Practically Classics Forum

i sacrificed a perfectly good workshop

You say "sacrificed", I suspect you had more fun playing with your digger than you would have in the shed.

rich. wrote:John i am quite pleased with the machine & will post some pics later, just a bit pi##ed off that a simple power cut/trip blowing can cause such a problem.. if i need to have a new pump every time the trip goes ill be buying one once a week (it used to be nearly every day at one stage)

Rich, that's why I suggested a UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) - it will take the surges out and, if the power does go off, it will still run the pump(s) for a while - depending on the UPS's battery life.

I have one on my main PC because some years ago, I was working on a CAD drawing for Uni and hadn't done a save for almost an hour. The power went off and I had wasted Christmas Day: I could have just wasted time and watched TV all day for the work I got done!

There again - I was watching TV on Christmas Day about ten years ago; the power dropped and came back, but the TV died - a bit like your pump! So I now have "surge protectors" on both TV sockets (they plug into the mains socket and the TV plugs into them) and the UPS on the computer often "peeps" - a sign that power has dropped out, repeated peeps say the computer is running from the UPS. The only problem now is that when there's a power cut, the router goes off, so I can't get on the interweb!

We used a lot when I was working (on student placement) for a chemical manufacturer - if their power went off, the plant computers (or PLCs to be exact) couldn't remember how far through a process they had got and the batch could be ruined if the operators weren't on the ball. I know this because some idiot of a placement student pulled a wrong plug in an instrument cabinet

They could only blame themselves - someone had swapped a four way adapter for a six way one and didn't update the drawings to say what was plugged into which socket or mark the plugs/cables!

See this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterrup ... wer_supply

The outside pipework looks more impressive than the ones I've seen over here - they just used one long length of ordinary alkathene water pipe (the blue stuff) and had great fun trying to get it in without kinking it!

thanks for your ideas chaps! the plumber came today & chaged the pump, he then stripped it & the problem is nothing to do with the supply. the vane spindle had seized due to a bit of detritus from the old system..

It may be worthwhile getting a filter fitted before the pump inlet. Our neighbour had similar problems (our houses had iron pipes for cold water and heating) and, on the advice of my heating engineer friend, bought a filter which my friend fitted (with service valves either side to stop the system emptying when the neighbour cleans the filter) when putting a new boiler in. The neighbour reckons it was well worth the expense: he had to clean the filter twice a week at first, not it's more like twice a year.

Though not the same filter:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-m ... 22mm/82346

Totally agree about the filter - we have one like this:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/fernox-tf1-to ... tAodLVUAQg

Keeps the whole system clean and tidy, and also provides a very convenient way of introducing additional treatments such as inhibitor etc.

thanks chaps, why didnt they fit it in the begining?? i will get it sorted when i connect up the other part of the system & heated floors. its too flippin cold to switch the thing off at the moment...

I suspect few think about such things when installing new systems - or they go the other way and refuse to connect new stuff to old systems. There is also the other reason - it keeps the cost down when trying to get the job!

I was going to put a boiler in with the new multifuel stove but the plumber refused to connect to my system as it has iron pipes and the "rust" in the system would damage the new boiler. He was going to put a radiator on the stumps of the old back boiler, but saw steel pipes from the Rayburn, so refused to even do that. The pipes he took out (to the old back boiler) were clean as a whistle inside! However, the plumbers who did the extensions to next door's system just connected to the iron pipes and he went through two or three boilers in the 40 years they have been there. My friend put a new boiler in and insisted on a filter. The new system works quite well now!

I suggest that you buy the filter and have it ready to fit if the pump goes again. I'm not saying it will block next time herself plays with the "Girls' Toys", but you never know!

update! we have had heating all winter apart from recently when the machine itsef shuts off & goes into sick mode.. tech guy came yesterday had a fiddle left & it was working fine.. then it broke down again.. ive reset everything & it still doesnt work.to top this our wonderful government has decided that the french didnt pay enough for electricity and will be sending everyone a bill for last year!! on a brighter note ive finished levelling off the field/ back lawn put in a rainwater drain

Will you do what the French usually do when faced with things like this? Shrug, do nothing except burn some sheep?