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Varistream digital or analogue controller?

All that I know is the my flowmaster digi-fm pump controllers have never let me down

 
Digi Varistream is all i know, its been good to me over the last two years. It took me a while to figure out how to run the flow and pressure settings properly but now i have its brilliant.

As with any system make sure there's no air locks or leaks otherwise you'll be chasing your tail settings-wise.

Only way i can think to improve it is to have remote control which is where i will go when its time to replace the digi vari.

 
If I was buying a controller now, I would buy the 'new' analogue unit that Spring makes. Having the 2 dials on the front (flow and pressure) makes sense to me. Simple easy adjustment. I would run it along side a separate on/off switch as we used to do with our original analogue Varistreams.

http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/Easy-Analogue-Liquid-Logic----trade-----Pump-Flow-Controller--LIQUIDLOGIC_ANALOG.html

What I also like about this is that you have an 'infinite' range of motor speed settings. With our digital Varistreams (which have given us excellent service) we don't have the same level of control. For example; I run my pump on 4 as 5 wastes too much water. I would like a setting between 4 and 5 which the Varistream hasn't got.

Also, the latest Varistreams consume current even when the unit is switched off, so they need an extra cut off switch to be added into the system to stop this.

Flow controllers have come a long way since their introduction. Spring have a range of units that not only control water flow and pressure, but can also include a split charge relay for an auxiliary battery, frostat and the battery voltage indicator to name just a few. Whilst an 'all singing and dancing' controller would appeal to some, I'm not sure I would put all my proverbial eggs in one basket buying a unit that does everything in one package. I would be concerned that you will loose everything if the unit failed.

 
With our digital Varistreams (which have given us excellent service) we don't have the same level of control. For example; I run my pump on 4 as 5 wastes too much water. I would like a setting between 4 and 5 which the Varistream hasn't got.
Spruce thats what took me a while to figure out, i had exactly the same problem apart from i was looking for 3.5, as i run on 3. But 3 is not enough but 4 is too much, as in its fine for rinsing but goes through water too fast

So i finally found i really good setting, i started treating the A-F settings like the decimal settings so i have ended up using No 3 and somewhere between D and F. But if there is even the slightest air lock then the flow is cr@p.

So every morning i turn the controller up to 8 or 9 to pressurise the reel, then while its still pumping or paused disconnect the outlet from the di then set it back to 3 and if it pause after 20-30 secs i know the air is out of the system, it saves all the sucking lol

 
Spruce thats what took me a while to figure out, i had exactly the same problem apart from i was looking for 3.5, as i run on 3. But 3 is not enough but 4 is too much, as in its fine for rinsing but goes through water too fast
So i finally found i really good setting, i started treating the A-F settings like the decimal settings so i have ended up using No 3 and somewhere between D and F. But if there is even the slightest air lock then the flow is cr@p.

So every morning i turn the controller up to 8 or 9 to pressurise the reel, then while its still pumping or paused disconnect the outlet from the di then set it back to 3 and if it pause after 20-30 secs i know the air is out of the system, it saves all the sucking lol
I'm having the same problem mate and looking for a 3.5 setting as 4 uses to much water so is a-f setting the pressure cut off ??

 
I'm having the same problem mate and looking for a 3.5 setting as 4 uses to much water so is a-f setting the pressure cut off ??
Yes, i think the cut off settings start from 1-9 then goes to A-F

What i found is when set at D, E and F that even though its set at 3 that the pump keeps the di at quite a high pressure, suppose like a set of bagpipes lol

I also tried No 4 but set the cut off at 8 or 9 but for me still used more water.

Also these settings work on both pencil and fan jets.

 
The original Varistream analogue controllers were great for us. The issue for us was having to remove the front panel of the controller to adjust the pressure on the circuit board. As we only adjusted this occasionally, it was more of an inconvenience than anything else.

What I did like on these analogue Varistreams was that the flow control k n o b also incorporated an on/off switch just by pressing it. This gave us the option of retaining our choice flow setting. I understand that the Spring analogue switch off is achieved by turning the flow down to zero - hence why I would include a separate on/off switch before the controller.

I'm glad that Spring have reintroduced the old concept but have included some digital technology.

 
Yes, i think the cut off settings start from 1-9 then goes to A-F
What i found is when set at D, E and F that even though its set at 3 that the pump keeps the di at quite a high pressure, suppose like a set of bagpipes lol

I also tried No 4 but set the cut off at 8 or 9 but for me still used more water.

Also these settings work on both pencil and fan jets.

I have never understood why Varistream have so many pressure settings (1-9 + A-F) but half the number of flow settings. I can't see why they couldn't give us the same number of flow settings as we have pressure settings. For wfp I can't see many having their Varistreams set to the lower numerical pressure setting - after all, their preset setting is way up at C which is just a few points at the top of the range. So why have those settings?

 
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