Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: SPE on February 23, 2011, 09:41:07 pm
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ok through a process of illimination, firstly checking for airlocks, then the pump.
It seems the problem I have with maintaining a consistent high flow out the end of the hose reel is with my di cannister, when I ran the system with it removed`it worked as it should.
I run it between pump and reel, when I turn the tap off on the end of the reel the pump still runs for 30 seconds or so before cutting out, and sometimes does'nt stop at all, i have changed all fittings to rule out leaks.
I have a new reel of 60 meter microbore, somethings amiss because I cant get good flow from it and on start up i have to diconnect from reel and bleed the hose to clean anything, pump is shurflow 100 psi a few years old now.
So anyone know whats up ? do I have a pump problem or is it the di riser itself, what if anything can go wrong with them?
been out this evening to the van trying to diagnose the problem before I spend anymore money, but I'm stuck >:( ???
thanks
Simon
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On the varistream system,you can change the CAL settings,have you tried that
again on the varistream you can reduce it to about 20,which applies a different pressure
VA
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On the varistream system,you can change the CAL settings,have you tried that
again on the varistream you can reduce it to about 20,which applies a different pressure
VA
I do have a flow controller but not a varistream one , I have a mk1 of the ecoflow controller by essentially pure, thanks anyhow but dont think it applies in this case.
2 thoughts
its either a fault with the riser head in the di (not sure what if anything can go wrong with them)
or the pump is on its last legs and just not up to pushing water through the di and then through 60 meters of microbore.
Ideally I'd just replace both but both are going to cost ???
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If the pump runs for 30 seconds after stopping the water flow then the pressure setting sounds like it's high enough, if not too high, so that could probably be ruled out.
What happens if you disconnect your DI to Reel pipe? Does the water flow out of the DI vessel OK?
Have you checked to see if the vessel is FULL of water? I know this might sound daft but now'n again DI's can get full of air! I've run twin DI's for 7 years & on about 3 or 4 occasions in all that time one of the vessels has almost emptied of water & been full of air, giving rise to symptoms alike to what you describe. I have no answer to why this happens, although I've never studied it. If your vessel is full of air, this will compress & thus allow the pump to build so much pressure before cutting off.
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If the pump runs for 30 seconds after stopping the water flow then the pressure setting sounds like it's high enough, if not too high, so that could probably be ruled out.
What happens if you disconnect your DI to Reel pipe? Does the water flow out of the DI vessel OK?
Have you checked to see if the vessel is FULL of water? I know this might sound daft but now'n again DI's can get full of air! I've run twin DI's for 7 years & on about 3 or 4 occasions in all that time one of the vessels has almost emptied of water & been full of air, giving rise to symptoms alike to what you describe. I have no answer to why this happens, although I've never studied it. If your vessel is full of air, this will compress & thus allow the pump to build so much pressure.
have tried that disconnecting from reel, it blasts out like there is some enormous back pressure, that would normally lead me to believe there is a blockage between di cannister and end of the hose reel but there is'nt.
must admit beginning to suspect more and more that its the pump for some reason. Can a pumps power deteriorate with wear and age so much so that it lacks the power to push the water through the di and the hose reel.
I'd buy a new pump tomorrow if I knew for sure.
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If the pump runs for 30 seconds after stopping the water flow then the pressure setting sounds like it's high enough, if not too high, so that could probably be ruled out.
What happens if you disconnect your DI to Reel pipe? Does the water flow out of the DI vessel OK?
Have you checked to see if the vessel is FULL of water? I know this might sound daft but now'n again DI's can get full of air! I've run twin DI's for 7 years & on about 3 or 4 occasions in all that time one of the vessels has almost emptied of water & been full of air, giving rise to symptoms alike to what you describe. I have no answer to why this happens, although I've never studied it. If your vessel is full of air, this will compress & thus allow the pump to build so much pressure.
have tried that disconnecting from reel, it blasts out like there is some enormous back pressure, that would normally lead me to believe there is a blockage between di cannister and end of the hose reel but there is'nt.
must admit beginning to suspect more and more that its the pump for some reason. Can a pumps power deteriorate with wear and age so much so that it lacks the power to push the water through the di and the hose reel.
I'd buy a new pump tomorrow if I knew for sure.
The thing is though, is that DI's are pretty much free flowing & offer up very little resistance to the pump. Your 6mm hose would have more resistance but you say the pump will go through this OK if you take out the DI?
You should be able to blow water through a DI with your mouth.
I'm not questioning your experience here or anything but is the vessel the correct way round? Have you taken the riser tube out & inspected the mesh etc?
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yes I have taken the riser out and inspected it, the head has direction arrows showing flow so pretty fool proof as to connecting it up, was refilled with resin today, however I was having the same problem before that.
I fed water through the riser just to see how it worked, the feed in is forced out the top vents in the head then flows down through the resin bed and forced through the vent in the bottom of the tube and up the riser and out to reel, thats right I take it ?
thanks
Simon
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Couldnt you connect the resin to the hose filling your tank up and then just have the pump pumping the then pure water through the hose?
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winpro you seem to talk from experience, I've just been looking at red hat divings site on ebay, they have resonably priced pumps that I may consider in various psi's.
If I am having problems with resistance from 6mm hose is it better for me to go for a higher psi ? they do 80 to 160 psi models.
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Couldnt you connect the resin to the hose filling your tank up and then just have the pump pumping the then pure water through the hose?
yes I could do that, infact I have throughout the winter to frost protect but I reverted back to after the pump to conserve resin usuage e.g. after pump with controller = slower on demand flow and more effective polishing of the water.
Thanks for the advice though, something I may have to do agin If I cant sought it although not this week as I have a full tank of ro water in the van at about 32 ppm tds.
thankyou
Simon
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winpro you seem to talk from experience, I've just been looking at red hat divings site on ebay, they have resonably priced pumps that I may consider in various psi's.
If I am having problems with resistance from 6mm hose is it better for me to go for a higher psi ? they do 80 to 160 psi models.
I'm not sure mate, I've always used cleantech's pump boxs. I know mine is a 100psi shurflo & I use a digital varistream.
However, if your system works OK by taking the DI vessel out then it must be a problem with the vessel IMO.
I'm assuming both the male hozelock connectors on the vessel head are PTFE'd really well? even if they are it might be an idea to re-tape them as it could be sucking air in. 8 to 10 wraps would be sufficient.
Have you tried using a reel of normal 1/2" garden hose instead of the 6mm with the DI still connected just for elimination purposes?
I'm scratching my head here ???
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I use 2 x 11Ltr DI's after the pump with 90m of 8mm hose. I have no pressure or resistance problems with this set up.
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yep me too,
thanks for all your advice
I shall try a few more things tomorrow as suggested 1/2 " hose, may even try to borrow a spare pump from someone to see if it makes a difference, all will aid in the process of illimination.
If I solve the problem Iill post up here what was wrong.
Cheers
Simon
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yep me too,
thanks for all your advice
I shall try a few more things tomorrow as suggested 1/2 " hose, may even try to borrow a spare pump from someone to see if it makes a difference, all will aid in the process of illimination.
If I solve the problem Iill post up here what was wrong.
Cheers
Simon
Yeah, let us know what it was ;)
Sometimes it can be something very simple like a bit of air getting in somewhere.
If it was me I would re-do the threads with PTFE on the vessel head tomorrow. Depending on which particular vessel you have, they might also have a rubber sealing washer in behind them. Check these too as they can become unseated if over-tightened at any time. ;)
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sometimes you cant see the wood for the trees so the saying goes
took all of today to finally realise the problem, since beginning of year I have swapped my upright tank for a layflat and subsequently since I last used the di in the van I have moved the position of the pump (it used to be low down right next to the tank outlet ) its now about 3 ft away and about a ft higher than it used to be.
I only realised the problem when I started to fit a new 15mm plastic pipe and john guest fittings from outlet to pump (upgrade) and began to have problems ie. pump higher than water level and no flow.
I've spent this evening re-wiring and repositioning pump, hopefully be good to go in the morning, di does need a new riser head though as one of the threads has had it.
Sometimes you need to take a step back and think things through, feel a bit stupid now ::)
thanks for the help though winpro ;)
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sometimes you cant see the wood for the trees so the saying goes
took all of today to finally realise the problem, since beginning of year I have swapped my upright tank for a layflat and subsequently since I last used the di in the van I have moved the position of the pump (it used to be low down right next to the tank outlet ) its now about 3 ft away and about a ft higher than it used to be.
I only realised the problem when I started to fit a new 15mm plastic pipe and john guest fittings from outlet to pump (upgrade) and began to have problems ie. pump higher than water level and no flow.
I've spent this evening re-wiring and repositioning pump, hopefully be good to go in the morning, di does need a new riser head though as one of the threads has had it.
Sometimes you need to take a step back and think things through, feel a bit stupid now ::)
thanks for the help though winpro ;)
Nice, hope it's sorted.
A pump should still be able to pull the head of water when it's higher than the tank level no problem BUT "air tightness" becomes more vital.
When the pump is higher than the water level, what you usually have to do is run the pump full blast for a few seconds before you start work just to flush any air through as the water in the feed pipe will have fallen back down to it's natural level.
The bottom of my pump is level with with the top of my flat tank so I have to do this every morning. Doesn't cause any problems after that. ;) I have a return to tank connector though so I can just circulate water round the system.