Do-it-yourself trickle pump repair: popular breakdowns

Inexpensive submersible pump “Stream” gardeners use more than half a century. Due to active use of a constructively simple device, it sometimes turns out to be faulty or does not work satisfactorily. In some cases, without the participation of repair specialists can not do, but more often you can repair the pump streamlet with your own hands.

To do this, you need to understand the device and the principle of operation of the pump, be patient and the necessary set of tools. The recommendations presented in the article, illustrations and video tutorials will be of great help.

Characteristics and scope

The electric pump “Rucheek”, produced by the Russian company “Livgidromash”, belongs to the class of household vibrating devices. It is designed to supply water from wells and water wellshaving an internal diameter of at least 10 cm. It can be used for work in open reservoirs where it is able to transport water from a depth related to the interval of 1 - 40 m.

The maximum distance that the pump can transport water horizontally is 100 m. That is, point of intake can be significantly removed from the consumer. The temperature of the pumped water is no more than + 35ºС. The “trickle” should not work in an aggressive environment and in water that includes contaminants greater than 0.001%.

Technical characteristics of the vibration pump “Stream”:

• power supply voltage - 220V;
• power - 3.4 watts;
• the maximum depth of immersion is 3 m (with a short production well, it is allowed to increase the depth of immersion to 5 m);
• working head range - from 4 to 60 m;
• dimensions - 250x99 mm, weight - approximately 3.5 kg (depending on version).

The pump is equipped with a power cord from 10 to 40 m and a nylon cable for hanging the unit when downhole installation or well.

Of course, such a small pump will not be able to provide water supply of the whole country house with a large number of water users.

“Streamlet” successfully serves to perform such tasks as:

• Water supply of a small country house with 1-2 points of water consumption.
• Water supply for a bath, watering the garden.
• Temporary replacement of the main pump in case of breakage.
• In slowly filled water sources with a small flow rate;
• First or periodic well cleaning;
• Filling the heating system.

The performance of the pump depends on the depth of the water source: the deeper it is, the higher the performance of the unit.

Device and principle of operation

Submersible trickle pump It consists of the following parts: electric drive, vibrator and housing, which are interconnected by means of four screws. The drive unit includes a core with two coils and a power cord.

The vibrator consists of a shock absorber, diaphragm, stop, coupling and rod. An anchor is pressed on the bottom of the rod, and a piston is attached to the top.

The pump casing is a casing, in the upper section of which there is a glass with openings for water flow and a nozzle that provides water flow. An existing valve serves to open / close the inlets.

The pump pumps water through vibrations of the piston and anchor. They are triggered by an elastic shock absorber, which turns the alternating current received from the network into a uniform mechanical vibration.

The rod transmits the movement of the piston, which, when vibrated, creates a mini-hydraulic shock in a glass with holes. The valve closes at this point, and the water is pushed into the outlet pipe.

Due to the fact that water intake takes place in the upper part of the unit, the system is cooled and it does not heat up during operation.

Another advantage of the water inlet pipe located at the top is that the working body does not suck the silt from the bottom. As a result, the unit is much less likely to have options with a lower fence which becomes clogged with a cloudy suspension, due to which the pump should be periodically disassembled and cleaned.

Setting up the submersible pump “Stream”

Pump “Stream” is considered reliable equipment. With proper operation and timely maintenance, it rarely breaks. In some cases, you can troubleshoot using the pump setting.

To do this, first of all idle or unstable pump must be removed from the well (well) and hang it without a hose in a container with water. Next, you must turn on the device in the network and check the voltage, it should not be below 200V.

If the mains voltage corresponds to the norm, then turn off the pump, drain the water from it and flush the outlet. Purging can be done by mouth without using any special tools.

Properly configured pump “Trickle” is blown without problems, and if you blow harder, you feel the piston stroke inside. The air must also flow in the opposite direction. If this does not happen, then it is necessary to tune the two parameters of the unit, having previously disassembled it.

Disassembly of the domestic pump “Streamlet” is made with the help of a vice, which compresses the ledges on the housing, located next to the screws. Loosen the screws gradually, one by one. During the first disassembly, it will not be superfluous to replace the screws with similar screws with a head for a convenient hex, this will greatly facilitate the assembly and disassembly during the next repair.

From the principle of operation of the “Trickle” pump described above, it follows that two parameters are set up in the following order:

1. Adjust piston position. It must be parallel to the other parts of the unit. Control of parallelism is carried out using calipers. The distortion of the body of the piston may occur due to the gap between its metal sleeve and the rod. To eliminate it, you need to wind the stock with foil until full parallelism is observed.
2. Check the coincidence of the axes of the rod and piston. When they are displaced, the entrance glass usually “fidgets” along the gasket. To eliminate it, it is necessary to disassemble and reassemble the assembly, temporarily securing the glass to the strip with pieces of adhesive tape while assembling.
3. Adjusting the distance between the piston and the seat. It should be about 0.5 mm. Adjustment is made by changing the number of washers with a thickness of 0.5 mm, mounted on the rod. This indent is necessary so that the air during the purge, and subsequently the water, passes into the outlet no obstacle, and when the pressure rises, the outlet opening is blocked by the piston.

With an increase in the number of washers, the piston approaches the saddle, so air will not pass through when it is blown through by mouth. Only with suction in both cases should the air circulate freely.

It happens that the piston rod is bent. Fix it is unlikely to succeed. However, if this did not affect the operation of the unit, it is possible to slightly correct the position by turning the gasket relative to the stem by 180º.

Properly configured and assembled vibration pump without a hose when immersed in a container of water should give a pressure of 0.2-0.3 m and work smoothly at a normal voltage in the mains 220V plus / minus 10B. If after setting up the equipment does not work or does not work satisfactorily, then it is necessary to establish the cause of the breakdown and eliminate it.

Typical faults and solutions

At observance of the rules of operation recommended by the manufacturer, the “Brook” pump rarely breaks. Most of the malfunctions are related to the violation of the equipment operation rules, they occur after 3-4 years of work without the necessary care.

In order to eliminate the clogging of the engine and the intake manifold of the vibrator, it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the water source, timely remove silt and sand deposits from the walls and bottom. Required pump a new well before commissioning.

Please note: if your pump is on warranty or service, then you can not open the case yourself and repair work! In this case, you must contact the service center or the seller of the equipment.

Those wishing to restore the device to work with their own hands will be helped by the following photo selection:

Consider the most common breakdowns of the domestic pump “Streamlet”, not related to factory defects and occurring during operation.

# 1: Replacing worn and broken valves

Hit of small stones and other foreign bodies often happens when using a pump for pumping drainage water from the basement, cleaning a well, etc. To avoid this, it is necessary to install an additional fine mesh filter, which is pulled onto the water intake part of the pump, where it is sucked in. water.

If the foreign body got inside the mechanism, then, most likely, it will pass through the built-in filter and stuck at the valve, and since the valve is made of waterproof rubber, then after a while it collapse.

A sign of destruction or excessive wear of the valve is a significant and progressive decrease in performance. Pump buzz at damage of the valve, as a rule, remains normal.

Repair of the pump in this case is easy to make, it is enough to replace the rubber valve, after dismantling the pump. Some users claim that a stopper from a medical vial can be used instead of a faulty valve.

This is not recommended, because Such a construction will not last for a long time, it is best to use a special repair kit for a vibration pump.

# 2: Peeling electromagnet filling

The separation of an electromagnet happens when a pump is in contact with the walls of a well, a well or a water tank. Such strokes will be synchronous, and their number exceeds 100 beats per minute.

The body of the unit does not withstand such a load and begins to heat up, which leads to detachment of the pouring from the electromagnet (core). The same happens if the pump runs dry without water for more than 5 seconds.

A sign of the detachment of the magnetic part is overheating of the pump and excessively intense vibration. To eliminate this problem, you must do the following:

1. Turn off the pump and raise it to the surface.
2. Disassemble by separating the electrical part and take out the electromagnet with the coils. For this grinder it is necessary to cut a shallow 1-2 mm grooves around the magnet
3. Cut through several similar grooves on the inside of the case.
4. Lubricate the element first with glue, then sealant, which is used for auto glass.
5. Mount the electromagnetic part in the housing and wait for it to solidify.

It is allowed to start the reassembly of the pump only after the final hardening of the adhesive.

# 3: Preventing hull depressurization

Depressurization of the hull leads to tangible interruptions in the water supply. To prevent it, you need to choose the right size. well pump or well. The unit in the process of work should not be in contact with the walls.

Diagnosing Symptom Problems

Do not let the pump work “dry”! To prevent such situations, the system is supplemented with an automation unit or a dry-running sensor.

It is also required to regularly conduct routine well inspections when friction occurs. walls should immediately lift the pump to the surface and eliminate the cause of friction by moving the pump.

Reason # 1: The pump is buzzing and not pumping.

This is the most common complaint of the owners of the “Streamlet” pumps: the unit is buzzing, but it does not pump water and the case does not heat up. There may be several reasons for a malfunction:

1. Loose piston fasteners. This is due to vibration and, in principle, inevitably after 2-3 years of operation. The use of additional washers will help to extend the service life of the mount. Repair in this case consists in tightening the piston nut or replacing it.
2. Valve damage. To fix the problem, it is necessary to disassemble the pump and inspect the valve. It may be deformed or broken by fine gravel or grains of sand. In this case, the replacement of the rubber valve with a new one will also help, but this replacement will have to be made regularly once every 1-2 years, depending on the intensity of the pump.
3. Worn rubber piston. You can determine by reducing the volume of pumped water, accompanied by an amplified pump buzz. It is treated by replacing the damaged flexible parts.
4. Bad shock mount. With this failure, the shock absorber does not fulfill its function, the rod dangles and the anchor knocks on the electromagnet. Repair - tightening and / or replacing the shock absorber nuts.
5. Breakage or destruction of stock. Occurs due to intense mechanical stress. This is the most difficult case of failure. Repair is the complete replacement of a broken part. In this case, it would be advisable to consider the option of buying a new household pump.

If you find that your “trickle” is buzzing, but does not pump water, you must immediately disconnect it from the mains, lift it to the surface and look for the cause of the malfunction. Leave the pump running in this case is impossible!

Reason number 2: The pump heats up and hums very much

This fault is most often due to the fact that the equipment was working without immersion in water. Brook, like any other vibratory pump, has such a design, in which the cooling of all its elements occurs at the expense of the liquid pumped by it.

When the water level falls or the absence of it, the unit stops cooling and overheats. Most often, in such conditions, the electromagnetic part fails: the winding of the electromagnet burns out and it completely loses its properties, which means it does not provide vibration.

Independently repair the electromagnet is difficult, but possible. For repair you will need the following tools and materials:

• copper wire for winding diameter of 65 microns;
• PVC tube with a diameter of 4 mm;
• quick curing epoxy;
• soldering iron and electric stove;
• winding machine;
• hammer, flat screwdriver;
• protective equipment: welder mask and mittens.

Repair work associated with the use of a soldering iron and epoxy resin is best done in fresh air. In no case do not inhale the vapors of the resin, they are toxic and extremely negative effect on the lungs! The work must be done in gloves, avoiding contact with the skin.

Not superfluous when repairing the electromagnetic part of the pump will be an assistant who can hold the pump in his hands while removing the electromagnet from the coils.

Step-by-step repair instructions for the electromagnet of the “Streamlet” submersible pump:

1. We disassemble the pump and extract the electromagnet with the coils by heating the body with an electric hotplate. Epoxy resin surrounding the electromagnet under the influence of temperature will become soft and the element can be easily reached by gently tapping the unit on a wooden deck.
2. While the epoxy resin is not frozen, it is necessary to clean the inside of the pump from its residues.
3. Remove the electromagnet from the coils with a wooden block and a hammer. The assistant must hold the electromagnet in his hands, and you set the bar on the electromagnet and carefully beat it out, striking the bar with a hammer. Why is the element necessary to keep? This will prevent the coils from splitting, since You can better regulate the force of impact.
4. We unwind the burned-out windings of the coils and clean the remaining parts of the epoxy residue.
5. Using a winding machine, wind the coil to make 8-10 layers, and fix the last layer with cotton tape. At the beginning of the winding, put on the PVC tube, and fasten the coil frames to the electromagnet core.
6. The ends of the windings that are outside clean and solder with a soldering iron to obtain the desired connection. Bite off the excess winding.
7. Route the cable into the pump housing through the seal to the place where the electromagnet should be installed. The end of the cable is divided into separate wiring and strip them ends.
8. Twist the ends of the cable with the beginning of the windings of the electromagnet and coils and solder. Lower the electromagnet with the coils in place, at the same time removing excess cable. For a reliable fit of the electromagnet, use a hammer, striking them with precise pinpoint strikes through a wooden bar.
9. Clamp the housing of the unit and align it using the construction level. Stir the epoxy resin and pour around the coil to the upper edge of the electromagnet. We are waiting for 10-15 minutes to “epoxy” filled all the voids.

It takes at least 24 hours to harden the resin. After this time, collect the pump and test its operation by immersing it in a container with water.

Note that the repair of an electromagnet is a laborious process. In most cases, it is more expedient to purchase a new “Trickle” pump, but if you have the time and desire, you can try to make repairs with your own hands in accordance with the step-by-step instructions.

Reason number 3: The pump runs silently

“Streamlet” is not a pump that works in a sound condition silently, so the absence of a measured buzz should alert you no less than excessive noise.

When reducing the noise level is always significantly reduced. supply pressure. The reason for such a malfunction is that the voltage in the power network has dropped below the minimum permissible limit, i.e. below 180V. By reducing the voltage by 10%, the pump capacity is reduced by 50%.

In this case, the pump must be disconnected from the power supply and measures should be taken to set the normal voltage, for example, use a special stabilizer.

If the voltage in the electrical network is too high, the “Brook” pump does not turn on, because protection works.

Prevention of breakdowns of the pump unit

Observing the rules of operation recommended by manufacturers, you will reduce the risk of breakdown of pumping equipment to a minimum, and it will serve you for many years.

Basic operating rules:

• Do not allow the pump to run without water.
• Do not use the pump if there is an unstable voltage in the mains.
• Do not operate the pump with a damaged power cord or housing.
• Do not move the unit by the power cord.
• Do not pinch the hose to increase the head.
• Do not pump water with dirt, impurities, debris.

When installing the pump in the well, it is necessary to put on it a protective ring made of rubber that will protect the equipment from impacts against the walls.

The unit can be turned on / off only by means of a plug or a two-pole switch embedded in a fixed wiring system.

During the operation of the “Rucheek” vibration pump, it is necessary to perform a preventive inspection in a timely manner and monitor the quality of the pumped water. If the water enters dirty, the pump must be turned off and check its position relative to the bottom.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video # 1. Repair of the pump “Cricket” - a complete analogue of the “Stream”:

Video # 2. Visual demonstration of repair of the vibration pump:

The electric pump “Streamlet” is a simple and reliable unit. In the event of a breakdown, you can fix it yourself, saving a lot on repairs. But the best option would be to prevent the pump from failing. It is not difficult to do this, it is necessary to carefully study the operating instructions and implement timely maintenance and monitoring of the equipment.

Have questions or a desire to share the experience gained during the summer vibration pump? Please write comments. Post posts with your opinion and photos on the topic.