[[GQC] Tim]

After about 11 years of daily faithful service I'm retiring the Shurflo 8000-946-138 and Digital Varistream. It's unbelievable how reliable these Shurflo pumps are. It must of ran well over 13,000 hours, at least, on high flow, if my calculations are anywhere near correct.

And there is still absolutely nothing wrong with it but I'll use it as a backup system as I'm rewiring the current DIY Grippamax system that's 8 years old at the moment. So good time to put the backup pump in and fit a new pure freedom (spring) pump controller. I'll use this combination as the backup as I'm sure there's still plenty of life in it.

I think this pump/controller combo deserves its retirement. Especially if you think how much money it has earned! Hats off to the engineers of both companies! Doesn't even rattle still!

Ps. I noticed the pure freedom/spring controller manual says, for absolute safety to wire it through the pump pressure switch. Even though it can be bypassed if absolutely necessary as the controller can protect it self. Surely that's not necessary? The original digital Varistream manual says to discard the pressure switch wires all together and I've ran it like this for all those years....

[Spruce]

After about 11 years of daily faithful service I'm retiring the Shurflo 8000-946-138 and Digital Varistream. It's unbelievable how reliable these Shurflo pumps are. It must of ran well over 13,000 hours, at least, on high flow, if my calculations are anywhere near correct.

And there is still absolutely nothing wrong with it but I'll use it as a backup system as I'm rewiring the current DIY Grippamax system that's 8 years old at the moment. So good time to put the backup pump in and fit a new pure freedom (spring) pump controller. I'll use this combination as the backup as I'm sure there's still plenty of life in it.

I think this pump/controller combo deserves its retirement. Especially if you think how much money it has earned! Hats off to the engineers of both companies! Doesn't even rattle still!

Ps. I noticed the pure freedom/spring controller manual says, for absolute safety to wire it through the pump pressure switch. Even though it can be bypassed if absolutely necessary as the controller can protect it self. Surely that's not necessary? The original digital Varistream manual says to discard the pressure switch wires all together and I've ran it like this for all those years....

The Varistreams were designed around the Shurflo pump.
The only weakness with that pump was the pressure switch. The contacts in the microswitch would arch and burn. This caused an electrical resistance and finally the switch burning out.
A fellow Windie asked for my help a while back as his Varistream Shurflo pump combo was giving trouble. When he assembled his system he left the pressure switch connected. When I removed it from the circuit the problem went away.
Spring do advise one to leave the ps connected but you don't have to.

If your Varistream is still working fine then I would stick with it for a bit longer.

The first digital Varistreams were basic and brilliant. Then they upgraded the unit to include a stupid 3 bar battery charge monitor. The problem is that a small amount of current passes through the controller. We found an 85 amp leisure battery lost 25% of its charge when the van sat idle for a week.
If memory serves me you run your system off the van's starter battery. That power loss could compromise you.
Spring controllers also have a residual current passing through their controllers
You could solve this by adding an on off isolator switch or wait for a new development.

[Stoots]

I must have gone through 3 shurflo pumps  in 5 years and about half a dozen of them cheap Chinese pumps.

But I never used a controller until recently maybe that why.

[[GQC] Tim]

Thanks Spruce, always a joy reading your thoughts.

So the controller I've bought has got the fill option as well, so it was just an additional feature I was after that the varistream cannot and it was the one time fill I was after.

You're right, I used to use the van battery, and CTEK charger overnight as soon as I'd come home. Not that I ever had any problems but it's a good way to keep the van battery nice and sweet. It's when I added an electric hosereel (or rather, modified my hosereel) with a 350w motor (24w really but ran at 12v) so that took much higher amperage. If the hose gets stuck and I keep pressing the button it actually blows the 30a fuse. So I thought I'd better install another battery with smart split relay charger and dedicated CTEK charger as well.

So the residual current shouldn't matter too much but I do have several fighter/missile style illuminated toggle switches which I use to either shut supply off completely or to each aspect of the system, including the lighting. Just for fun, but it's got a practical value as well.

Funnily enough, I use a van/car battery still as the system battery as it doesn't discharge deeply because of the split relay and you can actually get them very cheap with eurocarparts if and when they've got a 50% offer!

Interesting about the PS, I do seem to recall people had issues with them in the past. I must of completely missed the "upgraded" digital varistream as I was just happy with what I had. Maybe that's why they stopped building them alltogether. Williamspumps I seem to recall was the company.

Anyway, thanks for letting me know. I'll let you know how I get on.

[Spruce]

Thanks Spruce, always a joy reading your thoughts.

So the controller I've bought has got the fill option as well, so it was just an additional feature I was after that the varistream cannot and it was the one time fill I was after.

You're right, I used to use the van battery, and CTEK charger overnight as soon as I'd come home. Not that I ever had any problems but it's a good way to keep the van battery nice and sweet. It's when I added an electric hosereel (or rather, modified my hosereel) with a 350w motor (24w really but ran at 12v) so that took much higher amperage. If the hose gets stuck and I keep pressing the button it actually blows the 30a fuse. So I thought I'd better install another battery with smart split relay charger and dedicated CTEK charger as well.

So the residual current shouldn't matter too much but I do have several fighter/missile style illuminated toggle switches which I use to either shut supply off completely or to each aspect of the system, including the lighting. Just for fun, but it's got a practical value as well.

Funnily enough, I use a van/car battery still as the system battery as it doesn't discharge deeply because of the split relay and you can actually get them very cheap with eurocarparts if and when they've got a 50% offer!

Interesting about the PS, I do seem to recall people had issues with them in the past. I must of completely missed the "upgraded" digital varistream as I was just happy with what I had. Maybe that's why they stopped building them alltogether. Williamspumps I seem to recall was the company.

Anyway, thanks for letting me know. I'll let you know how I get on.

The VSD6 Varistream has been out for a while now - over 8 years.

I asked Williamson Pumps to consider an upgrade to their current controller that included a built in on/off switch. They told me to fit an isolator switch myself as they aren't doing anything  more to their controllers as they are good enough.

There was a very helpful technical guy there once but the last person I spoke to 'shot me down.'

They are a very good controller. When son in law worked with us we had 2 of the first digital units, a vsd6 and son still has the mk2 version of their original analogue controller. (That was fitted to his first van in 2007.)  I purchased a replacement for stock and still have it. I fitted a rocker switch on the side to switch it off after use but its never been used. That was 8 years ago.

[[GQC] Tim]

Are you sure they still sell the Varistream as it's not on their website?


Yeah especially the old analogue controllers go for ages.

[Spruce]

Are you sure they still sell the Varistream as it's not on their website?


Yeah especially the old analogue controllers to for ages.

Its was at least 8 years ago when I had the final pleasure of talking to them.
I see they are listing it as unavailable.
Does it mean they have no stock due to manufacturing shutdowns or are they not selling them anymore? I don't know.

Interestingly, a further search shows no stock anywhere. This sounds  ominous. If there was a stock shortage then someone will still show it on their website.

One of the things Spring Europe have been doing is developing their controllers. This is more than Williamson Pumps have been doing.

The pumps are still available from Williamsons. Selling one without the other doesn't make sense.

 

[[GQC] Tim]

I agree. I checked several months ago so don't think it's the virus....