Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: VSP Home Care on December 30, 2011, 01:03:50 pm
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I had a tiny leak on my system yesterday that seemed to cause air in the system, I nipped up the output connector and gave it a try this morning. It fired up but only seemed to be pumping at a very low pressure giving only pencil type jets at the brush head.
Switched it off and on again and the pump makes all the right noises and appears to be running but there's nowt happening.... there seems to be no suction into the pump at all :(
I've not even put 100 gallons threw this pump and can't believe the diaphram can be knackered already. Anyone got any ideas?
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Open the outlet fully- whatever that may be i.e. open hose, tap etc & run the pump flat out for a while.
As a precaution, also check the strainer isn't blocked.
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i get this i take off the hose to the reel turn on pump suck the water out till you feel the air ,put back together , ;)
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It wont be the pump diaphram going mate, it will be a restriction or an air lock, just turn the varistream up to full, run it for a min then check the flow, tighten all connectors(using PTFE tape on the barbs helps), check the pipe is not twisted inside the pole.
Failing all that the likelihood is there is something in the valve seats in the pump most likely to be resin.
To clear this you have to remove the black plastic pump head, then prise out the rubber/neoprene valve seats and the resin will be BEHIND these, basically you have to remove them to see the contaminents(sounds complicated but it's easy).
Clean and replace then your pump shall work like new.
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Thanks chaps, I was troubled for a while there but as you say, a quick strip down seemed to fix it. There was a tiny piece of munt in the filter. Cleaned that out and it all seemed to work fairly well. Although I just did my ground floor and the people up stairs and the pressure kept cutting out for a while, according to the controller max pressure was reached ???
So I checked the controller setup and changed it from 5 to 6 on and off again and now it seems to be behaving itself.
One other thing I've noticed is that it does seem to build up a fair suction on my barrels and the pick up pipe is only loosely in place. I think I'll have to get a few proper connectors for that side, I'm sure its sucking in air on the pick up side.
Cheers for your advice guys, was proper stressed out there for a while :-[
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Thanks chaps, I was troubled for a while there but as you say, a quick strip down seemed to fix it. There was a tiny piece of munt in the filter. Cleaned that out and it all seemed to work fairly well. Although I just did my ground floor and the people up stairs and the pressure kept cutting out for a while, according to the controller max pressure was reached ???
So I checked the controller setup and changed it from 5 to 6 on and off again and now it seems to be behaving itself.
One other thing I've noticed is that it does seem to build up a fair suction on my barrels and the pick up pipe is only loosely in place. I think I'll have to get a few proper connectors for that side, I'm sure its sucking in air on the pick up side.
Cheers for your advice guys, was proper stressed out there for a while :-[
As you suck water out of your barrels it needs to be replaced with air. If there isn't a tiny vent hole drilled in the cap to let air in then the pump will try to suck against a vacuum. The barrels will crumple in and the water to the pump will be severely restricted. Is this what the problem is in the first place?
If there isn't a hole in the lid/cap and the suction pipe is a tight fit in the cap, then you will need to drill one. Imm will probably be big enough.
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Thanks Spruce, that is something I'd overlooked. I'll get the drill out :)
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Yep, spruce is spot on there. Any tank/barrel MUST be vented.