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rosskesava

  • Posts: 17015
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #20 on: February 13, 2013, 11:00:03 pm »
The remote depends a lot on the RF unit you buy - they're normally reliable at about 25% of the quoted range, so you need one rated for at least 500mtrs. Also you need a decent magnetic antenna on the roof of your van as the signal won't travel through the metal bodywork,.. a half decent antenna & RF unit will set you back about £85 alone without the other bits you need. Personally I found the remote to be something I ultimately didn't use, having the button on a lanyard round my neck had novelty value for a few days, but it ended up being more of an annoyance than a help & I went back to my old diy controller.

The frost stat unit is on ebay for about £15 - it can be wired into the PWC controller linked to above. Full build instructions are on another forum, but it'd be very naughty to post a link,..

I used a pair of very cheap 2W walkie talkies (pmr's) from Maplins. I think they were about £20 in a sale but any cheap pmr's will do. I disassembled one and stuck the antennae on the roof and the gubbins in the van. I used a basic relay suitable for a very low voltage that can switch 12v, connected to the speaker.

Total cost was about £30 and it worked up to about 200yds through houses but much further in the open.

Unfortunately, one day I had a leak and the bit of one pmr that was in the van got soaked and that was the end of that. I never got round to replacing it as I got used to just kinking the hose and relying on the pressure switch.
Just chant..... Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. It's beats chanting Tory Tory or Labour Labour.

Nathanael Jones

  • Posts: 5596
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #21 on: February 14, 2013, 09:34:54 am »
I never thought of trying walkies - I was using expensive RF units,.. there's loads of cheap ones that say 100 or 200 mtr ranges but only really work at a fraction of that (even with line of sight) and the cheap ones with a bigger range have bulky transmitters. A keyfob transmitter with a decent range is fairly hard to get hold of.

Ronnie Bryce

  • Posts: 1194
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #22 on: February 17, 2013, 02:26:37 pm »
They're really simple to wire up; I've wired mine up (it tells you on the circuit board where to put the power lines + and - and where to put the pump wires); but I've not actually gotten around to putting the thing in my van.

I've got one of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290736054991?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

But I just need to get some spades to attach it to my pump.

I've housed it in an old variflow controller box; it fits nicely.  I had to cut a slot for the nob to fit in.

Hi, I just bought and wired up one of these and it work's, however, can anyone give any idea why the pressure switch on the sureflow pump will not kick in at all? I have tried 2 different pump's, adjusted the screw thing in and out and wired it as to the vid given by Tosh but the pump just keep's on running. Has anyone got any suggestion's what is wrong?

Tom White

Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #23 on: February 17, 2013, 02:38:59 pm »
Ronnie, does the pressure switch work without the pump controller?

stuart mc

  • Posts: 7775
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #24 on: February 17, 2013, 02:42:42 pm »
when you adjusted the screw was the pump running?

Ronnie Bryce

  • Posts: 1194
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #25 on: February 17, 2013, 02:51:35 pm »
no, should it be?

stuart mc

  • Posts: 7775
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #26 on: February 17, 2013, 02:56:17 pm »
yes mate, with pump running adjust turn off pump if it doesn't cut off run pump adjust and check again, can't remember what direction though.

just a thought though have you had the pressure switch housing apart recently, I once had a pump would not cut out and a washer was missing from inside the switch

stuart mc

  • Posts: 7775
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #27 on: February 17, 2013, 02:58:38 pm »
to find out direction, run pump and adjust screw until it stutters on and off, then change direction till it flows again, this is the direction you need to adjust to get it to switch off

Ronnie Bryce

  • Posts: 1194
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #28 on: February 17, 2013, 03:07:00 pm »
The pressure switch work's fine when I disconnect the new controller and wire the pump directly to the battery. Does this mean the controller is incompatible with a pressure switch operated pump?

Tom White

Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #29 on: February 17, 2013, 03:11:48 pm »
The pressure switch work's fine when I disconnect the new controller and wire the pump directly to the battery. Does this mean the controller is incompatible with a pressure switch operated pump?

I don't know, but you do know there's nothing wrong with the pressure switch.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come along and help you out.

stuart mc

  • Posts: 7775
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #30 on: February 17, 2013, 03:12:19 pm »
The pressure switch work's fine when I disconnect the new controller and wire the pump directly to the battery. Does this mean the controller is incompatible with a pressure switch operated pump?

can you take a pic of how it is wired with the controller, I watched the video and it doesn't show where the controller is wired into the set up

Ronnie Bryce

  • Posts: 1194
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #31 on: February 17, 2013, 03:43:03 pm »
Thank's for trying to help, wee update. The controller does work fine, however it is incompatible with a pressure switch operated pump so bear this in mind if you buy one, the pressure switch will not operate at all when connected through this controller.
Stu... I have gone back to just pump and pressure switch and it's fine but do you have a link where to buy new pressure switches as I remember they don't last too long?


stuart mc

  • Posts: 7775
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #32 on: February 17, 2013, 03:51:03 pm »

stuart mc

  • Posts: 7775
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #33 on: February 17, 2013, 03:54:30 pm »
I can't understand why it will not work though if wired after the pressure switch ???

Ronnie Bryce

  • Posts: 1194
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #34 on: February 17, 2013, 04:09:33 pm »
http://www.maplin.co.uk/low-cost-standard-microswitches-6453

GW71N from maplins



Does that fit inside the switch casing? It disny look like the one on my shureflow.

stuart mc

  • Posts: 7775
Re: Do diy controllers work?
« Reply #35 on: February 17, 2013, 04:15:28 pm »
http://www.maplin.co.uk/low-cost-standard-microswitches-6453

GW71N from maplins



Does that fit inside the switch casing? It disny look like the one on my shureflow.

yes it fits inside, that picture on the website is a lever one, and not the standard one, if you look to the right there is a standard one in the pic