MichaelSK
Member
I am having a hard time locating a relay (Electrica RVA2LKL). Removed from a 3/4hp Shakti controller. Could a Franklin part be used? Maybe a Franklin Mfr. Model # 305213902?
Hello Valveman, thanks for the reply. I will post a link to Electrica's site (much better photo than I can produce). The relay is similar to the image, except the one I removed does not have the square assembly of electrical contacts in the lower left corner. The electrical contacts are all located along the top and right side of the relay as shown. SUMMARY OF EVENT: We awakened in the morning after a night of vivid close lightning storms to find we had no water. Upon examination of the controller box, which is located inside the mechanical room in the house, I discovered that a fine charcoal dust surrounded the relay. There was no other obvious damage (capacitor swelling, signs of arcing, burned contacts on the pressure switch, tripped breaker, damaged type II surge device, etc). I believe that the start capacitor reset had been tripped. If it was not lightning, and given that the controller-pump assembly is only two years old, then I WILL purchase your CSV product to reduce cycling associated with the water to air heatpump. As an aside, for additional discussion, some well guys here in north central Florida were reluctant to recommend the valve because of our hydrology. We sit on Karst, on occasion for a few days to a week the water will become very cloudy with fine sediment..... I was concerned that at these times the CSV would become clogged (must be a small orifice to slowly fill a tank at a nominal 1 gal/min)....? Your comments most welcomed. https://www.electrica.it/en/products/start-relaysPost a picture.
It’s common practice here for the farmers to turn off their wells pumps during lightening storms. They will also throw the breaker off in the Pump panel. I have seen lightening arc across an open breaker.
In the ‘90’s we used Robicon brand VFD’s. Just about every lightening storm we would have at least one drive fry a circuit board. Used a lot of a Nelson liquid drives back then too. Basically a torque converter between the motor and pump.
Few years ago I was sitting on the back step, storm clouds were (I thought, a couple of miles away) when almost in slow motion the bark of a large pine tree came splitting off from the top down in a curving line. It went into the ground along a large root and made a furrow 1 foot deep and 6 inches wide, next day I looked and there were tiny glass pellets strewn out along the furrowed ground. Strange how it almost seemed slow-motion, scared the you-know-what out of me (figure of speech). You could smell the acrid ozone and nitrogen compounds immediately afterwards. I lose about 6 of those big trees a year to lightning strikes.Yeah that pump setting 100’s of feet into water makes a hell of a ground rod.
Yeah looks like a standard start relay, any brand should work.
The bypass in the CSV is not an orifice. It is two half moon notches that when the valve closes turns into an orifice. That way if it encounters anything large enough to clog the orifice, the pressure will decrease, which opens the valve, splits the two half moons apart, and self flushes any debris. If you have Karst or sediment you do not want to use the plastic CSV125 valve, but the CSV1A is designed to take it.
Lightning can get you no matter how many surge protectors you have. Lightning arrestors in strategic locations and extra grounding are recommended, but doesn't always protect the pump. I have seen lightning take out a pump when it hit the ground a 1/2 mile from the well. The well itself is sometimes the path of least resistance.
Very interesting, Valveman, how the overload works. It is quite possible you have described the mechanism. Is it called a "Kilx_on type "overload?Kilx-on type overloads have a little pen embedded in solder. When the solder gets hot from too much amperage it melts and releases the pin, which is pulled free with a spring. When you push the reset it shoves the pin back into the solder. After a few resets this type overloads gets weaker and weaker. If you are sure it is not drawing too many amps, replacing or bypassing the overload will keep the pump running.
This is awkward, but...
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