The installation of your Pascali Pressure Pump went well, you have finished tidying up and putting away all your tools, now it might be time for a well-deserved, pressurised shower!
But somehow, something is not working 100%, and you are not getting the results you were expecting.
In this article we explore common queries we receive after installations, and also share a couple of checks you can easily perform to diagnose and eventually troubleshoot a few possible causes.
Problems that might pop up after a pressure pump installation:
When I open a tap, the pressure pump doesn’t start!
Check that the power is on. This may be a simple explanation, but please remember to always switch the power mains off before and during working on electrical installations. (It does sometimes happen that one forgets to turn it back on).
If this isn’t the problem make sure that all your connections are secure, that there aren’t any loose terminals or breaks in the wire leading to the pump installation.
If there is no water going into the pump, the pump also won’t start. Ensure all your valves are open and there is water in the water source, such as the rainwater harvesting tank.
The pressure pump runs but there is no water coming out.
- Is your pressure pump receiving water as it should?
- Are there in restrictions?
- Are all the valves open? Inlet & oulet valves.
- Is there sufficient water in the tank?
- Are there any bursts in the pipeline?
- Is the inlet and the outlet connected correctly?
- Is your non-return valve installed correct way around?
If you’ve eliminated all the pointers above, there may be an airlock in the system or air is getting in, which is a restriction on its own.
In order to get the air out of your system, simply loosen the brass nut or “bleeding valve/nut” on the pressure pump housing, to let out all the air. This will prime the pump housing and if the non-return valve was installed correctly, you shouldn’t experience this problem again.
The pressure pump starts and doesn’t switch off again
There may be a major leak in your system somewhere. The increase in water pressure due to your new pressure pump may have caused an underlying problem to suddenly come to the fore. This should be addressed as soon as possible.
The pressure pump starts and stops intermittently without you using water. Or the pump continuously switches on and off.
The type of pressure pump you have installed is important to note in this case.
- In the case where a pressure pump has a flow control switch, there may be a small leak or dripping tap in your system. This will cause your pressure pump to sense that there is a flow, and therefore switch on.
- Take this opportunity to do some maintenance on your entire water system, replace washers in leaking taps and check the flow mechanism of your toilet.
- In the case of pumps that come with a pressure switch, instead of a flow switch, the pressure pump will react to a loss of pressure. Once again, the cause could be a leak in your system, such as a leaking toilet or piping. The pressure in your system keeps dropping, and therefore the pump’s pressure switch will activate.
- With pressure pumps that have a pressure switch, at the back of the pump there is a cart well, which is similar to a car valve, that has air in it. If you push the valve and the air comes out, everything is fine. If water comes out, it means the bladder inside has broken. If nothing comes out, the tank has lost its pressure and will need to be repressurized.
The pressure pump motor makes a humming sound but doesn’t turn.
There are typically two causes when this happens;
- Your shaft or impeller is trapped. This typically happens after an installed pump hasn’t been used for a while. Rust can form on the inside of the cast-iron housing, seizing the brass impeller.
- To loosen the rust, you can remove the cooling fan cover and gently turn the fan by hand. Disconnect the power before doing this. It should loosen the impeller and your pump should run normally. If it is really stuck you can remove the cast-iron housing, clean any rust buildup out with a steel brush and replace it. To prevent this problem from happening in the first place the pump should run at least one a week. If a pump is going to be idle for an extended period it should be disconnected and dried before storing.
- Another reason could be that some debris that has become trapped. In this case, you will need to open the pump up, ensure the debris, or whatever blockage is trapping the impeller is removed.
- Your capacitor is possibly faulty. This part “kick starts” the motor, and when it does not work, the pump motor won’t jump away, but instead, make a continuous humming sound, but it will not actually turn.
If these troubleshooting steps do not solve your particular problem, please contact a professional to have a look at your pressure pump.
All Pascali pumps come with a one-year warranty.
