[Dylanb]

After changing vans I cant get the pump to start, its a shurflo 100psi connected to a WCW Digital flow controller. Its just stuck on DE (dead end detected) and wont start. It has power and does blip every 3 seconds which makes the water in the filter wobble.

Can anybody advise? is the pump knackered?

[Simon@ Clearview contractors]

Wire the pump directly to the battery(make sure you wire correctly) bypassing the flow controller, if it works ok then it coulod be your flow controller.  Have you checked if the battery has enough charge in it?

Failing that it's likely to be the bushes in the pump, but try the first bit first,it's far less complicated.

[Dave Willis]

As above really, maybe disconnect the outlet hose first and see if it fires up, if it does then you may have a kink in the hosereel or the pressure setting might need to be looked at. Make sure it's a good battery too.

[andyM]

Might need to prime the pump.
Could be airlocked.

[Tom White]

Mabye it needs recalibrated?  Could it be the sensitivity level has increased therefore it thinks there's a permanent dead end?

[Londoner]

That could be your controller and it could be a voltage issue. First step wire the pump live direct to the battery bypassing the controller. Is the red light on your controller coming on?

[Cliff perkins]

The pump has an airlock leave the inlet pipe on and then on the outlet pipe anywhere you can on the outlet side suck the pipe with the pump running this will force the water through the pump.give it a go and let me know how u get on.

[Cliff perkins]

I presume u opened up the outlet valve from the tank again

[Simon@ Clearview contractors]

I presume u opened up the outlet valve from the tank again

I reckon the pump would still run if there was an airlock, a blockage or a restriction.

If it's none of the above it can only be the pressure switch(at the top of the pump head)  you can either replace these(£1.75 micro switch from Maplin) or bypass the pressure switch all together.

[Dylanb]

Thanks for all your replies, I dont think its an air lock as the pump would still start. The motor wont start at all, it has voltage, Digital flow controller is on and no mater what speed i set is just wont fire up the pump and flashes DE. Ive tried auto calibration but it seems to refuse and flick back to DE. Both were working perfect last week in my old van 

[Lee GLS]

Do a manual calibration and set it to 99, if that doesn't work it sounds like you controller is at fault.

[alanwilson]

The magnets on the inside of the pump motor have come loose and are not opposite each other now, the glue has failed.

Remove pump motor shaft, affix magnets opposite each other and glue them in place, reinsert motor and you're good to go

[alanwilson]

If the magnets aren't loose then take the top off the pump head and make sure the pressure valve (non return) in the head of the pump is moving up and down freely, it's the lite white button valve, they can seize up if not used for a few days

[Dave Willis]

Glue - what glue? They should be sprung loaded so as they wear they can be pushed into contact by the springs. Chances are the pump will be ok.

[alanwilson]

The magnets are glued in, you are thinking of the brushes.

[Dave Willis]

Oh, right.

Anyway, wire up the pump direct to the battery for a few seconds and see what happens.

[Dylanb]

OK, wired the pump direct and it works fine, hooked up the controller again, tried to manualy increase the CAL, it was on 41, I increased to 60 then the fuse popped, tried a few more but kept popping the fuse instantly without even switching the controller on, is there a way to reset it? Ive attached a photo of the controller board, there are a few clear brown patches around some of the connections, not sure if its fried?

[gto]

thats probably just solder flux on the board, where its been hand soldered.

[Dylanb]

makes me think the controller is shorting as ive used all the same cables including inline fuse to connect pump directly which works fine, but if I put the controller in the circuit it blows the fuse instantly without even turning it on

[Dave Willis]

You sure you haven't reversed the polarity and got the live and negative wires wrong to the battery now?