?

Quite probably dying. It may simply be clogged up with clag, so I'd
take it out first for a look-see.

Thanks. Will do.

Tim

Paul Andrews wrote:
"Tim Downie" wrote in message
...
Paul Andrews wrote:

I think the only surprising thing is that you didn't change the pump
when the new boiler was fitted.

So, aside from have a dig at possible penny pinching, do you have
anything useful to say?

Admittedly it would have been easy enough to do but I've known many
CH pumps to last much longer. Why change a working pump?

If the pumps been working for 12 years, it's only a matter of time
before it goes.

Well you could say that about anything. I've been kicking round for 49
years so I suppose my days are numbered.

You spend £X on a new boiler, have to
re-do the pipework and then pass up the chance of fitting a new pump
(what do they cost? £50) at the same time . Now you have some new
hassle to
go and get the pump replaced, when you could have avoided it, so you
haven't saved money or time, or disturbance.

True is would have been easy at the time but I don't find it easy to throw
away things that still work. I would like to have hung on to my old boiler
longer, my glued up heat-exchanger seemed to be working fine. Besides,
fitting a new pump is no guarantee of assured long life. All the bits in my
CH system that have failed all did so within 6 months of installation (apart
from the heat exchanger). The replacements have soldiered on for years.

I just hope that anyone else thinking of replacing an old boiler
that's been around a long time will think about your experience
and go that extra bit further and replace the pump too. I'm a bit
suprised the fitter didn't ask as a matter of course.

Being goody two shoes, we had a new boiler and replaced the pump,
thermostats and controller etc, so apart from the main
pipework we've got a new system. Of course it might still break down,
but it won't be down to old age.

Old pipework?? Sounds a bit dodgy to me! ;-)

Tim

In message , Tim Downie
writes
Paul Andrews wrote:

I think the only surprising thing is that you didn't change the pump
when the new boiler was fitted.

So, aside from have a dig at possible penny pinching, do you have anything
useful to say?

Admittedly it would have been easy enough to do but I've known many CH pumps
to last much longer. Why change a working pump?

Mine first seized up 12 years ago, after a a good clout, it worked fine
until last year when I replaced the boiler

It really depends what caused it to stop working - in my case it was, I
presume, a bit of lime scale


--
geoff

In message , Paul Andrews
writes
"Tim Downie" wrote in message
...
Paul Andrews wrote:

I think the only surprising thing is that you didn't change the pump
when the new boiler was fitted.

So, aside from have a dig at possible penny pinching, do you have anything
useful to say?

Admittedly it would have been easy enough to do but I've known many CH
pumps
to last much longer. Why change a working pump?

If the pumps been working for 12 years, it's only a matter of time before it
goes. You spend £X on a new boiler, have to
re-do the pipework and then pass up the chance of fitting a new pump (what
do they cost? £50)


More like £25 if you're in the club

Still ... I wouldn't necessarily replace it just for the sake of it

--
geoff

Tim Downie wrote:
Roger Mills wrote:

If
so, you may wish to consider installing a Grundfos Alpha pump - which
varies its output according to demand, and will turn the wick down
when a lot of the TRVs are shut, reducing not only noise but also
electricity consumption.

That's a very timely answer because I was just about to add a query
about variable flow pumps and that sounds like just the business. Cheers.

Just a quick follow up question (or two). Would a varible output pump like
this be used in addition to an automatic bypass valve or would it make one
redundant? Any idea how the pump actually senses the TRV shutdown?
Pressure transducer?

Tim