Please help - grundfos pump keeps running in airing cupboard

Discussion in 'Getting Started FAQ' started by Yorkshiregirl, Dec 9, 2018.

  1. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

    Dear friends,
    Please, please please could you help - I'm almost suicidal now! Moved into new house (its only 10 years old) with a sealed heating system. S plan, Drayton valve for heating and Honeywell for water, new simple Drayton RTS2 thermostat in the hallway and a programmer.

    31 October, the grundfoss pump constantly ran all night (causing boiler to constantly fire up too) until I switched the boiler off at the mains. called British Gas and they changed the Drayton heating acutator and the room thermostat Everything running fine. 21 November had a new boiler fitted - Vaillant 418 ecotech plus (using existing myson programmer and thermostat) so a straight boiler swap, everything running perfectly. Heating on constant and water on timed.

    7 December woke up to the sound of the pump running constantly again, boiler being called for heat until I switched the boiler off at the mains. The installer came - the boiler is working perfectly - he advised that it would chargeable work to locate the fault as he only installed the boiler and this was something to do with the external valve, pump etc.Called British Gas who changed the Drayton actuator again. All running fine, heating on constant (due to elderly father who needs a warm environment due to health condition) and low and behold 48 hours later the pump is running constantly again, firing the boiler up too. British Gas been out earlier today and checked all the wiring in the programmer, the thermostat and the wiring junction next to the heating cylinder, no apparent fault. The Honeywell water valve all running fine too. BG engineer was here for nearly two hours, and disconnected the the orange wire on pump/boiler wires and brown on valve and reconnected them all again. Fingers crossed it may have been a loose wire/ faulty connection as all appears to be working fine now.

    I'm worried now that why does this keep happening - clearly not the boiler, as it's a brand new boiler but still the same issue of the grundfos pump running all night has happened again!! I was thinking of having a hive installed, but I've enough on my plate with all this!!

    Apologies in advance for the long detailed post . Any suggestions my good people please?
     
  2. Mike83

    Mike83 Screwfix Select

    The Drayton valve probably won’t be fully closing.
    The brass bodies spindle will probably be stiff.
    Did BG only change the white (actuator) part.
     
    Heat likes this.
  3. Mike83

    Mike83 Screwfix Select

    Easiest way to test the Drayton valve when the pump is constantly running is to simply unclip it from the body.
    You may then hear the valve close shortly followed by the pump (overrun).
    If this happens then the brass body is faulty.
     
  4. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

     
  5. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

    Hi

    Many thanks for your fast reply. Brtish Gas changed the whole acutusor and because it wasn’t the ‘unclip type’ he had to cut the copper pipe and install a new brass spindle too - now the actuator just ‘unclips off’
     
  6. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

     
  7. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

    Thank you for your fast reply, The BG did this today by unclipping the actuator , but the pump still ran on I will check this if it happens again - although as I explained in the post above - the new brass spindle was installed when the first actuator was replaced - I sat and watched the BG engineer like a hawk - as lots of water came out of the pipe and I have a shiny new brass sections (hope that makes sense) thanks again - much appreciated.
     
  8. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

    Any gas engineers nearby that can solve this issue for me if it happens again (willing to pay!) just can’t do with all this stress - it’s giving me sleepless nights - can’t afford to be mega stressed as I’m recovering from a mini stroke as it it x
     
  9. Mike83

    Mike83 Screwfix Select

    An intermittent fault like the pump and boiler coming on is usually caused by either an actuator or the programmer. Usually if it’s the programmer though the thermostats for the heating and hot water will still do their job and turn the boiler and pump off.

    A bad connection on a wire usually will lead to something not working rather than it coming on when it shouldn’t.

    This would be a fairly easy fault to diagnose on site if the fault occurred during engineer visit.

    You do mention the heating is on at the programmer all the time. Is the stat maybe calling for heat through the night.(doubt it)
     
  10. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

     
  11. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

    Hi Mike

    Thank you again. The room stat isn’t calling for heat at night when the pump is constantly running ( as a red light lights comes on to indicate the stat is on).i sat watched the stat and didn’t call for heat when the pump issue was going on. The fault - the pump constantly running in all its glory was visible for the engineer to see, hence all the undoing and reconnecting of the wires. Fingers crossed that it was some loose/crossed wire somewhere in either the programmer or the junction box that has now been out in its rightful place by the engineer and the pump behaves. If not time to call out BG again - at least they can’t blame boiler as this is the exact same problem we had with the old boiler. Thanking you again for your expertise and guidance x
     
  12. nigel willson

    nigel willson Screwfix Select

    Surely a call to British Gas is reqd!
     
  13. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

     
  14. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

    Hi Nigel.

    Yes, should this happen again, I will be calling BG out again!
     
  15. Mike83

    Mike83 Screwfix Select

    It the fault is evident whilst the engineer is on site it should be a 5 minute job to diagnose the fault.
    Get BG back out.
     
  16. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

     
  17. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

    Will do Mike - thank you :)
     
  18. Mike83

    Mike83 Screwfix Select

    If it’s not fixed on the next visit maybe ask for an experienced engineer.
    This is basic stuff though.
    Good luck.
     
  19. Mike83

    Mike83 Screwfix Select

    Also if the boiler is in the garage get them to check the frost stat.
     
  20. Yorkshiregirl

    Yorkshiregirl New Member

    Thanks Mike - luckily the boiler is in the kitchen :)
     

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