What can fail in a pumping station and how to fix it

Each equipment has its own resource of work. In the absence of a factory defect and correct connection, the pumping station will work for a long time. If errors were made during installation or mechanical deformations of the pipeline occurred, the pumping equipment will start to work intermittently. Any deviation must be diagnosed immediately in order to prevent permanent damage. Some parts are expensive - it is easier to buy a new device than to repair an old one.

The principle of operation of the pumping station

The pumping station consists of three main units - the pump itself, the accumulator, and the control unit. In home systems, surface pumps are most often installed, which draw water through a hose or pipe. The body and automation elements are outside the liquid. The battery is a container with a rubber sealed bulb inside. When fluid is recruited, the rubber stretches, a maximum pressure is created and the motor is turned off. The tank delivers water through pipes to the intakes in the house. The automatic control unit with an attached pressure gauge regulates the pressure. If the pressure drops, then at its lowest point, the engine turns on again and the pump begins to pump water. This mode of operation protects the device from overheating and premature failure.

Changes in operation in one of the nodes entail malfunctions in other parts of the equipment.

The pump pumps water without interruption

There are several reasons due to which the pumping station does not turn off after water is collected. One of them is the clogging of the inlet in the pressure switch housing. Before starting to look for a more serious reason, it is necessary to check whether debris has entered the automation unit and whether it interferes with the contacts. Oxidation of contacts is also possible. The block is disassembled, the contacts are cleaned and everything is assembled in the reverse order.

The second reason is fluid leakage. In this case, the pressure cannot rise to its maximum value, which does not allow the contacts to trip the equipment. Most often, leaks are in the battery pack. If you lubricate it with soapy water or shaving foam, you can pinpoint the location of the leak. To seal, it is necessary to degrease the area and solder. Leakage can occur due to a violation of one of the joints of the line. Water will constantly flow out of the crack - in order to maintain the required pressure, the pumping station will have to work in a continuous mode. You need to look for a problem spot right away, since the engine can burn out due to constant overloads and lack of cooling.

A drop in the water level in the source leads to the fact that no liquid flows through the suction pipe, due to which the pumping station does not gain pressure and the device does not turn off. For troubleshooting, lower the suction hose deeper. If the groundwater is completely gone, you will have to look for a new place for the well.

One of the common reasons for untimely shutdown of the engine is the rupture of the rubber membrane inside the accumulator housing. This may be a factory defect or incorrect relay settings. At a very high upper pressure threshold, the rubber does not withstand and bursts. The problem can be eliminated only by installing a new diaphragm and adjusting the relay.

A damaged rubber membrane can be vulcanized. To do this, it is removed, repaired and put back.

If there is a filter at the inlet and it is clogged with particles of clay / sand, the station may not turn off for a long time until it collects water and the pressure rises to the desired level. In this case, the filter must be cleaned or replaced.

Water does not flow into the pipes when turned on

This could be due to wear on the impeller. In this case, the station will operate continuously, and water will not flow. Sometimes the internal parts in cheap pumps are made of plastic. They wear off quickly when exposed to sand or stones. It is desirable that the impeller be metal.

The engine is disassembled and inspected. If traces of abrasion are visible on the edges, the impeller must be replaced.

Water comes in jerks

Reasons for the operation of the pumping station jerky:

• drying out of the well;
• pressure or voltage surges;
• membrane damage;
• errors in the arrangement of the well.

If air enters the pump along with water, this will lead to an uneven flow of liquid to all distribution points in the house.

Clogging of the pumping station leads to a stop of work. At the same time, the pressure drops and debris sticks away from the inlet. The device turns on again and draws in the dirt, which again causes the engine to stall. In this case, the water in the house will go in jerks.

If from the very beginning the equipment works unevenly, then the entire line is installed incorrectly - there are leaks. You cannot cover the pipes with earth until the pump has been tested, otherwise you will then have to dig again and inspect the entire area.

Also check that the pipe diameter matches the suction height. At the same time, it is necessary to check the well, whether its productivity has decreased - it may be necessary to clean it of silt.

In the area from the suction to the inlet pipe, air leaks can be observed. In this case, the pumping station works, but delivers water in jerks. The situation is corrected by burying the pipe into the well. If it does not help, then the tightness of the suction pipe is broken - it is taken out, checked and repaired.

The pump does not turn on

First you need to check if there is voltage in the network. The device must be turned off if the stabilizer is not connected so that the engine does not burn out.

Sometimes contacts burn out. To resume the work of the station, they need to be cleaned with sandpaper. The device must be de-energized at this moment.

The biggest nuisance is the burned out engine. If you smell burnt insulation, the motor will have to be replaced. It is very expensive to change the winding at a service center, so the craftsmen recommend buying a new motor. If possible, purchase a new pump. In the event of a crack in the bearing or failure of the condenser, the pumping station will also not work - it is necessary to replace the damaged parts.

With a long idle time, the impeller sometimes sticks to the casing and cannot move on its own. To do this, the device is disconnected from the network and the impeller is manually turned.

Station turns on and off frequently

If the pipeline is damaged in the ground, the pumping equipment can be switched on and off more often than it should be. When turned on, the required pressure is created in the system and the liquid enters the storage tank. In this case, part of it goes into the ground due to cracks or kinks in the pipe. If all the nodes of the station are working properly, the problem must be looked for in the pipes. To do this, they dig up the entire highway and look for a leak. This can take a long time, so before starting excavations on the site, all other causes must be excluded.

In case of insufficient power supply, the equipment is forced to constantly turn on so that the impeller can pick up the required speed to pump water into the system.This can be caused by either the power source or the mechanical or electrical part of the device. The inlet and outlet pipes become clogged after long-term operation, so they are washed with a cleaning solution. Unstable voltage in the home network gives the pump uneven operation. Check the voltage indicator when the station is running. If necessary, install a stabilizer.

During long-term operation, the storage tank may have microcracks through which the liquid escapes. It is not advisable to carry out repairs - it is better to replace it completely.

A pressure of about 1.5 atmospheres is created in the accumulator. As the rubber membrane is filled with liquid, the pressure builds up and forces the water into the pipes. If air escapes due to cracks, the required pressure is not generated. Cracks in the steel structure can be welded or the container replaced.

Ejector breakage

Pumping equipment with an ejector allows you to get water from great depths - up to 45 meters, but there are also problems with it. Most often, stones get inside, and there is no circulation of liquid in the pipe. In this case, it is necessary to remove the pipes and clean them from accumulated debris, and then rinse with a strong stream of water. This happens when it is time to clean the well, so it is advisable to call in a drilling team that has the right equipment.

In the event of a breakdown or clogging of the ejector, it is impossible to lift the liquid from a great depth, so the equipment will turn on, but the water will not reach the surface.

The equipment works, but there is no water

First of all, check the check valve. Dirt, sand, clay gets into it, so it can get jammed and water will not get into the suction pipe. Sometimes, after a long period of operation, the valve needs to be replaced.

If there is no liquid between the pump and the well, the device cannot start. There is a filling hole in the body - it must be filled with water.

Sometimes the equipment doesn't want to work from the very beginning. It is possible that errors were made in the calculation of the power and the pump does not correspond to the depth of the well. In this case, the device is changed - its parameters will not be enough. The characteristics of the electrical network also affect the performance of the appliance. If it is designed for a three-phase network, you will have to change the wiring.

A common blockage can also block the flow of fluid. Before that, the quality of the water usually changes - there are foreign impurities in it. The pressure decreases gradually until it stops altogether. First, you need to disconnect the outlet pipe and turn on the device - if the liquid flows, then the blockage has formed in another section of the system, possibly at the entrance to the home network, where the pipe diameter changes from large to small.

If water does not flow from the pumping station, it means that a plug has formed in the valve or in the suction pipe.

The equipment can pump fluid from the well, but the water leaves along the way. First, they check the connections between the pump and the pipeline, as well as the place where the line enters the home system.

To make it easier for the masters to figure it out, you need to know what material the underground pipeline is made of and how old it is:

• old metal pipes are prone to corrosion, due to which holes are formed;
• plastic non-insulated structures can freeze and burst.

If a part of the plastic line is passed in the open air, this can also provoke damage to the structure. Almost all types of plastic without a protective coating are afraid of ultraviolet radiation.

Changing a pipe section is a matter of several days, so it is worth thinking about where to get water until the workers find the problem and fix it.

Faults in the pressure switch

Most of the problems during the operation of the pumping station are associated with incorrect settings of the relay or its breakdown. The essence of the pressure switch is that it is able to close and open the network when it reaches the limits set at the factory settings.

Reaching the lower limit, the circuit closes and the device turns on, when the upper limit is reached, the circuit opens and the pump stops pumping water. Relay operation is accompanied by a characteristic click.

The moment of switching on and off can be adjusted manually. To do this, you need to tighten or loosen two springs:

• The first one is large and is responsible for the moment of shutdown. By turning it clockwise, you can increase or decrease the pressure at which the device shuts off. For example, if the device was previously turned off at 3 bars, after wrapping it will turn off at 3.5.
• The second spring is smaller. It is responsible for switching on and shows the difference between the upper and lower values. The factory settings show a value of 1.4 - 1.5 bar.

If the difference in values ​​is small, the station will turn on frequently. This can lead to rapid engine failure due to overheating. In the opposite case, with a large difference, the water pressure in the tap can be reduced to a minimum, which is inconvenient when using a shower, and also affects the operation of the washing machine.

After setting up the relay, you need to pump air into the accumulator using a simple bicycle or car pump with a pressure gauge. To do this, the station start-up rate, for example 1.8 bar, is multiplied by 0.9, the value is 1.62 bar. Pump air in and check with a pressure gauge.

Factory defect or incorrect settings during installation

In the event of a factory defect or incorrect installation, the device may not turn on at all. If the installation is done independently, in order to avoid damage, it is better to call a specialist. In case of initial malfunctions in the operation of the nodes, the device will work for some time and fail. The warranty card must not be thrown away before the end of its useful life.

If the problems started right away, it is better to replace the station with a more expensive and reliable one. To do this, you need to check the device at a service center and fix the breakdown.