water pump chrping

[MRBear]

Hi Guys

 

We're hoping to tap into the fountain of knowledge that is here.

Our water pump keeps kicking in about every hour and runs for about 2-3 seconds each time, we've already had a leak fixed which stopped it for a day, however, this weekend it started again. We've looked everywhere we can get at for more leaks but cant find anything, but there is a fair amount of pipework that we cant get at, there's not sign of water in our bilge inspection hole, but there wasn't last time either when we had the leak.

Can anyone throw any light on what the potential problem could be.

 

Thanks

[mrsmelly]

The pump may well be faulty. Its usualy a leak but pumps fail in many different ways. The quickest and easiset option will be to change the pump and if it still does it then you must trace the leak. Pumps are cheap enough.

[Iain_S]

Is this after the engine has been run? Could it just be the calorifier cooling down?

 

Do you have an accumulator and/or expansion vessel?

[Jen-in-Wellies]

52 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

The pump may well be faulty. Its usualy a leak but pumps fail in many different ways. The quickest and easiset option will be to change the pump and if it still does it then you must trace the leak. Pumps are cheap enough.

And if it turns out to not be the pump, but something else, you now have a spare pump ready for when it really does fail. Another common cause of this, aside from dripping taps and leaks, is the pressure relief valve (PRV) on the calorifier leaking. It is a safety valve that stops the cauliflower going over pressure. Sometimes a bit of scale will get trapped in the valve seat, causing it to drip water past. The usual one has a red knob it. Give this a couple of half turns to flush any scale through. If it still does it, then it may need a new PRV. Not expensive. Less than a new pump. PRV's usually look like this.

.

 

Jen

Edited January 19, 2020 by Jen-in-Wellies

[MRBear]

the immersion heater is left on permanently while we aboard, its not after the engine has been running and we do have an accumulator tank under the bed 

[MtB]

2 hours ago, MRBear said:

Can anyone throw any light on what the potential problem could be.

 

Yes. The pressure in the pipework downstream of the water pump is slowly falling. The task is to find out why.

 

The reason is water is escaping from the downstream pipework. It might be from a pipework leak, it might be from the PRV, it might be due the non return valve in the water pump allowing water to pass back through the pump, back into the water tank. 

 

As has been already suggested, fitting a new pump will rule out the last of these. Carefully inspect the outlet pipe from the PRV to rule out (or in!) the second. If neither yields a result then you definitely have a leak on the pipework, just just need to find it. 

 

 

[Guest]

Mine did this before dying - pump itself was leaking (into itself) . Lots of informative bits here: link to my lovely water pump thread

Edited January 19, 2020 by TheMenagerieAfloat

[MRBear]

You guys never cease to amaze me, much better than any youtube guide or manual. the knowledge out there, or should I say, on here is amazing.

my boat is still under warranty thankfully, so all these teething issues will hopefully be sorted out before I have to tackle them myself and it also gives me the chance to watch an learn from the guy who does the work.

I'm relatively new to the narrowboat scene so I do sometimes panic, especially when water inside my boat is concerned, so please, everybody, accept my absolute gratitude for all the posts already and for all that come after this, I'm learning every day.

 

Edited January 20, 2020 by MRBear
spelling mistake

[Boater Sam]

Effusive praise indeed, thank you on behalf of all the members who offer help and advice.

[David Mack]

10 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

The reason is water is escaping from the downstream pipework. It might be from a pipework leak, it might be from the PRV, it might be due the non return valve in the water pump allowing water to pass back through the pump, back into the water tank. 

 

Or it might be a dripping tap.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

 

Or it might be a dripping tap.

 

So it is escaping from the downstream pipework....