Shurflo Aqua KIng

[Traveller]

Just fitted a new Shurlo to the boat. Went in fine but a strange bi-product is the effect it is having on the water heater (Paloma) in that a constant stream of hot water cannot be achieved. It starts warm and heats up nicely as one would expect but then the pump starts to "shunt" and the temperature of the water falls off. I do have an accumulator tank.

 

I imagine this might be down to matching the pump pressure to the Paloma but if this is the case how? Help appreciated.

 

Thanks

Colin

[Machpoint005]

The Shur-Flo pump has five screws on the end plate, arranged like a '5' on a domino. The middle one is the pressure adjustment. No, I know it doesn't look like it, but it really is!

[Traveller]

Thanks for that. Any tips on calibrating it so it works ok with the Paloma?

[Machpoint005]

I don't have a Paloma but it's probably a matter of 'suck it and see'. There is a lot of adjustment (whole turns of the screw are need for any dramatic effect) so you should be OK!

[Traveller]

Can anyone offer advice on this. During the described process the Paloma remains fired up, it is just that the temperature of the hot water drops at around the same time as the pump starts pulsing. It is a new pump 30 psi and 11.3 lpm.

[trackman]

Does your system have an accumulator fitted? If not it may need one as Shurflo pumps do in my experience. Your previous pump may not have required one, depending on its type.

The cold water will likely be caused by the heater detecting low water pressure and shutting down for safety.

See other threads on here about similar issues.

If you get an accumulator make sure its for a potable water system (white or blue normally). The others, usually red, fail quickly in clean water systems. They rely on corrosion inhibitors to stop them corroding internally, but you can't have these in a system connected to drinking water.

[bizzard]

Try by-passing or blank off the accumulator. The Surflo Aquaking pumps with Palomas seem to work a lot better without, mine does.

[Traveller]

System does have an accumulator, although I understand the Shureflo does not have to have one.

[trackman]

Ours does, though no Paloma on our current boat!

[bizzard]

System does have an accumulator, although I understand the Shureflo does not have to have one.

Quite so. And the pump should throb regularly and give a steady flow from the Paloma. If you mess with the pressure switch adjustment count the turns on the screw so you can return it to the factory setting.

[Traveller]

Could it be the accumulator that is the problem? Perhaps it needs pumping up a little? What happens now is:

Turn on hot water tap

Water flows and Paloma fires up, delivering hot water.

Initially there is no pump action - the pressure from the accumulator drives the water pressure

After a short while (seconds) pump kicks in and runs smoothly, hot water continues to flow and grow hotter

Pump then starts to "pulse" and whilst the Paloma stays fired up the temperature of the water drops.

[bizzard]

Could it be the accumulator that is the problem? Perhaps it needs pumping up a little? What happens now is:

Turn on hot water tap

Water flows and Paloma fires up, delivering hot water.

Initially there is no pump action - the pressure from the accumulator drives the water pressure

After a short while (seconds) pump kicks in and runs smoothly, hot water continues to flow and grow hotter

Pump then starts to "pulse" and whilst the Paloma stays fired up the temperature of the water drops.

Could be but without the accumulator the pump just keeps up a steady throb without the sudden burst of throbs as the pressure drops as with a accumulator. I have a tap on my accumulators spur to cut it out when I use the Paloma. My accumulator is home made, made from a Champagne bottle with a half blown up balloon inside, works exactly the same as a bought one though.

[smileypete]

I suspect the pump cut in pressure is below the min operating pressure of the Paloma.

 

Is the accumulator correctly pressurised? Also is there a calorifier, if so what pressure is the PRV?

 

Some thoughts and ideas in this recent post:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=73356#entry1493601

 

Bit tricky to give a specific answer without more details.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited January 28, 2015 by smileypete

[Keeping Up]

I have found that the versions of the pumps which claim not to need an accumulator always seem to cause problems similar to this, and they certainly don't like it if you do have an accumulator. I use an external pressure switch and bypass the pump's own switch, all the problems then disappear.

[Traveller]

Ah, thanks. I thought the accumulator might be the problem. Next visit to the boat I shall by-pass it and see if it helps. If it does its goodbye to the accumulator tank!

[smileypete]

If you're into just trying things, a Jabsco Par Max 2.9 may be a better bet.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[Loafer]

. My accumulator is home made, made from a Champagne bottle with a half blown up balloon inside, works exactly the same as a bought one though.

 

Whacky!

[Traveller]

BIt late, Pete, only bought the Shurflo last week :-)

[Loafer]

My accumulator is home made, made from a Champagne bottle with a half blown up balloon inside, works exactly the same as a bought one though.

Forgot to ask:

 

How do you secure the water pipe to your champagne bottle/ballon combo?

[bizzard]

Forgot to ask:

 

How do you secure the water pipe to your champagne bottle/ballon combo?

Abraid tube and inside of bottle neck with a strip of emery, clean scrupulously and Araldite.

[Loafer]

Abraid tube and inside of bottle neck with a strip of emery, clean scrupulously and Araldite.

 

Same for the balloon? Nice one.

[bizzard]

 

Same for the balloon? Nice one.

Poke the balloon into the bottle leaving the neck sticking out, blow it up quite hard, tie a knot in the neck and poke it in .

[Loafer]

Poke the balloon into the bottle leaving the neck sticking out, blow it up quite hard, tie a knot in the neck and poke it in .

 

Such brilliance should not go unrewarded. Greenie.

 

I now have the balloon. What brand of champagne was it? And is it 15mm plastic pipe?

[Machpoint005]

Do we know what the response of the glass will be to repeated pressure and temperature changes? I hope the whole thing is tucked inside a cupboard somewhere!

 

...And is it really champagne, or Cava/Prosecco/New World fizz?

Edited January 28, 2015 by Machpoint005

[Loafer]

Bizzard, I just spent a few hundred quid fitting a new cauliflower. Are you now going to tell me that you made one out of an old kettle and a few old brass fittings?