Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ken on February 19, 2009, 03:54:01 pm
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My backpack kept cutting out today. Not regularly, sometimes after 5 minutes, sometimes after 30 minutes. It did this last week and I changed the pressure setting from 2 to 3, and now 3 to 4. This temporarily sorted it but it finally cut out today and wouldn't start at all. The battery low light is not on and in fact the battery was fully charged last night. Is it possible (and straightforward) to bypass the pressure cutout switch to see if that's the problem? I don't really have electrical skills so it would need to be fairly straightforward.
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Ken,
Is this backpack a Shurflo?
When this has happened to me in the past, it's always been because the battery is worn out and needs replacing; it's not holding its charge.
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if its a shurflo, its probably either the pcb board or the battery. my money would be pcb board.
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If when the backpack cuts out, you disconnect, then re-connect and it works for one-or-two minutes, then cuts out again; it's the battery.
Trust me. I phoned Shurflo when it happened to me and they said it was a 'classic' case of knackered battery.
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My backpack kept cutting out today. Not regularly, sometimes after 5 minutes, sometimes after 30 minutes. It did this last week and I changed the pressure setting from 2 to 3, and now 3 to 4. This temporarily sorted it but it finally cut out today and wouldn't start at all. The battery low light is not on and in fact the battery was fully charged last night. Is it possible (and straightforward) to bypass the pressure cutout switch to see if that's the problem? I don't really have electrical skills so it would need to be fairly straightforward.
Same things been happening to me this week. Its normally worse first thing in morning. But like you Ive set it to no 3 and its been ok. I also sprayed some wd40 on switch which shouldn't do it any harm. I've had my backpack 18 months and I'm on my 4th switch. Its just a shame that Shurflow don't give you a guarantee when buying a new one. Otherwise I wouldn't be out of pocket everytime the switch packs up. Also on my second pump.
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If when the backpack cuts out, you disconnect, then re-connect and it works for one-or-two minutes, then cuts out again; it's the battery.
Trust me. I phoned Shurflo when it happened to me and they said it was a 'classic' case of knackered battery.
Totally agree with Tosh about battery being flat and not holding it's charge.
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Ok, it sounds like it's the battery. I'll try and get hold of one tomorrow and see how it goes.
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Sorry to necromance this thread but I thought that better than starting another. I bought a new battery last week from http://www.grovesbatteries.co.uk/. They charged me £17 for a Yuasa battery which apparently is a top brand and not a cheap, no-name job from who knows where. I thought that was a pretty good price compared to what I'd seen so I thought I'd mention it here. Didn't really use the backpack much today so the proof will be in the pudding tomorrow...
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Ken, did you charge the battery for about 24 hours when you bought it initially?
I'm sure that's what you have to do.
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I don't think the battery is the problem here. As same thing happened to me last week. I've used pack all day today and no problems except the switch doesn't always turn off first time. I've had same battery for almost two years. Though getting a spare one can't be a bad thing anyway.
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Tosh, I put it on charge for 12 hours... :-/
I figure it would be wise to let it run right out before charging it again, so will bring the backpack in tomorrow after work and just leave it running in to itself to drain the battery right down.
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Klean,
I've been using the backpack for about four-and-a-half years on a mostly daily basis; and the same thing with regards the switch has happened to me. It was normally when I left the back pack in my vehicle overnight during the Winter; I think the cold and damp affected it.
Since then I've taken it into the house overnight and it's been fine; but it could be the circuit board.
Ken,
I'm not sure if running the battery flat is a good idea. I'm no battery expert, but I never run mine flat; I don't think they're designed to be ran flat. I charge mine after each day, and to be honest my current battery is on steriods; it's had some right hammerings and it must be about two-years-old; maybe older; I can't remember.
I use a leisure battery in my caravan, and I don't think these are meant to be ran flat either.
Some batteries for stuff like mobile phones are maybe designed to be ran flat now-and-again, but I don't think this is the case with the back pack battery.
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Quite agree with you there Tosh. I take mine inside when I charge battery (due to design of backpack/trolly) I notice that when its been inside my kitchen all night I don't really get much problem with it. Its only when I leave it in van overnight.
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Tosh, I am easily swayed, so I will now NOT run the battery flat!
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Tosh, I am easily swayed, so I will now NOT run the battery flat!
The back pack battery is lead acid, and it does not have a memory like mobile phone batteries.
It should ideally be charged when it's half discharged, so probably every night.
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I don't whether this is battery related, but my backpack would chug sometimes when the flow was off, as if the pump was trying to maintain pressure. It would buzz every 10 seconds or so. Since I've put the new battery in, it doesn't...