Hey all. After having a £600 salamander pump arriving dead electrically last week and experiencing their black and white warranty control I've decided to stop using them. I got the replacement pump after 1 week during which time my customer had rubbish low pressure hot water still. I wonder what everyone's thoughts are on the plumbing scenario: -
The pump is going in a 200 year old 3 bedroom cottage with 1 bathroom and 1 cloakroom. There is a 100 gallon coffin tank in the loft supplying the hot water cylinder only. For access reasons I won't bore you with, there is only enough room to run 1x 28mm pipe or 1x22mm pipe from the cold water cistern to the hot water cylinder. The proposed pump is a ESP150 single impeller whole house pump which will be pumping hot water.
The pump is going at the base of the cylinder. An essex flange is being used to feed the pump. Due to the above access reasons I'm running a 28mm cold feed to the cylinder. As the customer has a solid fuel Rayburn system I'm using the essex flange and a 22mm tee off the cold feed to the cylinder to feed a thermostatic blending valve. This then feeds the pump in 22mm pipework. 22mm outlets from the pump go up over the hot water cylinder (with an automatic air vent on the top of the up and over section) and over to the pump itself.
Salamander won't warranty this installation as the blending valve must have its dedicated cold feed. I have tried explaining that a 28mm cold feed to the cylinder will easily supply enough water for the blending valve and the cylinder. My argument is that the manufacturer say for a 1 bathroom property a 22mm cold feed to the cylinder will suffice therefore this flow rate is now divided across a 22mm cold inlet to the TMV and a 28mm cold feed to the cylinder.
They are being stupid and totally black and white in my opinion. The pump is installed and runs perfectly fine, as you would expect!
Has anyone else had similar experiences were common sense seems to be ignored by them? I'm looking at switching to Stuart Turner who, having spoken to them today, would be happy to warranty one of their pumps on this setup.
The pump is going in a 200 year old 3 bedroom cottage with 1 bathroom and 1 cloakroom. There is a 100 gallon coffin tank in the loft supplying the hot water cylinder only. For access reasons I won't bore you with, there is only enough room to run 1x 28mm pipe or 1x22mm pipe from the cold water cistern to the hot water cylinder. The proposed pump is a ESP150 single impeller whole house pump which will be pumping hot water.
The pump is going at the base of the cylinder. An essex flange is being used to feed the pump. Due to the above access reasons I'm running a 28mm cold feed to the cylinder. As the customer has a solid fuel Rayburn system I'm using the essex flange and a 22mm tee off the cold feed to the cylinder to feed a thermostatic blending valve. This then feeds the pump in 22mm pipework. 22mm outlets from the pump go up over the hot water cylinder (with an automatic air vent on the top of the up and over section) and over to the pump itself.
Salamander won't warranty this installation as the blending valve must have its dedicated cold feed. I have tried explaining that a 28mm cold feed to the cylinder will easily supply enough water for the blending valve and the cylinder. My argument is that the manufacturer say for a 1 bathroom property a 22mm cold feed to the cylinder will suffice therefore this flow rate is now divided across a 22mm cold inlet to the TMV and a 28mm cold feed to the cylinder.
They are being stupid and totally black and white in my opinion. The pump is installed and runs perfectly fine, as you would expect!
Has anyone else had similar experiences were common sense seems to be ignored by them? I'm looking at switching to Stuart Turner who, having spoken to them today, would be happy to warranty one of their pumps on this setup.
