Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Plumbing => Topic started by: big cat on October 18, 2014, 07:48:05 PM

Title: Did my pump fail? Help Please.
Post by: big cat on October 18, 2014, 07:48:05 PM

I fired up my stove today (first time since logstar pipe replacement) and got it up to temp (180 degrees). The pump started getting very hot and the temp of my lines inside the basement were 65 degrees. I should note that during the logstar pipe install the boiler was without water for approximately a week.

Does this sound like a pump failure or maybe an air lock? Also, my previous pipe was 1" OD and my logstar is 1" ID - could this be the reason also?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Title: Re: Did my pump fail? Help Please.
Post by: JDfarmer on October 18, 2014, 09:03:09 PM

well, if the water temp in the boiler is 180, but the water temp in the basement is 65, than;
1. water pump is not working,
2. there is a clog somewhere.
3. gauge is broken.
My water pump gets hot normally so it's hard to tell if that's the problem.
Can you disconect the pipe somewhere after the pump and see if water is getting pumped thought the line?
Did you try to bleed the water pump? There is a screw on the back of the pump. Turn to bleed the air out.
Or you could just buy a new water pump at Manard's for $150 and see if that takes care of the problem.

Title: Re: Did my pump fail? Help Please.
Post by: slimjim on October 19, 2014, 05:20:06 AM

You are sure all valves are on? this is why I try to take my makeup water from the basement, a tee in the supply or return loop to the boiler with a ball valve on each side of the Tee allows you to push any air trapped in the line back to the boiler one side at a time

Title: Re: Did my pump fail? Help Please.
Post by: golffanman on October 19, 2014, 07:09:39 AM

I agree with slimjim.....could very well be air in the plumbing.

Title: Re: Did my pump fail? Help Please.
Post by: big cat on October 19, 2014, 05:33:46 PM

I do have a makeup water supply in the basement, although I don't have valves on either side of it. Could I acheive the same result by using the valves on the back of the boiler? Thanks.

Title: Re: Did my pump fail? Help Please.
Post by: slimjim on October 20, 2014, 05:07:26 AM

Yes close off your return to the boiler and send water backwards to the boiler, note check valve Must be removed from the circ before doing this!

Title: Re: Did my pump fail? Help Please.
Post by: big cat on October 20, 2014, 07:01:38 PM

Thanks Slim and JDFarmer. I'm new to this OWB thing and I have been fighting with our unit ever since buying this house last fall. It seems with this unit its one step forward two steps back.  :bash: After replacing the shotty pipes with logstar recently, it is frustrating that there is yet another problem when I thought I'd be good to go. I ordered another pump to be on the safe side and between bleeding the pipes and replacing the pump hopefully that does it.

Title: Re: Did my pump fail? Help Please.
Post by: slimjim on October 20, 2014, 08:07:54 PM

You are almost there :thumbup: