Grundfos Comfort Series caught fire
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Grundfos Comfort Series caught fire
I have a Grundfos Comfort Series hot water recirculating pump installed on the water heater. It was here when we bought the house so I don't know how old it is. A few days ago we noticed we weren't getting hot water, and I went out to take a look. The timer seemed to be set correctly and it was plugged in, but I didn't have time to investigate further. A few days later I went out to look again, and saw that at some point it caught fire. The timer side of the pump was completely burned away. I don't know when this happened, but I'm lucky the house didn't catch fire.
Until this happened we were pleased with the system--there's a drought here in California and we were wasting a lot of water waiting for the hot water, so I'd like to get another. But now I'm hesitant -- what would cause this to happen? Is this a known problem with Grundfos pumps?
Until this happened we were pleased with the system--there's a drought here in California and we were wasting a lot of water waiting for the hot water, so I'd like to get another. But now I'm hesitant -- what would cause this to happen? Is this a known problem with Grundfos pumps?
#2
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Wow. It looks like some serious over-heating was going on there.
I can only speculate as to what caused the pump to cook like that. Faulty wiring/electronics? Seized motor? Pump installed too close to exhaust vent?
I can only speculate as to what caused the pump to cook like that. Faulty wiring/electronics? Seized motor? Pump installed too close to exhaust vent?
#4
Its not installed properly... Really??? Placing the motor right on top/touching of the flue anything would overheat..( From what I see anyway..)
I would not look for any warranty , and especially dont show them that picture......
Plus you need a straight piece of pipe off the heater not an ell directly on the draft hood..
I would look to go after the installer of said heater and/or pump install....
Last you may want to look at electrical issues and the outlet the pump was plugged into...
Just my 2 cents is all...
I would not look for any warranty , and especially dont show them that picture......
Plus you need a straight piece of pipe off the heater not an ell directly on the draft hood..
I would look to go after the installer of said heater and/or pump install....
Last you may want to look at electrical issues and the outlet the pump was plugged into...
Just my 2 cents is all...
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Grundfos Comfort Series
Thanks all for your insights. Regarding the location of the pump, it's not actually touching the flue...that's just the perspective of the photo. It is pretty close though. But that's where the hot water pipe is. Should the pump be installed somewhere else?
My guess is that the installer was the previous homeowner. We know he was quite the do-it-yourselfer (and not in a good way). We've had to correct other instances of his handiwork.
My guess is that the installer was the previous homeowner. We know he was quite the do-it-yourselfer (and not in a good way). We've had to correct other instances of his handiwork.
#6
Oh my... Clearly you have draft issues... Look at the red and blue inserts at the h/c nipples.. You see they are melted?
That means flue gas is rolling out and into the home... You have chimney blockage or lack of draft...
Please have a working CO detector for you and your family's safety... ( You can Die!!!!)
The flue needs to be checked and or heater and corrected ASAP!!!!
( Thats your over heating issue IMO)
Your pump is the least of your concerns at this point...
That means flue gas is rolling out and into the home... You have chimney blockage or lack of draft...
Please have a working CO detector for you and your family's safety... ( You can Die!!!!)
The flue needs to be checked and or heater and corrected ASAP!!!!
( Thats your over heating issue IMO)
Your pump is the least of your concerns at this point...
#7
Yeah... those new pics tell all!
Where does the flue pipe go after it leaves the pictures?
Second the CO detectors... loud enough to wake NJ Trooper out of a Sam Adams Coma.
I bet there's no 'earthquake straps' on that unit either..................
Where does the flue pipe go after it leaves the pictures?
Second the CO detectors... loud enough to wake NJ Trooper out of a Sam Adams Coma.
I bet there's no 'earthquake straps' on that unit either..................
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Wow, this is why you ask the experts.
We do have CO detectors in the house. The water heater is not accessible from within the house. It is in a closet, accessed via a door on the exterior. The door is vented, so fresh air gets in.
We had the entire roof replaced last year, including the plywood, so it was all opened up and we did look at all the vents at that time. I am pretty confident that the flue pipe vents out the roof.
I've ordered a new pump and I intend to have a licensed plumber install it. I will ask him about the flue setup as well.
Thanks for all your advice.
We do have CO detectors in the house. The water heater is not accessible from within the house. It is in a closet, accessed via a door on the exterior. The door is vented, so fresh air gets in.
We had the entire roof replaced last year, including the plywood, so it was all opened up and we did look at all the vents at that time. I am pretty confident that the flue pipe vents out the roof.
I've ordered a new pump and I intend to have a licensed plumber install it. I will ask him about the flue setup as well.
Thanks for all your advice.
#9
Since that is single wall flue pipe.... If it goes into a wall it must be in some type of chimney.
If that flue pipe goes into a wood or sheetrock wall then it requires immediate attention as it could be a fire hazard.
If that flue pipe goes into a wood or sheetrock wall then it requires immediate attention as it could be a fire hazard.
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Similar problem (but no fire...yet) in my house
Hi all,
I stumbled on this thread because I am having a similar issue. In particular, I have a grundfos recirc pump attached to my water, but it doesn't have an embedded timer. Instead, it has one of those "typical" 24-hour wheel timers that supplies power to it.
The pump was installed 4 years ago when I moved in, and until yesterday worked flawlessly. Yesterday, I noticed that the recirc pump wasn't working so I went to check it. I verified that the timer switch was supplying power to the pump, but the pump was not running. Instead, it made a very quiet humming noise and was DAMNED HOT TO THE TOUCH! Also, I thought I smelled a faint odor of acrid burning rubber smell. I immediately turned off the power to the pump (and went to work).
This morning, I went to test the pump again. The pump was cool to the touch, and miraculously, the pump worked just fine. (I have still disabled the pump until I get the issue sorted out.)
So I have a couple of questions for you:
1) Any guess why the pump didn't work last night? Is there a automatic thermal shutoff in the pump that may have detected either water that was too hot or motor overheat?
2) Any guess why the pump now works?
3) Do you think this is a safety hazard?
4) Any other diagnostic work I should look into?
Thanks much,
David
I stumbled on this thread because I am having a similar issue. In particular, I have a grundfos recirc pump attached to my water, but it doesn't have an embedded timer. Instead, it has one of those "typical" 24-hour wheel timers that supplies power to it.
The pump was installed 4 years ago when I moved in, and until yesterday worked flawlessly. Yesterday, I noticed that the recirc pump wasn't working so I went to check it. I verified that the timer switch was supplying power to the pump, but the pump was not running. Instead, it made a very quiet humming noise and was DAMNED HOT TO THE TOUCH! Also, I thought I smelled a faint odor of acrid burning rubber smell. I immediately turned off the power to the pump (and went to work).
This morning, I went to test the pump again. The pump was cool to the touch, and miraculously, the pump worked just fine. (I have still disabled the pump until I get the issue sorted out.)
So I have a couple of questions for you:
1) Any guess why the pump didn't work last night? Is there a automatic thermal shutoff in the pump that may have detected either water that was too hot or motor overheat?
2) Any guess why the pump now works?
3) Do you think this is a safety hazard?
4) Any other diagnostic work I should look into?
Thanks much,
David