Currently, the market has a wide variety of devices from different companies that provide an autonomous supply of water. The largest number of positive reviews was collected by manufacturers such as Gileks and Marina. Do-it-yourself repair of the pumping station is a completely solvable task.
Station components
In order to successfully carry out repairs, it is necessary to understand what, in principle, the equipment consists of. The standard equipment of the station includes four main elements:
- water pump;
- hydraulic accumulator;
- relay;
- a device for measuring pressure.
The main task of the pump is, of course, to draw water from the source to which it is connected. The main requirement for this element is sufficient power so that it can lift water from a source, deliver it through pipes.
The next important element is the storage tank (battery). The capacity of this storage is usually 20 liters or more. This element is usually a metal container. The main objective of this device is that it must maintain a constant pressure in the pipe system. The most successful model of this device is a metal cylinder, which has a rubber membrane. Depending on whether the station is working or not, the membrane will stretch or contract.
Periodically it is necessary to repair the pump station relay. This device is responsible for turning the pump on and off. For this, the device is equipped with a sensor that detects the water level in the tank. In addition, there is also a manometer, which is designed to determine the level of pressure in the system.
Operation and features of the station
If a pumping station is installed in a private house, then this can solve several of the following problems:
- An automatic supply of water to the piping system of the house from a separate source appears.
- There is an opportunity to regulate the pressure in the pipeline system, which allows you to always maintain it at an acceptable level for residents.
- This station protects the water supply system of the house from water hammer.
- There is an opportunity to create a certain supply of water in case there are any problems with the regular supply of liquid from the supplier.
You can purchase a ready-made station, which greatly facilitates the installation of equipment. However, there is the possibility of self-assembly of such a complex. In this case, it becomes possible to select each element individually, taking into account your own needs.
Understanding the principle of operation will greatly facilitate the repair of the pumping station. The central part of the device is a hydraulic tank, which has an integrated rubber liner. By means of a pump, liquid enters through this membrane through the membrane. On the other side of this element is air. This combination leads to the fact that a certain pressure is created inside the tank. On one side of the tank there is also a regular automobile nipple. The main purpose of the part is to vent excess pressure or pump in the missing air. On the opposite side there is a pipe. To this element with the help of a special fitting for five outputs, the remaining components of the autonomous station are connected.
The hydraulic tank is connected to the water supply of a private house. At the moment of turning on the water in the house, this tank is emptied, which reduces the pressure inside the tank. This will happen until the parameter drops to the minimum value. When this happens, the pump turns on and pumps water until the pressure returns to normal. Switching the station on and off is controlled by a pressure switch. This device is connected to the battery and pump. It is worth noting that the presence of the station will have a positive effect on both the water supply system of the house and the operation of the pump. The tank serves not only to store water, but also to protect the hydraulic system from a sudden impact, if it occurs. In addition, the presence of a pressure switch reduces to a minimum indicator the number of on / off of the pump, which significantly increases its service life. It is worth considering that a tank cannot be a full-fledged storage of water, as its cost greatly increases with an increase in its volume.
Description of common problems
To repair the Marina pumping station or any other, it is necessary to understand not only the design, but also what “symptoms” each breakdown has. There are several problems that occur most often. These include the following:
- it often happens that the pump is clogged with dirt;
- failure of the pump motor;
- periodically, the settings for the pressure switch may be lost;
- the integrity of the rubber gasket in the hydraulic accumulator may be impaired;
- cracks in the container form.
If one of the above mentioned failures occurs, or any other, then there is a need to carry out repair work on the pumping station. A wizard in this matter is not always needed, since most breakdowns can be really eliminated independently, you just need to know what to look for and where. Here it is worth paying attention to the fact that sometimes the problem may not be in the pumping station itself. For example, pipes that connect equipment to the home may be damaged.
Another very important point that must be remembered when repairs are carried out. Dry operation for any station is strictly prohibited. For this reason, before checking the operation of the device, you must make sure that the tank is completely filled with liquid. If the tank is not full, then many models have a special hole through which you can add the right amount of water.
The equipment works, but no water flows
One of the common failures is considered to be the one at which the equipment works, but still the water does not reach the end user. In this case, it is realistic to repair the pump station with your own hands. This breakdown consists in the fact that after turning on the device it is visible (audible) that all the parts work, but at the same time water does not flow. In this case, the first thing to check is the check valve. If this part becomes unusable, then most likely the water simply spills back into the source. This is easy to verify. If liquid is still present in the intake hose, then the valve is in order and functioning normally, then you will have to look for other reasons.
If there is no water in the hose, then it must be removed and the valve inspected. It often happens that the station is not able to pump water simply because this element is too much contaminated. In this case, a fairly simple repair of the pumping station will be required. Maintenance will consist in flushing the part. If there is no dirt, then try to replace the spring, which is part of the valve. If this does not help, then you need to change the entire element completely.
However, all this applies if there is no water in the hose. If it is there, then you need to start checking all the joints, as well as the pipes that connect the tank and pump. Perhaps a leak appeared in one of them. If the pipe deteriorates, then it simply changes to a new one, if there is a problem with the joint, then it is necessary to replace the seal, clean the connection and re-seal it. In such cases, repair of a household pump station does not cause problems.
However, there is another reason that has the same "symptoms." This problem is called the low debit of the water source. This means that for some reason, the water level in the source has become lower than it was. This can happen, for example, due to sanding or silting. It can also happen that the pump is too powerful, and it pumps out the water too quickly, it just does not have time to replenish. In this case, repair of water pumping stations is that you have to change the model to one that is designed for low debit wells. Another option is to increase this indicator by pumping, i.e., leaching dirt. To do this, you need to have a separate pump, you cannot use the same one that comes with the kit.
There is an urgent measure of repair, which is that you can try to draw water from a greater depth. However, one needs to be careful enough here, because if the source is sandy, for example, too much immersion of the pump will cause dirt to get inside the device, which will cause serious damage. Another possible reason could be the wear of a part such as the impeller. In this case, you need to disassemble the equipment, rinse it, replace the part, possibly the case, and assemble everything back. In some cases, it is much easier to buy a new pump than to carry out such repairs of the pumping station equipment.
The device starts up but does not work
Quite often it happens that the pump starts, but it does not work. This often happens with devices that have not been used for a long time, for example, after the winter period. The problem is that there is too little clearance between the casing and the impeller. With a long shutdown, these parts can stick to each other. In this situation, the pump turns on and buzzes properly, but the impeller does not move, which is why water does not flow. If this happens, turn off the pump immediately. In this case, overhaul of the pumping station is not required. The breakdown is eliminated quite simply, it is necessary to remove the cover and turn the impeller several times with your hands. After that, the cover is put back on and you can try to turn on the pump again, if the water has gone, then the problem has been solved. Sometimes this may not help, which means that the capacitor is out of order, it just needs to be replaced with a new one.
Jerking
It so happens that the technique can work jerkily. In this case, the repair of the Caliber pumping stations or any other is inevitable, since the components for all are approximately the same. The breakdown itself is connected with the pressure inside the hydraulic accumulator (hydraulic tank). The first thing to do is to check the functioning of the pressure gauge. If everything goes well during the fluid supply, and after that the indicators drop sharply, then the problem is somewhere inside the tank. Most often, this is due to the tearing of the membrane inside the battery. In this case, it will be necessary to repair the stuffing box seal, that is, replace it. To ensure 100% that the problem is in this part, you must open the nipple, which is installed on the "air" side of the tank. If water flows from it instead of air, it means a breakdown in the membrane. The hydraulic tank is removed, disassembled, the membrane changes to a new one, and everything is put in place.
However, there may be other reasons. If air comes out, not water, then this element is in order. In this case, you need to check the pressure indicator. If it is much lower than 1.5-1.8 atm, which are usually installed by the manufacturer, then you need to pump air with a special pump. But before that, it is necessary to find the reason why the pressure dropped. Most likely, a crack appeared in the hydraulic tank through which the air leaves. It may appear due to corrosion, mechanical damage, or other similar reason. Naturally, the leak must be repaired. If this is not possible, then the entire battery is completely replaced by a new one. It is also worth making sure that the relay works without errors. If this is not so, then it is either reconfigured or changed if the breakdown is irreversible.
It also happens that the pressure switch is simply clogged. This is usually due to the fact that water with a lot of dirt came in. In addition, this problem also occurs if the liquid is characterized by increased rigidity. In this case, the relay becomes clogged with salts. The element is removed, the inlet is cleaned of dirt. After this, the equipment usually works properly. Repair of the Whirlwind pumping station or any other manufacturer in this case is quite simple.
The device does not turn off
Some failures may cause the autonomous station to not shut down. Most often this is due to the fact that the settings of the pressure switch are lost, and the equipment does not gain the necessary pressure to turn off. However, the problem is not always in this. Sometimes the cause may be impeller wear, which does not allow the device to gain the necessary pressure for operation. In this case, it is necessary to tighten the position of the spring on the relay in the direction where there is a "-" sign.
This will lead to the fact that the upper pressure limit will be slightly reduced, which means that the pump should start to turn off. Repair of the Grundfos pumping station in this case, or any other, must be done with great care, as the settings can be completely lost, which will damage the device completely.
Several other breakdowns
It so happens that the pump is running stably, but the liquid is supplied in uneven portions. It may be that she is, that is, not. Usually the problem in this case is that not only water but also air gets into the pipe system. The first thing to do in this case is to check at what level the intake equipment is located, if the water level in the well has changed. Most often, the problem is solved by adjusting the intake hose.
Naturally, what can happen is that the equipment does not turn on at all. The most obvious causes are failure of all equipment or lack of power supply. The first thing that is done as a repair of the Alco pumping station in this case is to check the relay contacts, and also with the help of a tester the whole device is checked. It often happens that after cleaning the relay contacts, the pump station again works without any problems.
Everything is quite deplorable in the event that the motor winding burns out, and therefore the equipment does not start. If this happens, then usually the smell of burning rubber comes from the appliance. Naturally, it is realistic to rewind the engine, but only an experienced electrician can cope with this task. If the owner is not such, then it is better to contact a company that has specialists for such repairs. However, in the vast majority of cases, it is much easier to buy a new engine than rewind the old one.
Continuous water supply
One of the failures is that the pump pumps water without stopping. The reason for this behavior may be that the control relay fails. This usually happens because the equipment has simply worn out due to time. As a repair, springs are most often clamped, which are stretched due to the long operation of the device. You may also need to clean the relay from dirt. Repair of the pumping station in this case is quite simple.
Equipment Recommendations
In order to reduce the chance of breakage, it is necessary to follow certain operating recommendations:
- A problem such as vacuum compression may occur. In order to avoid repair of the pumping station in this case, it is necessary that the pipeline be made of metal pipes. You can use a fairly rigid PVC material or a hose with reinforcement for vacuum.
- During installation, it is necessary to ensure that all pipes and hoses are installed exactly without any serious deformations, twisting, etc.
- Each connection must be sealed. There should also be high-quality sealing. It is necessary to carry out preventive examinations in order to reduce the chance of breakdown and avoid unnecessary repair of the pumping station.
- The installation of a non-return valve on the intake hose must not be neglected.
- A filter must be installed to protect the pump from dirt.
- Hose should be immersed only at the distance recommended by specialists.
- The installation site of the pumping station must be firm and level. In addition, it must be mounted on rubber gaskets in order to dampen the vibration that will be transmitted to the base when the pump is running.
- In order to avoid dry running, it is necessary to additionally install a switch that will turn off the equipment if the water level drops below the set mark.
- The room in which the equipment is installed should have a temperature of 5 to 40 degrees Celsius, and the humidity should not exceed 80%.
As practice shows, following simple recommendations significantly reduces the likelihood that it will be necessary to repair the pumping station.