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Salamander pump problem

I have a Salamander ESP CPV 100 water pump. Has worked fine since installed (noisy as heck though). Now we have a problem.

Normally we turn off the electrics to the pump (fused and switched spur) in the evening so that it doesn't kick in late at night when running the basin taps. Yesterday when turned on the pump was dead. None of the indicator leds on the top were lit. I assumed a fuse had blown - consumer unit was fine so I switched the fuse in the spur - still dead. Tried turning it off for a few hours. Tried again and then it burst into life. Working fine.

Today a similar story. Pump worked in the morning, dead in the afternoon. Called Salamander. Waited to be called back. Tried pump again - working! five minutes later dead again.

The pump is about two years old and is either just in or out of warranty. According to salamander they will sell me a replacement at trade price and scrap my old one if I can't find the pump purchase details. They think it's probably a fault with the PCB - which they cannot supply or repair - so a replacement will be required.

Anyone experienced anything similar? I'm wondering if perhaps it's a dry solder joint or something. The pump has an LED panel on the top and I just thing it's just not getting any power (otherwise it would be lit with a fault indication).

With such a short life I'm a bit reluctant to buy one from them again. I'm also wondering if a two year life is 'reasonable' for a water pump.

Any ideas?

Paul

Reply to
On Web
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A dry joint on the pcb seems a reasonable explanation.

The legal situation is that it is nowt to do with Salamander, unless you purchased it direct from them or unless you can meet their warranty requirements (eg have a receipt and are within the warranty period, etc)

Two years life isn't reasonable. However, your claim would be against whoever supplied it to you.

As you are on diy.home, I assume that you are considering taking the cover off and looking at the pcb. Seems a sensible idea, if done sensibly. However, if you can get the supplier to replace it, that is a better option.

-- Sue

Reply to
Palindrome

Absolutely. I wasn't that impressed by Salamander telling me that PCBs were individually calibrated to the pump during manufacture so couldn't be simply replaced (they then went on to say that they probably didn't have any anyway).

The plumber who installed the pump was pretty unhappy that I'd bought a Salamander pump and suggested that the many installation requirements meant that warranty claims were difficullt.

Paul

Reply to
On Web

SNIP

A mate of mine had a warranty issue with a shower pump couple of years ago, can't remember the make Pump wouldn't start sometimes.

The manufacturers agent came out and refused a warranty replacement as

- Not fitted with 22mm full bore isolation valves (only standard non full bore valves) thus may have damaged the pump.

- The pump was not easily accessable in rear or airing cupboard.

Anyway the plumber who originally fitted it took it apart, tightened a screw on internal connector block (motor run capacitor) and pump worked fine. Didn't change the isolating valves as what was the point as most of the shower pipework in the house was 15mm, this being the limiting flow rate factor.

Reply to
Ian_m

I'm on my second Salamander pump. The first one sprung a leak, which Salamander refused to warranty as the header tank didn't meet their requirements. The current one has been installed for 4 years now, but I agree that it's too noisy. Question is what to replace it with? The pump is a whole house pump so can't be replaced by an regular shower pump. My other alternative is a pressurised tank, but most of my house is plumbed in

15mm from the stop tap. So I don't think that the flow rates would be high enough. If you come up with a solution to your pump I'd be interested in the outcome.
Reply to
Brianb

After a big struggle (the cover is fastened with two screws with heads clearly designed to make casual tampering difficullt) I managed to get the cover off the control electronics. Some VERY careful proding of the mains connector block caused the pump to break into action. Aha I thought, the block must be loose and/or have damaged connections. I managed to disconnect the incoming cables and then thought it may not be the block - it may be the cables themselves breaking with the vibration.

I resoldered the pins of the block and cut cable leading to the PCB by a few inches then reattached the cables to the correct places.

On power-up it appeared dead. After a few attempts I did get a green LED but that was followed later by a flashing red LEd indicating that the pump was running dry. Currently it's dead. :-(

Paul

Reply to
On Web

snip

If I can't get this working tomorrow, I'm going to have to buy a replacement. Salamander is my cheapest and easiest replacement, though I'm loath to buy another.

Other than Salamander, Stuart Turner look like the favourites round here. The Salamander pump could cope with a negative head. I think that our flow rates might be good enough just to have a flow triggerred pump rather than have the system pressurised all the time.

If I have to get a replacement I might take the opportunity to raise the pump off the floorboards (they act like a sounding board). I'm wondering about the best way to try and insulate the sound transmission. Some rubber matting might be an idea - I noticed Homebase were selling rubber tiles for outside use, maybe they'll do the job..

Reply to
On Web

I had similar issue with ESP75CPV. It appeared to overheat. One of the impe ller appeared dragging/grinding/fusing against the inlet plate. Clip to hol d it in place had come off. This had happened with the other impeller withi n a year, without the overheating though. Hope this helps.

However now a have new problem with this noisy rascal. It has slight positi ve head and always worked f> I have a Salamander ESP CPV 100 water pump. Has worked fine since install ed

Reply to
info.ecoscan

He was complaining about a two year life on a pump. 10 years ago...

You might try uk.d-i-y. But ignore the politics.

Andy

Reply to
Vir Campestris

Reply to
Dave Wilcox

I have just had a "used" Salamander pump installed as a short term solution.

It pulses on and off when in use.

Its a negative pump

Reply to
Simon Edwards

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