Why does our water pump turn on by itself?

[Zayna]

I would have thought something was leaking for it to do it, but nothing is.

 

It just goes 'Brrrr' for a second now and then. We turn it off at night because our bedroom is at the front and it wakes me up.

 

Is there an air lock somewhere or is there some leak going on that we don't know about?

[john6767]

Ours has always done that, and now the pump its self has started to leak a bit. The pump is being replaced next week, so it will be interesting to see it it still does that with a new pump.

[naema sufi]

Hya, mine does that if I dont give the bathroom tap a hard turn.

[Dekazer]

Do you have an accumulator fitted? Our pump cycles less with an accumulator fitted.

 

Also, you will find that when your hot water cools, the pressure in the system drops and the pump might be kicking in to bring the pressure back up. This is because it's a pressurised system, so there's no air in the pipes and there's water in the tap as soon as you turn it on.

 

How often does it turn on? How long does it stay on for? Are there any other patterns you've noticed?

Edited October 2, 2012 by Dekazer

[PeterG]

It comes on because it loses pressure somewhere in the pipework.

 

This could be due to a dripping tap, a small leak from a joint somewhere or even a leakage back through the pump if the seals are worn, which ends up tripping the minimum pressure for starting up the pump again.

 

Should be not that much to worry about unless it keeps on coming on every half an hour or so.

[Guest]

I would have thought something was leaking for it to do it, but nothing is.

 

It just goes 'Brrrr' for a second now and then. We turn it off at night because our bedroom is at the front and it wakes me up.

 

Is there an air lock somewhere or is there some leak going on that we don't know about?

 

Ours does this sometimes - I put ours down to a very slight drip from the hot tap at the galley (on the roundtuit list)and the water cooling issue referred to above.

[the grinch]

probably your accumalator tank is under sized or just needs a little more charge in it, has it always been like it or recently started ? alternatively the pump is allowing backfeed to the tank (a single check valve before the pump would stop that).

[Nine of Hearts]

Mine does this too. Just a short cycle every now and then, perhaps once a day. I put it down to temperature fluctuations in the calorifier. It's a new pump and there aren't any leaks.

[Zayna]

That'll do me, thanks.

 

There is in fact a bit of nipping up to do on a new shower mixer we fitted at weekend so I've forgiven it for Brrrp'ing this time, but it did it before. However, all seems normal if everyone elses does it.

 

I don't think we have an accumulator and our surveyor mentioned it as an idea, I haven't much clue what one is/does as my chap worries all about the gizmos whilst I worry about what colour curtains I would like.

[the grinch]

effectively a small expansion tank fitted to the pipework between the pump and the outlet taps this fills with water against a diaphragm in the middle the other side being filled with air this helps to maintain a higher pressure for longer so as to keep the pressure switch in the pump satisfied.

[Rebotco]

I had the same symptoms. Turned out to be a very slight drip at the toilet seal. No visible evidence at all.

[real_vibes]

Getting rid of our accumulator really improved out pump and flow. I would just recommend getting a half decent jabsco.

 

And if your pump is going off a lot it is either a leak r a drip for sure.

[Keeping Up]

Getting rid of our accumulator really improved out pump and flow. I would just recommend getting a half decent jabsco.

 

And if your pump is going off a lot it is either a leak r a drip for sure.

 

In which case I would suggest there was something seriously wrong with the way your system was set up.

 

And a leak back through the valves of the pump is relatively common, but impossible to see because no water escapes to anywhere that it shouldn't be.

[sooz]

In our previous (minimal) experience (hire boats and Girl Guiding boats), the water pump would kick in for a few seconds about an hour after we'd gone to bed. With the hire boats we had been told to turn it off at night if it bothered us, but we found it would only happen one time each night.

 

The first night on our own boat this weekend, the pump did the same a couple of times after bedtime, presumably as the pressure changed when the stove had died down. The second night, however, the pump was making a clicking noise every blinkin' minute. T'other half slept right through, but I had to wander up and switch it (them - there's a hot and cold pump on this boat and I was too tired to work out which one was making the noise) off. I was a tad concerned, it normally only makes the clicking noise when flushing the toilet (which would indicate it's the cold pump, I guess), running taps doesn't cause it to click, merely to kick in and gurgle / purge. On reflection, perhaps the flush pedal was slightly depressed that night? Shan't be able to investigate for a few weeks, but hoping it's not a problem. =S

[David Schweizer]

I would have thought something was leaking for it to do it, but nothing is.

 

It just goes 'Brrrr' for a second now and then. We turn it off at night because our bedroom is at the front and it wakes me up.

 

Is there an air lock somewhere or is there some leak going on that we don't know about?

If it is a Shurflo pump, the symptoms you describe are synonomous with limescale build up in the pressure check valve on the pump, especially if you normally fill up in a hard water area. Apart from it being annoying, particularly at night, it is not an indication that the pump will pack up in the very near future. However, it should be attended to before it becomes a real problem.

 

A new valve can be purchased for about £10, but I just dismantle it, clean all the limescale off with a soft brush, re assemble and re-fit. New vaves can be bought here:- http://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/Products/PlumbingGas/WaterSystems/Pumps/SparesAndServiceKits/WS024.aspx

 

.

Edited October 3, 2012 by David Schweizer

[David Schweizer]

I have just found the instructions for removal and replacement of the Check valve. If you PM me your email address, I can send you a copy, (PDF, TIF, or Word - just choose)

Edited October 3, 2012 by David Schweizer

[Zayna]

I have just found the instructions for removal and replacement of the Check valve. If you PM me your email address, I can send you a copy, (PDF, TIF, or Word - just choose)

 

You absolute star, thanks a million.

 

[David Schweizer]

You absolute star, thanks a million.

 

 

Email sent

[Zayna]

Received it, thank you David.

[bowten]

If you are sure it is not a leak then it is probably the calorifier cooling down and the water pump making up for the pressure drop.

[Lizzy]

My water pump does the same. I'm glad to read that it's probably not a major problem. I can't find a drip and the bilge is dry, so no leak I hope. But I am curious: what is an accumulator and how do I know if I have one? (Or should have one?)

 

Edit for typo.

Edited July 24, 2016 by Lizzy

[Scholar Gypsy]

My water pump does the same. I'm glad to read that it's probably not a major problem. I can't find a drip and the bilge is dry, so no leak I hope. But I am curious: what is an accumulator and how do I know if I have one? (Or should have one?)

 

Edit for typo.

 

One of the earlier posts explains what an accumulator is, essentially it's a tank (capacity about 1 litre I would guess) that is fitted to a T junction just downstream of the pump. It contains a bag full of air which gets compressed as the pump gets the pressure gets the system up to the cut-off pressure.

 

The main advantage is that it stops the pump doing rapid start/stop cycles, which is bad for the pump, but instead smooths out the cycle.

 

Follow your plumbing from the pump and you should find one.

 

Also, your hot water tank should have a pressure relief valve (PRV, normally a thing with a red knurled knob), and that may vent into the sink drain (mine does that, rather than into the bilges). If it's not seating properly then it will slowly leak water, but perhaps into the canal not the bilges. Give the red knob a twist and see if that helps.

 

My hot water tank cools a bit overnight, usually reducing the pressure enough for the pump to switch on once at about 3 am,

Edited July 25, 2016 by Scholar Gypsy