If PS is displayed, this means that the pump's pressure switch has been operated due to a high build up of pressure in your system. The controller is set to work with a 5.2 litre per minute pump up to about 100psi although it will work at higher ranges. It is worth pointing out that the controller does not activate the pump pressure switch. The controller is simply telling you the PS has opened. This will happen in because:
A. High pressure builds up in your system. The controller sets the water flow rate. The largest factors affecting pressure are jet size and hose size. The faster the flow rate and the greater the resistance to this flow, the greater the pressure. The controller monitors the build up of this pressure however it can only affect it through the flow rate you select.
B. The pump has become disconnected. Please see our wiring diagram in the user guide for correct connections. The controller checks for electrical current to the pump and if the controller cannot detect a pump in the circuit the default message is PS.
Common causes for the pressure switch operating are:
1. A restriction to the water flow, i.e. from a twisted hose.
2. Blocked or small water jets. (We recommended that the jets are no smaller than 2mm).
3. Grit or dirt trapped in the system.
4. Air trapped in the system.
5. Prolonged shut off of the water flow.
6. Check the wiring connections between the pump and controller. If there is a break or damaged connection the control can not see the pump.
7. In some case finding the restriction that has caused the high pressure is a process of elimination. Start by removing the brush and jets, does this clear the restriction? If 'no' then remove the pole hose and so on until you are back to the delivery pump outlet. Bear in mind that some hose reels have a non-return valve and in some cases these can jam causing high back pressure.
8. During very cold periods Ice can form in the Pump or hose line. Ice will obstruct the line and cause high back pressure build up. In turn this will activate the pump pressure switch.
9. Blocked Tank breather hole.
Blocking the tank breather hole can result in high pressure build up. As the tank empties the Pump will also draw air from the tank which is now effectively air tight. As air is drawn through the pump a Vacuum is created in your tank this will cause the tank contract ( Like a kids drink carton ) and high pressure in yours system.
10. In rare cases if calibration is set to 99 and combined with a very high flow rate the pump pressure switch may activate before the control can dead end the pump. In these case calibration should be reduced so the control is stopping the pump.
Properly calibrated the control should always DE the pump well before the pressure switch is activated.
11. Is the controller being used with a One Shot stand alone RF?
If yes then the control will display PS when the pump is switched off by the Fob.
Because the OSSA is a relay in the pump circuit what the controller sees when the pump is switch by the fob is that the pump is no longer in circuit. As the pump motor is no longer in circuit the controller will display PS while the pump is Off.
When the fob is pressed again the control sees the pump motor come back in circuit and the pump will be restarted.
Note: as B above:
The controller carries out an electrical test to ensure the pump and pressure switch are in the circuit. If the pump can not detect the pump due to damaged cable/connectors the control will display PS (pressure switch) as a default message. This is one of the crucial protections we put in place. The control no longer passes any current to the pump but instead retests the condition every few seconds. This prevents a dangerous condition occurring for example ( a loose moving or damaged connection touching ground (Van panels) because the controller is now limiting the energy.
Connectors and terminal blocks can also be a source of volt drop for this reason regularly inspecting your connectors replacing any that are worn or damaged is a good idea. Also check connections are secure with good contact to the copper core.
Check for any damaged cable where insulation has been chaffed exposing the copper core not only is there a risk of a short knocking out the fuse the exposed core can be a source of volt drop and become very hot in some circumstance,s this heat can be sufficient to melt insulation and fuse increasing the risk of fire.
An Issue with old connectors is corrosion something that is difficult to avoid in a wet environment such as WFP so keeping connections as dry as possible by placing cable into conduit is a good idea. Corrosion will increase the resistance of the connector and in turn volt drop across the connector.
A badly worn or corroded connector can become an energy wasting resistor. If your connectors are excessively hot they either need replacing or tightening, as your are wasting precious battery power.
The harder the pump works, the more current will be drawn. With poor connections in a system this will increase the energy lost in heat. Because Power = I*I*R (current squared multiplied by the connector's resistance). So the power lost in a bad connector is actually increasing exponentially. Compared to the energy consumed by the pump this is small. But every little helps!
A good connector should only feel warm to the touch in normal use.
Hope this helps
