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Stove central heating - pump failed


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Fairly simple - Lutine's solid fuel stove works well but the pump for the central heating does not, given the creaking electrics it might be the thermostat, it might be the pump, it might be the wiring, this will take a little time to resolve.

 

Simple question, as I'll have to drain much of the central heating to replace the pump (it's at the lowest point on the system) can I disconnect the plumbing and use the stove with no heating attached, or will running with a dry boiler damage it?

 

I'm not living on board at present so no heating is not the end of the world but having it help keeps the boat dry.

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It certainly will not do the back boiler any good!

Some are glass lined, the lining will be destroyed and it may block the boiler.

Its not advisable.

 

But then in my opinion and that of some others, having pumped heating with a solid fuel stove is not a good idea either unless there is a heat soak to take the boiler output.

I have always refused to install such a system, prefering to arrange for gravity to do the circulation.

Does your calorifier heat by gravity? Do you have a radiator that works without the pump?

  • Greenie 1
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4 minutes ago, Boater Sam said:

It certainly will not do the back boiler any good!

Some are glass lined, the lining will be destroyed and it may block the boiler.

Its not advisable.

 

But then in my opinion and that of some others, having pumped heating with a solid fuel stove is not a good idea either unless there is a heat soak to take the boiler output.

I have always refused to install such a system, prefering to arrange for gravity to do the circulation.

Does your calorifier heat by gravity? Do you have a radiator that works without the pump?

Most of the reading i did before installing our back boiler system suggested it was desirable, if not essential to build in some form of gravity capability in case of faliure.

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I think I would test the pump by connecting it direct to a battery, if it works its probably wiring that's the problem. If it doesn't then just swap the pump, drain the water, , refill with some sort of c heating anti freeze, job done. I would not like to light a fire with an empty system.

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30 minutes ago, BWM said:

Most of the reading i did before installing our back boiler system suggested it was desirable, if not essential to build in some form of gravity capability in case of faliure.

Well, I'd have thought that once you install a pump which effectively blocks the system it would not have any thermocycling capability? 

36 minutes ago, Boater Sam said:

It certainly will not do the back boiler any good!

Some are glass lined, the lining will be destroyed and it may block the boiler.

Its not advisable.

 

Glass lined backboilers? One learns something new everyday. How does that work then? I thought it was just a steel box. What does the glass do?

Edited by blackrose
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Most central heating pumps are centrifugal type and  they offer little additional resistance to water flow. My system with Johnson pump will thermo siphon quite happily at low to moderate output.  That is all that has been needed to keep us warm over the past 25 winters, even with bitter cold and ice outside.  Mind you it was designed to self circulate so has the necessary vertical rise from the stove and falls to the stove.

N

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It's fairly standard to have a pumped system rather than thermocycling. I prefer thermocycling as there's less to go wrong. However, since your system is pumped Patrick, I would just advise that if you do have to take the pump out for repair or replacement, then re-install it between two wide bore gate valves. That way if you ever need to take it out again you don't need to drain down the system.

 

Keep a spare pump onboard and you could do an instant repair while servicing the other pump. This is all assuming the pump is at fault rather than the electrics.

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6 minutes ago, BEngo said:

Most central heating pumps are centrifugal type and  they offer little additional resistance to water flow. My system with Johnson pump will thermo siphon quite happily at low to moderate output.  That is all that has been needed to keep us warm over the past 25 winters, even with bitter cold and ice outside.  Mind you it was designed to self circulate so has the necessary vertical rise from the stove and falls to the stove.

N

Ok, but a well designed thermocycling system has as few obstacles to free flow as possible. A pump in the system certainly doesn't help in that respect.

 

Anyway, this is all a bit academic as there will be no circulation or coolant in the system once the pump is removed.

Edited by blackrose
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I wouldnt run a back boiler dry personally if I intended to carry on using it-at the least the pipe fittings going into it may be liable to start leaking given the extra heat they would recieve.

My own system has been pumped and working fine for 20 odd years as Bengos. I do have both 12v and mains pump though (in series) with seperate thermostats. The pump that isnt been used has the stat set high as a backup. Works well and means when  a pump does fail I can repair it at my leisure and not in the middle of a freezing cold night!

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Thanks for all the responses - I get the message! Lutine is having a refurb over a two-year period (possibly three) and I'm trying to keep to a systematic plan, but it looks like at least a bodge on the heating pump might have to jump the queue.

 

I may take a photo of the pump next time I'm on. It's smaller than I would have expected. The pump under the shower is a slim inline one too and not up to the job (replaced like for like three years ago) as it can't get the last bit out. As each bit of kit comes up it will be replaced with the right bit of kit to last a good while, budget means I have to do this one bit at a time, or at least I can't do it all at once.

Edited by magpie patrick
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