Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ronnie Bryce on February 13, 2013, 09:38:23 am
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I know a few guy's have bought part's from ebay and the like and built controllers out of them. Are they any good? Are they easy to wire up? If you have done this have you got a link or two?
Thank's
Me.
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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.
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Thank's Tosh, that look's just the thing I am after. Am I correct in thinking it does not stop the pump though like a "proper" one? If so, do you just keep the wee pressure switch connected to the pump?
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Thank's Tosh, that look's just the thing I am after. Am I correct in thinking it does not stop the pump though like a "proper" one? If so, do you just keep the wee pressure switch connected to the pump?
Yes, just reconnect the pressure switch and that does the job PERFECTLY of cutting the pump off once you nip the hose.
Here; how to reconnect your pressure switch (if you're unsure):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Y9TfLUm98
It takes about three minutes to do.
You may like to just do this and work without a flow controller at all. It's 'braw' as you Jocks say after downing a bottle of Bucky.
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Yep, I got one the same as Tosh's link...works a treat mate, cant really go wrong with the wiring, mounted mine in a waterproof electrical enclosure along with a 12v flick switch.....just make sure the controller is up to the job, the one in Maplins is only rated at 3 amp...the one in the link is 10amp...Rob.
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Very interesting!
Do they compensate for the load on the pump like varistream etc?
What I mean is, with normal flow controllers, you set the flow rate and no matter what height the pole is at you always get that flow rate as it increases power to the pump when more pressure is needed.
Do these units do this?
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Here's an interesting one....
http://r.ebay.com/xJXF6B
I've got same questions as Pete, how do they operate? Reduce the voltage or what?
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they are good,
they basicly control the motor and slow that down, while keeping the psi at running at its max, no matter how high the pole goes the flow remains the same, unlike some digital ones, the higher the pole the higher you have to turn flow rate up.
mines been going for 2 years without any problems
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Here's an interesting one....
http://r.ebay.com/xJXF6B
I've got same questions as Pete, how do they operate? Reduce the voltage or what?
Imho that one isnt powerful enough, needs to be 8 amp or greater.
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Here's an interesting one....
http://r.ebay.com/xJXF6B
I've got same questions as Pete, how do they operate? Reduce the voltage or what?
Imho that one isnt powerful enough, needs to be 8 amp or greater.
i agree, i use 15amp ones and fuse them down to 10amp to be on the safe side!
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This should be ok, 10 amp...?
http://r.ebay.com/rhIAD7
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This should be ok, 10 amp...?
http://r.ebay.com/rhIAD7
wouldnt know about those ones, never used them!
dont like the look of the wiring on them personaly.
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This should be ok, 10 amp...?
http://r.ebay.com/rhIAD7
wouldnt know about those ones, never used them!
dont like the look of the wiring on them personaly.
It's worth a shot for under a tenner. Buy one someone, try it and report back! ;D
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I use a voltage regulator. It's got two terminals marked + and - for the input, and two marked + and - for the output.
Sometimes if I'm scrubbing frames on a first clean or something like that, I turn it down to save on water.
Generally though, as I clean windows at maximum psi, the thing of a flow controller keeping the same flow rate at regardless of height doesn't matter.
As far as I'm concerned and for my way of cleaning windows, flow controllers are a complete waste of money and prone to going wrong.
I've yet to read one single posting about a voltage regulator problem. Even if it did pack up, I'd spend another £6.99 and buy a new one.
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I my own have also made a few one on my backpack is 4 years and the one on my van is 2years with a remote switch off and on as well as half power and full power. ;D ;D
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The only problem I have had with one of these is with a pump from a backpack. For some reason the pressure switch wouldn't kick in and the water ended up coming out of the pump housing.
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The only problem I have had with one of these is with a pump from a backpack. For some reason the pressure switch wouldn't kick in and the water ended up coming out of the pump housing.
That sounds like it has more to do with a faulty pressure switch than anything else.
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I've done DIY controllers with frost protection built in & with remote control built in - its simple enough when you think about it. They work perfect & last as long as pro controllers.
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I've done DIY controllers with frost protection built in & with remote control built in - its simple enough when you think about it. They work perfect & last as long as pro controllers.
How far does the remote work.
And what is the price inc frost stat .
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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,..
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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.
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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.
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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?
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Ronnie, does the pressure switch work without the pump controller?
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when you adjusted the screw was the pump running?
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no, should it be?
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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
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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
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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?
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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.
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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
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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?
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http://www.maplin.co.uk/low-cost-standard-microswitches-6453
GW71N from maplins
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I can't understand why it will not work though if wired after the pressure switch ???
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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.
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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