My heat pump is not heating so well right now. OK... that's at least in part due to a drop in air temperature, but I want to check the strainer. If that's not in good shape, then water flow is restricted, thus heating efficiency is reduced. (am I right?)

I'm attaching a picture. I've identified the strainer. There are two stop cocks, I assume these to be inlet and outlet. 

So what do I do? Turn the power off. Close both stop cocks. Then remove the strainer?

I am concerned about introducing air into the system. 

Also the last guy to service that pump was telling me about how different things had to be torqued to different levels. But I'm not sure if this is an actual requirement (obviously it can't be too loose or there will be a leak), of if he was just trying to impress. Do I put teflon tape on the threads?

Edited May 24, 20233 yr by Bobster.
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10 minutes ago, Bobster. said:

My heat pump is not heating so well right now. OK... that's at least in part due to a drop in air temperature, but I want to check the strainer. If that's not in good shape, then water flow is restricted, thus heating efficiency is reduced. (am I right?)

I'm attaching a picture. I've identified the strainer. There are two stop cocks, I assume these to be inlet and outlet. 

So what do I do? Turn the power off. Close both stop cocks. Then remove the strainer?

I am concerned about introducing air into the system. 

Also the last guy to service that pump was telling me about how different things had to be torqued to different levels. But I'm not sure if this is an actual requirement (obviously it can't be too loose or there will be a leak), of if he was just trying to impress. Do I put teflon tape on the threads?

You don't undo any pipes to clean the strainer. Just open it unless you have a sealed strained which I have never seen. My strainer is not at the heat pump but at the main incomer. In your case the geyser can get filled with dirty water and is only cleaned before entering the heat pump. 

No need to worry about air. Due to incoming water pressure the pump will get filled and operate fine. 

Edited May 24, 20233 yr by Scorp007

1 minute ago, Scorp007 said:

You don't undo any pipes to clean the strainer. Just open it unless you have a sealed strained which I have never seen. My strainer is not at the heat pump but at the main incomer. In your case the geyser can get filled with dirty water and is only cleaned before entering the heat pump. 

Thanks. I have to undo the strainer itself though, no? Assuming I've identified it correctly - the lower arrowed part.

I get that I don't have to undo any pipes, but do I need to use those stopcocks?

1 minute ago, Bobster. said:

Thanks. I have to undo the strainer itself though, no? Assuming I've identified it correctly - the lower arrowed part.

I get that I don't have to undo any pipes, but do I need to use those stopcocks?

You can close the stop cock to prevent water that's under pressure in the house and geyser to flow out. Yes the bottom fitting is the strainer with a sieve inside that you clean. 

The disadvantage of you strainer position is what you find with reduced flow. If it was on the cold input to the geyser it will not affect the speed of heating. It will however affect the speed(volume) at the hot water taps. 

53 minutes ago, Scorp007 said:

You can close the stop cock to prevent water that's under pressure in the house and geyser to flow out. Yes the bottom fitting is the strainer with a sieve inside that you clean. 

The disadvantage of you strainer position is what you find with reduced flow. If it was on the cold input to the geyser it will not affect the speed of heating. It will however affect the speed(volume) at the hot water taps. 

Thanks for that. Your comments about the placement of the strainer make a lot of sense. I'm now wondering if there is a strainer on the input side of that geyser.

Oohhh.... I feel the urge to climb up in the roof and put my foot through the ceiling.

17 minutes ago, Bobster. said:

Thanks for that. Your comments about the placement of the strainer make a lot of sense. I'm now wondering if there is a strainer on the input side of that geyser.

Oohhh.... I feel the urge to climb up in the roof and put my foot through the ceiling.

Be careful as I have had a number of ose shaves as well as 1 time where I caused a meter long crack and grabbed a truss just in time. 

As we getting old we must adjust our limits and risk level. 

I still think right at the main I feed pipe where it enters the house is a good call. 

15 minutes ago, Scorp007 said:

As we getting old we must adjust our limits and risk level. 

Yes indeed! My ambition thinks I'm thirty, but the reality is different. I am learning to not listen so much to that ambitious voice 🙂