Very helpful thank you. I replaced the micro switch, and added a relay, using your pin wiring info. Working great now.

Thanks for going to the trouble of making this video and of being so honest in the video. I have these pumps in my houseboat in Qld and the first one failed within a month. So I'll take you advice and replace the micro switch and get the relay. You've saved me a lot of head scratching!

@FixTechStuff

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, 1 month! Yes definitely do that and have spares ready. How many volts was it running on?

keep up the good work

Perfect review! thanks for sharing. you might have better pressure with a smaller pipe! a run on timer (most i have seen are 240v and die in a year or 2) would allow setting a minimum time to stay on which im sure you've already figured out! thanks for this mate!

@FixTechStuff

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! You're right about the smaller pipe, I believe the big issue is the pressure switch is not capable of supplying a whole house. Another commenter talking about the pressure vessel was on the money, although I don't want to go down that route. I had rigged up an Arduino and MOSFET switch, which would stay on for 3 seconds at a time, it worked brilliantly but it would fail occasionally and stay on. I'll release a new video soon, with a new 24V DC pump.

Nice fix, I am having the same problem, but I am confused by your wiring method. Do you need to jump a 12v+ lead off the incoming 12v+ from term 30 to the micro switch and then back to term 85 then complete the circuit term 86 to the 12v-, thanks

@FixTechStuff

2 жыл бұрын

Here is the pinout I used, I hope this helps: 87 - Positive, red wire to pump motor 30 - DC positive in
 Microswitch 1 86 - Microswitch 2 85 - DC negative in
 Negative, black wire to pump motor Note pins 30 and 85 both have 2 wires joined together. I'm really disappointed that I forgot to include this in the video because wiring relays is a real bother.

Hope you can HELP: I have an off grid weekender. I purchased a second hand wood fired water heater. It has a large pressure reducer on the cold water inlet at the bottom of the 150 Lt tank. As it is an open system, I have a copper pipe coming out of the top of the heater and going up 6 meters with a shepherds crook on the top. Just above the heater I have tee'd off my hot water outlet pipe. My problem is that I am trying to feed hot water to my outdoor bathroom. Bathroom is built up about 1.5 meters from the ground to accommodate the composting toilet under floor tank. (My wood heater is at ground level on the outside of the bush bathroom) My problem is that I get low pressure hot water at the bathroom sink but no hot water flow at the shower rose. Looking for a solution to be able to shower with the hot water from this low pressure water heater. My thoughts to date: 1. Inline 12v pump on the hot outlet side of heater. Problem with hot water damaging pump & inability of pump to suck water from top of heater. 2. Purchase 44 gallon plastic drum, install drum under bathroom unit, fit a float valve 1/2 way up, connect hot water to float valve inlet. (this drum should fill quite quickly as it is same level as the base of heater) Then install a 12v demand pump that can manage warm or hot water and have the ability to pump up at least 3 meters to shower head. 3. Try and increase the pressure into the base of the water heater unit, just enough to get water flow to the shower without having water coming out of the shepherds crook (6M up) Not sure how I would, or could do this. Any help or advise would be very gratefully received. I'm an aged pensioner, presently using a 3kva petrol generator to heat water in an electric heater but can no longer afford the petrol.

@FixTechStuff

2 жыл бұрын

By open system you mean the heating tank is open to the atmosphere? If you can, try and put a pump before the heater. Otherwise, the pump should be able to handle the temperature range, but I would think it would last longer with cooler water. There are DC pumps specifically for recirculating hot water in solar hot water systems, I was looking at them years back as I have some solar hot water panels I'm not using yet. You could have one hooked up to a switch for when you have a shower, and just turn it off when done.

It's currently 1am here in Queensland Australia and I've been trying to fix my water pump for two hours. I finally discovered that just as Fixtechstuff suggested, it IS my microswitch that's at fault. In fact I discovered it almost by accident because when I pressed one of the wires leading to where the microswitch lives, suddenly the pump started working again. I kept my finger on that wire while my partner filled a water container up so at least we'd have some water for overnight. What I was doing was, by pressing that wire, I was somehow pressing the microswitch. Well I kept this up for a while but after about a minute of this, my finger got really hot and then after another minute the microswitch housing started smoking! This is on a boat so obviously that could easily have caused a fire onboard. A few minutes later I found this video that explains a little more about what fixtechstuff is saying. It's not as good a video but it does show in more detail WHY that microswitch is such a piece of DANGEROUS crap; kzread.info/dash/bejne/mWlkvNCYcdK0kaQ.html

@FixTechStuff

2 жыл бұрын

Yes it is dangerous. That's enough current to start a fire, definitely something to keep in mind in boats or caravans. Be careful with the screws when removing the pressure switch, the relay mod early on will help prevent microswitch burn out and thus avoid damaging the threads. I must have taken mine apart about 6 or 7 times.

@susansinclair4914

2 жыл бұрын

I've taken mine to my local auto electrician in order to get the relay wired in as I just couldn't get my head around the wiring (I'm almost 68 years old so that's my excuse anyway). However, he tells me he is having a lot of trouble getting hold of DV micro switches. He thinks he may have just ONE left in stock but as I have several of these pumps, I now need to find out where I can get them. Do you have the part number of the micro switch so I can look online? Can you remember where you got yours? Mine is marked DEFOND 151314 250V DMC115 12 Amp DMC 1112 2114 However it's possible I might have some of those details wrong because the markings on the switch are very feint and very small.

@FixTechStuff

2 жыл бұрын

@@susansinclair4914 Any microswitch will do as long as they physically fit, all the ones I have seen are both AC and DC. I have never seen a DC only microswitch in this size. I buy whatever is available on AliExpress. With the relay modification it only carries a tiny amount of current, just enough to open the relay. For example this one on AliExpress is quite OK. s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AWKhMn

Firstly, great video & I was really surprised you fitted the relay as I was curious if I had to do the same as this is what I did/HAD TO DO with my surflo along with an accumulator tank. Otherwise, my pressure switch would just blow out which would only be weeks or a few months at best. After fitting a relay & accumulator tank, the pump & same switch has lasted something like 6 years!!! It actually still works, but I think the seals are blown as water pisses out from the body of the pump. So I really don’t know why these things aren’t built WITH AN ALREADY FITTED RELAY with a suggestion to also incorporate an accumulator tank it the pump is going to be used regularly over time. Note to those living in Australia, Jaycar has those pressure switches which are cheap as. I didn’t know this at first and I was ordering off line or at a boat shop for some fcuking ridiculous price.

@FixTechStuff

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! And thanks for the info. I must admit I have made mistakes in that video, I'm not clever enough with relays, a spark arrestor of some kind would have helped the relays last longer. I think the big issues I missed were, just running the 12V pump off 24V was a bad idea, in my case buying a 24V pump would have been smarter, you can also run it off a car battery in an emergency and it will handle that without overloading anything. Also the main feed line to my house is 16mm when I should have used 20mm. I actually tried an Arduino uno with a Mosfet switch which worked flawlessly until one day the Arduino locked up without my knowledge and it stayed on for a few hours, the pump was a bit worse for wear after that. I've since upgraded to a 24V Seaflo which I did a short video on, its behaving itself even without a relay so far. Probably a better solution would be using the MOSFET instead of a relay, 3D printing a box or coating it in epoxy to waterproof it. No moving parts except the microswitch would help it last longer.

@susansinclair4914

Жыл бұрын

Can you please tell me what accumulator tank you bought? Also, where you got it? Many thanks.

@stevej.6674

Жыл бұрын

@@susansinclair4914 Sorry for the late reply.....I cannot remember the exact size but its only fairly small, like a 1ltr tank???? its about the size of a large grapefruit for lack of a better description. I bought my accumulator tank from Aquafier Pumps Brendale Brisbane QLD. Dont know how relevant that'll be for you though.....In any case my Ozito water pump is still working perfectly along with the accumulator tank.

Just a heads up, my 40A relay did eventually burn out also, it may have been water ingress. I would definitely find a heavier 24V relay if you are running one over voltage like I am. Perhaps someone familiar with relays can comment here, maybe there is a better type, with resistor or diode, or a spark arrestor that helps.

@FixTechStuff

2 жыл бұрын

They didn't teach me anything about relays in school! Life is unfair!

Hi mate, I’m thinking of installing one in a caravan. I have removed all 12v wiring because I hope to only stay in caravan parks and connect to 240v. I want to install this pump under my sink and plug it into a cigarette plug female adaptor/inverter which plugs into 240v plug (costs about $20 on eBay). Will I have issues with this like it looks like you have? Why didn’t you go down this path?

@FixTechStuff

3 жыл бұрын

You may have issues, but can worry about that when you come to it. I suggest having a spare microswitch handy (or pressure switch assembly if you can find one) at the bare minimum. I already had a good quality 240V pump. My reason for the 12V one is efficiency with off grid power and lack of sufficient batteries. Yes the 240V adapter would make sense, but its running fine on 28V currently, so I'm happy with that. Inverters lose a certain amount due to inefficiency so I've gone down the DC path for my lighting (30V DC/DC converter) and DC water pump. Even without my inverter switched on my entire house's lighting and water runs directly from solar power even in winter.

Nice bhai

@FixTechStuff

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for dropping by. Another DIY Tech channel to subscribe to, you have some cool videos. 👍🏼

Howdy. I have this pump but when I run the shower I need to cut the pressure right back on the gas califont so it gets hot enough. That makes the pump keep clicking off and on. Is it possible to change the psi of the pressure switch so it stays on in lower pressure? Also, whats the point of the relay? I don't really understand those. Thanks

@FixTechStuff

2 жыл бұрын

Hello. The point of the relay is the full load is carried through the tiny microswitch, I burnt out a few before I released adding a relay would make a difference. On my gas hot water system I adjusted the temperature to make it work better. I also removed the reducer in the shower head. Clicking on and off is inevitable, I do have future plans for a MOSFET based controller and a seperate pressure switch. You may be able to adjust the pressure switch to better position, a tap near the pump with a hose leading back into the tank can save a lot of headaches.

@mrspoonhead

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the reply. I think i get it with the relay. So the switch is just a trigger without carrying the full amps through it. I think its time to get a bigger callifont. Thanks for your help and the video.

Hi again. I commented three months ago that my pumps were lasting about a month. I have since gone through THREE more of these pumps. I bought them at Bunnings so can take them back for a refund but as I live over an hour from the nearest Bunnings it's a pain in the butt to keep taking them back. I was running mine on 12volts. I have gone through five or six pumps in the last 6 months! I have now got the Narva relay you had. Can you please tell me exactly which wire goes to which spade connector on the relay? I have watched your video several times but can't quite make out how to wire it. Many thanks in advance if you can help.

@FixTechStuff

2 жыл бұрын

Sorry to hear you've had so much drama. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pin 30 goes to 12V DC Positive terminal and also 1 side of the microswitch. Pin 87 goes to the red wire on the pump motor. Pin 86 goes to the other wire on the micro switch. Pin 85 goes to 12V DC Negative terminal and also the black wire on the pump. So the ground wire is always connected directly to pin 85 and the pump. The positive wire is switched, it connects to one side of the microswitch and pin 30 When the microswitch triggers it puts 12V onto Pin 86 which then in turn closes the contacts between pin 87 and pin 30 making the pump turn on. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If the microswitch has 3 terminals, you need to choose a pair that are switched when the relay switch is open, otherwise the pump will just go all the time and stop when you open the tap! I'm planning a 2nd video on this topic and will include the relay wiring in detail on that, but also an electronic option I've been working on. It's not quite 100% yet, so still some more bugs to iron out. That being said, a relay like the Narva one or heavier like off a truck headlight will make a big difference over just using the microswitch. Hope that helps.

@susansinclair4914

2 жыл бұрын

@@FixTechStuff Thank you so much. We're down to our last working pump so I will get onto the wiring tomorrow. Thanks so much for the advice.

@susansinclair4914

2 жыл бұрын

@@FixTechStuff My last remaining pump went on us tonight. So we are onboard our boat with no water for showers or taps etc. Yet, ironically, it's pouring down outside! I tried to follow your instructions but as it's midnight here in Queensland, I'm too tired. I also tried to follow your video wiring but as it was sped up, I couldn't make out all the wiring. Your video is great. But if you can make another one and include the wiring as you have suggested, I believe it will help people even more than this original video because, if my experience of these pumps is anything to go by, a LOT of other people are going to have their pumps fail just as mine has. Thanks again.

How do you get to the micro switch?

@FixTechStuff

Жыл бұрын

You need to remove the 2 screws on the front of it and the pressure switch and microswitch part comes off, it's just held together by some clips. Be very careful with those screws so you don't butcher them like I did.

Ozito short for Ozi Tools (Aussie Tools)

17psi isnt enough to hose down anything. Spend the extra money if need pressure. The pump draws 4.5amps while my johnson is 16amps but will do 70PSI

@FixTechStuff

2 жыл бұрын

That's good to know, how many litres per minute is it?

Use a DC microswitch. The AC one supplied will not last on DC power. It should not pass AUST Standards with AC switch..

forget all this garbage you will be chasing your tail for ever, if you want to stop the pump from clicking on and off and burning out, get a Tank Accumulator, that will fix the constant clicking on off as it actually fixes the pressure problem, this hack is trying to cover a problem not actually fix it so get it back to 12v. Tank Accumulator cost like $40, they are a must for these style of pumps, also save you a tonne of power likely would have allowed you to run on that battery longer, that clicking is startup draw so uses max amps every time it clicks on. If it was me, id put it back on a 12v battery, attach a $60 Epever water proof Mppt solar controller, and hook an old secondhand panel to that 12v battery, and ad the Accumulator tank. It Might set you back $150-$250 todo it, but you wont have to worry about swapping out all this crap every five minutes. reliable water supply is pretty damn important, so spend a few bucks and do it right IMO. plus it wont be a drain on your main solar system having it on its own system. if you had a 200-250watt panel on that battery you would more than likely be running it all day with out using any battery, so if you had a cheap 100ah Agm on it, you should have heaps of power for the night

@FixTechStuff

Жыл бұрын

I am aware of Tank Accumulators, I used to have 1 or 2 on 240V pumps. I may look into one, but currently it isn't necessary. Another fix will be a more suitable pressure switch, basically the highest pressure one they sell. I did upgrade, but it made no difference. Currently the pump doesn't click on and off on the tap right near it, but does on anything in the house. So sorting this out, possibly with an external pressure switch is one priority. On top of that, the problem still stands, you can't deliver 20A through the tiny contacts of a microswitch forever, it needs a good solid relay at bare minimum. Previously I ran the pump on hail damaged solar panels and whatever old car batteries I had, but since they've died I don't want to keep spending money on them. I will never go back to 12V battery, not with cheap lithium ion batteries, especially with the DIY power wall route. I already have the infrastructure and its working well for me. My problems with the pump has since been solved using a cheap Arduino and Mosfet, I'll do an updated video on it in future.

@susansinclair4914

Жыл бұрын

@@FixTechStuff Hi I am still going through these pumps and one I fitted four days ago has already bit the dust. I did get DC microswitches which, as they were physically larger, I had to adapt. I also had an auto electrician wire up a relay. This worked well for a few months but then, one day, the pump got stuck on and wouldn't switch off so I had to put in a new pump. I didn't have time to put in the relay myself so it's yet another job to do! I am interested in getting an accumulator tank and maybe the Arduino and Mosfet (although I have no idea what these are!). I'd appreciate you letting me know what accumulator you were considering and also, if I'm not asking too much, what Arduino and Mosfet you used are. Many thanks.

@FixTechStuff

Жыл бұрын

@@susansinclair4914 I can't recommend the Arduino controller and mosfet because it froze up and ruined my pump, it's just not reliable enough. Perhaps a good mosfet on its own may work in place of the relay. It's a solid state relay, so if it's heavy enough it won't burn out. I may do a video on this in future. An accumulator is just a pressure tank with a rubber balloon in it, you pump air to a certain pressure on one side and it accumulates a large volume of water so the pump doesn't need to cycle or chatter. If a pump still chatters with an accumulator or a tap open fully then there is a problem with the hose size not letting it flow the correct volume of water and or a problem with the pressure switch. Pressure switches are rated on PSI.

@FixTechStuff

Жыл бұрын

@@susansinclair4914 Here's a link to accumulators, there are Seaflo ones which should suit your pump nicely. ebay.us/PGDP3m

@susansinclair4914

Жыл бұрын

@@FixTechStuff Thank you so very much!