TROUBLESHOOTING

Here is a list of some common issues that you may be experiencing.

If your specific problem isn't listed here or if you are still experiencing difficulty, let us know. We will walk you
through the solution.

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 turning off the water. Try to rotate the pulleys 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, Contact Fogco Customer 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.

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, 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.

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 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. Contact Fogco Customer service for detailed instructions.

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, inspect all internal parts for signs of wear.

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. 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 be 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.