32 Volt water pump issue

[Seas the Moment]

My 32 v water pump cycles off/on/off/on etc when it reaches top end pressure. Initially, I thought it was a pressure switch, so I changed that out. Nope. Still cycles. Builds pressure rather quickly, but when it reaches the top end it cycles until I flip the on/off lever on the pressure switch to off. Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[captddis]

Most likely your expansion tank bladder has collapsed. A new expansion tank should cure that.

 

[TopHattandTails]

If it is a collapsed bladder, you can reinflate and keep the old one...

 

[Hat52MY]

I had the same issue and it was the bladder tank. Replaced the bladder tank with a slightly larger pre-charged unit filled with hydrogen, set it to the proper pressure and issue resolved. Works better than the other one ever performed! They pump cycles less, water pressure is more consistent.

http://www.flotecpump.com/resources/images/499.pdf

 

[MikeP]

"...filled with hydrogen,"

Hydrogen? Oh the Humanity!

 

[daniel r morrison]

Don't smoke in the shower!

 

[JLR]

Mike P - showing your age. Now you are on "double secret probation".

 

[GJH]

What type of pump do you have? I'm guessing a Galley Maid. Does it sit on top of it's own little tank?
If so the ball valve in the air volume control can becomes dirty and stick, causing the tank to water log. There is a procedure for draining the tank and cleaning the ball valve.

If you have a freestanding tank, like a Wel-trol, it will have it's own instructions. The pressure on it should be 2psi below the cut in pressure on your pump. Check the pressure with a tire gauge.

Lastly, this phenomena can be caused by a bad check valve between the main water tank and the pump. In some cases it is down by the tank itself, adjacent to a screen filter, and/or there is one near the suction intake on the pump. The pump gets up to pressure, stops, water drains back into the tank, lowering pressure, and it starts and stops. This is easy to check, turn the pump off, unhook the hose between the valve and tank and see if water comes streaming out the valve. It shouldn't. Have a bucket handy.

 

[Seas the Moment]

Thanks to all for suggestions. Headed to boat as I write this. I will let all know what I discovered.

Loran

 

[MikeP]

"Mike P - showing your age. Now you are on "double secret probation"."

I'm up there but not quite THAT far up there; it was well before my time but in the history books! I've seen it on the History channel as well, back when the history channel actually had "history."

 

[Seas the Moment]

As promised...my discovery. George, it is a GM sitting on top of a little expansion. The GM tank is waterlogged. The PO installed a 5 gallon expansion tank. It too was waterlogged. So, I purchased a new 5 gallon tank and while I was at it a check valve. There was no evidence of a check valve at or around the intake line on the pump, so I installed it just before the intake port on the pump. Works like a charm. The suggestion of the check valve made all the sense in the world because of the way the pump was jumping in and out with no water draw on any faucet. Pressure had to be going somewhere, most likely back to main water tanks. So, the check valve fixed the issue and the expansion tank no doubt is helping extend the cycle times. While I was at it I looked at the 110VAC pump set up and the 2 gallon expansion tank was waterlogged as well. I was having issues with it continuously running, never built pressure over 30psi. I replaced the expansion tank, but still wont build pressure above 30psi and just continues to run. So, think it is time for a rebuild.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and help!

 

[Hat52MY]

Glad to hear you were able to resolve. One other item you may want to consider, if you do not already have one, is a check valve after the pressure tank. I believe my old water tank was partially waterlogged by the higher pressures coming from the shore side hook up. This was discussed as a possible issue in the floetec documentation I posted earlier.

 

[GJH]

You can have one big expansion tank service both pumps. I do. The key is to have the pressure switch for the diaphragm style Galley Maid up close to the tank. You can see where I installed the Galley Maid's switch right behind the mid-point of the red hose in the center left of the picture below: