Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: peekeclean on December 01, 2007, 01:59:39 pm
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new problem now guys after my last post about air lock and how i think iv sorted it now i find that my varistream is not switching off,
iv just tryed the blue dial inside but it still is not switching off and im thinking its up the crapper am i right??
has anyone had the same problem?
and what letter do you have yours set on?
cheers joe
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If it's not switching off then it's not sensing that it's up to pressure so either your pumps not pumping up to pressure or you have a leak?
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When you open your pole valve are you getting a big initial spurt?
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yes dave but it take a long time to build the pressure up.See thats been the problem since iv put my hose reel up on my tank,i thought it was airlocked but iv ptfe taped the joints and put a tap in to trap the water but no joy? my pump is low as advised how will i find any air leaks?
cheers joe
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When you get it running and you are working on your windows do you get air bubbles spitting through the brush head?
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Joe,
When you say its not switching off do you mean the on/off switch isnt working or do you mean its not tripping when you disconnect your pole ie when the pressure builds up
Al
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What i'm thinking is that when you disconnect your pole from your reel the water drains from your reel back into the tank giving you an air lock somewhere. Air takes ages to compress and so the varistreem keeps running. I don't know what kind of fitting you have on the end of the reel but you need a stop end to prevent air getting in or water getting out when you disconnect. I'm no expert mind. :)
If it's microbore does it have an ez snap end? scroll down the page.
http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/Popular_Items.html
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yes dave i have microbore with the endstop but i do not disconnect anything but the pole on each clean.
I thought about what you said the other day so i took the pump off and PTFE taped all the joints so air could not get in.
But every time i start i have to go through the getting it all running process. Yes air dose eventually come out of the brush.
As iv said before the problem lies between the pump and DI.
But today i stood there waiting for the varistrem to stop but it went on and on.
thanks dave
hi Alistair i do mean its not tripping (no red light) just keeps pumping.
thanks
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I would take off all connections and give them a really good wrapping of plummers tape and i mean a good wrap,by that i mean when you unscrew again you can see that the tape is well grooved on to the thread.Like i said on the other thread Joe when i was using microbore pressure problems were a day in day out stress,when you can buy minibore although it`s only 2mm bigger it does make all the difference the slightly bigger internal diameter stops all these pressure problems in my experience,also nothing to do with this but you have disconnected the pressure switch havn`t you.
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I would take off all connections and give them a really good wrapping of plummers tape and i mean a good wrap,by that i mean when you unscrew again you can see that the tape is well grooved on to the thread.Like i said on the other thread Joe when i was using microbore pressure problems were a day in day out stress,when you can buy minibore although it`s only 2mm bigger it does make all the difference the slightly bigger internal diameter stops all these pressure problems in my experience,also nothing to do with this but you have disconnected the pressure switch havn`t you.
I couldn't agree more.
Get rid of the microbore and switch to minibore (8mm) Like NWH says the difference is very noticable. I tried microbore and had all sorts of probs with flow and stuff then switched to the minibore and haven't had any since.
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:-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
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OMG I'm scared now ::) ::) :o :P :-\
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I`m glad we agree on something Brightclean,our relationship is blossoming just like the one me and Macmac now have LOL. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Hi
Need to start a logical process of elimination.
If things worked before with the microbore hose, replacing it now is not going to solve the problem.
I would disconnect the varistream and connect the pressure switch up again and see if the problem still persists.
If it does its not the Varistream.
Remove all the auxillary equipment you have from the supply line and the delivery line.
Ensure that there isn't a leak at the tank outlet and the pump inlet and that they suction hose is ok. If the hose has gone soft it may flatten and restrict water flow under suction.
I have come across many a connection that doesn't leak water but allows air in under suction. Hose clips are not the most ideal way of securing a plastic pipe - these new O Ring clips are far better. Once you have identified that those connectors and pipe are ok then connect up your hose directly to the pump, let the water bled through and switch the valve off.
If the problem still persists then there may be a fault on the valve seats in the pump itself, either damage or dirt not allowing the nonreturn valves to seal properly.
Try to find someone local who may be able to loan you a pump for test purposes.
Hope you solve your problem.
Spruce
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Connect the pump directly to a free standing battery,if the pump runs it`s ok and that will tell you it`s the switch.
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If the varistream is turned up to max flow,... does the pump stop then?
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I thought of sticking a very short length of hose on the pump outlet with a sealed end (tap or valve) Should come up to pressure within a couple of seconds. If it dosen't and you haven't fiddled the blue dial then it sounds like the pumps faulty. If it does cut out then alls fine with the expensive bits.
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yes when turned to max it shuts off in about 15 seconds when the water is flowing but then keeps going on and off for 2 to 3 seconds,
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What, you stuck a really short piece on and it took fifteen seconds to get up to pressure? My system takes less time with 100m of microbore connected with the front dial at ten o'clock. It then cycles and pumps in short bursts as the pipes expand a little then settles down untill you hear it coming in every few seconds as it checks the pressure (but doesn't pump). If i then open my pole valve fully it pumps constantly. If it dosen't pump continuously when everything is open then the blue dial needs tweaking up a little. I managed to get my pressure so high in the end that i started to crush the spindle in my Hozelock Reel (crap anyway) and the short length of pole hose from reel to valve began to expand. You have to remember more pressure doesn't mean higher flow rate nessesarily. If you can't pressure up a foot of hose in a few seconds something must be wrong. Hope my warblings may be of help. :)
PS any chance of a picture?
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no dave i have not tryed the short hose yet.
i know this might sound daft but is the shureflo strainer ment to point up or hang down?
because mine faces up and i can see air in there,so iv cleaned that out but it dose not fill full of water when running is this normal?
cheers joe
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I think so, i used to worry about mine because i could see air in it but i have seen others mounted on their sides. I have mine with the glass facing down at the moment purely because the bubble was bugging me don't know for sure if it makes a difference. I just switched mine on and the whole system is up to pressure in about four seconds.
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Just thought of a problem i had - the white plastic threads into and out of the di bottle were pretty loose too when i had trouble, but be carefull not to overtighten.
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right just been out there for a few hours all the joints are solid with PTFE tape,connected my pressure gage to the hose from the pump went straight to around 150 psi then stopped,then the on and off thing was happening ok.
Now i turn it up that much before to get some fan jets to work but now i use pencil jets so iv turned it down to about 110psi.
After a minute or so a drip apeared from the hose that comes from the pump to DI so iv tighten the jubilee clip this might bee the problem a???
any other surgestions?
thanks joe
ps. why is all this stuff made to for wfp but leaks,everything iv got needs PTFE tape,the worst thing was my DI head that is made to have pressure and water in it?
cheers joe
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You don't need to pressurise your di - you could run it before the pump and suck the water through instead. I swopped mine around trying to cure the same problem you have and could hear it bubbling at the joints i've left it there ever since. Sounds like the pump is fine and varistreem also, every little helps.
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Joe it will do this,i didn`t realise what you meant.Do you mean that when you turn the varistream right up it goes on and off,if it does it`s because you don`t have the blue dial set correctly inside the varistream.
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hi nigel what i mean was when i first start the pump it dont seem to push water and the varistream just keeps going.
But when you get it running its good as gold just means every job i have to disconnect the hose from the pump to the DI then run the pump till i get water, and as you know when i do disconnect that hose i will get wet.
but today i found a small leak in the hose on the elbow joint from pump to DI,it took about 2 minutes to start leaking though never had it befor so maybe that is the problem.
i had the pressure gage on it at the time to see how long it was befor the pressure went down.
Now it seems ok so tomorrow will tell.
thanks for all your help guys
joe
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With a leak that small it should hardly make a difference, you'd need to be loosing pressure nearly as fast as the pump is providing it for it to cycle every 2-3 second. Maybe the varistream is damaged? I'd recommend the flowmaster from Purefreedom,... I've yet to hear a single complaint with them.
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i had same problem i solved this by getting my pump as close to the outlet on my tank as i could . and connected a 6 inch piece of hose in between the outlet on tank and inlet on the pump . set varistream to letter j and not had problems since this is with 6o mtrs of microbore .
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thanks guys iv solved ther pressure problem now its only when i leave it off for a long time i have to let it run for a few minute to build the pressure up so it flows the way i want it to.
Now the varistrem takes about 15 to 20 sec to stop.
but i can live with that.
cheers joe
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I hope your not talking about the time it takes the pump to shut off,you must be.If you are the blue dial needs seriously adjusting.