Do-it-yourself pumping station repair: reasons, features and recommendations

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Currently, there are many different devices on the market from different companies that provide an autonomous supply of water. The largest number of positive reviews were collected by such manufacturers as "Dzhileks" and "Marina". Repairing a pumping station with your own hands is a completely solvable task.

Station accessories

In order to successfully carry out repairs, you need to understand what, in principle, the equipment consists of. The standard equipment of the station includes four main elements:

• water pump;
• hydraulic accumulator;
• relay;
• pressure measuring device.

The main task of the pump is, of course, the intake of 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 and deliver it through pipes.

The next important element is the storage tank (accumulator). The capacity of this storage is usually 20 liters or more. Asthis element is usually a container made of metal. The main task of this device is that it must maintain a constant pressure in the pipe system. The most successful model of this device is considered to be a metal cylinder, which has a rubber membrane. Depending on whether the station is running or not, the membrane will stretch or shrink.

Periodically, you have to repair the relay of the pumping station. This device is responsible for turning the pump on and off. To do this, the device is equipped with a sensor that determines the level of water in the tank. In addition, there is also a pressure gauge, 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:

• Appears automatic water supply to the pipeline system of the house from a separate source.
• It becomes possible 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.
• It becomes possible to create a certain supply of water in case the supplier has any problems with the regular supply of liquid.

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 possibleselect 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 a built-in rubber liner. With the help of a pump, liquid enters the device 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 container. On one side of the tank there is also a conventional automotive nipple. The main purpose of the part is to relieve excess pressure or pump in the missing air. On the opposite side there is a pipe. To this element, using a special fitting for five outlets, attach the rest of the components of the autonomous station.

The hydraulic tank is connected to the water supply of a private house. When the water in the house is turned on, this tank is emptied, which reduces the pressure inside the tank. This will continue 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 the pump. It is worth noting that the presence of the station will have a positive effect on both the plumbing system at home and the operation of the pump. The tank serves not only to store water, but also to protect the hydraulic system from a sudden shock if it occurs. ExceptIn addition, the presence of a pressure switch reduces the number of pump on / off to a minimum, which significantly increases its service life. It is worth considering that the tank cannot be a full-fledged storage of water, since its cost increases greatly with the growth of its volume.

Description of the most common problems

To repair the pumping station "Marina" or any other, it is necessary to understand not only the design, but also what "symptoms" each breakdown has. There are several problems that happen most often. These include the following:

• it often happens that the pump becomes clogged with dirt;
• failure of pump motor;
• settings for the pressure switch may periodically go astray;
• may break the integrity of the rubber gasket in the hydraulic accumulator;
• Cracks form in the tank.

If one of the above breakdowns occurs, or any other, then it becomes necessary to carry out work to repair the pumping station. A master in this case is not always needed, since most breakdowns can really be fixed on their own, 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, the pipes that connect the equipment to the house may be damaged.

Another very important point to keep in mind when doing renovations. Dry operation for any station is strictly prohibited. For this reason, before checkingperformance of the device, it is necessary to 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.

Equipment running but no water coming out

One of the most common breakdowns is the one in which the equipment works, but the water still does not reach the end consumer. In this case, it is realistic to repair the pumping station with your own hands. This breakdown lies in the fact that after turning on the device, you can see (hear) that all parts are working, but water still 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 pours back into the source. This is easy to check. If fluid 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 heavily polluted. In this case, a fairly simple repair of the pumping station will be required. Maintenance will consist of washing the part. If there is no dirt, then you need to 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 thisapplies if there is no water in the hose. If it is there, then it is necessary to start checking all the joints, as well as the pipes that connect the tank and the pump. Perhaps one of them has a leak. If the pipe has deteriorated, then it simply changes to a new one, but if there is a problem with the joint, then it is necessary to replace the seal, clean the joint and re-seal it. In such cases, the repair of a household pumping station does not cause problems.

However, there is another reason that has the same "symptoms". This problem is called 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 water too quickly, it simply does not have time to replenish. In this case, the repair of water pumping stations consists in changing the model to one that is designed for a low well flow rate. Another option is to increase this figure by pumping, that is, by washing out the dirt. To do this, you need to have a separate pump, you can not use the same one that comes with the kit.

There is an urgent repair measure, which is that you can try to draw water from a greater depth. However, you need to be careful here, because if the source is sandy, for example, then immersing the pump too much will cause dirt to get inside the device, which will cause serious damage. Another possible reason could be the wear of such a part,like an impeller. In this case, you need to disassemble the equipment, rinse it, replace the part, possibly the case, and put everything back together. In some cases, it is much easier to buy a new pump than to carry out such repairs to the equipment of the pumping station.

The device starts but does not function

It often happens that the pump starts, but does not work. This often happens with fixtures 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 housing and the impeller. With a long shutdown, these parts can stick to each other. In such a situation, the pump turns on and buzzes properly, but the impeller does not move, which is why water does not flow. If this happens, the pump must be switched off immediately. In this case, a major overhaul of the pumping station is not required. The breakdown is eliminated quite simply, you need to remove the cover and spin the impeller several times by hand. 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 is solved. Sometimes this may not help, which means that the capacitor is out of order, you just need to replace it with a new one.

Jerky work

It happens that the technique can work in jerks. In this case, the repair of pumping stations "Caliber" or any other is inevitable, since the components for all are approximately the same. The breakdown itself is associated with pressure inside the hydraulic accumulator (hydraulic tank). The first thing you needto do is to check the functioning of the pressure gauge. If everything goes well during the liquid supply, and after that the indicators drop sharply, then the problem is somewhere inside the tank. Most often, this is due to the fact that the membrane inside the battery is torn. In this case, it will be necessary to repair the gland of the pumping station, that is, to replace it. To be 100% sure that the problem is in this part, you need to open the nipple, which is installed on the "air" side of the tank. If water flows out of it instead of air, then there is a breakdown in the membrane. The hydraulic tank is removed, disassembled, the membrane is replaced with a new one, and everything is put in place.

But there may be other reasons. If air still comes out, and not water, then this element is in order. In this case, you need to check the pressure indicator. If it is significantly lower than 1.5-1.8 atm, which are usually set by the manufacturer, then you need to pump air with a special pump. But before that, it is imperative to find the reason why the pressure has dropped. Most likely, a crack appeared in the hydraulic tank through which air escapes. It may appear due to corrosion, mechanical damage or other similar reason. Naturally, the leak must be sealed. If this is not possible, then the entire battery is replaced completely with a new one. It is also worth making sure that the relay works without errors. If this is not the case, then it is either set up again, or changed if the breakdown is irreversible.

It also happens that the pressure switch is simply clogged. This usually happens due tothe fact that the water came with a lot of dirt. In addition, this problem also arises if the liquid is characterized by increased rigidity. In this case, the relay becomes clogged with s alts. The element is removed, the inlet is cleaned of dirt. After that, the equipment usually works properly. Repair of the pumping station "Whirlwind" or any other manufacturer in this case is quite simple.

The device does not turn off

Some breakdowns may cause the stand-alone station not to turn off. Most often this is due to the fact that the pressure switch settings have gone astray, and the equipment does not gain the necessary pressure to turn off. However, this is not always the problem. Sometimes the cause may be the wear of the impeller, 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 cause the upper pressure limit to be slightly reduced, which means 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 knocked down, which will disable the device completely.

Several other breakdowns

It happens that the pump is stable, but the liquid is supplied in uneven portions. It may or may not be there. Usually the problem in this case is that not only water, but also air gets inside the pipe system. The first thing to do inIn this case, it is to check at what level the intake equipment is located, whether the water level in the well has changed. Most often, the problem is solved by adjusting the water intake hose.

Naturally, it can happen that the equipment does not turn on at all. The most obvious causes are the breakdown of all equipment or the lack of power. 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 use the tester to check the entire device. It often happens that after cleaning the relay contacts, the pumping station works again without any problems.

Everything is rather deplorable if the motor winding burned out, and therefore the equipment does not start. If this happens, then the smell of burnt rubber usually comes from the device. Naturally, it is realistic to rewind the engine, but only an experienced electrician can cope with this task. If the owner is not one, 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 motor than to rewind the old one.

Constant water supply

One of the breakdowns is that the pump pumps water without stopping. The reason for this behavior may be that the adjustment relay has failed. This usually happens due to the fact that the equipment has simply worn out due to time. As a repair, springs are most often clamped, which are stretched due to prolonged operation.devices. You may also need to clean the relay from dirt. Repair of the pumping station in this case is quite simple.

Recommendations for the use of equipment

In order to reduce the chance of breakage, it is necessary to follow certain operating recommendations:

• There may be a problem such as vacuum compression. 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 sufficiently rigid PVC material or a vacuum-reinforced hose.
• During installation, make sure that all pipes and hoses are installed exactly without any serious deformations, twists, etc.
• Each connection must be sealed. There must also be good sealing. Preventive inspections should be carried out to reduce the chance of breakdown and avoid unnecessary repairs to the pumping station.
• You must not neglect the installation of a non-return valve on the water intake hose.
• It is necessary to install a filter that will protect the pump from dirt.
• The hose should only be immersed to the distance recommended by experts.
• The installation site of the pumping station must be firm and level. In addition, it must be mounted on rubber pads to dampen the vibration that will be transmitted to the base when the pump is running.
• In order to avoid dry running, you must additionally install a switch that will turn off the equipment if the water level drops below the mark.
• The room in which the equipment is installed must have a temperature of 5 to 40 degrees Celsius, and the humidity must not exceed 80%.

According to practice, following simple recommendations significantly reduces the likelihood that repairs to the pumping station will be required.