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Pump flow / pressure problem

marc674

Active member
Messages
190
Location
East sussex
I have a shurflow pump with a varistream digital control. Over the past few weeks the water flow at the brush head starts to slow down then stop for around 6 seconds before the flow starts again. I presume this is due to the water been colder this time of year ? The same happened last year and I resorted to using a old pump box in the colder months.

I have tried to adjust the flow and pressure settings to get a good steady flow but the best I can achieve is flow rate of 3 with pressure set at d to get a constant flow and this slows rinsing down a lot to the point the backpack is quicker ! I use 6mm microbore hose which has been shortened to 70 meters and helps a bit. Can anyone advise me what is causing this problem ? Also i understand these control units can be over sensitive so would a analogue control be any better ? Thanks

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Water, when colder is harder to push through the hose, a bit like cold old in an engine only not as extreme. This results in your pump working harder and thus drawing more current from the battery.

However, if your controller is calibrated to cut power to the pump at say 3.5 amps for when the water is warmer it will shut of too early when the pump requires say 4 amps due to the water being colder.

You may find that all you have to do recalibrate your controller for winter as steve g suggests

 
I don't know how to calibrate a varistream but i calibrate my spring one whenever the weather is cold, switch from pencils to fans, use a longer hose on my trolley etc

You should really do it every morning and afternoon in this weather as it is cold first thing and warm later

 
I don't know how to calibrate a varistream but i calibrate my spring one whenever the weather is cold, switch from pencils to fans, use a longer hose on my trolley etc

You should really do it every morning and afternoon in this weather as it is cold first thing and warm later


This is one of the reasons why I took mine off and just work with a straight forward PWM with no frills. My digital one used to drive me nuts. I just want to switch on and work. :1f603:

 
It’s a spring controller , the calibration was only set on 20 something was told when it gets cold to set it to about 40

 
Regarding your pump turn it up to 99 run it for few seconds to get water flowing normal then back down to 30 should be fine if dont flow well could be faulty pump

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I have a shurflow pump with a varistream digital control. Over the past few weeks the water flow at the brush head starts to slow down then stop for around 6 seconds before the flow starts again. I presume this is due to the water been colder this time of year ? The same happened last year and I resorted to using a old pump box in the colder months.
I have tried to adjust the flow and pressure settings to get a good steady flow but the best I can achieve is flow rate of 3 with pressure set at d to get a constant flow and this slows rinsing down a lot to the point the backpack is quicker ! I use 6mm microbore hose which has been shortened to 70 meters and helps a bit. Can anyone advise me what is causing this problem ? Also i understand these control units can be over sensitive so would a analogue control be any better ? Thanks
 
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Hi ive had a similar problem, 1 of the pipes had a tiny leak and needed nipping up with a spanner, it was causing the pump to draw in air reducing the flow when pole extended? May be of some help?

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Are you using a pressure switch on your pump as well as varistream controller? Remember that has its own settings that are adjusted with an Alan key. 

Look at your varistream and when it cuts out is the light green or red? If it's red the varistream is cutting off due to pressure. If it stays green it means the pressure switch on your pump it kicking in and you can tighten that.

Remember pumps are tools to make us money. I'd rather push mine and fit in an extra job every day by making it work harder even if it means it packs up a bit earlier. I'm my mind it will have more than paid for itself

 
This is one of the reasons why I took mine off and just work with a straight forward PWM with no frills. My digital one used to drive me nuts. I just want to switch on and work. :1f603:
Hi marko . What is a Pwm controller . The controller on my nano trolley is doing my head in . 

 
Are you using a pressure switch on your pump as well as varistream controller? Remember that has its own settings that are adjusted with an Alan key. 

Look at your varistream and when it cuts out is the light green or red? If it's red the varistream is cutting off due to pressure. If it stays green it means the pressure switch on your pump it kicking in and you can tighten that.

Remember pumps are tools to make us money. I'd rather push mine and fit in an extra job every day by making it work harder even if it means it packs up a bit earlier. I'm my mind it will have more than paid for itself


If the Varistream instructions were followed then he should have 'removed' the pressure switch from the circuit. If he still has the pressure switch in the circuit then this could also be causing a problem. We had this with one of the pumps used by a fellow windie locally. Once we removed the pressure switch from the circuit the Varistream controller returned to normal behaviour.

The manufacturers of Spring controllers recommend that the pressure switch is left in place when connecting up their controller. Varistream say it should be removed. Varistream were designed around Shurflo pumps as they have a weakness with pressure switches. So their advice is worth following imho.

 
Hi ive had a similar problem, 1 of the pipes had a tiny leak and needed nipping up with a spanner, it was causing the pump to draw in air reducing the flow when pole extended? May be of some help?

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 What are your current pressure settings. Varistreams are set at C from the factory. When our controllers were new we had to put them up to D in the winter.

 
Thanks spruce this makes a lot of sence now, I remember the instructions saying something about this. I thought it just meant disconnect the wires ? I did try that but then the pump didn't work. I will go through the instructions again and remove the switch

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Thanks spruce this makes a lot of sence now, I remember the instructions saying something about this. I thought it just meant disconnect the wires ? I did try that but then the pump didn't work. I will go through the instructions again and remove the switch

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No you don't remove the switch, you by pass it, so you remove it out of the electrical circuit. It still there, it just not working. You just disconnect the wires.

So on the bottom of your controller you have 2 sets of wires. One says Battery and the other pump (pushing memory here.) The pump wires are connected up so the red wire that goes into the pump is joined to the red wire from the controller. That red wire was removed from the pressure switch. This will leave a second wire that will be disgarded. The black wire from the pump is connected/joined to the black wire from the controller.

Shurflo pump wiring to Varistream.jpg

 
Disconnected pressure switch on pump first thing this morning re calibrated pump/varistream Freezing outside and now getting good constant flow at brush head

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