Hydrofor - Pressuriser unit on pump in house

Wireless


Joined: 10/08/2008
Posts: 157

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 08:28

has any one got any idea how these work? The one in my house works but is on an off through the night and day when water is not being used - I've checked no leaks - what other reason for this thing to come on and pump no water through the day?

Deniz1


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 3829

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 08:34

Why leave it on all the time then? Mine only gets turned on when i need to use any water.

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 08:45

Hydrofor unit senses the pressure between the unit and the ballcock in the top tank. Therefore it's probably a slow dribble coming out of the top ballcock that is being sensed and switching on the pump.

Get the top ballcock checked out.. it's likely to have some gritty deposit or gunge preventing it from fully shutting off. May need replacing...

Wireless


Joined: 10/08/2008
Posts: 157

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 08:45

I can't really expect the kids to turn on the water when they need to flush the toilet - or go downstairs and switch it on when they want some water upstairs

Wireless


Joined: 10/08/2008
Posts: 157

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 08:48

thanks for that Groucho - I'll have a look at that

Jovial_John


Joined: 31/01/2009
Posts: 1024

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 08:57

Message 3 is not quite correct. The unit senses the pressure between itself and the house and any use of water in the house will cause the pump to run. Certainly it can be the roof ballcock but it is often leaks in the toilets which are very hard to see. Put a couple of sheets of toilet paper against the back of the pan and you will see if water is trickling down. Even a slight trickle is enough.

It can also be a leak on the dishwasher or washing machine inlet valve if you don't turn off the water to these when not in use.

Finally, always assuming you have a roof tank, you don't need to turn the pump on every time you want water. The function of the roof tank is to give pressure during a power cut. The pressure it delivers is not as great as the pump but is enough for refilling toilets etc. - maybe just not enough for a good shower.

Wireless


Joined: 10/08/2008
Posts: 157

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 09:09

actually when my eletric is off I get no water at all - the pressure is too low to even see - no shower no toilets nothing in fact - does this add any light to this?

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 09:16

Wireless, that's quite common. You said you've checked and no leaks in the house so my assumption was that if this is correct then it may well be the top ballcock allowing a slow dribble.



JJ "The unit senses the pressure between itself and the house and any use of water in the house will cause the pump to run."

Doesn't all this water come via the top tank?

Jovial_John


Joined: 31/01/2009
Posts: 1024

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 10:28

Message 7

Some houses have no roof cold tank and rely entirely on pumped pressure - in which case you don't have a top ballcock and your problem is almost certainly the toilets. But a glance at the roof will tell you. You will have solar panels and an external round hot water tank (although sometimes this is hidden under the tiles). But if you have a top cold tank this will be a standard square tank sitting above the hot tank.



Message 8.

If the pump is on then water comes directly from the downstairs water storage because the pump pressure is greater than the gravity pressure from the cold water roof tank. This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that if the pump is off then the pressure in the house is less - but if all water came from the roof tank then the presuure would be unchanged whether the pump was running or not. However, in time, the pressure would drop as the water level drops in the roof tank - but this would take 10s of minutes or so to be noticeable.

rimed_trading


Joined: 13/08/2011
Posts: 53

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 10:38

If no leak and anyproblem in system, you can check your electronic control easily.if has got a valve on pump, you can close it and you can check.

paulc


Joined: 11/04/2009
Posts: 182

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 10:52

Hi I have had this problem before, another thing that goes wrong is the non return valve, any grit or a split will result in the pump coming on, it is a process of elimination, if you get stuck give me a call and i will sort it for you 0533 848 3939 Paul

Wireless


Joined: 10/08/2008
Posts: 157

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 11:10

- I do have a tank in the loft - 2 in fact hot water and cold - plastic and metal - I'll have a look in the loft at the ball cock though I am not sure there is a ball cock - could be a float switch - not sure about the non return valve - suspect the float/ball cock more likely as it is very sporadic and intermittant - no real pattern



thanks to all

Wireless


Joined: 10/08/2008
Posts: 157

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 11:10

paulc may have to take you up on that call later today!

Enchanted


Joined: 20/07/2008
Posts: 159

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 11:47

Wireless....Whilst you are in ther loft dealing with your problem, do look to see if you have overflow pipes from these two tanks that go ouside of the roof space. A friend of mine came home one day to a flooded house. Guess what, no overflow pipes fitted, and when his ball cock stuck (brings tears to ones eyes!) his tank overflowed flooding his house!!

cassius


Joined: 20/03/2009
Posts: 110

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 14:04

I had a similar problem last year. The reason for the on-off of the pump was a build up of scale inside the pressure sensor unit. solution new pump. But keep the old pump and fill with Limon salt and hot water to de-scale and wait till the next time the same problem appears then just change the pump over.

Cass

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 14:33

it is mainly to do with tanks not being airtight,therefore as the tank loses bit of pressure pump senses that and switches on.Another way of puttinh it,loss of air fools the pump.



Use a baloon type as a tank which will go down as your water level goes down and keeps the air pressure same at the same time,or when it refills and you'll see and understand better what I mean.

Wireless


Joined: 10/08/2008
Posts: 157

Message Posted:
30/08/2011 23:10

Update for everyone - ever since I posted this on the forum the problem stopped happening! Not sure if the two events (the posting and the problem stopping) are linked but there you are.



Having gone into the loft I did find 2 big holes where the guys putting in the solar panels decided that drilling through neatly and then sealing their holes was not as good an option as smashing the roof tiles and using a hammer to go through the chipboard and felt. So not all was lost I repaired them.



I do have an overflow though!