Humming Pump

I installed a v3 wireless receiver today in place of my Honeywell and followed the instructions on the app.

It then said it looks like I might have a gravity fed system and I may need a driver. I have looked and believe I have a Y-Plan fully pumped system so didn’t bother with the driver.

The heating works perfect but I am worried about the hot water. The pump doesn’t appear to be circulating and gets very hot. It was quietly humming and started getting louder and the only way I could stop it was to turn off power to the system and reset.

Has anyone else experienced this? The pump is only 6 months old which British Gas installed when our previous pump failed. Worked fine with the Honeywell set up.

Comments

  • I’m not an expert, but how was your old system wired? What triggered the pump? Not sure what a driver is in this context either.

    There’s an old thread here where @GrilledCheese2 says it isn’t compatible
    https://tado.vanillacommunities.com/en-gb/discussion/11892/how-do-i-wire-a-separate-pump-to-receiver-unit

    This chap seems to have done it (though I don’t quite understand how) https://www.reddit.com/r/tado/comments/j412hv/can_tado_stop_a_circulation_pump/

    Either way it sounds like you need a competent installer to figure it out.
  • I suspect your system is not a standard Y-plan. The increased humming noise from the pump is likely to be it dead-heading (water is unable to move). This shouldn't happen when you have a 3 port valve because at least one port will always be open, even if the valve is unpowered/broken.

  • Thanks for the replies. After a bit more investigation and checking this morning, it’s a y plan and wiring reflects this. There is a single valve.
    Seem to be 2 separate issues
    1) the pump hums when heating shuts off. When I turn the power off the noise stops and the motorised valve resets.
    2) the circulation pump does not come on when the hot water is switched on. This therefore doesn’t work.
    The old controller was a Honeywell ST6400C and it was easy in the guide to swap out and wires all matched up.
    Have no idea what to do now short of take the Tado off and reinstate the old system which worked?
  • Can you post:

    The make/model of your boiler.

    The make/model number of the motorised valve.

    Any pictures of the old programmer wiring.

    Pictures of the new wireless receiver wiring.

    Is your HW cylinder the traditional vented copper type, or modern unvented stainless steel?

  • Thanks for the replies.

    I have taken the Tado off and reinstalled following the instructions very carefully!! The pump now works with the hot water. I believe the earth wasn’t secured properly when I fitted the controller and pump now works as it should for both the hot water and central heating.

    I have also managed to trace the humming not to the pump but the Honeywell motorised valve. This hums when the heating is turned on and doesn’t stop when the heating is turned off almost like the motor is constantly working to keep it in position against the resistance of the spring?

    It’s beyond me and so as I know the Tado works properly now, I might just call out British Gas and get them to pop a new motorised valve on and see if that stops the problem.