# Water will find a way to screw you



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Anyone have any experience with them or had troubles with a Grundfus booster pump??

We installed a grundfus booster pump in a tight area under a stairwell about
back in 2020 or maybe 2019 and the dam thing blew a gasket yesterday or
sometime earlier in the week.... 

When I installed the pump I went the extra mile and actually installed a water barrior
and half of a plastic cargo box to contain any future leaks.. and force them away from the
wood flooring nearby... ... If a water heater pan would have fit in this tight spot I might have
thrown one of them under this pump
I even used silicone to seal around the box and force the water to fall into the crawl space access inches away from
the pump.... 

But Instead of teh water falling into the crawl space like it should have done, it decided to go to the edje and
then walk back up the bottom side of the plastic barrior I installed and find its way into the wood work...

somethiing like what a dribble off a tub spout can do. go back up the spout and get behind the tile...  😢

I went the extra mile to make this as fool proof as possible but I suppose this pump must have
really blew a gasket and was spraying before I ever got there...

told them it had a year warranty and to turn it into their homeowners to get the wood floors
repaired..... 
I will probably have to install some other brand cause this should not have blown out so quickly


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## Lickitlikeafritter (12 mo ago)

Eww it looks very plastic. Never touched a booster pump honestly… we do a lot of pressure reducing valves tho.

Sucks to have to deal with the consequences of failed parts. At least you have the peace of mind that your workmanship wasn’t the cause.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

We don’t have a service pressure issue here either way. I have installed quite a few grundfos recirc pumps. When they fail, it’s always on the motor side. But, never say never….


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Lickitlikeafritter said:


> Eww it looks very plastic. Never touched a booster pump honestly… we do a lot of pressure reducing valves tho.
> 
> Sucks to have to deal with the consequences of failed parts. At least you have the peace of mind that your workmanship wasn’t the cause.



this think must have sprayed all over the closet cause it was wet about 4 feet away
and it must have somehow fixed itself because it was only dripping out the bottom when I got there
I had installed a bypass so it was no big deal tonight but it certainly ruined their oak flooring so its gonna
be an insurance claim on their insurance....

I was told that these were the nuts but I had my mis-givings...
Gonna install another brand if they are willing to at least pay for the parts.....
I have installed about 5 of these over the past few years and never heard a word
back from anyone......


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## Lickitlikeafritter (12 mo ago)

I’m confused by this piping honestly. Is that tee or those tees directional like the old style boiler tees? Like is the tee with the st 90 a check valve I guess is better way to express my bewilderment?


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Lickitlikeafritter said:


> I’m confused by this piping honestly. Is that tee or those tees directional like the old style boiler tees? Like is the tee with the st 90 a check valve I guess is better way to express my bewilderment?


They are just copper tees ....You have to install a bypass like on a water softener in case the unit goes down and you 
need to isolate it... like I had to do with the ****/y grundful unit today

also I Installed a extra swing check valve on the incoming line just in case the internal check
valve were to fail--- Its just a basic line going into the unit from the incoming line and then out to the house


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## DDDave (Aug 6, 2014)

Master Mark said:


> Anyone have any experience with them or had troubles with a Grundfus booster pump??
> 
> We installed a grundfus booster pump in a tight area under a stairwell about
> back in 2020 or maybe 2019 and the dam thing blew a gasket yesterday or
> ...


Your trouble came from the fact that you didn't disassemble and blueprint the pump straight out of the box before you installed it. Are you kidding me you probably got hosed by probablity, if you've used them before with no trouble and done your normal diligence anyway. Nothing you can do about it and don't go changing mfr's to something new and not proven just because. Maybe if you did find something better.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

I hope they don't try to get back at you. This situation must be a nervous ordeal. 

The pump in your first picture has plastic nipples? It doesn't seem very sturdy and if it circulates hot water I would be afraid of it's longevity.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

DDDave said:


> Your trouble came from the fact that you didn't disassemble and blueprint the pump straight out of the box before you installed it. Are you kidding me you probably got hosed by probablity, if you've used them before with no trouble and done your normal diligence anyway. Nothing you can do about it and don't go changing mfr's to something new and not proven just because. Maybe if you did find something better.



So you like to disassemble a pump and then put it back together before you install one??
I would like to watch that.... 

As far as the pump goes you follow the instructions you are given and that is about their is to them..

In hindsight I should have used the other brand...


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## DDDave (Aug 6, 2014)

Master Mark said:


> So you like to disassemble a pump and then put it back together before you install one??
> I would like to watch that....
> 
> As far as the pump goes you follow the instructions you are given and that is about their is to them..
> ...


I was using sarcasm to make the point.
We’re Not supposed to HAVE TO check the mfr’s work so we don’t. You put real ‘givadamn’ into that job and you still got called called back.
Sucks but that’s what insurance is for.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

DDDave said:


> I was using sarcasm to make the point.
> We’re Not supposed to HAVE TO check the mfr’s work so we don’t. You put real ‘givadamn’ into that job and you still got called called back.
> Sucks but that’s what insurance is for.



It was done two summers ago so I am out of the lop but I probably will
take care of them once the carnage and drying out is over with...

I KNOW that I gave them a water alarm to place inside the pan I built for them but 
they never got around to doing it... I never brought this up with them yet....and it would
probably hit a bad nerve at this time


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Master Mark said:


> Anyone have any experience with them or had troubles with a Grundfus booster pump??
> 
> We installed a grundfus booster pump in a tight area under a stairwell about
> back in 2020 or maybe 2019 and the dam thing blew a gasket yesterday or
> ...


I've heard bad things about grundfos booster pumps like the one you installed,average life span is 2yrs before major things start happening to them,look into installing a simer brand booster pump,they are more expensive and much better


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

sparky said:


> I've heard bad things about grundfos booster pumps like the one you installed,average life span is 2yrs before major things start happening to them,look into installing a simmer brand booster pump,they are more expensive and much better


Well, that is good to know.... it appears I installed this unit before the pandemic 
maybe in mid 2019 so I am off the hook as far as paying for damages......

I never heard of a simmmer pump


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

We install the Grundfos boosters if we want constant pressure/lack space for water storage.

Otherwise just install a Goulds jet pump and a well tank.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Master Mark said:


> Well, that is good to know.... it appears I installed this unit before the pandemic
> maybe in mid 2019 so I am off the hook as far as paying for damages......
> 
> I never heard of a simmmer pump


Simer


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

skoronesa said:


> We install the Grundfos boosters if we want constant pressure/lack space for water storage.
> 
> Otherwise just install a Goulds jet pump and a well tank.


Right


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Master Mark said:


> Well, that is good to know.... it appears I installed this unit before the pandemic
> maybe in mid 2019 so I am off the hook as far as paying for damages......
> 
> I never heard of a simmmer pump


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

sparky said:


> View attachment 133741
> 
> [/QUOT
> 
> ...


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## JimmyMac (Nov 4, 2015)

Mark same deal here, we have had an issue with a Grundfos booster pump that developed a pinhole in the pump housing twice, once under warranty, replaced pump and new one did the same a couple years later. Ours was in a commercial mechanical room, so not as big a deal. I would say there is an issue with the pump housing for sure...Don't appear to be the exact same pump, but same issue...


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

JimmyMac said:


> Mark same deal here, we have had an issue with a Grundfos booster pump that developed a pinhole in the pump housing twice, once under warranty, replaced pump and new one did the same a couple years later. Ours was in a commercial mechanical room, so not as big a deal. I would say there is an issue with the pump housing for sure...Don't appear to be the exact same pump, but same issue...


They are pure junk


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## CMplumber (Jul 3, 2016)

Have had same problem few years back. Installed one and loved how it compensated water usage no matter what they turned on. Pressure was 30psi and it made 70psi easily and steady.

Customer was happy then within 2 months board fried company replaced unit over night no problem. Then customers neighbors wanted one and in the end put 5 units on that hill. 

Within 1.5 years started having problems leaks pin holes in housing, boards going bad etc. My suppliers said they were having problems and did not sell them anymore so switched them to Davey pumps no more problems but not as smooth.

Problems for me was owners blaming me for putting in problem pumps I had went off what my suppliers suggested. Even though I had limped them through for the 1.5years under warranty I ate the exchange to Davey. Very exspensive learning experience. No more of those for me.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

CMplumber said:


> Have had same problem few years back. Installed one and loved how it compensated water usage no matter what they turned on. Pressure was 30psi and it made 70psi easily and steady.
> 
> Customer was happy then within 2 months board fried company replaced unit over night no problem. Then customers neighbors wanted one and in the end put 5 units on that hill.
> 
> ...




Thanks for the information....What bothers me more than anything else is that I went the extra
mile to attempt to water proof the area with a pan under that unit......

When I finished up over 2 years ago my only mistake was handing the homeowner a Zircon water alarm which
I explained to them they just needed to go get a 9 volt battery for it and place it next to that booster
pump and it would go off in case of a leak..

....They never got around to just getting that battery and doing what I asked them to do... I should have
gone to the drug store and bought them a battery and done this myself...... That alarm is probably still
sitting new in the box in the mechanical room on top of the tankless heater.....

I should have just wiped their butts for them and did that myself... 
this pump has probably been leaking for months..

I am pretty sure they know that they screwed the pooch here 
and more than 2 years has passed...


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

CMplumber said:


> Have had same problem few years back. Installed one and loved how it compensated water usage no matter what they turned on. Pressure was 30psi and it made 70psi easily and steady.
> 
> Customer was happy then within 2 months board fried company replaced unit over night no problem. Then customers neighbors wanted one and in the end put 5 units on that hill.
> 
> ...


Agreeee,grundfos are pure junk,if you want problems just install a grundfos pump


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

I


Master Mark said:


> Thanks for the information....What bothers me more than anything else is that I went the extra
> mile to attempt to water proof the area with a pan under that unit......
> 
> When I finished up over 2 years ago my only mistake was handing the homeowner a Zircon water alarm which
> ...


 i would not do nothing for free for them mark,nothing


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

sparky said:


> I
> 
> i would not do nothing for free for them mark,nothing


NOTHING 👍


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

sparky said:


> I
> 
> i would not do nothing for free for them mark,nothing



I put it on bypass last Friday and told them to get in touch with their insurance
company to make repairs to the wood floors...Probably a 15k to 25k event....

I called them once and texted them twice.... no return calls as of yet...

I am not doing anyting for them for free after 2 years.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Master Mark said:


> I put it on bypass last Friday and told them to get in touch with their insurance
> company to make repairs to the wood floors...Probably a 15k to 25k event....
> 
> I called them once and texted them twice.... no return calls as of yet...
> I am not doing anyting for them for free after 2 years.


They are blaming you and most likely they do not want you back in their house again sounds like


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

sparky said:


> They are blaming you and most likely they do not want you back in their house again sounds like



Well, they called me today because they were out of town for a week.....

It turns out the Grundfus pump has a 24 month warranty on it so I am gonna 
hand tha t peice of junk back to the supply house and get a credit on it and install
the brand that has worked better for me over the years... 

Also the insurance company has the right to go after Grundfus over this mess
and I got to get a lot of pictures for them before we tear that junk out

I have not decided how to go about chargeing them for this mess... I might
even just eat the differnece in the pumps and the labor too.....


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

Master Mark said:


> Well, they called me today because they were out of town for a week.....
> 
> It turns out the Grundfus pump has a 24 month warranty on it so I am gonna
> hand tha t peice of junk back to the supply house and get a credit on it and install
> ...


Grundfus will probably say it was installed improperly. Or they’re only responsible for the product, not water damage. Kinda like a water heater…..

Why would they give you a credit ? Why wouldn’t they just offer you a new unit ?

I don’t know of any warranty that gives you the option of a complete refund if the product fails.

If you can get a complete refund then you’re a boss player !

If it’s been over a year and you installed it properly they should be charged regular rates……

It you want to give money away, Send some my way…..I got kids man 🤣


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Master Mark said:


> Well, they called me today because they were out of town for a week.....
> 
> It turns out the Grundfus pump has a 24 month warranty on it so I am gonna
> hand tha t peice of junk back to the supply house and get a credit on it and install
> ...


Don't do that,Insurance will pay your parts and labor


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

sparky said:


> Don't do that,Insurance will pay your parts and labor


Usually they won’t pay to fix the problem, parts or labor.

They pay for all the damage from the failure and all the damage to access the failure.

Not for the actual plumbing material that failed or the labor to install it.

Their reasoning is they don’t cover wear and tear or failed plumbing products and they don’t cover labor to repair the plumbing.

But they cover all the damage, that’s the expensive part usually. Rip out and the put back.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

The supply house is giving me a credit for the grundfus pump
and I am installing another brand... The one I am installing is about 400 bucks 
more than the grundfus.....
I am debating on all of this right now and I am waiting
to see how crapp/ their insurance company is gonna be..
They have been dragging their feet on calling their insurance company
and I certainly not gonna get mine involved unless necessary.....

As long as it is not on my insurance this all can be done in a matter
of less than 2 hours so I am thinking about what to charge them....


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

TerryTotoSucks said:


> Usually they won’t pay to fix the problem, parts or labor.
> 
> They pay for all the damage from the failure and all the damage to access the failure.
> 
> ...


Most of the time the Insurance company’s in my area pay for parts and labor for things like this


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

sparky said:


> Most of the time the Insurance company’s in my area pay for parts and labor for things like this


So if your water heater flooded your house they pay for all the damage plus the water heater and labor to install it ?

They pay to replace worn out pipe ?

It don’t work like that here.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

TerryTotoSucks said:


> So if your water heater flooded your house they pay for all the damage plus the water heater and labor to install it ?
> 
> They pay to replace worn out pipe ?
> 
> It don’t work like that here.


Most of the time yes


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Master Mark said:


> The supply house is giving me a credit for the grundfus pump
> and I am installing another brand... The one I am installing is about 400 bucks
> more than the grundfus.....
> I am debating on all of this right now and I am waiting
> ...


Go with a Goulds jet pump.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

sparky said:


> Most of the time the Insurance company’s in my area pay for parts and labor for things like this


I call BS because it doesn't work that way here and it would mean a homeowner could go without fixing any plumbing and just wait for water damage to occur, then just file a claim.


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## spamispeople (Feb 21, 2009)

I installed about 6 of those Scala pumps. They all came back out, some multiple times. Mostly due to pinholes or defects in the junk plastic housing if I remember correctly. 

The rep actually gave me one of the fancy CMBE pumps to replace one customer's 2nd Scala failure in less than a year.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

skoronesa said:


> I call BS because it doesn't work that way here and it would mean a homeowner could go without fixing any plumbing and just wait for water damage to occur, then just file a claim.


Nope the insurance has to see my invoice for me to get paid,not bs


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

Here’s another example.

If a customers toilet tank cracks and floods their home, their insurance will pay for all the water damage and clean up.

The insurance company has never paid for the the new toilet or labor to install. Not here, not ever.

The reason I was given is a because the insurance company doesn’t pay for maintenance of fixtures or replacement.

When I repair leaks in walls or under slabs the insurance company wants two invoices from me. One that shows all the tear out and destruction that I do in order to repair the leak. The other invoice shows the actual pipe replacement or repair cost.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

TerryTotoSucks said:


> Here’s another example.
> 
> If a customers toilet tank cracks and floods their home, their insurance will pay for all the water damage and clean up.
> 
> ...


Different strokes for different folks lolololol


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

I installed a new system in this persons home yesterday....
Took the box down into the crawl space ,,,, set up some blocks
and put a peice of plywood on top the blocks....leveled it all up 

took the new pump out of the perfectly looking box.... turns out
the thing had been beat up in shipping... Decided to gamble on it
and install it anyway..... the impeller shaft took a huge hit and 
would not spin.........motor is locked up 

Now I got to order another one and wait for it to arrive.....


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Master Mark said:


> I installed a new system in this persons home yesterday....
> Took the box down into the crawl space ,,,, set up some blocks
> and put a peice of plywood on top the blocks....leveled it all up
> 
> ...


Goulds......










13159RB115


13159RB115




www.pumpproducts.com


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

skoronesa said:


> Goulds......
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That looks about like the Macdonald unit I threw in there....except it did 
not get dropped onto its head in shipping....


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Master Mark said:


> That looks about like the Macdonald unit I threw in there....except it did
> not get dropped onto its head in shipping....


That's a constant pressure pump, I assume that's what you want. Personally I'd stick with an all metal Goulds J5 and a 20-40gal expansion tank.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Master Mark said:


> I installed a new system in this persons home yesterday....
> Took the box down into the crawl space ,,,, set up some blocks
> and put a peice of plywood on top the blocks....leveled it all up
> 
> ...


That place is cursed,get the heck outta there asap


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

sparky said:


> That place is cursed,get the heck outta there asap


The place is not cursed, 
but I feel like I have been in a funk all summer long..... 
Its been the summer of broken down trucks.... and normally its when 
we are busy and dont have the time to play musical chairs with everything
inside them.....that is when they go down.

I am hoping it finally passes


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

new house, dishwasher ell, water hose type, put in personally. Unit was not wired when i left it, turned it on, left wire pulled out the front like a nice guy, and left. 2 months later, get a call kitchen floor is ruined. Home owner is the son of a cabinet business. I argued that there is no way that it is our fault. Insurance paid the claim anyways. Funny part is when i was called back to hook the dishwasher back up after repairs, there were new cabinet colors and layout. 🤔


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

ROCKSTARPLUMBER said:


> new house, dishwasher ell, water hose type, put in personally. Unit was not wired when i left it, turned it on, left wire pulled out the front like a nice guy, and left. 2 months later, get a call kitchen floor is ruined. Home owner is the son of a cabinet business. I argued that there is no way that it is our fault. Insurance paid the claim anyways. Funny part is when i was called back to hook the dishwasher back up after repairs, there were new cabinet colors and layout. 🤔


They remodeled and sold a cabinet job to their self. Win win

I worked for a lady who’s house has burned down twice and both times they were on vacation. I quit working for her, sometimes it pays to research creepy mofos.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Master Mark said:


> The place is not cursed,
> but I feel like I have been in a funk all summer long.....
> Its been the summer of broken down trucks.... and normally its when
> we are busy and dont have the time to play musical chairs with everything
> ...


See terry is right,carrying way way to much weight causing trucks to break down,lolololol


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