Issue with Stuart Turner Showermate 1.4 Bar Twin Shower Pump

maxxy

Hello,


I am looking for some advice on a fault with my Shower Pump.


I have a Stuart Turner Showermate 1.4bar Twin Shower Pump which has recently started to give me some issues.


The pump is approximately 3 years old and has run without issue since until about 2 weeks ago when it started showing an intermittent fault.

When the shower mixer tap in the bathroom is opened the pump sounds like it is trying to run (it emits a low hum) but there is no increase in water pressure. I have found that the only ways to get the shower pump to work is to either let this low hum continue after which sometimes the pump will suddenly kick in after 6-7 minutes and run as normal or alternatively to turn the tap on and allow water the run freely through the pump, but turn the pump on and off at the socket switch. If I turn the pump on and off at the wall I can hear a dull click before the pump starts to try and run. The more times I turn the pump on and off at the wall the louder the hum of the pump becomes with each click. After 10 or so attempts the pump kicks in, followed by and whooshing noise from within the pump before settling into its normal pump sound (although I definitely think the pump is running louder than it used to).


Once it has full flow it does not cut out during running, and will only be an issue again if the shower is turned off and not used again for a while. Initially this problem occurred a couple of times a week, but now I find myself having this issue every morning.


It does not seem to matter whether I try to run hot or cold water, the problem still remains. I can see or feel no evidence of leakage around the pump.


I would be grateful if anyone could give me any advice on this matter.


Thanks,


Maxxy

southcoastrgi

It sounds to me like your pump is sticking, either due to debris in the pump or that the motor windings are failing, I bet if you feel the pump while it's humming it is hot ? If it's debris then you will need to disconnect it & clean it out, however if it's the windings then it's prob not cost effective to do anything with them & you will need a new pump, I dont know where your pump is located but have you also checked for trapped air ? If you continue to let the pump hum for any length of time it will certainly fail & (sorry to say this) if the motor gets too hot it could even catch fire so please be careful.

ListysDad

Might also be seized bearings. TBA either way its prob best to replace.

maxxy

Thank you for the advice.

The pump body definately gets hot when the pump hums. I will take the connections off and check for debris in the pump, we live in a hard water area and I can't see any sign of filters in the pipework so there may be some scale present.

The pump is on the floor next to the hot water tank and has been in the same position since it was installed so I can't see why it would now have an issue with air in the pump, although it definately sounds like it has (whooshing sound?) when it eventually gets going.

As a result of the issues I turned down the thermostat on the boiler as I thought the water going in may be too hot and may have caused cavitation, but it doesn't seem to have changed anything.

Would the fact that it is worse when it has been left for some time indicate air ingress somewhere, or is that an indicator of many fault types (siezed bearings?)?

Thank you for the advice regarding the heat of the pump body and the possibility of catching fire. I will monitor the heat of the motor when I use it next to see if it is overheating when it is pumping.

Thanks again,

Maxxy

ListysDad

The water going into ANY shower pump must NOT go past 60 degrees C. Not one will survive if its much hotter.

All ST pumps are supplied with filters in the supply lines to the pump so if they are missing that says something too.

maxxy

I had to go through the usual stop-start routine this morning to get the pump going and after it ran for approximately 10 minutes pumping water the motor housing was very hot (almost too hot to touch and could feel radiating heat at about 1cm distance). I have turned the pump off at the wall and will take the pipes off tonight and have a look for any blockages. If the filters are built in, I may have misunderstood what they look like so hopefully will know more when I take it off tonight. Am I right to assume from your post that the filters are within the flexible pipe set-up?

If I did need a new pump, would it have to be the same 1.4 bar rating (I only ask as it seems Stuart Turner only do a 1.8bar in this pump now)? I would prefer to replace with the same pump type as I think it will be easier for me to install without getting someone in to do it as I would imaging the pipe distances would be correct.If this is not possible can anyone recommend another brand/type of pump that would be suitable as a replacement?

Thanks again for all advice,

Maxxy

southcoastrgi

you can replace it with what ever size pump you like but just remember the more powerful the pump the quicker the water will flow giving a better shower but also emptying your hot water cylinder & roof tank much quicker, all pumps that i know of come with flexi pipes off of them so re-connecting to the pipework shouldn't really be a prob, hope you sort it.

Moss5

http://www.stuart-turner.co.uk/products/showermate

Could be motor capacitor failure.
Try their spare parts search or phone them for help.

maxxy

I took the pump apart last night and could see no sign of any debris or scaling in the pump or pipework. The motor spindle seems to run freely so I put it back together and since then it has started every time without an issue.

Thank you all for your help on this issue, I will continue to monitor it but it seems to be ok for now.

Maxxy

maxxy

Unfortunately since I last posted the problem, it has not improved. The Stuart Turner PumpAssist helpline confirmed that it is almost certainly an issue with the start capacitor (Thanks Moss5). It costs £30 for a replacement from Stuart Turner, but i have seen similar items (not Stuart Turner) on ebay and RS Components for £5 or less.

I would be grateful if anyone could advise what I need to be aware of when fitting a capacitor that is not from Stuart Turner. How do I ensure it is the correct type?

Thanks,

Maxxy

keystone

maxxy wrote: »

I would be grateful if anyone could advise what I need to be aware of when fitting a capacitor that is not from Stuart Turner. How do I ensure it is the correct type?

So would you rather pay ST £ 30 for a replacement cap or £100 - £ 250 (depending on model) for a new pump altogether when the cheapo Chinese tat one you've installed takes the whole thing out? You will pay through the nose getting it through ST though because they will be buying it in and the overheads of spares support in a manufacturing organisation stuff the price through the roof. You'll probably pay about the same price though through showerdoc or similar.

Bite the bullet and cough up or tell them you are just going to buy a new pump as the cap is too expensive and you'll be buying a Techflow. See how they react to that little gem.

Cheers