Pump troubleshooting question - Certified SoftWash Roof Cleaning

Troy Layman · Lead Tech

Pump troubleshooting question

David Rhodes · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

Hey Troy,

You may be experiencing an air leak(suction side). Air leaks are more difficult to trace, check all of your fittings and hose camps on the suction side of your system. Also, look for air bubbles in the lines.

Hope this helps!

David

Jeffrey Kirby · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

the Pressure switch can "move" on you, or so it would seem. righty tighty, lefty loosey. 1/16" allen key. but--when it needs adjustment, the pump is generally surging or shuts off at an excessive pressure (over 80). if it can't reach the pressure setting to shutoff, it can run endlessly but that is a rather large deviation from the 80 psi setting

Troy Layman · Lead Tech

Thanks David,

Someone else said it could also be a diaphragm failure, crack or pinhole but I didn't see any fluid leaks that I recall. What you said crossed my mind when this started. I was pulling a hose off my rig and it snagged on elbow at my bulkhead. I didn't think I pulled hard enough to crack the bulkhead fitting or elbow, but armed with what you said I'll go back and connect a separate section of hose to the cam lock and see if it draws out of a 5 gallon bucket like it should. ~Thanks again David~

Troy Layman · Lead Tech

Jeffrey Kirby wrote:
the Pressure switch can "move" on you, or so it would seem. righty tighty, lefty loosey. 1/16" allen key. but--when it needs adjustment, the pump is generally surging or shuts off at an excessive pressure (over 80). if it can't reach the pressure setting to shutoff, it can run endlessly but that is a rather large deviation from the 80 psi setting

Thank you Jeff. You answered while I was replying to David. I've got more allen wrenches than any one man should have, but probably no 1/16" I'll try this as well. While at the job sometimes the pump would run weak, then catch back up. I thought I had this in my original post but I didn't. It's kind of hard to do effective troubleshooting remotely without all the information.

Jeffrey Kirby · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

you can replace the valve body and the diaphragm (rarely needed) but you will eventually throw away a pump that runs, but has gotten weak, or it just stops running. keep a spare on the truck. quicker to change a pump that has issues and repair later.

Troy Layman · Lead Tech

True, thanks Jeff,

My new pump will be here Tuesday and if the problem isn't an air leak I'll see if I can repair my current pump. I've never torn a pump apart so it will be interesting. I already had plans to get a new pump and move the existing pump to a booster pump sort of set up for when I need it so if the pump can be repaired that's a step closer. It was the original pump that came with my demo equipment I was able to pick up from Steve at JRC and it pulled a stout 24.9 amps.

Troy Layman · Lead Tech

David,

Yep, I traced the issue down to an air leak. The problem ended up being the bulkhead fitting had cracked at the bottom of the elbow. I guess it may have already had a very small crack, and when I caught the elbow the other day with my hose it cracked it open enough that I was barely pulling mix from my tank. The bulkhead fitting was made in China and from Home Depot. It wasn't Polypropylene, which is probably part of the reason it broke down because I didn't pull on it very hard when it broke.

I'm looking at Polypropylene bulkhead fittings now to keep on hand. Is there a preference between EPDM and FKM gaskets? Both seem to be suitable for bleach but I figured I'd ask.

David Rhodes · SoftWash Systems Authorized Professional

Hey Troy,

Glad I could help. I prefer using the Banjo brand bulk head fittings, they seem to hold up very well.

David

Troy Layman · Lead Tech

Thanks David,

I ordered a couple Poly Banjo bulkheads and elbows to replace this cheap bulkhead when the season slows down. I had a Banjo elbow I put back in place during the repair.