Troubleshooting guide for all standard design pumps

This guide is designed to address the most common problems that may develop with a high pressure fog system. If this guide does not help correct the problem contact Customer Service.

My Pump won't turn on

Is there power at the On Off switch connections on the pump? If not, check to be sure all wiring is properly connected.

Is the On Off switch turned on?

Is the unit plugged into a standard 110V or 220V outlet? If so, check the outlet for proper voltage and available power

If the unit is hard wired, check the electrical box for proper voltage and available power.

Is the unit on a dedicated circuit and has the breaker been checked for proper operation and size? It should be 1.5 times the Full Load Amps of the complete unit (motor, solenoid valve, fan, zone valves, etc…). If the unit is not on a dedicated circuit, it should be moved to one

Does the pump contain a low pressure safety switch? If so, is there sufficient pressure in the line to close the contactor?

Is the wiring in the pressure switch properly connected?

Have the pressure switch settings been adjusted? Loosening the set nuts on the pressure switch will reduce the required pressure to close the contact and operate the pump

My Pump turns on, but trips the breaker
Turn on the unit and check the amp draw at the pump and at the breaker.

What size breaker is used? It should be at least 1.5 times the Full Load Amp Draw of the unit. Replace the breaker if faulty or worn.

Is the unit on a dedicated circuit? If not, it should be placed on one to avoid over amping and tripping of the breaker.

Is an extension cord used to bring power to the pump? If so, it may be causing an over amp condition for the breaker

What size wire and what length were used to bring the power from the power panel to the pump location? If not sufficient, that may cause an over amp condition and trip the breaker.

Check the electrical connections in the unit for shorts

If a motor or pump has seized, it may cause an overload and trip a breaker or trip a thermal overload in the motor. If the unit is a PD unit, check for seizing by disconnecting the power and turn off the water and see if the pulleys can be rotated by hand? If they cannot be rotated, the pump or the motor may be seized. To determine which one, remove the pulley belt and see if either pulley can be turned by hand. If the pump cannot turn, it is probably seized and needs to be replaced.

Is there oil in the pump? Is there water in the oil? Are there metal shavings in the oil? These may be signs of crankcase failure.

If the motor cannot turn freely, it is probably seized and needs to be replaced.

Are there signs of electrical arcs or melted wires in the housing? If the motor is within warranty, confirm the proper volts and phase for the electrical supply.

If DD, can the fan blade on the back side of the motor be rotated? It may be able to be broken free using an Allen wrench. The unit may then operate. If it cannot be broken free, the motor or pump may be seized and will need to be repaired or replaced.

Are there signs of electrical arcs or melted wires in the motor junction box?

My pump turns on, but will not pressurize
What is the pressure reading on the gauge? Zero pressure usually indicates a leak in the line or no water supply to the pump and the pump will operate quietly. Pulsating pressure will usually indicate insufficient water supply or debris in the pump valves and will be very noisy.

Check the water supply after the filter but before the pump to be sure it is sufficient for the size of the system. Multiply the number of nozzles by the nozzle flow to determine the system flow requirement

Is there water running through the pump/system? Disconnect the outlet feed line from the pump to confirm

Check all feed line tubing from the water supply to the pump and from the pump to the fog line for leaks which will prevent the system from pressurizing.

Check for any leaks at the nozzles or at the fittings which will prevent the system from pressurizing.

Check to see if any water is coming out of the drain valve(s) which may be preventing the system from completely pressurizing

Adjust the unloader valve up or down and verify a change in the pressure reading on the gauge. It may need to be cleaned or replaced

Check the 6 valves in the pump for debris. See Appendix below.

Check the solenoid valve coil to be sure it is not damaged and that the solenoid valve is properly opening. Check the solenoid valve diaphragm to be sure it is aligned and functioning properly.

If none of the steps explained above resolve the problem, the unit should be returned for service.

My pump turns on, but no water comes out of the nozzles
Make sure the water supply is on. Disconnect the inlet feed line to confirm water is being supplied to the pump

Disconnect the outlet feed line to confirm water is coming out of the pump

Confirm that no water is coming out of the drain valve(s)

Check the entire outlet feed line from the pump to the first nozzle to confirm there are no leaks in the system

Check the solenoid valve coil for signs of electrical short or bulging sides. If the coil is damaged, it will prevent the solenoid from opening thereby preventing water from getting to the pump.

Check the solenoid valve diaphragm to be sure it is functioning properly.

The pump may need to be returned for service.

My pump is very loud and/or makes a banging vibration on the line
Confirm the outlet pressure on the gauge

Check to ensure there is at least 1.5 times the rated flow for the pump being supplied by disconnecting the inlet feed line and measuring the water flow.

Check for flow restriction by removing the filter cartridge from the canister and see if that reduces the noise and improves the vibration.

Check to be sure that the inlet water pressure is above 25 psi and below 75 psi

Check the 6 valves in the pump and remove any debris. See Appendix below.

Adjust the unloader up and down while the pump is operating to see if the noise and vibration change. If there is a change, the unloader may need to be cleaned or replaced.

Check to ensure that a sufficient quantity of feed line is attached to the pump outlet to remove normal vibration

Water still flows through the system even after the pump is turned off
Check to see if the solenoid valve is operating by removing the tubing from the pump outlet. No water should flow when the unit is off.

If there is flow, check the positioning of the solenoid valve diaphragm. Remove any debris. Re-assemble and check for proper operation. If the pump does not include a solenoid valve (flow switch models), the water supply must be turned off using a manual or electric valve.

My pump leaks water
Determine exactly where the water is coming from. Check all fittings and hoses. The solution will be to replace the part causing the leak.

Check the pump crankcase to see if there is water in the oil.

Check the pumps internal parts including the pump seals, the pistons, the piston packing, the piston guides, etc… or replace the entire pump depending on the cause of the leak. See the Appendix for rebuilding instructions

My pump leaks oil
Determine where the oil is coming from. Check the oil dipstick and the oil drain plug to be sure they are properly secured

Check to see if water has leaked into the crankcase forcing oil out through the dipstick opening. This is a result of a failed low pressure water seal. The pump will have to be rebuilt or replaced.

If the oil leak is not related to any water leaks, the pump oil seals or the entire pump will need to be replaced depending on the severity of the damage to the pump

My nylon tubing ruptures
Check to confirm that high pressure nylon tubing was used.

Check the system pressure on the pump gauge and reduce to 1000 psi by turning the unloader valve counterclockwise. If the tubing ruptures while the pressure is below the pumps rated pressure output, replace the tubing.

My Slip Lok fittings blow off the tubing
Confirm that the tubing is fully inserted into the fitting

Remove the outer ferrule of the fitting and inspect for machining defects, missing teeth, or cracks in the existing teeth. Compress the teeth and re-insert into the end of the fitting.

Exchange two fittings on the system to determine if the problem is with the fitting or with the tubing.

Replace the fitting or tubing if necessary.

My auto drain valve won't close
Make sure all nozzles are in the system and that there are no leaks anywhere in the feed line or the fog line.

Carefully remove the cap from the auto drain valve body and confirm the presence of a small ball and a spring(s). If a dual spring design, make sure the lighter, softer spring is inserted into the valve body before the ball. The denser spring is attached to the small shoulder on the end of the threads of the auto drain valve cap.

Make sure the ball is not pressed into the end of the spring.

The auto drain valve may have too dense of a spring for the pressure in the system. Replace the spring or auto drain valve as necessary

If there are multiple drain valves on the system, remove one valve at a time until the remaining valves close and the system pressurizes.

My auto drain valve won't open
The auto drain valve may not open immediately if anti drip valves are being used in the system. Adding an additional auto drain valve may improve the delay.

The valve may take a few minutes to open depending on the amount of time required to reduce the pressure in the line after the pump is shut down.

If the drain valve worked previously, carefully open the valve and remove the ball and spring(s) and any debris in the valve body. Re-assemble ensuring the positioning of the rubber ball in the center of the spring but not forced into the coils of the spring. Re-install and check for proper operation

My anti drips valves won't close when the system is turned off.
Replace the ball and spring or the auto drain valve as necessary.

Check the valves that are not closing by removing the valve body from the system and cleaning any debris.

Ensure that the auto drain valve is opening when the system is turned off, otherwise the anti drip valves may take up to 5 minutes to completely close.

My anti drip valves won't open
Replace the spring with a softer spring if necessary

Confirm that the system is completely pressurizing.

Troubleshooting guide for all flow switch pumps

Make sure the system includes the use of at least 2-95012 auto drain valves (for each zone). The ADV's should be placed anywhere on the high pressure side after any electric or manual zone valves. Any problems of a pump not operating properly are going to be related to flow. If the pump won't start up, additional flow needs to be created by adding 95012 ADV's (to increase flow at start up and ensure complete drainage of the system at shut down). If the pump operates until the line is charged, then turns off, additional nozzles or larger nozzles need to be added to the zone.

Following are possible control designs for a flow switch pump. Determine which method is being used.

Single zone with no inlet solenoid valve and no outlet manual or electric valve
This is the simplest application for a flow switch pump. In this design, the pump is operated by turning the water supply on or off and the ADV's should be placed anywhere on the high pressure side.

Single zone with no inlet solenoid valve and an outlet manual or electric valve
In this design, the pump is operated by opening and closing the valve on the high pressure side and the ADV's should be placed after the valve.

Single zone with an inlet manual or electric valve no outlet manual or electric valve
In this design, the pump is operated by opening and closing the valve on the inlet side of the pump and the ADV's should be placed anywhere on the high pressure side.

Multiple zones with an inlet valve controlling a main zone and a manual or electric valve(s) controlling an additional zone(s)
In this design, the pump is operated by opening and closing the inlet valve for the main zone. An additional manual or electric valve(s) on the high pressure side is used to control additional zone(s). The ADV's should be placed after the valve on each zone.

Multiple zones with no inlet solenoid valve and multiple outlet manual or electric valves
In this design, the pump is operated by opening and closing the valve(s) on the high pressure side. Each valve should supply water to a zone that has sufficient flow to operate the pump. The ADV's should be placed after each valve on the high pressure side of each zone.

Has the unit worked previously? If so, what has changed?

Is the pump plugged into a standard 110V or 220V outlet? If so, check the outlet for proper voltage and available power.

If the unit is hard wired, check the electrical box for proper voltage and available power.

Is the unit on a dedicated circuit and has the breaker been checked for proper operation and size? It should be 1.5 times the FLA of the complete unit (motor, solenoid valve, fan, zone valves, etc…). If the unit is not on a dedicated circuit, it should be moved to one

If an electric valve is used on the high pressure side, is the valve plugged into a standard 110V or 220V outlet? If so, check the outlet for proper voltage and available power. If the solenoid valve is not energized, the water will not flow through the pump, the flow switch will not close the contactor, and the pump will not start. If a remote control is being used to control the electric valve, check to ensure that the unit is operating properly. Connect the solenoid directly to a power source to see if the valve is properly opening and closing. If the pump or the high pressure solenoid valve is hard wired, check the electrical box for proper voltage and available power.

Does each zone on the system have at least 2-95012 ADV installed? Are they functioning properly?

Is the water supply turned on? If so, water should come out of the Outlet (the top fitting on the pump housing) and through the feed line to the nozzles and/or through the auto drain valve(s).

Is the bottom fitting on the pump housing labeled Inlet? Is the supply tubing from the filter inserted into the Inlet (bottom fitting)?

Is there sufficient flow through the pump to allow the flow switch to close the contactor? To check, unplug the unit and turn the water supply off. Disconnect the tubing from the pump outlet and plug the unit in. Turn on the water supply and open any inlet valve to the pump. The pump should turn on and water should come out of the pump outlet.

If the pump does not turn on, check the total flow through the pump. Then check all wire connections in the pump; check to ensure that the proper power supply is available at the source side of the electrical contactor; check to ensure that there is continuity between the two lead wires from the flow switch when the water supply is on; and check to ensure there is the proper power supply available at the load side of the electrical contactor when the water supply is on.

If there is sufficient flow through the pump to operate it, is there sufficient flow through each zone on the system to allow the pump to operate? To check, close the valve for each zone and allow it to completely drain. Open the valve to a zone. The pump should turn on. If it does not, there is not sufficient flow at start up to allow the flow switch to turn the pump on. The nozzles may need to be cleaned, replaced, or additional nozzles may need to be added; or an additional 95012 ADV may need to be inserted into the zone after the control valve; or a flow switch with a lower set point may be required. Repeat this step for each zone.

If there is sufficient flow through the zone, the pump should continue to operate. If the pump turns on initially but turns off once the zone is fully charged, then there is sufficient flow at start up to allow the flow switch to turn the pump on BUT once the ADV's close, there is not sufficient flow through the zone to allow the pump to continue to operate. Additional flow needs to be added by increasing the size or quantity of nozzles on the zone. A flow switch with a lower set point may be required.

If there is sufficient flow through the zone and the pump continues to operate, turn off the pump by stopping the water flow through the pump (this will be done differently depending on the system design). After a few minutes, start the water flow to the pump and the pump should turn on. If it does not, the fog line is not sufficiently draining to allow the flow switch to close the contactor once the system has been charged. Additional 95012 drain valves should be placed in the line. A flow switch with a lower set point may be required.

Troubleshooting Appendix

Pump Valve Replacement The valves in the brass pump head are responsible for providing the pressure output of the pump. By opening and closing at the proper time, they allow the pressure on the high pressure side of the pump to build up to the maximum allowable psi as set by the unloader valve. These valves may need to be cleaned or replaced periodically. See the Step by Step instructions on the following pages. Low Pressure Seal Replacement
The low pressure water seals prevent water from leaking from the brass head and they keep water from entering the pump crankcase. If water is leaking from between the brass head and the crankcase or if water is present in the oil, the low pressure seals need to be replaced. When replacing the low pressure water seals, also inspect the other internal parts as shown on the attached instructions. Replace any parts showing signs of wear or defect. See the Step by Step instructions on the following pages

Unloader Repair and Maintenance
The unloader valve serves two purposes. First, it will control the pressure output of the pump. This is typically set at a maximum pressure output of 1000 psi. The unloader will also bypass any unused water from the pump allowing for safe operation of the pump at flow as low as ½ of the pumps rated flow.

The unloader is a spring loader valve and will need to be replaced and cleaned periodically. The more water being bypassed through the unloader, the quicker it will need to be replaced. If the pressure output becomes unstable, it is usually an indication of the need to replace or clean the unloader. First, disassemble the unloader and check for debris or obvious wear of the unloader seals. If necessary, replace the unloader valve.

Solenoid Valve Diaphragm Repair
The solenoid valve is an electric valve that controls the water inlet to the pump. When the pump is turned Off, the unloader closes preventing water from flowing through the pump and into the system. When the pump is turned On, the valve opens.

If water continues to flow through the pump after the pump has been turned off, the diaphragm in the solenoid valve may need to be replaced or cleaned. This can be done by first removing the electric solenoid coil from the top of the valve. Remove the 4 Phillips screws on the top of the brass body. Carefully remove the solenoid cap and inspect the diaphragm for proper positioning, tears or deformities, and check for debris that may be preventing the diaphragm from properly sealing. If necessary, replace the diaphragm. If no debris is present and there are no signs of defect, the entire valve should eb replaced.

If water does not flow through the pump when the unit is turned on, it is either due to a restriction in the water inlet or the solenoid valve is not properly opening. Check the electrical connections to be sure they are all properly secured. If all connections are proper, the solenoid coil located on the stem of the brass body may need to be replaced. Inspect the coil for signs of bulging or melted plastic. Replace as necessary.

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