Boiler Pump Anti Seizure Feature

[Alfie25]

Does anyone have any knowledge of pump anti-seizure feature which seems fitted to many boilers these days?

I have a Worcester Greenstar Ri Heat Only boiler and the manual states the pump anti seizure feature only runs when no heating has been called for 24 hours, to prevent the pump sticking. However, mine doesn't work like this and it runs the pump for about a minute at intervals of 24 hours + 20 minutes, regardless of when it was last used. I've spoken to Worcester and they just regurgitate what the manual says which isn't much use to me.

As you can imagine, firing every 24 hours + 20 minutes means that the time it fires changes daily, and obviously as part of this ongoing cycle, there's a long spell where it fires up during the night, and with my heating system not being the quietest, it wakes us up!! Now, I'm looking to get a new boiler but it seems many come equipped with this feature. Viessmann for example tell me their pump anti seizure fires every 24 hours, but that's what Worcester said, and in their case it isn't true. Viessemann also said it cannot be turned off.

Can any experts (or anyone who's bought a boiler recently) please advise as I really dont want a new boiler that works in the same way as my one at present as it'll drive me mad! A fixed time every day would be ok, but I can't tolerate this 24 hours +20 minutes ongoing cycle of firing up any longer! I know one solution would be to rip up every floorboard and strap down every pipe so it doesn't make the tiniest creak or knock, but that's not practical!

 

[Agile]

You are wrongly saying the boiler fires up when all it does is to run the pump.

The Ri is a recent design and not at an age that needs replacing yet.

It is a heat only boiler and the pump is external and perhaps that has been left on setting "3" ??? Or not supported ?

If the pump running a night bothers you then it is cheap and simple to have a timeclock to inhibit its operation at night!

Tony

 

[Alfie25]

You are wrongly saying the boiler fires up when all it does is to run the pump.

The Ri is a recent design and not at an age that needs replacing yet.

It is a heat only boiler and the pump is external and perhaps that has been left on setting "3" ??? Or not supported ?

If the pump running a night bothers you then it is cheap and simple to have a timeclock to inhibit its operation at night!

Tony

Sorry, when I said it fires up I meant it just runs the pump. The pump is in the airing cupboard upstairs, the boiler is downstairs in kitchen. The pump is set to 2, although I can't see how this makes any difference as the pump anti seizure feature of the boiler is the trigger, regardless of what the pump is set to. My system (like many) makes quite a few knocks/creaks from the pipework/floorboards when the pump circulates the water, hence why this is a problem and wakes us up.

BTW, there's many reasons I'm wanting a new boiler, it's not just to overcome this problem.

 

[Agile]

Pumps are more noisy if set too high.

Your boiler is a modern condensing boiler and there is no advantage at all in replacing it for £1500 !

Creaks are usually caused when pipes are heating up. Merely running the pump should not be very noisy.

How old is the pump? Could that be noisy?

Tony

 

[Alfie25]

Pumps are more noisy if set too high.

Your boiler is a modern condensing boiler and there is no advantage at all in replacing it for £1500 !

Creaks are usually caused when pipes are heating up. Merely running the pump should not be very noisy.

How old is the pump? Could that be noisy?

Tony

The pump is old (im guessing original to the house, approx 30 years) and is a bit noisy but the creaks and bangs are from the pipework which was obviously poorly installed by the housebuilder in the first place. The force/pressure of the water being pumped round it is enough to cause some very loud noises. The pipes are very tight on the boards, joists are inadequately notched, and pipes inadequeately secured.

 

[ianmcd]

Have never tried it and have never heard of it so just suggesting it at this stage as a suggestion topic, the electricity supply to your pump if wired correctly comes from your boilers PCB, this incorporates a pump over run as well as the daily pump kick that you mention, I think it would be possible to interrupt the pumps supply with a timeclock and say for instance the pump cant get a feed from say 11 PM till 7 AM or whatever times suit your life style, this would only cause problems if you had your heating on during these off periods, there are some boilers that dont require a daily pump kick though, but it is a good feature

 

[stardanny]

Pump should be replaced when you had new boiler in. 30 years is too long.

Does that heat only boiler heat hot water as well? Should not need anti-seized kick in if hot water is timed to come on morning and evening.

Daniel.

 

[ianmcd]

Pump should be replaced when you had new boiler in. 30 years is too long.

Does that heat only boiler heat hot water as well? Should not need anti-seized kick in if hot water is timed to come on morning and evening.

Daniel.

you are correct Danny but the RI does not allow you to disable the pump kick, which is the OPs problem

 

[Alfie25]

Pump should be replaced when you had new boiler in. 30 years is too long.

Does that heat only boiler heat hot water as well? Should not need anti-seized kick in if hot water is timed to come on morning and evening.

Daniel.

Indeed. The last owners had the boiler put in by BG. You'd think they'd have said it was compulsory to have a new pump and fleeced them a bit more but alas not. Still, doesn't stop the pump firing.

Ianmcd - name some boilers that don't have this feature if you know of any!