[Col]

I use a control flow tap on my reel and when i shut the tap off the pump will keep running building up pressure.
I want to insert a tee just after the pump and a length of hose back to the tank.
Will the pressure to the brush drop with this arrangement with the tap open or will it only kick in with the tap shut?
I hope that makes sense but my worry is the pump will push water equally back to the tank as well as to the brush.

[Tom White]

What type of pump are you using?  And has it got a pressure switch on it?  I think most pumps have.  We just work 'full flow' and the pump pressure switch turns off the pump when we nip the hose.  Works like a dream; no problems and we like the full flow.

We don't use a pump by pass; that would mean the pump is on all the time and it would drain the battery pretty quick I should think.

[Col]

It can't have a pressure switch on it as it will continually run with tap at pole turned off.
I only use wfp occaisonally so the battery is not a problem,i just want to stop the pressure building up in the hose and save some water.

[PoleKing]

It can't have a pressure switch on it as it will continually run with tap at pole turned off.
I only use wfp occaisonally so the battery is not a problem,i just want to stop the pressure building up in the hose and save some water.

How will it save water?

[Col]

It will save water as it will return to tank.
just now i fear turning the tap off as the pressure will buiid up in the hoses and blow fittings.

[PoleKing]

It will save water as it will return to tank.
just now i fear turning the tap off as the pressure will buiid up in the hoses and blow fittings.

Still don't get it...?

If you've got any half decent hoses and fittings the pressure switch in the pump will cut the water before the fittings blow.

[Tom White]

It can't have a pressure switch on it as it will continually run with tap at pole turned off.
I only use wfp occaisonally so the battery is not a problem,i just want to stop the pressure building up in the hose and save some water.

It probably does have, only it's not wired up.  Can you take a photo of your pump and post it here?  Or give us the make and model of it?

[Col]

I bought the system second hand and it had a Varistream connected which was broken.
I connect the leisure battery straight to pump now and the pump will still carry on pumping when the tap is switched off or when the pole or hose reel is disconnected.
I will be quite happy with the pump running while i move the hose and pole around to other side of job but i tend to leave water flowing out of brush rather than letting the pressure build up.
If the water circulated back into the tank until i opened the tap and started cleaning again i would be happy with that.

[Tom White]

I bought the system second hand and it had a Varistream connected which was broken.
I connect the leisure battery straight to pump now and the pump will still carry on pumping when the tap is switched off or when the pole or hose reel is disconnected.
I will be quite happy with the pump running while i move the hose and pole around to other side of job but i tend to leave water flowing out of brush rather than letting the pressure build up.
If the water circulated back into the tank until i opened the tap and started cleaning again i would be happy with that.

Listen, bin the pump by-pass idea.  It's a rubbish idea.  Wire up the pressure pump switch; it will have one.  It's the plastic bit at the bottom of your pump.

It's a naff video but this is how to wire a pump pressure switch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Y9TfLUm98&list=UU20yr1QE2IAllrugJuMJsMQ

What happens is that the pump will switch off when you 'dead end' the hose and then switch back on when you release it.

[Pete Thompson]

I'm with Tosh on this one.  Do not try this bypass idea, it will simply drain all the flow from your pole, especially when it is extended.

Maybe you don't quite understand what we mean when we talk about pressure switches.  Basically it's a feature of most pumps so that if the flow is stopped at the pole end (eg by you turning off your little tap) the pump will stop too.  It will re-start when the tap is opened again.

For obvious reasons, this is an ideal arrangement for water-fed pole.  Actually I'd say it was essential, not just ideal.

If your pump doesn't have a pressure switch (some don't tosh), then ditch it and get one that does like this one: http://cleaningspot.co.uk/acatalog/water_pumps.html#aDDP5800 for about £100

Then you will have no further problems.

[Col]

Thank you Tosh and Pete.

Looks like i need to buy a new pump because the one i got has no pressure switch as it just keeps a pumping.

Thank you Clean it up for solving another problem and i hope it is just a straight two wire connection to new pump or i
may be back with other snags.

[Tom White]

Looks like i need to buy a new pump because the one i got has no pressure switch as it just keeps a pumping.

It probably does have.  What happens is that it gets disconnected when we attach a pump controller to it; the pump controller takes over the function of the pressure switch.  But your pump controller is broken, so all you need do (probably) is re-wire the pressure switch back up.  It's a simple job that takes about two minutes (when you know what you're doing).

Can you stick a picture of your pump up?

[Col]

Here is a pic of my pump.
It does have a pressure switch but is not connected,is it a simple job to rewire?
The pump as it is now is wired to a toggle switch just out of sight and on to battery.
The  pump board was made up by Cleantech in Kilmarnock who have gone out of business and i purchased it fitted to van.

[Spruce]

Here's a video on replacing a pressure switch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKHliLXztkg

[Col]

I found this but still not any the wiser how to wire it.
Is it a case of the red live going in and out of the switch?.

[Tom White]

I found this but still not any the wiser how to wire it.
Is it a case of the red live going in and out of the switch?.

Yes, I think it is; have a look at an earlier youtube link I put up in this post.  It's very simple to do; it takes about two minutes to do.  You will need some electric spades and a switch; Wilkos sell switches for a couple of quid.

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

Here is a pic of my pump.
It does have a pressure switch but is not connected,is it a simple job to rewire?
The pump as it is now is wired to a toggle switch just out of sight and on to battery.
The  pump board was made up by Cleantech in Kilmarnock who have gone out of business and i purchased it fitted to van.

With the early varistream models you had to take the pressure switch out of the circuit.  It looks like it's still on the pump in the pic it's just that there are no wires going to it all you have to do is reconnect it, you'll need some spade connectors and wire.

A bypass would work but you will also need a ball valve to restrict flow back to the tank otherwise you would have no flow at the pole as water always flows the easiest route.   Not worth it though, you'd get pressure problems at different heights.

Simon.