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UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: William Tyndale on December 04, 2008, 05:36:23 pm

Title: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: William Tyndale on December 04, 2008, 05:36:23 pm
My varistream seems to have burnt out one of its resistors, the fuse didnt blow.
It still lights up but acts like there is not enough ampage, like it does when the battery gets too low.
Can this be fixed?
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: NWH on December 04, 2008, 05:38:28 pm
If you take it apart you`ll see which ones burnt out obviously,you could try un soldering it and replacing it with a new 1.
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: Moderator David@stives on December 04, 2008, 05:40:28 pm
I have got 3 dead varistreams now.

It is time for me to give up on them and try ecoflows

Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: William Tyndale on December 04, 2008, 05:42:45 pm
Might have a go at that, have "Heath Robinson'ed" a bypass for now.
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: NWH on December 04, 2008, 05:47:00 pm
I have 2 varistreams and i havn`t needed to touch the other 1 for over 3 years as it`s still new,i don`t think it`s a good idea to leave them on allday without turning them off between jobs a lot that have trouble with them leave them on allday long.If you were meant to do this it would say so on the info sheet.My anologue varistream has never let me down yet,touch wood lol. ;D
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: William Tyndale on December 04, 2008, 05:49:19 pm
Always turned it off after each job or run of houses.
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: NWH on December 04, 2008, 05:54:41 pm
Did you have a dodgy battery,i did originally and it play up until i changed it.
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: William Tyndale on December 04, 2008, 06:27:04 pm
Bought a new one today, it's not the battery. Opened it up to see one of the resistors a bit brown!
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: Skyglide on December 04, 2008, 06:32:58 pm
Said it before on here. Varistreams don't last, especially with microbore hoses (manufacturer won't guarantee varistream with microbore). We use Flojet pumps with no extra electronic controller - just have a tap on each pole we use.
Chris
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: dd on December 04, 2008, 06:45:01 pm
Said it before on here. Varistreams don't last, especially with microbore hoses (manufacturer won't guarantee varistream with microbore). We use Flojet pumps with no extra electronic controller - just have a tap on each pole we use.
Chris
Do you use anything to control the flow rate?
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: NWH on December 04, 2008, 06:48:31 pm
Said it before on here. Varistreams don't last, especially with microbore hoses (manufacturer won't guarantee varistream with microbore). We use Flojet pumps with no extra electronic controller - just have a tap on each pole we use.
Chris
Mine lasted over 3 years and still going.
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: scud on December 04, 2008, 08:25:08 pm
  I had one from the first batch made, it has lasted ok, it has now been stored as a spare for a second set up, the new digital one works well too.

  They are/were on all day every day, sometimes for a few days in a row when I have forgot to switch off at night too.
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: dmlservices on December 04, 2008, 09:30:21 pm
mines left on from when i start , until i finish, no problems ,

as far as i know it does not say in the instructions that it cant be left on



daz
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: Nathanael Jones on December 04, 2008, 09:43:48 pm
Anyone try the new eco-flow from Sureclean or Gardiners yet?

I got one for a friends new setup and I was well impressed. I never liked the digi varistreams anyway,....
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: jaykie on December 04, 2008, 09:45:58 pm
I see one that charges too
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: Nathanael Jones on December 04, 2008, 09:48:41 pm
I got the basic (non-charging) one,...

The dead end control is soooooo easy,.... no opening it up to mess with a little blue dial!
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: Trotsky on December 04, 2008, 09:56:45 pm
Varistream and ecoflows work different ways, and cannot be compared!

Why not ring or go to...
http://www.williamsonpumps.co.uk/
A very nice man told me this...

Ecoflow
 retard the pump (shurflo 100psi, in my case!)
couple this with a 100m microbore hose... disaster
Why?
Back-pressure on hose for one

Retarding a 100psi pump, puts presure on the "Pressure switch" which will normally burn out in less than a year!

Varistream
Works on demand (does not retard the pump)
pressure switch is bypassed (but not removed)!

I have had both now and I believe the varistream to be superior in design!

Before you ask, Why?
To have a pump that can deliver a psi of 100 and then retard it, seems ludicrous to me
Back pressure on hoses is a killer on pressure switch's.
I chose 50m of 8mm microbore hose instead) ;)

Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: Alex Gardiner on December 04, 2008, 10:17:57 pm
I got the basic (non-charging) one,...

The dead end control is soooooo easy,.... no opening it up to mess with a little blue dial!

The Latest Eco-Flows (the one you have) have simplified the process of matching the cut-off point to the system. They now come factory pre-set to match 100m of microbore, but as you have found can easily be adjusted to 'match' any set up with the press of a button. Very clever bits of kit, just wish that I had designed them!
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: [GQC] Tim on December 04, 2008, 11:06:58 pm
Are we talking about the digital or analogue here? I've been using the digital for half a year now or so, no problems so far.
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: Nathanael Jones on December 04, 2008, 11:08:24 pm
The eco-flow is analogue
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: d s windowcleaning on December 05, 2008, 12:51:26 pm
william if im correct in thinking the part thats burnt out is the black part then you can get them from maplins , ive had it happen twice , my mates had it happen a few times and it allways seem to be the same part .
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: dai on December 05, 2008, 07:49:32 pm
Sometimes the potension meter pot goes, these can be bought at Maplins for a couple of quid.
You can also send them back to Willliamson's to be fixed, I think they charge arround £20.
Title: Re: Varistream burnt out.
Post by: Nathanael Jones on December 05, 2008, 08:52:18 pm
The new eco-flow units are normally wired with the pump's pressure switch still in the circuit,.. not bypassed like the varistream.

The pressure switch isn't used, but is there as a failsafe in case the unit should fail. This is a feature I like as some varistream operated systems I've seen run way above the pump's rated pressure setting. A friend of mine has a system with a 100 psi pump & varistream and we tested the system at nearly 140 PSI!! This can't be good for the pump!