Pump Saver 233

[Davebb]

I've searched for an answer but....... I need to know if when a pump saver goes bad can it show the symptom of having to remove power to reset it because the timer won't reset anymore. I let it sit overnight so it should have reset. It's happened twice in the last month. After turning the power back on the pump fills my storage tank. In the past when the well has gone dry the saver timer turns the pump back on after the set time of about an hour. I hope I'm asking the right question.

 

[Valveman]

You should be able to set the delay time? If it is set for an hour and it doesn't restart something is wrong with the device.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Davebb]

Update! More research shows that the pump saver is shutting the pump down due to rapid cycling (lights blinking in unison). There isn't a pressure switch in this system but only a float switch. Replaced the float switch and the problem persists. I'm wondering if this model 233 pump saver is known to fail and have this symptom. It seems that rapid cycling is the only thing that can cause the lights to blink in unison on this model.

 

[Reach4]

Do you have wind/waves in your tank? Some baffling or shielding might help with that.

With a tether type switch, lengthing the tether from its attachment point will increase the deadband. A wide-angle float switch should be more resistant to wave action. https://www.sjerhombus.com/products/sje-pumpmaster-plus/

 

[Davebb]

Do you have wind/waves in your tank? Some baffling or shielding might help with that.

With a tether type switch, lengthing the tether from its attachment point will increase the deadband. A wide-angle float switch should be more resistant to wave action. https://www.sjerhombus.com/products/sje-pumpmaster-plus/

Thank you for the informative link. I lengthened the wire a bit. I'm waiting to see if that helps. If it doesn't I plan to tie the float in the on position as a test. I know the tank will run over but if it still does it that should tell me something.

 

[Davebb]

Follow up! I think it's fixed! It's been over 2 weeks now and no shut down. After eliminating the float switch showed me no shut downs I figured the water running into the tank and making surface waves was the problem. So I modified the inlet to let water in below the surface.
What doesn't make sense is that those surface waves have been happening for over 20 years, so why did this start happening now?
Thanks for the help!

 

[Davebb]

Update! It's still doing it. Very intermittently. I wish someone could tell me if this model pump saver can fail this way. I guess I'll spend the money just as an experiment to see if that little black box is the problem.

 

[Reach4]

Update! It's still doing it. Very intermittently. I wish someone could tell me if this model pump saver can fail this way. I guess I'll spend the money just as an experiment to see if that little black box is the problem.

I am not familiar with the pump saver. https://www.galco.com/techdoc/symc/233-p_ig.pdf Maybe you should re-calibrate.

Is the tank surface subject to wind? Does your float come near the surface of the water?

 

[Davebb]

I am not familiar with the pump saver. https://www.galco.com/techdoc/symc/233-p_ig.pdf Maybe you should re-calibrate.

Is the tank surface subject to wind? Does your float come near the surface of the water?

Thanks Reach4. No wind in the tank. Yes the float is on the surface. I thought maybe the water entering the tank was causing waves so I made an extension so the water enters under the surface. I also lengthened the float tether for a longer swing. You provided a link to the model 233 and it gave me the idea to disable the rapid-cycle protection if the switch (float) is before the pump saver. I think the float switch relay system is before the pump saver so I'll try that next after I confirm it is before the pump saver.

 

[Davebb]

It seems that the model 233 without the P can't disable the rapid cycle protection and beside that, my float relay is after the pump saver. So I ordered a new model 233P and installed it. It's been working like it should since then. Hope that fixes the rapid cycling problem.

 

[Davebb]

It seems that the model 233 without the P can't disable the rapid cycle protection and beside that, my float relay is after the pump saver. So I ordered a new model 233P and installed it. It's been working like it should since then. Hope that fixes the rapid cycling problem.

Update! Just to let everyone know. It's been almost a month since I installed the new pump saver and it hasn't done anything wrong since then. So I guess pump savers can fail in this way. Rapid cycling for no apparent reason.

 

[Valveman]

Update! Just to let everyone know. It's been almost a month since I installed the new pump saver and it hasn't done anything wrong since then. So I guess pump savers can fail in this way. Rapid cycling for no apparent reason.

When it comes to electronics, anything is possible and probable.