Shower pump leaking from push fit All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[plumbbob]

How is the pump connected into the system? The cold side that you say is leaking is a feed from the header tank? The pump is not fitted into the house rising main is it?

[stoneyboy]

armytouch,
As I understand what you are saying you now have tried two pumps and both are leaking from the body of the pump. Assuming that you are not connecting the pump to mains fed supplies ie mains cold and/or combi-boiler supplied hot, then you have been unlucky and will have to change the pump again.
end

[SweetBriar]

It may be easier to get a plumber out to exactly pinpoint the leak and resolve the issue??

[armytouch]

Hi, well think finally found out why pump been leaking, the pump is under the bath and connected to the mains supply so think the water pressure to high going into the pump,was wondering if theres anyway of lowering the pressure before the pump or any other way i can get pump to stop leaking without disconnecting it.
thanks

[plumbbob]

The only way is to connect the pump correctly by replacing the mains connection with a feed from the cold header tank. There are several reasons other than the pressure issue why pumps must not be connected into mains water.

[chris_on_tour2002]

is the pump connected to the incoming main? you can't do that. i must only be fed from a cold water storage tank/hot water cylinder on gravity fed.

if it's on the main then it's no wonder there's a leak.

[armytouch]

Hi thanks for quick reply,my mate installed it under the bath because the hot water pressure for the mixer shower was no good plus he had just put down new flooring so didnt want to take it up for pipework,can you get a single pump that will only pump up the water pressure for the hot water side of the system.thanks

[plumbbob]

Yes, you can get single impeller pumps, but you can use the one you have by connecting the output of one side of the pump to the inlet of the other effectively putting the "two" pumps in series.

Really though, the feeds to the shower have GOT to be at equal pressure at all times to ensure safe operation. You can't run a shower using mains on one side and low pressure on the other. It may even prove impossible to get a shower temperature that anyone can even stand under.

Consider also, it breaks the regs for cross contamination too.

[armytouch]

Thanks for your help in this matter i am seeing my mate hopefully tomorrow, i have read your answer however not sure how i can use the same pump like you explained, what i understand you are saying that he could re-connect the mains cold water which the pressure is good backup.
Then he could connect the hot water input to form a continuous loop ending up at the hot water tap ?
I am not sure how that would work surely when the intial water is pumped out of the outlet the pressure will still be to high at the other end inlet so will still cause the leak.
I am sorry if i have misunderstood your reply, i appreciate as does my mate with any suggestions to stop him having to rip up his new flooring or damaging his bathroom walls by feeding pipework through them,all the best and thanks if you can explain in a little more detail that would be great,
thanks again.

[plumbbob]

Sorry for being unclear. Maybe it could have made it clearer.

You asked "can you get a single pump that will only pump up the water pressure for the hot water side of the system?" They do make single pumps that will just do the hot water. You can turn the double ended pump that you already have to a single pump by as I say connecting the outlet of one end to the inlet of the other end which will leave you with one inlet and one outlet. I think the confusion is, I answered your question NOT give you a solution to your problem.

For your shower the cold feed must come from the cold header tank. There is no way of successfully connecting to the mains cold on one side and the low pressure hot on the other - with or without a pump.

[armytouch]

Thanks again for clarifying the answer,i understood the continous loop condition off the pump from the hot inlet passing through the hot outlet then through the cold inlet and then passing through to the cold outlet to the hot tap, sounds good to me,i was just worried about the pressure been pumped into the cold inlet from the hot outlet been to high so causing it to still leak when the pump is activated,will pass this information on and will try it hopefully it will work fine.
Thanks alot your help in this matter is grately appreciated, all the best