When we shower we turn the shower head off whilst washing to save the water running out, then turn it back on to rinse. As the water is still effectively running it means the pump is too. We've not had any problems up to now but we wondered if any lasting damage is being done to the pump by leaving it running without actually any water coming out of the taps. The shower head is only off for about 1 min at the most. Will doing this cause any long term damage to the pump?
When you turn off any taps (including the shower) the pump stops running so no lasting damage is being done to the pump. The pump runs again when you open a tap as the pressure drops which in turn activates the pump unless there is a fault whereby the system isn't pressurising for some reason.
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Hmm interesting. Our pump continues to run, you can hear it, and the light stays lite against the pump switch. Is it because it is an older system (98 caravan), or does that imply there is an electrical issue somewhere?
are you sure it's not just running whilst filling up the on board tank, ours does it after taps have been turned off and then stops once the tank has been refilled
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Ah hadn't thought about it actually still being in use refilling the hot water tank. It is quite possibly that, but because we restart the shower so quickly there is no break in the water running, so you don't hear the pump stop. We will monitor next time we are out in the 'van. Thanks for the input everyone.
you are correct the pump will keep running if you turn the water off on the shower head your micro switch will be on the hot and cold tap not the head itself, i expect after a while you are likely to blow a pipe off somewhere as the pressure has nowhere to go
Thanks cuz62, that is another thing to consider, though it is off for a minute at most. Do people turn their taps off in between washing and rinsing then? Seems odd to have an off setting on the shower head, but too risky to use it.
If you have a submersible pump shutting off the flow will not cause a significant if any rise in water pressure, nor in the time scale of a shower will it do any harm. These pumps are rotodynamic centrifugal type and the only issue with a stalled flow is a risk of internal water overheating, but not in the time scales we are talking about here. It is also most likely to have a prime assisting internal bleed off, this is more than adequate to provide the internal flow needed to sort any tendency to over heat. The actual electric load will drop off to an extent when the flow is stalled.
So if it is this type of pump there is no cause for concern about the pump or over pressure.
If it is an internal, diagpham positive displacement pump it will have some form of auto switch off or relief valve to protect it from a stalled flow. If these attemp to run on against a stalled flow there are some real risks, but the system designer ought to have designed out these issues.
Yes it is a submersible pump in the aqua roll. Thanks JTQU that reassures me that we are not doing any harm to the pump. Which is what we thought, but it is always good to seek a second opinion on these sort of things and not just presume.
There are two types of water systems that caravans have installed which are either a single pressure switch (which is located between the water housing inlet and the first tap in the system) or micro switches which are located independent below each tap but the system won't have both. However, both types work on exactly the same principal that when the water pressure drops it then activates the pump which then delivers water from the Aquaroll via the pump into the water system. When a cold water tap is turned off, the water system is replenished by the pump which takes about 3 seconds (which is indicated by the illuminated pump light) but when the hot water tap is turned off it can take about 6 seconds to refill due to the action of the non return valve in the hot water tank.
Tap mounted micro switch systems operate the pump if any tap is opened; pressure plays no function in initiating or switching off the pump in these systems.
Quote: Originally posted by JTQU on 06/8/2015Tap mounted micro switch systems operate the pump if any tap is opened; pressure plays no function in initiating or switching off the pump in these systems.
Maybe you are right because I have had no previous experience with micro-switches so please accept my apology and ignore my previous post regarding the micro-switched water systems.
I just thought that both systems operated on the same principal but it goes to show that this forum can have it's merits as we never stop learning.