[Tom White]

I'm running a two 'man' system from my tank.  Two pumps to push water through two hose reels.

One pump has a variflow, and that usually works just fine, but the other that is just a pump wired to a battery; no flow controller at all; keeps on giving me problems.  I was nearly for chucking a few litres of petrol into the back of my van and setting fire to the lot this afternoon.

I keep on getting airlocks.  This is what happens:

I pull up, switch the pump on, take the hose and pole to a window, plug in and nothing comes out.  I walk back to the van and unplug the hose that goes into the hose reel and the pump kicks in and water starts coming out.  I plug it back into the hose reel, go back to the pole and start working.  I finish, uncouple the pole hose from the reel hose, take it to the next property, plug in - and no water comes out - so I walk back to the van, unplug the hose that goes into the reel, and water starts coming out, I then go back, clean windows and then when I move again, I need to go back to the van to unplug the hose that goes into the reel again.

It was driving me around the bend this afternoon; I must've walked about a kilometre because of air locks.

I may also get my camcorder out and do a Youtube showing my set up tomorrow and asking for some advice.

But, what causes airlocks?   

[LWC]

Not sure but ive been runing one pump and 2 reels for years now and it works just fine, if your really having that much issue try my way and keep other pump as spare.

Only thing about air locks is making sure everywhere is tight and no leaks. Apart from that there shouldnt be any air locks in theory.

How is second pump connected? Is it T'd off the outlet or is it a seperate hole?

[LWC]

Hold on, you uncouple the reel from pump hose every time you finish?

[Tom White]

Not sure but ive been runing one pump and 2 reels for years now and it works just fine, if your really having that much issue try my way and keep other pump as spare.

I may give that a try, but would that work for two hoses of microbore, both 100 meters?  It seems a lot to ask of a pump, but I don't really have a clue what their capabilities are.

Only thing about air locks is making sure everywhere is tight and no leaks. Apart from that there shouldnt be any air locks in theory.

Ah!  I have a leak at the end of my hose, where I plug my pole hose into.  I need the right size jubilee clip to solve that little problem; which I've got on order because I can't find a local supplier that sells the right size jubilee clip (I even went to Bristol this evening to try and find one and couldn't).  Maybe that's what's causing me problems?

How is second pump connected? Is it T'd off the outlet or is it a seperate hole?

Yes, it's from a T outlet.  Is a separate hole better?

And no, I don't uncouple the hose every time I finish.

[LWC]

Yes will push 2 x 100m's fine.

I cant see it being a leak at end of pole no mate.

Just wondering with the T whether the one pump is pulling more than the other, know what i mean? I know they should flow both the same but if the one is pulling without a controller its pulling flat out, but the other one is on slower.

Which one is giving you the jip?

[Tom White]

Which one is giving you the jip?

The one that's not got the flow controller on it.

How does your set up work?  Do you have the one hole, one pump, then a return valve back into the tank, followed by a flow control valve, then a splitter onto the two hose reels, with an on/off tap on both hose reels?

I tried a little experiment with a return valve back into my tank, but it didn't seem to want to work.  It would come out of the hose, and then when I closed the valve it would go into the tank.  But then when I opened the valve it kept going into the tank and not out through the hose reel; so I binned that idea.  At least that's what I think happened; I can't remember to be honest; but it didn't work for me.

I'm finding these teething problems a little frustrating to be honest, but I'm going to have a good play around with it over this long weekend and have the problems ironed out.  

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

id say air 

[Tom White]

id say air 

That'll be the same stuff that's between your ears then! 

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I'm running a two 'man' system from my tank.  Two pumps to push water through two hose reels.

One pump has a variflow, and that usually works just fine, but the other that is just a pump wired to a battery; no flow controller at all; keeps on giving me problems.  I was nearly for chucking a few litres of petrol into the back of my van and setting fire to the lot this afternoon.

I keep on getting airlocks.  This is what happens:

I pull up, switch the pump on, take the hose and pole to a window, plug in and nothing comes out.  I walk back to the van and unplug the hose that goes into the hose reel and the pump kicks in and water starts coming out.  I plug it back into the hose reel, go back to the pole and start working.  I finish, uncouple the pole hose from the reel hose, take it to the next property, plug in - and no water comes out - so I walk back to the van, unplug the hose that goes into the reel, and water starts coming out, I then go back, clean windows and then when I move again, I need to go back to the van to unplug the hose that goes into the reel again.

It was driving me around the bend this afternoon; I must've walked about a kilometre because of air locks.

I may also get my camcorder out and do a Youtube showing my set up tomorrow and asking for some advice.

But, what causes airlocks?   

I don't think it's air. Can you alter the pumps mechanical cut off setting (pressure switch)? (might be a little screw)

[Pope vader]

what tank you got

is it doing it no matter what the water level in the tank is


if you leave it connected up does the water start to come thorough after a while,


i would try not turning the pumps off,  just let teh pressure switch kick in

[mci services]

id say air 

pretty much sums it up to be honest


if it is an air problem, take the pump out and put it below the tank, ie lower than the tank  then hold the brush even lower and run for about ten minutes and the air will all pump out.

if you are using a tee like you say is the hoses to the reel and hose reels exactly the same length, if not the water will take the easiest shortest route, but yes I think a seperarate  out let would solve all your problems

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

If it's air then why would it work as normal when the hose reel connector is unplugged?

[LWC]

I was going to suggest the pressure switch might need adjustment...how long have you left the pole to see if it comes on eventually, maybe its building up a load of pressure in reel, (which probably is as it going flat out) and switching off, but not set right to come back on straight away, it would explain alot when you take pump off reel as it starts working then, relieving alot of pressure. Is the hose that goes into reel quite hard to pull off when you go back ie lot of pressure there.

And this is a simple setup i had for my dad couple of years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhUOqvlF07g

[Tom White]

I was going to suggest the pressure switch might need adjustment...how long have you left the pole to see if it comes on eventually, maybe its building up a load of pressure in reel, (which probably is as it going flat out) and switching off, but not set right to come back on straight away, it would explain alot when you take pump off reel as it starts working then, relieving alot of pressure. Is the hose that goes into reel quite hard to pull off when you go back ie lot of pressure there.

Sensai-san, I think you've hit the nail on the head.  This is exactly what happens.  And as a matter of fact I did 'fanny about' with the little screw yesterday evening to see if it had any effect on my flow rate.  It didn't seem to have any effect, no matter how much I unscrewed it, so I just sort of screwed it back in and forgot about it.

Then I had a load of problems today.  

What does this screw do exactly?

But just to add, my pump never switches off by itself, even if no water is flowing; it still running.  It doesn't like reach a certain pressure and switch off (like the one with the variflow does); it just keeps whirring!  Is this not meant to happen?

And this is a simple setup i had for my dad couple of years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhUOqvlF07g

That looks really good.  Do you know where to get that tap set up from; the one that comes out of the pump?

[Tom White]

I'll tell you what, guys, it's late, so I'll do a youtube of what my problem is tomorrow and show the bag of nails that is my set up.

That'll probably explain the problem better.

[LWC]

The pressure switch has a spring inside of it that makes connection when theres too much pressure to turn pump off which will need adjusting with different hoses etc etc.

Personally I would screw it in all the way, get pump going which probably wont pump striaght away and slowly undo screw until it does 

Its not hard mate just needs a bit of setting up 

Also go to any plumbers theyl help set you up. Best way to do it is some copper piping, ill draw a simple diagram for you to follow...2 secs

[mci services]

you need to adjust the screw under pressure Tosh, you have it running and adjust it so it is cutting off when you want and flowing correctly when pumping, you can turn it all day when not pumping and it won't change or get worse, it really just sets what pressure to flow and switch off, there is a tiny pin that pushes on a spring that forces the switch to kick in or allow to flow, mine is an allan key and it is a stupid size 1.5mm but it does work

seen your last post good idea Tosh

[Tom White]

seen your last post good idea Tosh

You're looking for some entertainment value!  And when people see the bungies holding in my 1000 litre tank in the back of my ford escort, you know I'll get a good slagging. 

[LWC]

Well you wouldnt have guessed it, but im not an artist  

Heres a simple little diagram for you to follow, you dont need to go back to tank you can just go back to start of pump, follow the flow.



If tap is closed itl send all water to reels, if its open will split water and in between you can vary it  

Simples

[LWC]

Just to confirm that tank is baffled by way in diagram