A key component of heating systems in more than 100,000 homes and businesses across Ireland is being urgently recalled after it emerged it poses a serious risk of lethal electrocution.
The urgent safety recall of about 114,000 Tucson circulating pumps has been issued by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and a major replacement programme is under way.
People who have the pumps in their homes and businesses and tradespeople who may be working on such devices have been warned not to touch the electrical connections or attempt to alter, service or adjust the pumps.
The risks are connected to devices manufactured between 2017 and 2024 and the potentially lethal flaw came to light after the Health and Safety Authority referred a case to the CCPC earlier this year.
RM Block
That referral prompted the consumer watchdog’s product safety officers to launch an investigation, leading to the recall.
The CCPC said consumers who had work done on their heating systems in the past eight years should check their systems immediately. However, it warned against touching the pumps.
Instead, people are being urged to take pictures of the pumps from a safe distance, looking out for the Tucson brand, and they are being advised to record the serial numbers, which can be checked against a list published on the CCPC website at ccpc.ie.
If people find they have one of the pumps they should contact Tucson to arrange for installation of a replacement pump by an approved technician, free of charge.
Pumps that are working do not pose an immediate risk but anyone carrying out DIY has been warned against attempting any replacement works, while professionals servicing, maintaining, replacing or otherwise working on heating systems have been told they “must familiarise” themselves with the details of the recall.
The CCPC said tradespeople are “perhaps the most vulnerable to the serious risk of electrocution” and they have been urged to go to the CCPC and Tucson Pumps websites to understand the risk and warned to “not touch the electrical connection of an affected pump”.
The Tucson circulating pumps cost just over €100 and are the size of a 1kg bag of sugar. They carry a circular label saying Tucson and are most commonly found in hot presses or walls near heating systems.
The pumps are central to many modern heating and cooling systems, ensuring steady distribution of heat or cold at low pressure and maintaining a constant flow rather than boosting pressure.
They are designed for closed systems such as managing water that flows from the heating system through all the radiators, underfloor heating pipes and other heating systems in a loop. They are different from booster pumps, which focus on increasing pressure in open systems such as water tanks leading to showers.
The mains cable of the impacted pumps can be connected in reverse, allowing the live pin to connect to the earth pin, which results in a serious risk of electrocution.
Tucson will be running its own awareness campaign including print, digital and social media ads while the CCPC will continue to push the word out to consumers and tradespeople.
It has contacted representative bodies and associations and will also be using its social media platforms to get the message across to consumers.
There is no time frame for how long the recall process will take as that depends on how many people make contact and how quickly.
“This is one of the largest product safety alerts ever issued by the CCPC, and one of the most serious,” said CCPC spokesman Patrick Kenny.
“We’re particularly highlighting this to tradespeople. At this time of year people are getting their heating systems serviced or upgraded, and any contact with the electrical connection of these pumps carries a risk of electrocution. Anyone working on heating systems must be very aware of the serious risk presented by these pumps, and retailers must check their stock and stop sales of the affected units immediately.”
“This issue was first brought to our attention by the HSA, showing the importance of cross-agency collaboration. Reports from consumers, traders and other State bodies are essential to our work.”
