Grundfos Alpha 2 - any point?

[spaarks]

I'm thinking of replacing my 20+ years-old SMC Commodore pump. It is running well and quiet but I think surely it won't last forever!

I'd like to know if there is any point in installing a Grundfos Alpha 2. I find the Grundfos litrature to be a bit vague but it seems the Alpha 2 would be of most use in a varying head (such as with TRVs). Grundfos claim it adapts itself to your system - I imagine just by sensing the head pressure as there is no mention of temperature sensors.

My system is simple - gravity fed DHW and pumped 8 radiators.

 

[Blackcatgas]

Its alot more expensive than one of thier "standard" pumps, good technology but will you notice the difference? I dont think so.

 

[tamz]

Keep your SMC until it rots. It will last a good while yet.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

I'm thinking of replacing my 20+ years-old SMC Commodore pump. It is running well and quiet but I think surely it won't last forever!

I'd like to know if there is any point in installing a Grundfos Alpha 2. I find the Grundfos litrature to be a bit vague but it seems the Alpha 2 would be of most use in a varying head (such as with TRVs). Grundfos claim it adapts itself to your system - I imagine just by sensing the head pressure as there is no mention of temperature sensors.

My system is simple - gravity fed DHW and pumped 8 radiators.

no point in it at all,load of toss the alpha 2,if the smc fails stick a normal grundfos 15-50 in

 

[REDSAW]

alpha2 runs at 5w apparently compared to 65w, £100 more tho so do the math per year.

 

[spaarks]

Glad to know I made a good choice of pump all those years ago!

I think the Alpha2 takes 5W only at the minimum flow, at max flow it is 22W - the consumption varies with the backpressure - which goes up when trvs cut off. Grundfos claim it uses 90kWh compared with 400kWh of a 'standard' pump - though that is with the 'standard' pump running at max speed. Their litrature is not very clear.

Anyway, I suppose if it ain't broke don't fix it!

 

[maul]

Anyway, I suppose if it ain't broke don't fix it!

save your cash until you have to spend it

 

[tamz]

The SMC will run forever and if it sticks it CAN be restarted by hitting it with a hammer.
The reason being is the pump is a magnetic drive rather than direct so if it stuck due to a bit muck in the system it would not burn the motor or capacitor out. The pumps were however not as strong as direct driven models but were well within their capabilities on domestic systems.
Smc pumps were so reliable they went out the game

 

[stevetheplumber]

The SMC will run forever and if it sticks it CAN be restarted by hitting it with a hammer.
The reason being is the pump is a magnetic drive rather than direct so if it stuck due to a bit muck in the system it would not burn the motor or capacitor out. The pumps were however not as strong as direct driven models but were well within their capabilities on domestic systems.
Smc pumps were so reliable they went out the game

as i remeber it they went out of the game when they dropped the commodre range the replacement was total crap at one point my merchants had a crate in the shop for the returns they didnt even bother to check dates as none outlasted the guarantee

 

[Puddle]

as i remeber it they went out of the game when they dropped the commodre range the replacement was total crap at one point my merchants had a crate in the shop for the returns they didnt even bother to check dates as none outlasted the guarantee

Remember that,we plumbers got stung big time with fiasco ,lost loads having to go back and replace almost every pump fitted over the past year !! as said you walking in merchants and just slung the old ones in a big crate full of the faulty ones

 

[doitmyself]

Current EU regulations allow the use of A-G rated circulators. This covers the traditional pump with an induction motor, e.g Grundfos Selector 15/50. However a new EU directive has decreed that from January 2013 all pumps must have a minimum rating of A, which can only be obtained by using permament magnet pumps such as the Grundfos Alpha.

 

[spaarks]

Ah I see. I hope they will work better than other EU environmental successes like condensing boilers and energy saving bulbs. Anyway by that time we won't need central heating as global warming continues.

 

[doitmyself]

Anyway by that time we won't need central heating as global warming continues.

The average temperature may be rising, but the maximum is getting higher and the minimum lower. So we will still need central heating.

 

[D4mo_c]

I know it's an old thread but I've just fitted an alpha 2 on my system at home and it's brilliant.
my system comprises of 3 zones:
conservatory
hot water
main central heating
and also have a towel rail off the primaries for the summer when main heating/conservatory is off

It originally had a 15-60 Grundfos pump running 15 rads inc t rail on a fully trv system minus t-rail and hallway rads.
i was finding that running just the conservatory 2 rads or the hot water/towel there was loads of flow and the system was very noisy due the the big pump. Also when the trv's we're shutting down there was a lot of noise too mainly in the bedrooms in the morning!
The alpha slows down the flow when there's not a demand, it's really quiet now and I roughly worked out it'll save £15 per year on a system that runs 5hrs per day on average. Although the saving wasn't the draw for me the quietness was the key!!
I would say this pump was mainly for trv'd systems and would also benefit on s-plan/y-plan etc. old systems with gravity hot water and lockshield valves you might as well stick with a standard pump although you would notice a small running cost saving.

 

[happyflyer]

Current EU regulations allow the use of A-G rated circulators. This covers the traditional pump with an induction motor, e.g Grundfos Selector 15/50. However a new EU directive has decreed that from January 2013 all pumps must have a minimum rating of A, which can only be obtained by using permament magnet pumps such as the Grundfos Alpha.

The EU has managed to get us where we are today, deeper in the S***, particle filters for diesel engine, the list is endless, I am sick to the back teeth of the EU, have you ever been to Spain and seen the scaffolding
methods, are we aloud to do it that way, there is nothing they can teach us about anything.

There is enough evidence on UKP to tell you about muti-speed pumps with brains.