FAQ

FAQ

All pumps come with a 1 year warranty against faulty manufacture

Frequently asked questions about AUTOCIRC®.

Q. Is the AUTOCIRC® pump operation affected by a tempering valve?

A. When AUTOCIRC® is used with a storage heater a tempering valve is not an issue, in fact when connected to a system using a tempering valve, it is even more economical. However if the Autocirc 959 is used with an Instantaneous heater (continuous flow gas heater) there must NOT be a tempering valve between the instantaneous heater and the pump as the heater will not continue to fire.

Q. What about non-return valves? 

A. The AUTOCIRC® will pump through most non-return valves installed prior to the water heater. However some NRV’s have strong springs and do restrict it’s flow and will need to be replaced – To check to see if the NRV is preventing flow, temporarily replace the NRV or Duo or Trio valve with a long barrel nipple and see if you have flow. i.e. hot water should reach the pump in a matter of 1-3 minutes. If this fixes the problem, replace the valve with a low back pressure NRV. It is an offence to operate without a NRV prior to the water heater. This pump is specifically designed for use where the hot water pipes are exposed, unlagged in a cavity wall, or passing through a concrete floor. i.e. where the hot water pipe experiences high heat loss.

Q. How does the AUTOCIRC® work if I have a pressure reducing valve installed? 

A. The AUTOCIRC® cannot pump against a pressure gradient. If there is a pressure reducing valve immediately before your water heater, or between the cold water take-off and the water heater, this pressure reducing valve must be moved back to before the cold water take-off.  AUTOCIRC® requires that both the hot and cold water pipes in the house be at the same pressure.

Q. Where should the system be installed?

A. Under the sink or basin, farthest from the water heater where it normally takes the hot water longest to get to, and connects between the hot and cold pipes supplying this sink(or basin).

Q. Is there a limitation on the size of the home or length of water supply line for an AUTOCIRC® system to be effective?

A. Yes. We have 2 sizes of AUTOCIRC® depending on the length of run. ACT353 will do up to 60m (equivalent pipe losses), the ACT959 will do up to around 200m. The longer the hot water line the longer the first pumping cycle takes to bring the hot water through.  Thereafter it is only cycling between max and min temperature settings (30degC-35degC on fixed thermostat models).

Q    Can I increase the maximum temperature?

A    No.  Regulations do not allow the Autocirc to pass water hotter than 35degC into the cold water line.  Variable thermostats on some Autocirc models will allow you to narrow the temperature range and therefore maintain a more consistent 35degC

ALTHOUGH

Yes.    If you install an Ultracirc or SM Series pump with it's dedicated return line you can increase the temperature to 52degC for bathroom and 65degC for kitchen and laundry (governed by your tempering valve)

Q. When I open the cold water tap at the sink under which the AUTOCIRC® system is installed what prevents hot water from the hot water supply line coming out that tap?

A. The pump housing has a built-in auto closure device which prevents water from the hot water line coming through the cold water tap and vice versa. The only exception is that when the cold water tap is opened during one of the intervals when the pump is running, warm water will be directed from the hot water line through the cold water tap. The warm water flow, however, will last only a very short time and end once the water temperature in the hot water line reaches 35 ºC, thereby shutting off the pump.

Q. What if I have a branched hot water piping system where one hot water supply line goes to one part of the home and another line goes to another part of the home?

A. Two AUTOCIRC® systems would have to be installed--one under the farthest sink on each line.  The AUTOCIRC® system will keep hot water available at all taps on the same hot water supply line used for the system installation site.

Q. Since water from the hot water line is being pumped into the cold water line will there be any prolonged period of warm water coming out of the cold water line?

A. No. Once the cold water tap is opened any "warmish" water in the cold water line takes a very short time to dissipate before the normal cold water temperature returns.

Q. What is the temperature of the hot water at the hot water tap when I first turn it on in the morning?

A. If the pump timer is set to allow the pump to go on before you turn on the tap the temperature will be around 35 ºC, which is basically shower warm water. However, full temperature hot water will arrive only seconds later.

Q. Will the other taps in my home have hot water instantly available?

A. With the AUTOCIRC® system installed under the sink farthest from the water heater, all the hot water taps directly on the main hot water supply line between the water heater and the farthest tap location will have instant hot water available. For those taps located on branch lines off the main hot water supply line, availability of hot water will take slightly longer to arrive than for those taps located on or just off the main water line.

Q. My shower is a few feet downstream from the sink under which the AUTOCIRC® system is installed. Will hot water be available instantly also at the shower?

A. Not Quite. Hot water will arrive once the few feet of cooled down water that is in the hot water line between the sink and shower flushes through the shower head -- literally in seconds as compared to your previous lengthy wait.

Q. Does the pump cycle on and off frequently during the day?

A. Yes, the pump will cycle on and off from 1-2 times per hour during the operating time period you set on the pump timer. On/off operation, no matter how many cycles, is in no way harmful to the pump or to its expected operating life, an advantage of the pump’s spherical, magnetic drive motor design.

Q. Will I hear the pump during operation?

A. No. The pump and system is silent.

Q. How much does the system cost to operate?

A. Even if allowed to operate 24 hours a day the total cost of running the AUTOCIRC® pump is less than $10 per year. If set on the timer to optimise usage you will have an energy and water saving.

FAQ on D5 and D5 Solar

Q. Where should I install the D5 solar pump?

A. It should be installed in the cooler water leg – i.e the supply to the solar panels.

Q. What voltage photovoltaic panel should I use?
A. The panels will be nominally 18vDC. It is imperative that the voltage supplied to the D5 Solar pump even on the hottest day should not exceed 28vDC. It is your responsibility to ensure that the pump is protected against over-voltage. The warranty is null and void if protection is not provided.