Pulsating taps

[Sue coulson]

Hi everyone. For some reason when running my tap the water is pulsating.... any clues please
Sue

 

[Richard n Ann]

Is the pump switching on and off?

 

[Bertilak]

Pressure accumulator with a failed bladder ?( i.e. the pop bottle shaped thing just downstream of the water pump) -They're there to take the pulse out of the pump stokes, and hold pressure in the system so it's not constantly coming on for a second just to stay pressurised.

 

[Spanner]

If your van is fitted with a damper they occasionally need topping up, easiest with a bicycle pump, ours is set at just 13 psi

 

[Landy Andy]

Is the pump pulsing, or is the the water out of the tap? If water out the tap, but pump constantly running, it can be because pump is drawing in air.

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[Sue coulson]

It's a trumaboiler

 

[Sue coulson]

So pump is pulsating but only on the hot tap? Don't understand the technical comments above....sorry technophobe do I need to get someone to look at it? Only replaced pump last year. Travelling in republic of ireland a moment

 

[Richard n Ann]

So pump is pulsating but only on the hot tap? Don't understand the technical comments above....sorry technophobe do I need to get someone to look at it? Only replaced pump last year. Travelling in republic of ireland a moment

When I fitted our new pump the instructions said open the tap less than half and the pump should come on but stay off for 2 second periods. There's an adjustment on the pump pressure switch but as mentioned above, there is usually an anti-surge damper on the pump outlet which stops the fast cycling on and off.

Curious how it's only doing it on the hot tap you could possibly have a microswitch system and the hot tap microswitch is faulty? See if the bathroom hot tap does the same

 

[pappajohn]

Curious how it's only doing it on the hot tap you could possibly have a microswitch system and the hot tap microswitch is faulty? See if the bathroom hot tap does the same

If it's a microswitch system it will have a submersible pump and they produce a constant flow with no surge.

 

[brynric]

Only replaced pump last year.

Oddly the same thing has happened to us. We replaced a leaky pump and now we have a pulsing hot tap … and only the bathroom sink. (Furthest from the pump.)
It’s a little irritating but not a disaster so we’ll live with it until I have a quiet afternoon and I can break it properly!!

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[Landy Andy]

Assume everything was ok immediately after replacement pump was fitted.

 

[Vanman]

We started getting this (hot tap only) after the system drained itself. I initially put it down to a partial air lock that would clear over time. It hasn't though after a week of use so I'll probably fully drain the system and fill it more carefully - later in the year.

 

[Landy Andy]

It may be a failed none return valve. It only effects the hot water as the boiler has a bleed/air vent on it which then allows the water to drain back to the tank. The cold water system doesn't have a bleed/air vent on it, so doesn’t suffer.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Just had a thought... Ours has got gause/filter things on the tap outlet and they got semi blocked after 5 years with limescale etc. Check yours is OK,
They just screw off the end of the taps.

 

[RobbyMClark]

Oddly the same thing has happened to us. We replaced a leaky pump and now we have a pulsing hot tap … and only the bathroom sink. (Furthest from the pump.)
It’s a little irritating but not a disaster so we’ll live with it until I have a quiet afternoon and I can break it properly!!

Not had a replacement pump but it is only the shower in ours that pulses which is the furthest from the pump and boiler.

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[The Coops]

Open all your hot taps, bathroom shower and sink and kitchen sink run water through then close slowly, ending with the kitchen tap. It sounds like trapped air after emptying the system down, ours does the same but goes after doing this procedure, if it continues I would look for a sign of a leak on a joint as it may be pulling air in somewhere.

 

[Sue coulson]

Haha .... when I put all taps on it doesn't do it... I think it air... my thoughts are open tank outlet valve and drain down completely... question how do you fill more carefully??( previous quote) I'm. Travelling in the van so need to top up

 

[Casper46]

Haha .... when I put all taps on it doesn't do it... I think it air... my thoughts are open tank outlet valve and drain down completely... question how do you fill more carefully??( previous quote) I'm. Travelling in the van so need to top up

Same here. It's done it from new. It's been back to the dealers twice and is going back again, it's the noise it makes that's the worse thing. The pump shakes.

 

[terryr]

I have had a bit of trouble with our fridge coming out of winter, our fridge would not light but found this on the internet which sorted ours.

 

[Plumb]

When I fitted our new pump the instructions said open the tap less than half and the pump should come on but stay off for 2 second periods. There's an adjustment on the pump pressure switch but as mentioned above, there is usually an anti-surge damper on the pump outlet which stops the fast cycling on and off.

Curious how it's only doing it on the hot tap you could possibly have a microswitch system and the hot tap microswitch is faulty? See if the bathroom hot tap does the same

Yes I think the anti -surge damper is in actual fact an expansion vessel ! And does exactly that ,not to produce a steady flow of water

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[terryr]

Whoops post under the wrong heading

 

[Plumb]

Haha .... when I put all taps on it doesn't do it... I think it air... my thoughts are open tank outlet valve and drain down completely... question how do you fill more carefully??( previous quote) I'm. Travelling in the van so need to top up

I think it might be your drawing a greater volume of water , and the deferential switch is not pulsing the pump on and off, or possibly the pre charge pressure in the expansion vessel has depleted and needs recharging ?

 

[Landy Andy]

If it was the pressure vessel, why is it only effecting the hot supply?

 

[Plumb]

If it was the pressure vessel, why is it only effecting the hot supply?

Sorry hadn't realised it was only hot water ! I don't think the op mentioned that in opening post ?

 

[Badknee]

I think for whatever reason there’s not enough flow coming through the offending tap to keep the pump running constantly as the OP tells us with all the hot taps open it doesn’t happen. As Richard n Ann says check the gauze.

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[Plumb]

Just had a thought... Ours has got gause/filter things on the tap outlet and they got semi blocked after 5 years with limescale etc. Check yours is OK,
They just screw off the end of the taps.

That’s a good shout! Restricted flow rate

 

[icantremember]

Pepperdog1 , Jo this thread on "pulsating taps" may be of interest to you.
P.S. your subs have expired.

 

[Sue coulson]

Well guys thank you as usual it's obviously technical will hopefully get an engineer to site to fix....anyone know of any up west coast of ireland that will come to site?

 

[JockandRita]

Well guys thank you as usual it's obviously technical will hopefully get an engineer to site to fix....anyone know of any up west coast of ireland that will come to site?

Sue, don't be spending your hard earned on calling anyone out, until you have explored and tried
all the suggestions above please. Have you exhausted all the suggestions of help above?

If it is caused by a leak that you can't get to, then obviously you need further help.

Good luck with it.

Jock.

 

[Vanman]

Haha .... when I put all taps on it doesn't do it... I think it air... my thoughts are open tank outlet valve and drain down completely... question how do you fill more carefully??( previous quote) I'm. Travelling in the van so need to top up

When my frost protection dumped all the water I just closed the valve and filled the tank again. I got a lot of coughing and spluttering which has presisted in the hot water and the toilet flush is weak. I'm pretty sure there are threads on here about how to refill without air blocks but I can't search until tomorrow at least. For mine I will empty again and then refill with the drain valve open and run all the taps until the water comes out freely.