Water pump cycling

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Baht Man
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Water pump cycling

Post by Baht Man » August 28, 2014, 2:12 pm

I’ve got a Mitsubishi on-demand pump taking the water from an on-ground tank to the house, that turns on every two minutes or so or about 8 seconds.

I’ve checked everywhere for leaks, found one in toilet that didn’t seat properly and fixed it, but it still cycles albeit a bit less.

I know that there’s an adjustment screw located at the pressure valve, but would adjusting this fix the problem?

I see satang going out the window every day.

:?

Thanks


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JR
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Water pump cycling

Post by JR » August 28, 2014, 2:45 pm

Do you have your own well or is it village water? Have you checked the level in the tank and that the valve in there closes properly? We had the same problem and it was a leak on the pipe between the pump and the house.

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maaka
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Water pump cycling

Post by maaka » August 28, 2014, 3:01 pm

sounds like a water leak after the pump..dripping tap, small leak in the line...me, I would turn everything on for a minute or two, all taps, all showers, all baths, everything that uses water...check washing machine, outside taps...then turn off and wait..that should get any air out of the lines..if it starts again, my money would be on a leak, if not above ground, then below....I dont think its the pump..

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Baht Man
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Water pump cycling

Post by Baht Man » August 28, 2014, 3:20 pm

JR wrote:Do you have your own well or is it village water? Have you checked the level in the tank and that the valve in there closes properly? We had the same problem and it was a leak on the pipe between the pump and the house.
The water is from the village into a 2000 L tank. I believe the tank is always pretty full and working properly and I'm loosing water post pump.
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Baht Man
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Water pump cycling

Post by Baht Man » August 28, 2014, 3:26 pm

maaka wrote:sounds like a water leak after the pump..dripping tap, small leak in the line...me, I would turn everything on for a minute or two, all taps, all showers, all baths, everything that uses water...check washing machine, outside taps...then turn off and wait..that should get any air out of the lines..if it starts again, my money would be on a leak, if not above ground, then below....I dont think its the pump..
Good advice. Once the house is finished and lines completed, I'll try that. Lines are still being added, removed and cut, so maybe air may be an issue.

Just fired up the boiler today and it spewed air for quite awhile.

Hopefully there's not any leaks underground. I'd have to live with it the way it is as there are so many, everywhere.

Thanks
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Khun Paul
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Water pump cycling

Post by Khun Paul » August 28, 2014, 3:32 pm

I have various tanks and on thje odd occasion they do exactly what you described.
One reason was the toilet seal from toilet top cistern leaked every so gently, you would never see it nor hear it but it then makes the cistern demand wateer. The water of course is going down the pan literally, the pressure loss needs only to be slight for the pump to activate. There is nothing wrong with your pump just fittings.
Another reason was a slightly dripping tap, , oh I know it means that the pump will register a drop in pressure and kick in, the amopunt is minimal but it is annoying. new tap or remember to turn it off properly sorts that out.
I ( with 4 pumps ) have had all the problems and sorted them out through trial and error, mainly error, but the only annoyance is the pumping activating too frequently, no bigs bucks being lost just quietness. check all taps, toilets and joints yopu would be surprised it only takes a slight drip or a very minor leak somewhere to allow the pump to kick in. Don't touch the Pump its fine, it is the rest of the bits and pieces.

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Water pump cycling

Post by JR » August 28, 2014, 5:48 pm

Do you have shut off valves to the toilets? If so, close them. If the pump stops, you know the leak is in a toilet still.

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Water pump cycling

Post by Landini » August 28, 2014, 6:03 pm

Try close the valve on the pressure side of the pump.If it still start,something with the pump. Don't adjust the pressure switch. You never get it right again. If it start with valve closed, turn pump off and close valve in to pump.
Then let water out off pressure tank on the pump. It have a drain close to bottom. This tank is for the pressure to og up and down. Air can be compressed,but not water.

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Water pump cycling

Post by eagle » August 28, 2014, 8:09 pm

Baht Man wrote: Just fired up the boiler today and it spewed air for quite awhile.
One question: How about your meter? Our pump does same (continious run) after some heavy rains, when they can not deliver full voltage/current. Similar could be, if meter does not accept all power consumption.

Means that pump is working to get enough pressure, but not enough power to do that. That couses pump to run all the time.

Boiler? How much it takes? If it takes 3000 W, it means that at least 12 A goes to that. 15 A meter and line can be in trouble, if far away from power stations. You did not tell, if that machine is a shower heater or is it really a big one, which warms water before use.

Somehow I connect that pump problem to that boiler installation.

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Water pump cycling

Post by jimbeamm36 » August 28, 2014, 9:00 pm

Does your system have a check valve? If it is not working properly it can allow the water to run back into the tank. As pressure drops the pump kicks in.

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Water pump cycling

Post by Allen A Hale » August 29, 2014, 9:27 am

I had similar problem and was able to fix it easily. I had used a stiff bristle brush to clean the inside of the water tank. A bristle had broken off and lodged into the foot valve at the end of the pump suction line inside of the tank. The bristle prevented the foot valve (a sort of check valve) from completely closing which allowed water to flow back through the pump back into the tank thus reducing the water pressure at the pressure sensor which caused the pump to turn on to boost the pressure up.

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Water pump cycling

Post by Shado » August 29, 2014, 10:49 am

When we had the pump recycling problem it was the check valve that caused it. New valve, no more problem.

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Water pump cycling

Post by reddevil » August 29, 2014, 12:03 pm

Shado wrote:When we had the pump recycling problem it was the check valve that caused it. New valve, no more problem.
Same here 450 bht original part.

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Water pump cycling

Post by glalt » August 30, 2014, 1:49 pm

There may be a piece of dirt in the pump's check valve. That would allow the pressure to go back to the supply tank. I wouldn't bother with the built in check valve. Just buy a separate check valve from a local hardware store and install it between the pump and the storage tank. An easy job.

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Baht Man
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Water pump cycling

Post by Baht Man » August 30, 2014, 8:20 pm

jimbeamm36 wrote:Does your system have a check valve? If it is not working properly it can allow the water to run back into the tank. As pressure drops the pump kicks in.

No check valve was used.
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Baht Man
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Water pump cycling

Post by Baht Man » August 30, 2014, 8:24 pm

glalt wrote:There may be a piece of dirt in the pump's check valve. That would allow the pressure to go back to the supply tank. I wouldn't bother with the built in check valve. Just buy a separate check valve from a local hardware store and install it between the pump and the storage tank. An easy job.

Ya know, I never thought about that. I always assumed (ya I know) it only went one way.
I would also assume the with the pump sitting the same slab as the 2000L tank, it would not be able to overcome the pressure and flow back to the tank.
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Baht Man
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Water pump cycling

Post by Baht Man » August 30, 2014, 8:29 pm

Landini wrote:Try close the valve on the pressure side of the pump.If it still start,something with the pump.
It won't cycle with the ball valve after the pump closed. I'll do that, or cut the elec. to stop it.
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Baht Man
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Water pump cycling

Post by Baht Man » August 30, 2014, 8:40 pm

Shado wrote:When we had the pump recycling problem it was the check valve that caused it. New valve, no more problem.

The house is almost finished and I'll start to isolate the fixtures and determine to source of the problem.

I saw a small drip (very slight) at the boiler, that may be the issue.

I'll also install a check valve once I find a spare hour, or 3.

As it is, it's 50m or so from the main house and only audible if I'm sitting outside in the back.
It just bugs the nonsense outta me... :mad:
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Baht Man
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Water pump cycling

Post by Baht Man » August 30, 2014, 8:47 pm

eagle wrote:
Baht Man wrote: Just fired up the boiler today and it spewed air for quite awhile.
One question: How about your meter? Our pump does same (continious run) after some heavy rains, when they can not deliver full voltage/current. Similar could be, if meter does not accept all power consumption.

Means that pump is working to get enough pressure, but not enough power to do that. That couses pump to run all the time.

Boiler? How much it takes? If it takes 3000 W, it means that at least 12 A goes to that. 15 A meter and line can be in trouble, if far away from power stations. You did not tell, if that machine is a shower heater or is it really a big one, which warms water before use.

Somehow I connect that pump problem to that boiler installation.
Not sure of the power demand of the boiler but it's only a 70L with the furthest tap only about 5M away.

Thanks for all the input guys...it's all appreciated. =D> =D> =D>
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Water pump cycling

Post by glalt » August 30, 2014, 9:05 pm

Your pump has a built in check valve. If it gets some dirt in it, it will allow the water to return to the tank. You do have a check valve.

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