[Steven Biggs]

I use a shurflo 100 psi and a varistream digital controller . I have had to calibrate it a few times recently . It presently is on number 6 . Never had to take it lower than the letter A before , so that's a bit strange . But still allows me to work with a good flow on number 4 as usual . While messing about with it yesterday I noticed every time I turned the controller up past 5 the pump only kicks in sporadically and the flow decreases. It's as if it peaks at 5 . Any higher or lower it goes down ? They are both about 6 Years old . Confused . ? Not a major issue as I can still work fine on 4 or 5 . But just wondering if ones on its way out. Cheers . Any help .

[dazmond]

just make sure you have a spare one to hand.they dont last forever.my last controller lasted 5 years before giving up the ghost.

[chris turner]

The controller probably needs recalibrating.
Had to do mine recently as the heat has made my hose expand to nearly twice it's normal size.

[dazmond]

set the CAL  higher.

[Spruce]

I use a shurflo 100 psi and a varistream digital controller . I have had to calibrate it a few times recently . It presently is on number 6 . Never had to take it lower than the letter A before , so that's a bit strange . But still allows me to work with a good flow on number 4 as usual . While messing about with it yesterday I noticed every time I turned the controller up past 5 the pump only kicks in sporadically and the flow decreases. It's as if it peaks at 5 . Any higher or lower it goes down ? They are both about 6 Years old . Confused . ? Not a major issue as I can still work fine on 4 or 5 . But just wondering if ones on its way out. Cheers . Any help .

Ours also appear to be doing the same thing. Both of the units on the van are the original digital controllers that replaced the analogue ones. They were purchased on the 19th December 2007.  Mine is at 8 at the moment and the other is slightly higher.

If you raise your calibration by a  point or 2  (to 7 or 8 ) then you should be able to run at a  flow of 6.  (4 and 5 are my preferred flow rates . My controller will pulse at 6 so I would have to recallibrate it if I wanted to use that flow rate.)  We usually have to play around with the calibration settings in summer. The water is quite warm this year our minibore hoses are quite flexible.

I'm told that the electronics do 'wear out' or deteriorate over time. I do have one of the latest controllers sitting in my office. The problem with them is that we need to fit a cutoff switch to switch power off power to the controller at the end of the day. The new controllers consume a 'minute' (in the words of Williamson Pump) amount of current in standby which over time adds up.

These old controllers are still working fine so whilst they are they will remain in service.

[Steven Biggs]

I've been recalibrating the controller . It was recently on the letter B . But the pump was staying on for 12 seconds after I turned the pole tap off . The only compromise  I can get is 6 . This turns the pump on after 3 seconds and off after 3 seconds . The best I can get . But still the controller peaks at 5 . I have a spare pump in the van . But if the controller goes the shop I use in Leeds is only 15 minutes away .

[dazmond]

why do you need to fit a cut off switch spruce?i charge my battery every night.im sure even if you left the battery wired up to the controller for a few days it wouldnt drain the battery much?its never been an issue for me.(i use a v11 controller)

i do disconnect the battery from the controller if i have an extended break though (holidays,etc)if its longer than a few days(.i use a pump box with separate leisure battery)no split charge relay.

[Spruce]

I've been recalibrating the controller . It was recently on the letter B . But the pump was staying on for 12 seconds after I turned the pole tap off . The only compromise  I can get is 6 . This turns the pump on after 3 seconds and off after 3 seconds . The best I can get . But still the controller peaks at 5 . I have a spare pump in the van . But if the controller goes the shop I use in Leeds is only 15 minutes away .

We have 2 hose reels on the van. Both have minbore hose on them.  The one  is very stiff and the other that I use is very flexible. I have to regularly mess on with my calibration adjustments - I've probably done it four times during this warm spell we are having.
The other hose is always stiff and we don't have to mess on with resetting calibration settings on that controller.

So whilst your controller's internal components will be 'wearing out' the problem you are experiencing is more than likely because the warmer water is making your hose softer so it expands more under pressure.

.

[Spruce]

why do you need to fit a cut off switch spruce?i charge my battery every night.im sure even if you left the battery wired up to the controller for a few days it wouldnt drain the battery much?its never been an issue for me.(i use a v11 controller)

i do disconnect the battery from the controller if i have an extended break though (holidays,etc)if its longer than a few days(.i use a pump box with separate leisure battery)no split charge relay.

You don't need to do this Daz. In your case you charge your battery every night so a minute current draw by the controller isn't going to be noticeable.

Williamson pumps do suggest that a cutoff switch be fitted before the controller for this reason of current draw. This applies to the Varistream VSD6 controller that also monitors battery charge.  My old controllers don't do that.

I haven't used a V11 Spring Controller derivative so I don't know how theirs works tbh. I don't even know if they also have a current drain. That may well not have. I think they have three screens on the controller so they flash up a numeric digital voltage on the display. Varistreams only have 1 screen so the state of charge is displayed using a combination of 3 digital horizontal 'bars'. (No display is flat, one bar at the bottom is a third charged, 2 bars is two thirds charged and 3 bars is fully charged. Its not very accurate but will give you an indication and is better than nothing. My personal opinion is that a quality multimeter or voltmeter gauge is a must for window cleaners and is as important for me as my tds meter is.)

[Ian Sheppard]

The current draw on the V11 when in standby (display off) but still connected to a battery is around 100th of an amp I would guess the williamson unit is around the same but dont know for sure. With the V11 powered down its just the micro processor that is drawing current and as above its not significant.

I know a number of people do fit an isolator switch between the battery and controller which is fine as long as there are corrected rated amp wise, and are DC switches.

Back to Stevens post, I would agree with Spruce that you are likely on the cusp of the pump shut off. What you are likely seeing is that the control is cycling the pump. As you increase flow both pressure and current draw approach the cut off point that you have calibrated. The high flow may mean the control is jut on the tip point so it stops flow, current and pressure fall and the pump is restarted .  As you increase the flow rate you are going to have to alter the calibration sometimes to match.

On the wear point yes electronics do wear out, during use the components are continuously heating and cooling over time this can make the components more likely to fail. That said if the controller and pump are still doing what you need the majority of the time no need to worry.

[Spruce]

The current draw on the V11 when in standby (display off) but still connected to a battery is around 100th of an amp I would guess the williamson unit is around the same but dont know for sure. With the V11 powered down its just the micro processor that is drawing current and as above its not significant.

I know a number of people do fit an isolator switch between the battery and controller which is fine as long as there are corrected rated amp wise, and are DC switches.

Back to Stevens post, I would agree with Spruce that you are likely on the cusp of the pump shut off. What you are likely seeing is that the control is cycling the pump. As you increase flow both pressure and current draw approach the cut off point that you have calibrated. The high flow may mean the control is jut on the tip point so it stops flow, current and pressure fall and the pump is restarted .  As you increase the flow rate you are going to have to alter the calibration sometimes to match.

On the wear point yes electronics do wear out, during use the components are continuously heating and cooling over time this can make the components more likely to fail. That said if the controller and pump are still doing what you need the majority of the time no need to worry.

Thanks Ian for your input.

Interestingly with the VSD6 controller we can actually hear a 'clunk' in the motor of our Shurflo pump when the battery terminals are first connected.
Its as though there is a limited flow of current being sent to the motor. I have never bother to measure it. I thought there was an issue with the controller so phoned the techie guy at Williamson's. He told me that the current was very small and wouldn't be noticeable. He then said that the solution they recommend is the fit an isolator switch.  As I already had one I just fitted it. I did ask why they recommend fitting this isolator switch if the current draw wasn't noticeable but didn't get a 'straight' reply.

I just got the feeling that if there was enough current being sent to the motor to cause it to react then it had to be more than implied.

This controller was fitted to SIL's van. He left us after 4 years and I now have the contoller in my office as a spare. Interesting I fitted it to sons van in place of his old analogue Varistream but it did the same thing so I put his old unit back again.

.

[Ian Sheppard]

The current draw on the V11 when in standby (display off) but still connected to a battery is around 100th of an amp I would guess the williamson unit is around the same but dont know for sure. With the V11 powered down its just the micro processor that is drawing current and as above its not significant.

I know a number of people do fit an isolator switch between the battery and controller which is fine as long as there are corrected rated amp wise, and are DC switches.

Back to Stevens post, I would agree with Spruce that you are likely on the cusp of the pump shut off. What you are likely seeing is that the control is cycling the pump. As you increase flow both pressure and current draw approach the cut off point that you have calibrated. The high flow may mean the control is jut on the tip point so it stops flow, current and pressure fall and the pump is restarted .  As you increase the flow rate you are going to have to alter the calibration sometimes to match.

On the wear point yes electronics do wear out, during use the components are continuously heating and cooling over time this can make the components more likely to fail. That said if the controller and pump are still doing what you need the majority of the time no need to worry.

Thanks Ian for your input.

Interestingly with the VSD6 controller we can actually hear a 'clunk' in the motor of our Shurflo pump when the battery terminals are first connected.
Its as though there is a limited flow of current being sent to the motor. I have never bother to measure it. I thought there was an issue with the controller so phoned the techie guy at Williamson's. He told me that the current was very small and wouldn't be noticeable. He then said that the solution they recommend is the fit an isolator switch.  As I already had one I just fitted it. I did ask why they recommend fitting this isolator switch if the current draw wasn't noticeable but didn't get a 'straight' reply.

I just got the feeling that if there was enough current being sent to the motor to cause it to react then it had to be more than implied.

This controller was fitted to SIL's van. He left us after 4 years and I now have the contoller in my office as a spare. Interesting I fitted it to sons van in place of his old analogue Varistream but it did the same thing so I put his old unit back again.

.

Hi Spruce
That is interesting I would tend to agree with your conclusion that on connection sufficient current is sent to the pump motor to turn it briefly.  in fairness to Wiliamson their VDS6 does work differently to our V11and this may just be a normal function for the Williamson unit or it could be an odd control playing up. The isolator switch will prevent it from drawing current until you need it to.