water pump

[Irene]

As anyone got any tips for us on our water pump? The water starts ok but then goes to a trickle,The shower water runs alright in the bathroom but the sink in the kitchen neither taps run proper any ideas?

[Scholar Gypsy]

How does the pump behave?

 

In trickle mode does it run for a few seconds, then stop, then start etc etc?

 

[i quite often myself taking a tap to bits to clean out gunk and/or replace the washer.]

[DeanS]

Hi Irene.

 

Depending on whether you have anyone capable of wielding a spanner (or yourself), here's a few things to check.

 

1. Most pumps have an inbuilt pressure switch which activates the pump when it detects a tap open.

2. You arent sure if the issue is with the pump or if something after the pump is blocked. The way to test this is to unscrew the pipe on the outlet side of the pump. The pump should immediately kick in and start spewing water through it. Make sure you have a way to stop the pump if you do this, as it wont be easy to put the pipe back on again with water squirting out the pump. I would disconnect the red wire going to the pump to stop it, but you can also isolate the water feed on the inlet to the pump to stop the water flow while you reconnect it. If the pump DOES pump water, then the issue is not the pump, but a blockage elsewhere.

 

Some things to check are:

 

1. Some modern taps have a screw on gauze filter on the end of the tap. You unscrew, clean, rescrew on.

2. The shower may be closer to the pump..so might have more pressure? You can adjust the pump pressure switch normally on the pump, to make it kick in and out at a higher/lower pressure.

3. Disconnect the water pipe where it supplies the kitchen, if there is a connection point. If there is no blockage to that point, water should shoot out...which would indicate the blockage is further along....

4. The cold water line should come directly from the pump. The hot water line should come from your gas heater or calorifier...and is normally at a lesser pressure due to the smaller pipes through those devices.

5. Is your boat battery charged. A low battery will cause the pump to run slower....and struggle.

 

 

Hope that helps.

[Irene]

Many thanks for your advice!my husband will be getting out his spanner tomorrow!

[Irene]

Many thanks for your advice!my husband will be getting out his spanner tomorrow!

Found the problem!stop tap was not turned on enough!

[Grace and Favour]

Found the problem!stop tap was not turned on enough!

Wonderful!

 

Simply wonderful!

Edited May 9, 2013 by Grace & Favour