Can a cycle stop valve damage a pump?

[Moccasin]

A while back I ask the forum questions about the changes I wanted to make to my well system. This is what I wound up with. I’ve been using it since then and have experienced only one issue. I am now trying to figure out if it has to do with the cycle stop valve or something else in the system. I had no experience with cycle stop valves before I made the changes and had read that they will smooth out the pressure to keep it consistence. That is not what I have seen in this design. It does, to some extent, help but I’m still experiencing some pressure drops, especially when a toilet is flushed. I talked with a company that supplies solar pumps and deep well equipment and found one of the guys was not a big fan of cycle stop valves. He cautioned that submersible pumps need a certain amount of water flow to keep them cool and a cycle stop can slow down the output to such a degree that it may overheat. My understanding is that a cycle stop valve will keep a pump running constantly as long as more than 2 or 3 GPM is being used, to prolong the life of the pump. Does anyone here know of a case where a pump was damaged by a cycle stop valve?

 

[Valveman]

I hate it when people pop off about things they don't understand. No, No, and NO a Cycle Stop Valve cannot damage your pump. The Cycle Stop Valve cannot close to less than 1 GPM, which is actually about 5 times more flow than it takes to keep the pump/motor cool and happy. Anyone who is not a "big fan" of CSV's, just doesn't understand how they work, as they lengthen not shorten the life of pumps.

But having looked at your drawing, there are lots of possibilities for a failure. It looks like the CSV is only on the sub pump and only working from a pump start relay in the sprinkler controller. So it should have nothing to do with the water going to the house, which looks like it is coming from a shallow well jet pump. If this is the case the CSV will only give constant pressure to the sprinklers, as it has nothing to do with the house water system (flushing a toilet, etc.). You would need another CSV on the jet pump if you want constant pressure in the house like you have on the sprinklers.

It also doesn't look like you have a pressure relief valve after the CSV. When used with a pump start relay it is very common for the controller to start the pump, but fail to open the sprinklers. When this happens the pump is not moving any water and will burn up. But it has nothing to do with the CSV, that is just a normal problem for a pump start relay system that doesn't have a pressure relief valve to protect the pump.

 

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[LLigetfa]

I’m still experiencing some pressure drops, especially when a toilet is flushed.

A pressure drop when toilet is flushed has to do with the piping in the house not permitting enough volume to meet demand. Just watch the pressure gauge at the tank while a toilet is flushed.

Inadequate cooling would not manifest with flushing a toilet. Additional GPM of water uses would mean additional GPM of cooling. In some edge cases where the water enters the well from above, then cooling could be a factor that is easily resolved by using a flow inducer. Some pump installers install them as a matter of course if the casing diameter permits it.

 

[Valveman]

Yes and a top feeding well without a shroud on the pump will have a cooling problem with or without a CSV.