The pumping station sometimes breaks down, like many other devices that consist of several nodes. The imbalance between the main parts of the station, power surges, damage to the pipeline, pollution of the filters - this is a small part of what the owners of the house with autonomous water supply may face. In some cases, you can fix the damage yourself. To do this, you need to know how the pumping station is arranged, its principle of operation, and also have the intention to restore the system yourself.
Components of a pumping station
Do-it-yourself repair of a water supply pumping station should begin with a study of the units and the principle of operation. Components:
- A unit that pumps water from a source - a well or a well. Most often it is surface equipment that maintains the same pressure in the system.
- A pipe immersed in water through which a pump draws in liquid. There is usually a check valve at the end of the pipe so that after the engine stops, water does not flow back into the well.
- Hydraulic accumulator with a rubber membrane inside. A certain amount of air is pumped into it. The other half is occupied by a rubber bulb, into which liquid enters. When the desired pressure is reached, air presses on the membrane, and it pushes water into the pipes for supply to the house.
- The pressure gauge and relay belong to the station control unit. The relay's task is to give signals to turn the engine on / off. On the pressure gauge monitor, you can visually assess the pressure level. There is a lower pressure threshold - it is adjusted at the production stage, there is an upper one that the master sets, based on the size of the house and the height to which the liquid must be raised.
If one node breaks, the problem may affect others.
The pumping equipment operates as follows: when the engine is turned on, the pump starts pumping water into the system. When the upper pressure threshold is reached, the relay contacts open and the equipment turns off. In the house, at this moment, a tap or any device that consumes water is turned on. As soon as the pressure drops to the lower threshold, the relay trips again and the engine turns on, the station starts pumping a new portion of water.
Typical causes of pump station failures and solutions
To begin with, it is necessary to consider ordinary cases in which the incorrect operation of the pump depends on other reasons and is not associated with internal breakdown.
If the station does not shut down for a long time, while the needle of the pressure gauge stands still and the pressure does not increase, it is necessary to check if there is water in the well. In summer, it usually leaves and the edge of the suction pipe is in the air. This is fraught with engine burnout. If the device is equipped with dry running protection, the sensor will turn it off. If there is no protection, sooner or later the engine will burn out. A similar situation occurs if the water is supplied in jerks. This suggests that with water intake, the lower edge of the pipe is exposed, since water is less than usual. The submersible pipe must be lowered deeper down.
If the filter system or check valve clogs, the station will also operate continuously. It is necessary to get a hose or pipe, clean and put back. At the same time, check for damage to the pipe itself.
If the equipment has not been turned on for a long time, the shaft may not work on its own.It is rotated manually, after which the station continues to function normally.
Malfunctions of the pressure switch and electrics
Due to incorrect settings of the upper pressure threshold, the pumping station can work for a long time without shutting down. This happens because the engine power is simply not enough to pump such pressure. In this case, the relay repair is not needed, but you will have to change the settings. How to do this can be read in the instructions: the nut on the spring is unwound - large or small. How to carry out the manipulations depends on the relay device at this pump station.
If the pressure switch is faulty, for starters, you can try to disassemble it and strip the contacts with fine sandpaper. Then reassemble and turn on. Cleaning the inlet and outlet usually helps. If the station has been operating for several years and has not been inspected by a specialist, accumulated dirt can interfere with the operation of the device.
If both events did not work, then you need to inspect the impeller. With prolonged use, it erases and the power weakens - the motor does not have enough strength. If there is no filter at the entrance to the suction pipe, and small stones and sand sometimes come across in the water, then they are the reason for the impeller failure. Especially if it is made of plastic. The impeller is not repaired - it needs to be replaced, preferably with a metal one.
A voltage drop sometimes causes the pump to run for a long time. There is enough voltage to the motor, but the relay cannot switch. If power surges often occur, it is better to immediately install a stabilizer - this will be cheaper than buying a new pump.
Diaphragm or pressure problems in the accumulator
The membrane is made of dense rubber. There may be two problems here:
- rubber burst and replacement is required;
- the pressure in the accumulator is less than expected - the rubber was subjected to excessive stretching for a long time and ultimately could not stand it.
If you press on the nipple, which is under the plastic cover, water will flow from there. This is a clear sign that the rubber has lost its integrity and will have to change the membrane, or the place of attachment to the battery has become leaky, or the spool needs to be changed.
The membrane can be bought at a store in the pumping equipment department or ordered at a service center. If you need to increase the pressure in the accumulator, use a conventional bicycle pump. The upper pressure that the pressure gauge shows is the sum of the water pressure in the membrane and the air pressure in the membrane tank. Together they show, for example, 2.9 atmospheres. Of these, 0.8 atmospheres will be in the air. Observing the pressure gauge with the equipment turned off, you need to pump air into the accumulator.
The relay will not switch if there are cracks in the membrane tank housing. Plastic is not the best solution for devices that need to work for a long time. If there are cracks, it is necessary to disassemble the pumping station, disconnect the tank and reassemble everything in the reverse order.
Pressure gauge replacement
Replacing the pressure gauge at the pumping station does not affect its operation in any way if all other nodes are functioning normally. This device, which can be dispensed with - it only visualizes the indicators of upper and lower pressure, sometimes it does it wrong, but the station nonetheless works.
The biggest problem is to remove the manometer from the manifold after prolonged use and souring of the thread. The chemicals used to dissolve deposits are not always helpful here. Masters advise not to touch the collector, otherwise replacing the pressure gauge will be very expensive - you will have to change the entire assembly. It is possible to install another device only when the old one is dismantled and the thread is prepared for the installation of a new one.
Gland replacement after dry running
If the pump station runs for 3 minutes without water in dry running mode, the impeller oil seal must be replaced. This can happen at the very beginning of the new equipment, if the system was not filled with water before starting.
To replace it, you will need to disassemble the instrument case, remove the damaged part and put in a new one, and then reassemble everything in the reverse order. Most often, this problem occurs with rubber seals. If ceramics are installed, there is a chance that the equipment will continue to work.
Serious causes of pump station failure
If the engine burns out, the smell of burning insulation will be clearly audible. Changing the motor winding is expensive and disadvantageous. Such work is carried out in service centers by professional electricians. In order not to have to buy a new station, it is better to choose a model with protection sensors from the very beginning. This will cost more, but the device will be protected and most likely will not turn on if the conditions for its normal operation are not met.
Not always the problem is the pump. If the supply pipe breaks, water will not enter the house. It is necessary to break the highway and find the scene of the accident. Dismantling and excavation is a lengthy and expensive procedure.
