Heatpump problem!

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Heatpump problem!

esawers

551 posts

Ultimate Geek

#230250 14-Feb-2018 18:59

I've spent the last 5 days living with and searching for a buzzing noise in my house. Every 7-15 minutes it would vibrate loudly for 4 seconds, with the time getting shorter each buzz.

Tonight we turned the power off and discovered its coming from the condensation pump in the ceiling, for our on wall heat pump.

Can anyone tell me how these work? We had the heat pumps disconnected and reconnected at the end of last year for some drainage work. We have only used them once since then on air conditioning mode.

The heat pumps are turned off now until we can get someone to look at the pump.

richms

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#1958257 14-Feb-2018 19:01

Well the ones at work do that to pump the condensation out. Is it actually pumping out ok?

Richard rich.ms

esawers

551 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1958262 14-Feb-2018 19:11

Is it a normal noise?

We have only used the air conditioning once (about 2 weeks ago) in the 5 years we have had it, have never heard the pump noise at all.

I would have thought any condensation would be gone by now

richms

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#1958265 14-Feb-2018 19:13

condensation is a non stop thing when cooling, the pipe from my bedroom one is about 3-4 seconds per drip even when its been on for a month. The work ones that drain into a sink are about a cupfull every hour in this humidity.

Richard rich.ms

RunningMan

8961 posts

Uber Geek

#1958269 14-Feb-2018 19:15

When in cooling mode, condensation forms on the inside unit - depending on the installation, sometimes it can drain away by gravity, sometimes it requires a pump. It's perfectly normal for the pump to run for a few seconds periodically to clear the built up condensation.

It shouldn't be unduly noisy though.

RunningMan

8961 posts

Uber Geek

#1958272 14-Feb-2018 19:17

esawers:

I would have thought any condensation would be gone by now

What do you mean gone by now? If the unit is running in cooling mode, it will be generating condensation almost continuously. The higher the humidity, the more it will generate.

esawers

551 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1958273 14-Feb-2018 19:17

Should it still be running every 15 minutes when the heat pump has been off for 2 weeks?

Edit: Should have said, we only used it once overnight, 2 weeks ago. I have now powered them off on the outside switch to stop the pump noise.

RunningMan

8961 posts

Uber Geek

#1958274 14-Feb-2018 19:20

esawers:

Should it still be running every 15 minutes when the heat pump has been off for 2 weeks?

Yes. Possibly more often.

It's not running because it was switched off, it's running because it's switched on.

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richms

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#1958276 14-Feb-2018 19:21

If the pumps not in properly, it might be pumping up into a pipe, and then it draining back down into it slowly till it gets high enough to trigger it again. Quite unusual to have pumps on home ones tho since the cheap back to back install most people go for will usually let it just go out the wall and down with the exposed piping to ground level.

Richard rich.ms

RunningMan

8961 posts

Uber Geek

#1958283 14-Feb-2018 19:28

esawers:

Edit: Should have said, we only used it once overnight, 2 weeks ago. I have now powered them off on the outside switch to stop the pump noise.

That's kind of like disconnecting the battery in your car because every time you drive it, you hear the engine running!

It's supposed to pump. It will always do it on cooling mode, and it will do it more as the humidity rises, or you turn the interior temp down. As @richms says, the only ones that won't do it are when you can get a gravity drain where it doesn't need to push uphill for any section of the pipework - a simple back to back home installation is often like this.

esawers

551 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1958287 14-Feb-2018 19:36

I'm thinking the pump hasn't been connected properly when they reinstalled it.

I understand it would pump the condensation away when its in cooling mode, and possibly for a day or two after?

But not when they have been turned off for 2 weeks... ?

The house is vibrating every 7 minutes 24 hours a day

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#1958372 15-Feb-2018 00:54

richms:
If the pumps not in properly, it might be pumping up into a pipe, and then it draining back down into it slowly till it gets high enough to trigger it again. Quite unusual to have pumps on home ones tho since the cheap back to back install most people go for will usually let it just go out the wall and down with the exposed piping to ground level.

This will be the problem. Failed check valve in the pump. Water in the outlet pipe leaks back into the pump reservoir until the water level switch gets triggered. Pump runs to drain reservoir, water leaks back and the cycle repeats.

RunningMan

8961 posts

Uber Geek

#1958643 15-Feb-2018 15:27

esawers:

I understand it would pump the condensation away when its in cooling mode, and possibly for a day or two after?

But not when they have been turned off for 2 weeks... ?

Ahh, sorry, I didn't realise it was doing it with the unit switched off! It could certainly run for may 30 mins, but not more than that. Def a fault.