Pump issue?

[Nicoroche86]

Since weather turned cold pump started to need few whacks to work also will now only run at 8 or above. (Shurflow pump) do I need a new one?

Also can someone please explain calibrating on controller I’m on a Variatream digital. There’s settings 1-10. What’s the difference in them all?

 

[Nicoroche86]

Shurflow pump won’t work unless give it a few whacks n suck flow same time also won’t run below half power! Any ideas? Does it need ?️

Also can someone explain what calibrating is on a controller I’ve a Varistream digital controller there 1-10 different calibrations

 

[spruce]

Shurflow pump won’t work unless give it a few whacks n suck flow same time also won’t run below half power! Any ideas? Does it need ?️

Also can someone explain what calibrating is on a controller I’ve a Varistream digital controller there 1-10 different calibrations

The best way to explain how these controllers work is to say they have 2 screens.

When you switch the controller on you see the front screen which is to control the flow rate. In other words, how fast the water must be pumped. It starts with 0 and ends with b for boost which is the pump running flat out.

Calibration is the second screen which works behind the scenes. What calibration does is provide a dead end function. It works on amp draw. So basically an electronic pressure switch. When you switch your tap off, the pump builds up pressure in the hose and then the controller setting the increased amp draw and switches the pump off.

This setting came from the factory as setting C.

Digital Varistreams came in 2 models. The first was slightly more basic than the last version. The last version had a battery voltage reading which was basically useless.

At home I have an instruction manual on my desktop computer, but I'm unable to access it as I'm away on holiday.

I'm sure that you will find a pdf copy of it on here somewhere.

Varistream instructions were to remove the Shurflo's pump pressure switch from the electrical circuit when fitting this controller.
If not then do this as any corrosion on those pressure switch contacts will mess the varistream around.

Secondly, make sure the fuse holder and fuse isn't corroded.

Thirdly, ensure that all cable connections are good including those at the battery. Those crocodile battery clamps don't work imho.

Fourth. If you still have issues then you might need to open up the controller carefully. There could be a problem with the push on cable connector onto the circuit board. Someone had an issue with one of the connectors burning.

 

[spruce]

I wrote this a few years ago -edited.

Digital electronic flow controllers (Spring derivatives and Varistream) do not have actual mechanical pressure switches. They are electronic switches operating on current draw or amps which translates into pressure at the pump.

The principle they operate on is that the higher the water pressure you require, the harder your pump has to work to provide that extra pressure and uses more current to do this. With setting the calibration you are telling the controller to stop pumping when the pump starts to draw "X" amps. (If you walk up a hill you require less energy to do this than if you ran up the same hill.)

You haven't told us what calibration setting your Varistream is set on at this moment. What we do is start the varistream with the pole fully extended and at the flow we are happy to use. Calibration settings are not the same for everyone. I use minibore hose on my reel.
(I changed to microbore a few years ago. )
Using microbore I need a higher calibration setting as the hose bore is smaller.

Personally I love to use 5 because it gives me a nice rise rate. As I use more water on 5 I tend to mainly work on 4. So I would lay my pole on the ground and plug it in and switch the tap on. I would then switch the Varistream on to flow 6. With the pump running I would go into the calibration settings screen and increase or decrease the setting value until I have found the exact point the pump starts to pulse on and off. Then I would go up one more calibration point setting and switch off the controller to save that calibration setting. I might have to tweek it after that.

If I start the flow to the brush head again then I should be able to work at 40' height with a flow of 5 without the pump pulsing on and off.

In summer the calibration setting can be a point lower than in winter. Water is denser in winter so needs more pressure behind it to flow at the same rate. (You have a wide range of calibration settings - 0 to 9 and then A to F. The factory setting is C. Our Varistreams are nearly 17 years old and we use setting 8 at the moment - it used to be higher.)

As your (our) controllers do not have a mechanical pressure switch they need to keep sending a pulse of current to the pump to see if the pump can be started. It does this every 4 seconds or so. If the pressure in the hose has dropped between pulses it will restart the pump. Swelling hose will cause this. When you open the tap you will get this burst of flow out of the jets because you have a lot of extra storage in the swollen hoses which needs to dissipate.

Here's an instruction manual. @Nicoroche86

 

[Nicoroche86]

That’s

I wrote this a few years ago -edited.

Digital electronic flow controllers (Spring derivatives and Varistream) do not have actual mechanical pressure switches. They are electronic switches operating on current draw or amps which translates into pressure at the pump.

The principle they operate on is that the higher the water pressure you require, the harder your pump has to work to provide that extra pressure and uses more current to do this. With setting the calibration you are telling the controller to stop pumping when the pump starts to draw "X" amps. (If you walk up a hill you require less energy to do this than if you ran up the same hill.)

You haven't told us what calibration setting your Varistream is set on at this moment. What we do is start the varistream with the pole fully extended and at the flow we are happy to use. Calibration settings are not the same for everyone. I use minibore hose on my reel.
(I changed to microbore a few years ago. )
Using microbore I need a higher calibration setting as the hose bore is smaller.

Personally I love to use 5 because it gives me a nice rise rate. As I use more water on 5 I tend to mainly work on 4. So I would lay my pole on the ground and plug it in and switch the tap on. I would then switch the Varistream on to flow 6. With the pump running I would go into the calibration settings screen and increase or decrease the setting value until I have found the exact point the pump starts to pulse on and off. Then I would go up one more calibration point setting and switch off the controller to save that calibration setting. I might have to tweek it after that.

If I start the flow to the brush head again then I should be able to work at 40' height with a flow of 5 without the pump pulsing on and off.

In summer the calibration setting can be a point lower than in winter. Water is denser in winter so needs more pressure behind it to flow at the same rate. (You have a wide range of calibration settings - 0 to 9 and then A to F. The factory setting is C. Our Varistreams are nearly 17 years old and we use setting 8 at the moment - it used to be higher.)

As your (our) controllers do not have a mechanical pressure switch they need to keep sending a pulse of current to the pump to see if the pump can be started. It does this every 4 seconds or so. If the pressure in the hose has dropped between pulses it will restart the pump. Swelling hose will cause this. When you open the tap you will get this burst of flow out of the jets because you have a lot of extra storage in the swollen hoses which needs to dissipate.

Here's an instruction manual. @Nicoroche86

hurt my head ? can you nutshell it ? is it better to have it at 1 or 9 ?

Great point on fuse holder as I’ve switched controllers and all sorts thinking was deaf n was just loose maybe that’s effecting the pump as I’ve not changed just found it a nice resting place where it’s just keeping the controller on didn’t realise it being dodgy would effect the power

 

[Nicoroche86]

That’s

hurt my head ? can you nutshell it ? is it better to have it at 1 or 9 ?

Great point on fuse holder as I’ve switched controllers and all sorts thinking was deaf n was just loose maybe that’s effecting the pump as I’ve not changed just found it a nice resting place where it’s just keeping the controller on didn’t realise it being dodgy would effect the power

Ive been using it at 1 or top one no inbetween trying to solve issue

 

[spruce]

That’s

hurt my head ? can you nutshell it ? is it better to have it at 1 or 9 ?

Great point on fuse holder as I’ve switched controllers and all sorts thinking was deaf n was just loose maybe that’s effecting the pump as I’ve not changed just found it a nice resting place where it’s just keeping the controller on didn’t realise it being dodgy would effect the power

You need to tell your controller where it's calibration setting should be.
If your normal flow setting is 4, with the tap open and your pole connected lying on the ground, set it to 6. Then find the calibration setting that will just supply that flow without pulsing on and off. Then switch the controller off to save the setting.

I would start at C

 

[Nicoroche86]

You need to tell your controller where it's calibration setting should be.
If your normal flow setting is 4, with the tap open and your pole connected lying on the ground, set it to 6. Then find the calibration setting that will just supply that flow without pulsing on and off. Then switch the controller off to save the setting.

I would start at C

So run my flow as normal say 6 then have flick through calibration see which runs most smooth at

 

[spruce]

So run my flow as normal say 6 then have flick through calibration see which runs most smooth at

Yes. If the flow starts to pulse on and off on calibration setting 9, then go up one to A or B.

Your Shurflo pump is rated at 100 psi. When it reaches that pressure when you switch your tap off, the pressure switch kicks in.

With just the pressure switch, your pump has to work hard to build that pressure up the 100 psi, which uses battery power. It also puts additional unnecessary stress on all the hose fittings.

I once put in an inline pressure gauge, and all I needed was 50psi using my 40' pole on full reach.
So in reality, all I need is to calibrate the controller to shut off at 55 or 60psi, saving energy. I just need my calibration settings high enough to stop my pump pulsing on and off when cleaning windows.

Water temperature and hose type makes a difference to calibration settings. Even microbore hose will behave differently between manufacturers in application.

The microbore hose I have atm stretches terribly with hot water, so when I have the boiler on, I need to reduce my calibration setting a fair bit.

When you eventually get your calibration settings tightly adjusted in summer, you will need to reset them a point or 2 higher next winter.

 

[spruce]

Another thing I never mentioned is regarding the last Varistream manufactured.
My son in law had this one and I fitted an inline on/off switch before the controller on the main power cable from the battery.
This controller monitors battery voltage. Doing so means the controller continually uses battery power. Son in law saw his battery loose about 15 amps a week due to this feature. His new, fully charged 80amp battery was half charged after 2 weeks.

If you look at the new v16 Spring controllers, you will see they now incorporate a separate on/off switch.

 

[Nicoroche86]

T

Yes. If the flow starts to pulse on and off on calibration setting 9, then go up one to A or B.

Your Shurflo pump is rated at 100 psi. When it reaches that pressure when you switch your tap off, the pressure switch kicks in.

With just the pressure switch, your pump has to work hard to build that pressure up the 100 psi, which uses battery power. It also puts additional unnecessary stress on all the hose fittings.

I once put in an inline pressure gauge, and all I needed was 50psi using my 40' pole on full reach.
So in reality, all I need is to calibrate the controller to shut off at 55 or 60psi, saving energy. I just need my calibration settings high enough to stop my pump pulsing on and off when cleaning windows.

Water temperature and hose type makes a difference to calibration settings. Even microbore hose will behave differently between manufacturers in application.

The microbore hose I have atm stretches terribly with hot water, so when I have the boiler on, I need to reduce my calibration setting a fair bit.

When you eventually get your calibration settings tightly adjusted in summer, you will need to reset them a point or 2 higher next winter.i

Yes. If the flow starts to pulse on and off on calibration setting 9, then go up one to A or B.

Your Shurflo pump is rated at 100 psi. When it reaches that pressure when you switch your tap off, the pressure switch kicks in.

With just the pressure switch, your pump has to work hard to build that pressure up the 100 psi, which uses battery power. It also puts additional unnecessary stress on all the hose fittings.

I once put in an inline pressure gauge, and all I needed was 50psi using my 40' pole on full reach.
So in reality, all I need is to calibrate the controller to shut off at 55 or 60psi, saving energy. I just need my calibration settings high enough to stop my pump pulsing on and off when cleaning windows.

Water temperature and hose type makes a difference to calibration settings. Even microbore hose will behave differently between manufacturers in application.

The microbore hose I have atm stretches terribly with hot water, so when I have the boiler on, I need to reduce my calibration setting a fair bit.

When you eventually get your calibration settings tightly adjusted in summer, you will need to reset them a point or 2 higher next winter.

Thank u for the replies! Think pump packed in needed a whack to start oner winter now making weird noise when turn on and will only try working on full