Automatic Shower Pump

[Chris Curtis]

I have a 5 year old shower pump which wasn't turning off! It started to be an intermittent fault but ended up continuously running.

I had a look at it today, put it back together and it is for the moment OK though I've no idea why. However, I'm intrigued as to how the automatic switching works; there looked to be some sort of sensor adjacent to the outlets. It's a John Sidney (who seem to have disappeared; the support line number doesn't answer) Cascade Automatic 50 Twin.

If the problem returns, as I suspect it will, what are my options?

Chris

[Brian Reay]

Flow switch I'd imagine. Start with shower tap off. No flow, so pump is switched off. Turn on tap and you'll get a small flow due to the pressure before the pump (ie the head of water), the small flow is detected (probably an impellor) and switches in the pump. Close the tap, the pump will be "pumping into a dead end" but the flow stops, flow switch turns off pump.

I'd imagine the weak point is the flow switch. Is it in the pump or else where? If it is in the pump and can't be repaired, a bit of electical surgery may allow you to fit an external flow switch.

Brian

[mrcheerful]

I have some spare flow switches

[Chris Curtis]

I can't see any sign of what I would consider to be a flow switch. As I've said, there is a sensor adjacent to both outlet connectors which goes to a small circuit board but nothing obviously mechanical! The problem returned this morning!

Chris