Salamander CT55 Connection Pump Installed to Boost Supply to Kitchen But Poor Supply to New En-Suite - How to Improve This? Drainage and wastage systems and plumbing help, advice and answers

[gotabelt]

I have Salamander CT55 single connection pump adjacent to downstairs situated hot water cylinder to boost hot water supply to kitchen which is 12 meters away. Works really well.

A few years ago I had an en-suite installed up stairs with a basin and the hot water plumbed in from the pump. But I do not get sufficient flow to initiate the pump If I fit a Salamander RCM 1 Negative Head Pump Kit would it enable me to get hot water to the upstairs basin? The basin is 3.4 meters above the pump.

Thanks for any help that you can give.

[plumbbob]

Yes. Converting to a negative head system would solve the problem.

[gotabelt]

Plumbbob,

Thanks for your reply, do you happen to know exactly how the RCM works? I understood that the flow switch on the pump has to detect water movement to initiate the pump. If the basin tap upstairs is turned on how can this happen unless the RCM incorperates a check valve to hold pressure in the pipe and when the tap is opened the drop in pressure is sufficient for the switch to detect water movement. Please don't think I am questioning your reply but as engineer these things interest me.

regards

gotabelt.

[plumbbob]

You've basically got it. Rather than a simple flow switch, a negative head pump uses a combination of a non-return valve, pressure switch and a small expansion vessel to maintain a static pressure in the pipework. When an outlet is opened, the resulting drop in pressure triggers the pump.

[gotabelt]

Dear Plumbbob,

Thanks for your reply. So the RCM works much as I thought.

All the best and seasons greetings.

Peter