This is a fault finding solutions page if you find the ShowerPowerBooster is running on after you turn the water off. The Shower Power Booster may keep running when the water is turned off and the blue led will give you a clear indication as to how to fix it. 99% of problems are fixed on site without removing the SPB.
Diagnostic for air in system
The blue light flashes rapidly and then there is a short pause when blue light is on but not flashing. There is a constant cycle of fast flash and pause followed by fast flash. This indicates excessive air in the system. Go to 1.0
Diagnostic for failed or no check valve
The blue light flashes rapidly and continues to flash rapidly. This indicates a failed or absent check valve in a tap or shower. Go to 2.0
Normal Operation
When water passed through the pump at a rate of 1.5 litres a minute or more a sensor switches on the pump. The blue light flashes rapidly to tell you there is water passing through the pump. When you turn off a tap or shower the pump should run for a short because water is incompressible, the flow stops, the pump stops, the light stops flashing rapidly, and the sensor resets (constant blue light).
1.0 Excessive Air in The System
If you have excessive air in the system and it could be in a connection to a washing machine (or even an outside hose pipe), this air is compressed to a minimum volume and flexible pipes expanded to their maximum extent when the pump stops. After the pumps stop the air is no longer under pump pressure so it expends, the flexible pipes contract, all pushing the water back through the pump. This reverse flow normally takes place within the reset time delay but excessive air will mean the water is still flowing beyond the reset pause.
Hold the pipe near the pump during this process and you will note it cools down because the same water is simply flowing forwards and backwards.
Solution
Flush the air out, identify problem flexi pipes, or fit a 22mm single check valve near the SPB to stop flow reversal.
2.0 Diagnostic (Faulty or no Check Valve)
The flow through the pump continues to pass through the flow sensor at a flow greater than 1.5 litres a minute. It is getting through the faulty or absent check valve at a tap or mixer and this water eventually returns to the cold water tank in the loft.
If the SPB is on a hot pipe the water in the pipes stay warm and even the cold water tank is warmed.
Solution
Identify the problem check valve and fix it or fit a 22mm single check valve on the outlet cold pipe in the loft. All of the outlet pipes from the cold tank in the loft should have an isolation valve. Switch the valves off one at a time and whichever pipe solves the problem is the pipe that needs the 22mm single check valve fitted.
3.0 The 1% – Faulty SPB
The blue light flashes rapidly and continues to flash rapidly however if you feel the pipes either side of the pump they are not getting warm. There is no return of water to the cold water tank. The failure is the non return valve in the ShowerPowerBooster itself and the whole pump needs replacing.
Alan Wright
Inventor of The Shower Power Booster
16th December 2020
