So my flat nearly burned down...

[TheAnimus]

Something has somehow blocked the pipe to my shower, this resulted in the negative head pump having a leak around the outlet.

This resulted in water pouring down onto the pump. I notice the unmistakeable smell of burning.

Thankfully the pump sensor detected an unstable outflow and so switched itself to off. Otherwise an electrical fire could well have started or just a good old fashioned flooding. The geniuses who built my flat put carpet in the cupboard. This is so very dry, would no doubt combust fairly easily, because idiot me was storing some cardboard boxes and such in there as well.

A recipe for disaster narrowly avoided. Now excuse me whilst I go find a new pump, some flood sensors, and try to understand how the pump was able to burn water without tripping the earth leakage.

[MrComputerSaint]

Well, glad it didn't.

Good job the safety cut off kicked in then.

[Output]

Well, glad it didn't.

Good job the safety cut off kicked in then.

Agreed.

[peterb]

Glad all turned out well (well, not as bad as it might have been). Not the first time you have had problems with the shower pump iirc?

Without being there, I assume the pump stalled and then overheated/ There is usually a thermal cutout built into the windings of split phase induction motors, so I hope that would have tripped anyway. And had the insulation melted, the RCCB at the consumer unit would probably have tripped, as it would if there had been water ingress into the pump electrics.

Might be worth testing the RCCB - there is usually a test button for that purpose on the unit. If the pump is fed from a switched and fused spur, it would also be worth checking that the fuse rating is appropriate for the pump's load.

(Of course, the problem will go away when the EU legislate that power showers can only be a maximum of 5 watts to say water and energy! )

[g8ina]

I know how close calls feel, glad you're safe and all is well (ish)

[TheAnimus]

peterb the pump was fed from a 3pin, so had the manufacturers fuse in it.

I have subsequently checked some of the reviews... Sigh. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007796I6...ustomerReviews

[peterb]

peterb the pump was fed from a 3pin, so had the manufacturers fuse in it.

I have subsequently checked some of the reviews... Sigh. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007796I6...ustomerReviews

Poor installation practice IMHO. The installer should have fitted a fuse appropriate to the pump load, and should really have been feed from a double pole switched wired outlet.

The pump motor should still have a thermal cut out in the windings, though.

The only shower pumps I have fitted have been Stuart Turner 'Monsoon' pumps which seem well made and good after-sales service. (Although I had a control board failure - it would have been been - iirc - about£40 to replace, but I was able to identify and replace the failed component)

However, if the outlet was blocked, I'm surprised the flow sensor didn't shut off the pump more quickly, unless it just restricted the flow.

Still, glad that the outcome wasn't more serious.

[OilSheikh]

Glad to know you are all safe bud.
Why not change the electric shower for a boiler driven one?

[ik9000]

(Of course, the problem will go away when the EU legislate that power showers can only be a maximum of 5 watts to say water and energy! )

crap that's another thing I have to start stock piling along with 3kW kettles, hair dryers, bread makers and the like.

Glad your house is ok Animus

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Glad to hear that disaster was averted!

[TheAnimus]

Poor installation practice IMHO. The installer should have fitted a fuse appropriate to the pump load, and should really have been feed from a double pole switched wired outlet.

I think whoever did the second bathroom was, shall we be polite and say budget?

The cupboard is rammed, when they installed the electrics, it's clear the combi cylinder hadn't been fitted.... Because you can't screw the fused spur box fully on thanks to the jacket being in the way.

After a bit more investigation I don't think it was blocked, I think the plastic just ruptured due to stress. I think this is because the pump managed to move itself enough so that the connector hose (universal fitting) was somehow pulling the plastic bit... I've no idea, I'm just trying to guess how it broke, of course that pump had only a 2 year warrenty, which is expired.

I've actually got two sodding pumps, because the 2nd bathroom, when refurbished, decided to put it's own dedicated shower pump, I guess it's nice that the pressure isn't too effected by other taps. To be fair, the only issue I'd have before with the pump was a frustration that after power loss it would switch off negative head mode, you had to do a sodding dance to get it to switch back to negative mode.

As I was away at the time, the smoke alarm would have gone off and I'd have just burned down half the building, but that's ok, the women above me is a spoilt little child, who still hasn't repaid the management company for the damage she did to my flat when she didn't fix her leak in a timely manner, it would have been some kind of karama....

[peterb]

Have a look at these

http://www.stuart-turner.co.uk/products/monsoon/

depending on the model, you get a three or five year warranty.

You might be able to use one to replace the two pumps you have, particularly if you don't use both showers at the same time.

[george1979]

Glad you caught it in time!

I had an issue with an electric shower before in that the plastic casing started to melt on the top of the unit, just slightly off centre - I assume it was the heating element. The thing still worked fine and it wasn't causing any problems but I had it replaced with a new unit from the same manufacturer and the same thing happened. I'm guessing it was a design fault but I've been wary of them ever since.

[TheAnimus]

Yeah brass ends, rather than plastic.

As for replacing them with one... No way, that level of plumbing is beyond me. As is, the "house" stuff is copper, and the shower is PVC. Two pumps has the nice effect that if someone turns a tap or flashes a toilet, shower isn't effected. I think the price of a plumber to make the PVC work of the copper would be more than the price of a new pump for the shower. Given that the water is so hard here, nothing lasts more than 5~ years anyway, having a backup is also quite handy, that is to say been able to shower if the house one is down, or been able to bath if the shower is out.