Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: lee_dewing on December 17, 2014, 11:01:20 pm
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As title.
I have a pump box and the varistream controller is getting a bit temperamental.
If i removed varistream and added a very basic controller from ebay instead would pump be ok?
what i mean is basic controller is like a light dimmer switch for a better way to describe it and is what others have recommended on here.
My worry for pump is whether it will dead end; turn on off correctly when i pinch pole hose?
Has my ready made pumpbox, pump had pressure switch removed from it?
Pump is a shurflo pump.
sorry hope i have explained correctly; basically want to take £90 varistrean controller away and put in basic flow controller.
thanks lee.
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I think you'd need a bypass to reduce the pressure when you you shut the flow?
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A lot of guys on here run their pumps without controllers.
Ive just made up a controller with parts from e-bay and Maplins. Very cheap in actual fact. The basic setup is just a 10amp switch wired in, with inline fuse of course. Then again you can also include a voltage regulator which controls the pump speed.
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As title.
I have a pump box and the varistream controller is getting a bit temperamental.
If i removed varistream and added a very basic controller from ebay instead would pump be ok?
what i mean is basic controller is like a light dimmer switch for a better way to describe it and is what others have recommended on here.
My worry for pump is whether it will dead end; turn on off correctly when i pinch pole hose?
Has my ready made pumpbox, pump had pressure switch removed from it?
Pump is a shurflo pump.
sorry hope i have explained correctly; basically want to take £90 varistrean controller away and put in basic flow controller.
thanks lee.
You have to run the current through the pressure switch.
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just buy another varistream tight wad
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We use these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/6V-90V-Pulse-Width-Controller-Switch/dp/B00CWSO2IY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1418926913&sr=8-3&keywords=12v+motor+speed+controller
Just wire them up as per marks on terminals - never have any problems with them.
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A lot of guys on here run their pumps without controllers.
This, never used one, just a tap
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just buy another varistream tight wad
;D
Thanks for that link Ian.
Anyone know if the pressure switch would or wouldn't be still on my pump as said bought pumpbox all assembled from daqua.
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If you can see the pump:- If the red (live) wire goes to one of the terminals in the black plastic bit at the end of the pump, then another red wire comes from the other terminal next to the first one and goes to the hole in the motor end of the pump then the switch is installed and in circuit.
If you can't see the pump, phone Doug ;D
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If you can see the pump:- If the red (live) wire goes to one of the terminals in the black plastic bit at the end of the pump, then another red wire comes from the other terminal next to the first one and goes to the hole in the motor end of the pump then the switch is installed and in circuit.
If you can't see the pump, phone Doug ;D
What I'm find interesting is that we have had a post on Shurflo pressure switch adjustment within the last couple of weeks. Tosh put up a picture of a Shurflo pump with a red arrow pointing to the adjusting screw on the switch.
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=191767.0
Do people not read these posts and see relevant information they can remember for a future date or what?
I'm not having a go at lee directly but I'm trying to understand how some fellow window cleaners see it. In other words, do they read these posts and not see anything relevant to their business equipment or what?
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Ditched my controller years ago. Use a tap at the end of the reel hose clipped in a holster on my hip (good for flouncing ;D ) - never looked back.
Benefits:
Instant control for each window (e.g. patio doors full flow, Georgian sashes, glass panel in wooden front door - low flow.)
Polehose joint with reel hose is always off the ground - less wear for poles and connectors due to
dirty/gritty hose. (I also loop the pole hose round a hook on my belt for lower windows)
Easy to switch off water flow between windows.
Downside:
Might burn out switches - (£2 from maplins once a year for shurflo - not had one go on the flojets in two years.)
Other possible issue.
Takes more battery power? Or does it - waterflow switched off much of the time. My scrap 110 amp battery pumps a 650L tank dry in a day (I only use 350/400) and I recharge it at night with a smart charger. Tho Dan the Man who doesn't use a controller either has fitted a split relay to his van and never had to charge it again in two months of going it alone.
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Thanks very much everyone!
Spruce thanks for that link.
Honestly didn't see that, use my phone alot now smaller screen
Should wear glasses ;D
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Just ditch the controller a big day for me is 300 to 300 and I've never burnt a pressure swith out despite turning the flow off constantly between windows.
I've yet to come across a valid reason for having one.
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If you can see the pump:- If the red (live) wire goes to one of the terminals in the black plastic bit at the end of the pump, then another red wire comes from the other terminal next to the first one and goes to the hole in the motor end of the pump then the switch is installed and in circuit.
If you can't see the pump, phone Doug ;D
What I'm find interesting is that we have had a post on Shurflo pressure switch adjustment within the last couple of weeks. Tosh put up a picture of a Shurflo pump with a red arrow pointing to the adjusting screw on the switch.
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=191767.0
Do people not read these posts and see relevant information they can remember for a future date or what?
I'm not having a go at lee directly but I'm trying to understand how some fellow window cleaners see it. In other words, do they read these posts and not see anything relevant to their business equipment or what?
I not having a go and I don't mean to sound rude but isn't the answer obvious?
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I've never used one, not 100% sure what they do and its just another thing to go wrong.
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If you can see the pump:- If the red (live) wire goes to one of the terminals in the black plastic bit at the end of the pump, then another red wire comes from the other terminal next to the first one and goes to the hole in the motor end of the pump then the switch is installed and in circuit.
If you can't see the pump, phone Doug ;D
What I'm find interesting is that we have had a post on Shurflo pressure switch adjustment within the last couple of weeks. Tosh put up a picture of a Shurflo pump with a red arrow pointing to the adjusting screw on the switch.
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=191767.0
Do people not read these posts and see relevant information they can remember for a future date or what?
I'm not having a go at lee directly but I'm trying to understand how some fellow window cleaners see it. In other words, do they read these posts and not see anything relevant to their business equipment or what?
I not having a go and I don't mean to sound rude but isn't the answer obvious?
This was an honest question, and I wasn't having a go at Lee
For example, we continually get questions on here about windies who don't understand the symptoms and calibration of their controllers even although the same question gets asked over and over again. So I ask myself if the answer isn't being explained properly by us making the replies.
As many for you know, I was with the technical divison of Bosch Power Tools for many years in South Africa. One of the internal sales staff had a customer who sent in a sample of a part he wanted with the model of the machine it came from.
This internal sales person came over to my desk with the part required and a parts list (parts breakdown drawing with numbers and part numbers.) The part required was of an armature for this angle grinder, but the sales person couldn't recognise the drawing of the part on paper with the sample part to hand.
I had never experienced someone not being able to identify the picture of a part with the part to hand before. Had I experienced it before but not recognised it? This was genuine and it's something I have never forgotten. That person was unable to relate the printed from the actual part. It just wondered if the same applied with Lee as this thread was very recent.
His reply was that he hadn't seen it was good enough to answer the question I had asked.
Sorry if it came across differently.
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We use these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/6V-90V-Pulse-Width-Controller-Switch/dp/B00CWSO2IY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1418926913&sr=8-3&keywords=12v+motor+speed+controller
Just wire them up as per marks on terminals - never have any problems with them.
Same as Ian (or very similar). I get mine for £5 from ebay. Got a two man system running with two of these; been going six months without a single problem. I put an in-line switch (£2 from Wilkos) on both of mine too.
They're better than an electronic flow controller IMO. Mine just messed me about.
These do what they're meant to do without any fuss.
And for a flipping fiver!
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had a two controller for well over 5years now and still do what they are meant to do.
if they aint working for you it cause you dont know what the fleck your doing
tosh says it all really
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So what's Lee doing wrong, Frankie?
I have a pump box and the varistream controller is getting a bit temperamental.
Why not give him the benefit of your knowledge? The same goes for the weekly posts that appear from members having trouble from theirs.
I don't need your knowledge because my five quid flow controllers work perfectly - no messing - no recalibration; they just do what they're meant to do - every time; no exceptions.
hth
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Tosh.
Can I ask how your pump is wire to your battery and controller.
You have a shurflo pump a voltage regulator as displayed by Ian.
So red and black wire on pump as I have but you have the additional wire/wires on pressure switch how do these wire into your controller and battery?
Are you taking wire from pressure switch and joining to other say red wire at other end of pump then wire to controller?
Just trying to invision this, can't find anything on YouTube all in use with varistream.
My pump has no wiring on pressure switch but would like to setup as yours Tosh.
Thanks lee
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Just buy a new controller, my MKII digi' varistream has never missed a beat. However, I'll replace it with a spring analogue when it does.
Don't faff about with cheap ebay sh*te, if you truly understand what a proper purpose made controller really does then you'll also understand that these DIY efforts fall way short. We are after all talking less than £100, I can't for the life of me understand why people go to these lengths when you can have it all for under a tonne! ::)roll
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Hi Chumbucket.
It's not a case of being mean I would like to have a backup system ready to go or temporary fix say for varistream.
It's good to know alternative ways of doing things and you could argue instead of money for a varistream you could have a spare pump instead.
Ian has employed and now franchised his business and uses these cheaper controllers with looks like little problem.
Tosh to has switched to these controllers for reasons of recalibration cold hot weather and found varistream frustrating to work with.
Another major problem with our equipment is you can't just pop to local shop and buy.
So spares are a must but if you can source cheap workable alternatives from maplins, machine mart, homebase to dig yourself out the poo then I'm all for that.
Might have repeated myself there, sorry.
Merry Christmas mate.
Lee.
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Tosh.
Can I ask how your pump is wire to your battery and controller.
You have a shurflo pump a voltage regulator as displayed by Ian.
So red and black wire on pump as I have but you have the additional wire/wires on pressure switch how do these wire into your controller and battery?
Are you taking wire from pressure switch and joining to other say red wire at other end of pump then wire to controller?
Just trying to invision this, can't find anything on YouTube all in use with varistream.
My pump has no wiring on pressure switch but would like to setup as yours Tosh.
Thanks lee
Lee, you have two wires coming out of your shurflo; route one of these (it doesn't matter which) into the pressure switch (it doesn't matter which connection) with a spade connection. Then attach a wire with a spade connection on the 'way out' (the other connection on the pressure switch).
This is your pressure switch connected back up. All the pressure switch does is break the connection when the pressure has built up to the required psi.
Then wire as follows on the rear of the motor controller:
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1419352107_Tosh1.jpg)
On the reverse side of the motor controller are some screws that hold down the wires; it's pretty self explanatory.
Keep your old pump controller box; you can just use that to put it in.
And as I say, it works all the time, every time, no exceptions.
(The above is my spare - at a fiver each - get a couple, but my two have been going great guns for over six months - with no problems at all).
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if you truly understand what a proper purpose made controller really does then you'll also understand that these DIY efforts fall way short.
Apart from controlling my water flow, which they do perfectly, every time, all the time, what else do I want them to do? Sing me a song? Do a couple of juggling tricks?
They never give me any battery problems either and we run two pumps (two separate motor controllers) with these.
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Just buy a new controller, my MKII digi' varistream has never missed a beat. However, I'll replace it with a spring analogue when it does.
Don't faff about with cheap ebay sh*te, if you truly understand what a proper purpose made controller really does then you'll also understand that these DIY efforts fall way short. We are after all talking less than £100, I can't for the life of me understand why people go to these lengths when you can have it all for under a tonne! ::)roll
Digital controllers are gash.
I had one that claimed to work as a split charge relay. I had a auto electrician look at it, he laughed. "No danger that thing can handle the current".
All the other crap that manufacturers tell you is an improvement is, in fact, utterly pointless. Control the flow. Control the pressure. That's all you need.
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if you truly understand what a proper purpose made controller really does then you'll also understand that these DIY efforts fall way short.
Apart from controlling my water flow, which they do perfectly, every time, all the time, what else do I want them to do? Sing me a song? Do a couple of juggling tricks?
They never give me any battery problems either and we run two pumps (two separate motor controllers) with these.
My point demonstrated to perfection!! ;D ::)roll
My MKI digital Varistream hasn't missed a beat in 6 years- the MKII is a different controller though & by all accounts quite troublesome- I've used one & don't like it at all. However, that doesn't mean that all other controllers are the same.
I'm not going to try knocking when there's no one in Tosh- yet again, and no doubt you'll hit the ban button, yet again. ::)roll
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Just buy a new controller, my MKII digi' varistream has never missed a beat. However, I'll replace it with a spring analogue when it does.
Don't faff about with cheap ebay sh*te, if you truly understand what a proper purpose made controller really does then you'll also understand that these DIY efforts fall way short. We are after all talking less than £100, I can't for the life of me understand why people go to these lengths when you can have it all for under a tonne! ::)roll
Digital controllers are gash.
I had one that claimed to work as a split charge relay. I had a auto electrician look at it, he laughed. "No danger that thing can handle the current".
All the other crap that manufacturers tell you is an improvement is, in fact, utterly pointless. Control the flow. Control the pressure. That's all you need.
Yep, I agree, NEVER would I want a flow controller to work as a split charge relay also either!
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No, Chummy, I didn't ban you, just made you sit on the naughty step for a while, and that was down to your swearing on the forum. I think they'd just released you from the wibble ward and hadn't gotten your medication just right.
But you still haven't answered the question.
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All the other crap that manufacturers tell you is an improvement is, in fact, utterly pointless. Control the flow. Control the pressure. That's all you need.
+1
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No, Chummy, I didn't ban you, just made you sit on the naughty step for a while, and that was down to your swearing on the forum. I think they'd just released you from the wibble ward and hadn't gotten your medication just right.
But you still haven't answered the question.
You banned me permanently for not agreeing with your justification of someone dealing drugs. ::)roll
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No, Chummy, I didn't ban you, just made you sit on the naughty step for a while, and that was down to your swearing on the forum. I think they'd just released you from the wibble ward and hadn't gotten your medication just right.
But you still haven't answered the question.
You banned me permanently for not agreeing with your justification of someone dealing drugs. ::)roll
If I banned everyone that disagreed with me, there'd probably just be me. And you're obviously not banned permanently because you're posting here.
Why don't you try manning up and getting over it?
And you still haven't answered the question.
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Tosh that's brilliant, thanks very much for post and pic, I have that exact controller you do been sitting in the bottom of my wardrobe ;D
Will now sort something out over the hole don't go back tip 5th jan.
Happy to now dismantle existing pump box and modify now.
Merry Christmas Tosh :)
Your worth more money ;)
Thanks everyone
Lee
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A good little tip is to get an inline switch, wilkos do them for about £2 and put that on.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1419354165_Tosh1.jpg)
It means you just set the water flow the way you want it with the dial and then turn it on and off with the switch. It basically means you don't have to turn a dial; I'm very lazy.
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No, Chummy, I didn't ban you, just made you sit on the naughty step for a while, and that was down to your swearing on the forum. I think they'd just released you from the wibble ward and hadn't gotten your medication just right.
But you still haven't answered the question.
You banned me permanently for not agreeing with your justification of someone dealing drugs. ::)roll
If I banned everyone that disagreed with me, there'd probably just be me. And you're obviously not banned permanently because you're posting here.
Why don't you try manning up and getting over it?
And you still haven't answered the question.
You've had it answered countless times Tosh- you simply don't understand it & this clearly shows in all your posts regarding controllers. I ain't wasting any more time knocking. ;)
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You've had it answered countless times Tosh- you simply don't understand it & this clearly shows in all your posts regarding controllers. I ain't wasting any more time knocking. ;)
Mate, just answer the question and stop trying to make it personal. To be quite frank I don't understand your interest in me. I'm above the age of legal consent.
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You've had it answered countless times Tosh- you simply don't understand it & this clearly shows in all your posts regarding controllers. I ain't wasting any more time knocking. ;)
Mate, just answer the question and stop trying to make it personal. To be quite frank I don't understand your interest in me. I'm above the age of legal consent.
I have zero interest in you, nothing personal at all- don't flatter yourself, I just think you're a bit thick... but that's where it ends. ;D
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You've had it answered countless times Tosh- you simply don't understand it & this clearly shows in all your posts regarding controllers. I ain't wasting any more time knocking. ;)
Mate, just answer the question and stop trying to make it personal. To be quite frank I don't understand your interest in me. I'm above the age of legal consent.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1419355223_Tosh2.gif)
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ChumBucket who were you before you were banned?
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Thanks Tosh for switch link.
Might be able to salvage one on my pump box that Doug put on outside.
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No problems, Lee. It's not often that something so cheap far exceeds expectations, but this does.
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ChumBucket who were you before you were banned?
Winpro or something similar
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ChumBucket who were you before you were banned?
Winproclean.
With some symbols dotted in their somewhere.
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ChumBucket who were you before you were banned?
Winproclean.
With some symbols dotted in their somewhere.
At least someone is observant, the symbols were a hint. ;)