Pump bypassing controller

[Bazdog]

Hello,

I'm having trouble setting up my pump and analogue controller. I have the pump and controller wired into a leisure battery and can get the pump working so the water is coming out of the brush head but the controller doesn't have any effect on the flow speed and the water keeps on pumping even when I turn the controller off. The pump does turn off when it senses a dead end when I close the uni valve.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

 

[spruce]

Hello,

I'm having trouble setting up my pump and analogue controller. I have the pump and controller wired into a leisure battery and can get the pump working so the water is coming out of the brush head but the controller doesn't have any effect on the flow speed and the water keeps on pumping even when I turn the controller off. The pump does turn off when it senses a dead end when I close the uni valve.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

Sounds like a new controller is needed. Have you accidentally reverse polarity when connecting the battery up? How old is the controller?

 

[Bazdog]

The thing is that I’ve got 2 batteries, 2 controllers and 2 pumps and both are doing the same thing and were working for the last guy that had them. How would I have reversed the polarity? If I put the negative into the positive terminal on the battery and vice versa? I’m pretty sure I’ve not done that. Would that have wrecked the controllers or batteries? Or both?!

 

[spruce]

The thing is that I’ve got 2 batteries, 2 controllers and 2 pumps and both are doing the same thing and were working for the last guy that had them. How would I have reversed the polarity? If I put the negative into the positive terminal on the battery and vice versa? I’m pretty sure I’ve not done that. Would that have wrecked the controllers or batteries? Or both?!

Yes. This is reverse polarity.

It just doesn't make sense that both controllers would fail simultaneously. Hence, the thought of reverse polarity.

If you have the old V11 Spring controllers (supplied and rebadged by numerous suppliers), then reversing polarity will damage the controller. It won't damage the batteries. (The very fact that the pumps run indicates that the fuse hasn't blown, the batteries still have power and the pumps are still functioning. There is nothing left to consider.)

The latest V16 is reverse polarity protected.

Varistream was also another controller that could be damaged with reverse polarity. They aren't made or supplied any longer.

The thing is that if it was a battery fault such as low voltage, the pumps wouldn't run.

The two main reasons why old controllers fail is reversed polarity and moisture ingress. Moisture ingress happening to two controllers at the same time would be difficult to believe unless the van was submerged in water.

You could send the controllers to Spring Europe, and they will tell you what the problem is. We can only make suggestions when listening to others with problem controllers and the diagnosis. I will link this to @Ian Sheppard who may have another thought.

You are probably best to buy a new controller, as sending a failed controller away for diagnosis and repair takes a while.


Added: The 2 x 12v batteries have to be connected in parallel. Connecting 2 x 12v batteries in series will make your battery bank a 24v system. I wouldn't imagine that the controllers would survive a 24v power supply.

 

[ched999uk]

Sounds like they are connected up wrong. Is this a 'new' installation or is it an old one and both systems are having the same issue?

 

[spruce]

They are basic analogue controllers. They only make them as V11.

Spring Controller V11 Analogue

Spring Controller V11 Analogue for controlling your 12V water pump. Great unit for all water fed window cleaning systems.

windowcleaningstuff.co.uk

 

[kevinc250]

@Bazdog , check the earths you have made, i suspect that you've earthed the controller and pump differently, all earths go back to the battery not on the van chassis or tank frame etc, from the battery make one big earth to the van chassis.
don't ask me how i know this-learnt from bitter experience many years ago.