[Dave Willis]

For Ian Shepherd (or anyone else who might know).

I have the analogue easy version that incorporates the pump pressure switch as well as it's own pressure control. (stop end).

Right, I need a fair amount of pressure and flow because it's how I like it with microbore too. However, to get good flow and pressure means that the pressure switch comes in to play all the time rather than the stop end setting.

Would this mean the pressure switch will eventually burn out? Should I adjust the pressure switch setting beyond the range of the stop end setting? Not worry about it?
Which way should the pressure setting on the switch be adjusted?

[Spruce]

Mark

IMHO the pressure switch on the pump is set to what the pump is designed to deliver unless it has been adjusted.

We have Shurflo pumps which have a factory setting of 100 psi. You are using a pump to force water through a microbore hose and requiring it to do more than it was designed to do if your pressure switch setting is correctly set. Years ago, Shurflo pumps weren't guaranteed if we used them with mini or microbore hose as we were overloading them according to the manufacturers.

First stop for me would be to buy a water test pressure gauge and check what pressure the pump's switch cuts out at.

Whilst waiting for that to arrive, I might disconnect the pumps pressure switch and let the controllers dead end feature take full control. I would then try to increase the pressure gradually but monitor it. The Varistream controllers we use were designed to replace the pressure switch on the pump. Spring did say leave the pressure switch connected as 'additional protection'.

We certainly can't use our Shurflo pumps running flat out through minibore hose so it would be even less likely that you would be able to do it with microbore.

We have also found that as we increase motor speed and hence water flow at the brush head, our motor's amp draw also increases quite dramatically. (Varistream = -+ 1 amp for each point of flow increase ie 3, 4, 5 & 6 in this range.)

If the pressure switch cycles (on and off rapidly) then the contacts will burn out. I think the Shurflo pumps were especially vunerable with this.

[Ian Sheppard]

Hi Mark

Can I ask how high have you set the DE calibration? Are you running the control with High flow rate and Calibration?
Can I also ask what is the rating of the pump in terms of PSI and litre per min?

The controller detects the pressure switch has activated but does not activate it. The pump pressure switch activates at close to maximum pressure of the pump so if it is continuously cutting. It will eventually burn out the PS, the current is also likely to be high and probably close to the maximum the pump is designed to take.

Our controls are designed to work with a pressure switch to give additional protection to the system as the pressure switch provides fail safe to very high pressure build up.

In theory you could increase the setting on the pump pressure switch so it is still in line and providing the additional protection. even with the DE calibration set to maximum what I would expect to see is the control DE dead end instead of the PS LED showing.

A 2nd option may be to turn the calibration setting down slightly, this would again mean the Controller will Dead end the pump rather than the pressure switch activating.

[Ian Sheppard]

Mark

IMHO the pressure switch on the pump is set to what the pump is designed to deliver unless it has been adjusted.

We have Shurflo pumps which have a factory setting of 100 psi. You are using a pump to force water through a microbore hose and requiring it to do more than it was designed to do if your pressure switch setting is correctly set. Years ago, Shurflo pumps weren't guaranteed if we used them with mini or microbore hose as we were overloading them according to the manufacturers.

First stop for me would be to buy a water test pressure gauge and check what pressure the pump's switch cuts out at.

Whilst waiting for that to arrive, I might disconnect the pumps pressure switch and let the controllers dead end feature take full control. I would then try to increase the pressure gradually but monitor it. The Varistream controllers we use were designed to replace the pressure switch on the pump. Spring did say leave the pressure switch connected as 'additional protection'.

We certainly can't use our Shurflo pumps running flat out through minibore hose so it would be even less likely that you would be able to do it with microbore.

We have also found that as we increase motor speed and hence water flow at the brush head, our motor's amp draw also increases quite dramatically. (Varistream = -+ 1 amp for each point of flow increase ie 3, 4, 5 & 6 in this range.)

If the pressure switch cycles (on and off rapidly) then the contacts will burn out. I think the Shurflo pumps were especially vunerable with this.

Thank you for this Spruce, It echos my point about the pump being close to maximum current draw. running flat out the pump can pull close to 7 amps, which reminds me to ask Mark is the fuse fitted in line?

Ian

[Ian Sheppard]

Hi Mark

Have a look at this thread re setting DE calibration on the analogue. Dave issue was actually solved using micro bore with the analogue.

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=155167.0

Ian

[Spruce]

In the early days we were using a 5lpm Shurflo pump, 60 meters of 1/2" hose and 3 mm jets in the brushes. The pump was cycling even with that combination causing pressure switch failure.

I had a long discussion with Williamson pumps as the cost of replacement pressure switches in those days was around £22.00 + postage. (We didn't know about the cheap microswitch replacement from Maplins in those days.)

Williamson's sold me a 3.8 lpm pump which reduced the cycling of the pump a bit but not completely. We then had to replace the hose and opted for minibore and a lighter brush was ordered but it only had 2mm jets. I was then forced to buy a Varistream controller that Williamsons had suggested in the first place.

Using that controller with those jets enabled us to work another 2 hours a day in the summer with our trailer system and still use 80 litres less of water. 

[Dave Willis]

Everything runs ok it's when I turn the pole valve off. I would expect to see the blue stop end light coming on rather than the red pressure switch light. I'm running at about eight on the flow with a 5l per minute pump. If i back the pressure dial down then the stop end light comes on (blue). However, the flow tends to pulse with a long pole and 100m of microbore. It's not a big problem, more an observation really.
Having since found a poor contact of the inline fuse from the battery it's possible the controller/pump has been robbed of power a little. I'll see how I get on tomorrow.

[Ian Sheppard]

Hi Mark

A poor connection can cause problems, so this may go some way to solving the issue. With a 100 meters hose out the pressure will be quite high with a lot of strain on the pump with the Calibration high I would expect to see the PS to activate rather then the stop end (DE)

If you can tweak the DE a little so that the control stop ends rather the the pressure switch cutting in. The pulsing is the pressure in the hose changing as you run it out. It may be worth trying to re set the calibration with your hose full out as this will set the max pressure for the controller. It should then DE

Let me know how it goes, as the more feedback the better we understand how the control reacts with different systems and the better advise I can give

Cheers

Ian