Help! Cold weather pump problem

[Bob Govan]

Hi Guys, my brand new (November) replacement Shurflo pump decided to quit water output mid way through my last job on Friday and I cannot seem to fix it:
1. I was getting a couple of CS messages and several more Dead Ends so after fiddling with flow rates without success I gave up the job and went home.
2. Temperature very cold so warmed all input/output pipes in case partly frozen.
3. Recalibrated pump using auto calibrating (32 flow)
4. Water into pump fine, pump motor operating fine with no Dead Ends but no output from pump when output hose taken off pump.
5. Tried the usual gentle tapping and cranking motor to max plus hose into output for extended sucking to draw pump into primed but no success.
6. I don't really want to have to disassemble a brand new pump to check diaphragm or buy a new micro switch because it's difficult and time consuming and no guarantee of a solution.

Does anyone have a similar experience and maybe some advice or ideas I might attempt before I go the disassembly route please? All comments and contributions gratefully appreciated as I'm getting panicked now having lost a couple of days and Christmas looming large!

Thanks in hope, fingers xd, Bob

 

[Pjj]

Sounds like it could be an air lock , try running the pump flat out without the pump connected to the reel , if possible suck the hose from the pump outlet this should remove any air locks , I am of course assuming the filter is clean and the pipe work not frozen up ?

 

[Dave B]

Sounds like it could be an air lock , try running the pump flat out without the pump connected to the reel , if possible suck the hose from the pump outlet this should remove any air locks , I am of course assuming the filter is clean and the pipe work not frozen up ?

I had this when I first changed to pole waggling
It was ice on the mesh in the pump filter

 

[Bob Govan]

Sounds like it could be an air lock , try running the pump flat out without the pump connected to the reel , if possible suck the hose from the pump outlet this should remove any air locks , I am of course assuming the filter is clean and the pipe work not frozen up ?

Hi & thanks for your help and advice. Yes clean filter - now, but icy bits when checking the strainer and warming the pipe work. And I'd picked up the outlet suck idea possibility but no good I'm afraid .

 

[Pjj]

Hi & thanks for your help and advice. Yes clean filter - now, but icy bits when checking the strainer and warming the pipe work. And I'd picked up the outlet suck idea possibility but no good I'm afraid .

Do t know what else to suggest sorry

 

[scottish cleaning service]

belt it with a hammer, probably stuck if running cold water things expand when cold.

 

[Ian Sheppard]

Hi & thanks for your help and advice. Yes clean filter - now, but icy bits when checking the strainer and warming the pipe work. And I'd picked up the outlet suck idea possibility but no good I'm afraid .

As you have pieces of Ice in the strainer it is likely the pump + hoses are frozen the pump diaphragm may also be frozen. That would also fit with why you are seeing PS and DE on the controller over the previous days. Ice will create a blockage and cause the pump pressure switch to activate. Partly frozen hoses wil restrict flow and may see DE appear unexpectedly. It may just be a case of slowly warming everything to clear the ice

 

[doug atkinson]

In the Shurflo pump you have a little piston. When drawing in water it’s on closed position then opens as soon as the water goes through. What I found in freezing cold weather it would remain closed as frozen so water would come in and not out. What I would do is get a hair dryer and heat it up until it opened.

 

[adamangler]

Remove the controller out of the equation, remove the strainer or make sure its clear, make sure the pump isnt frozen then bypass the pressure switch also and put the pump direct to 12v to see if it runs firstly. If it does connect a water supply and see if water comes out (try sucking) if water doesnt come then you know the pump is knackered. If its knakered i would go buy another rather than waste time trying to repair the one you have, you can always repair it later for a spare.

Its always good practice to have spare parts, as you have found out a broken pump can lose you many days work.

I have a 2 man system, 2 pumps, 2 controllers, 2 reels so if anythign breaks i have a backup. I needed it just this week, on monday one of my pumps cracked with the frost, ordered another and ill have a look at a possible repair when i have time.

 

[Iron Giant]

Oil-filled rad in the van overnight will thaw everything out, you need to be on the ball with protecting your system once it's forecast to drop below 0c you need to get a heater in your van overnight

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Oil-filled rad in the van overnight will thaw everything out, you need to be on the ball with protecting your system once it's forecast to drop below 0c you need to get a heater in your van overnight

Aye and don't worry about cost because a new pump will be a ton but its the down time I found to my cost.

 

[Iron Giant]

Aye and don't worry about cost because a new pump will be a ton but its the down time I found to my cost.

I have an 800wattt oil filled rad set on low so it's probably costing 10p an hour but mine is on a timer plug at set intervals it might be costing me £1 a night then a 300watt aquarium heater running for 16-17hrs so I might be spending £2.70 a night in total at a guess, yet I'm earning a full days wage so that heating cost is negligible to me,

As of tomorrow, I'll be done for the week so on Friday I'll be doing next Monday's work so I can get ahead for Xmas customers won't be bothered about me being early as I'll be 1-2 weeks behind next for the next clean.

 

[Crystalalan]

Remove the controller out of the equation, remove the strainer or make sure its clear, make sure the pump isnt frozen then bypass the pressure switch also and put the pump direct to 12v to see if it runs firstly. If it does connect a water supply and see if water comes out (try sucking) if water doesnt come then you know the pump is knackered. If its knakered i would go buy another rather than waste time trying to repair the one you have, you can always repair it later for a spare.

Its always good practice to have spare parts, as you have found out a broken pump can lose you many days work.

I have a 2 man system, 2 pumps, 2 controllers, 2 reels so if anythign breaks i have a backup. I needed it just this week, on monday one of my pumps cracked with the frost, ordered another and ill have a look at a possible repair when i have time.

I couldnt agree more. Yep 2 of everything gets you out of the do do!

 

[ched999uk]

I'm finding a 1Kw oil rad is coming on for about 15 mins per hour to keep the interior of the van (Partner with roof and top of sides 1 layer ThermaWrap insulation ) at above 2 Deg C with an outside temp of -4 Deg C. So about £1.44 a night or less than £2 if used for 24 hrs!

I have a smart plug with temp sensor and I can see interior temp of van and logs of when rad is on or off on my phone which is very handy.

I found maintaining interior temp above 1.5 Deg C wasn't enough to stop pole hose freezing.

 

[Iron Giant]

I'm finding a 1Kw oil rad is coming on for about 15 mins per hour to keep the interior of the van (Partner with roof and top of sides 1 layer ThermaWrap insulation ) at above 2 Deg C with an outside temp of -4 Deg C. So about £1.44 a night or less than £2 if used for 24 hrs!

I have a smart plug with temp sensor and I can see interior temp of van and logs of when rad is on or off on my phone which is very handy.

I found maintaining interior temp above 1.5 Deg C wasn't enough to stop pole hose freezing.

Interesting about the smart plug with the temp sensor might have to buy one got four of the others have been put to good use.
My van is quite a bit above 1.5c as soon as I open the van door I can feel the warmth, with heating the water in my tank that warmth can still be felt after 2pm I had to buy a new aquarium heater the other day as my 12-14 year old one packed up went to a local aquatics shop and bought a 500watt one as that's the highest watt they had it doesn't heat the water up as much as my old 1kw did but it does the job nicely and prevents freezing and keeps the hose reasonably supple through the day