Re: [RE-wrenches] Booster Pump/Slowpump information

[Allan Sindelar]

Bob, This doesn't make sense to me. A 12V standard-speed model #2920 runs 22A max; 24V is 11A max. A low-speed model #2910 runs 15A and 7.5A max respectively. I would think that you could have used a circuit breaker to satisfy the inspector, then added a time-delay fuse of the correct amperage for your application in addition to the CB. The instructions in the manual are pretty clear (although if I used an ATC fuse it would have to be after the inspector left; AGC time-delay would more closely meet Code...): FAILURE TO INSTALL A FUSE OR BREAKER equal to or less than the motor's Max Amps rating WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY. If water flow becomes blocked, or if the pump jams or freezes and cannot turn freely, the motor will draw excessive current. A fuse or circuit breaker will then break the circuit. Without such a "safety valve", a minor fault can burn your motor and wiring. Install a fuse or breaker with an AMP RATING close to the "MAX AMPS" rating of your motor, OR LESS (but not more higher). If a Linear Current Booster is being used (for array-direct Slowpumps) install the fuse between the booster and the pump. Use the rating recommended for the booster or for the pump, WHICHEVER IS LESS. This fuse will protect the booster as well as the motor and wiring from overload. FUSES: Use a “time-delay” type. The 3" paper cartridge type is good, and may be installed into a raintight disconnect switch available at any electric supplier. An automotive in-line fuse holder is fine for 12 or 24V systems. Automotive blade fuses (type ATC) are preferred over glass fuses. They have sufficient time-delay. (Time-delay glass fuses are available from ELECTRONIC suppliers only, not automotive.) Use good quality fuse holders, protected from weather. Keep spare fuses handy. Never substitute a larger fuse! CIRCUIT BREAKERS: Most AC breakers cannot be used for low voltage DC circuits. We recommend only the SQUARE-D® QO or QB-series which been rated safe up to 48 volts DC. A 10 amp size is available, but not in most stores. It may be ordered from your PV dealer or from an electric supplier. Locking up is usually a result of freezing. I have seen one motor ruined in all of my years with this pump, and it was the result of freezing and improper fusing. If the pump is installed correctly, and the correct inlet fitting with safety screen is used, there is little else to cause a lockup. And the fuse protection is designed to protect the pump in the event of such damage. Freezing solid will usually ruin the head but not the motor if it's fused correctly. Allan Allan Sindelar al...@positiveenergysolar.com NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician Positive Energy, Inc. 3201 Calle Marie Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 505 424-1112 www.positiveenergysolar.com On 10/20/2011 4:09 PM, bob ellison wrote: I HAD one installed and the inspector would not let me use an inline fuse (seems like it was a 1 amp) so we had to run it from a breaker and it locked up and let the smoke out of it.   Just another experience, Bob Ellison     From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Roy Butler Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 5:33 PM To: al...@positiveenergysolar.com; RE-wrenches Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Booster Pump/Slowpump information   Thank you Allan, this is really good information. I have about 35 of these in the field at this time and I'll need this info soon, I'm sure! Roy Butler NABCEP Certified Small Wind Installer® NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer® NYSERDA eligible PV & wind installer Four Winds Renewable Energy, LLC 8902 Route 46 Arkport, NY 14807 607-324-9747   www.four-winds-energy.com   Although no trees were killed in the sending of this message, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.                   On 10/20/2011 4:10 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote: Wrenches: This information is important to those companies that have customers with Dankoff/Flowlight Booster Pumps and Slowpumps. These pumps use DC motors to drive rotary vane positive displacement pump heads made by Procon. Windy Dankoff developed these pumps about 30 years ago and I think thousands have been sold. Other than the quirkiness of their need for fine (10 micron) filtration on the intake side, and the relative unreliability of the optional dry run protection thermal snap switch, the pumps are exceptionally well-made and long-lasting, in my experience. Early (before around 1998) pumps were sold under the "Flowlight" name; then under "Dankoff Solar Pumps" name until Conergy bought Dankoff around 2004. The pumps had Conergy's name on them until around two years ago, when Conergy closed its sales and distribution of water pumping, solar thermal, and wind products. Innovative Solar bought the water pumping line and restored the "Dankoff Pumps" name. Innovative Solar became Argand, and changed their distribution model in order to not compete with their dealers (attaboy!); Dankoff Pumps, while owned by Argand, is wholesale only; new dealers must place a minimum stocking order. The pumps continue to be manufactured here in Santa Fe by the same folks that have made and serviced them for years, and quality and support remain high. Dankoff Pumps website is currently www.Dankoff-Pumps.com. Note the hyphen; www.Dankoffpumps.com takes you to a (currently closed) online store, with referral links to Dankoff Pumps for dealers who want to become dealers. Dankoff Pumps will soon be either moving to or adding www.DankoffSolarPumps.com as well, I understand, but this hasn't happened yet. Contact Dankoff Pumps at m...@dankoff-pumps.com. The Procon heads wear out. New replacement heads are available through Dankoff Pumps (and probably other sources as well). However, the heads are rebuildable, and the cost is much less than new. We always ask customers for their old pump heads in exchange for new or rebuilt ones. The rebuilder is Edco Service Center, 8220 Belvedere Ave., Suite F, Sacramento, CA 95826; 916-454-1445. The contact person there is Sandie, san...@edcodistributing.com. Recently we learned some critical information related to pump rebuilding: the heads may rebuilt in many configurations, and it's essential to specify that the pump heads must be for potable water applications. This has to do with the amount of lead in various internal components. According to Sandie at Edco, you must specify a 114E head. According to Matt at Dankoff Pumps, the full designation is 114E240F11XX for the Booster Pump head and this should be specified in full. All original Booster Pump and Slowpump heads were acceptable for potable water; however, due to a mixup of indeterminable cause, we were recently sent a set of 104 rebuilt heads, which aren't (according to the State of California) suitable for potable applications due to lead content. To their credit, Edco will re-rebuild these heads to potable standards at no cost to us save shipping, but this seemed to me to be a good opportunity to share this information widely with other water pumping Wrenches. Allan -- Allan Sindelar al...@positiveenergysolar.com NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician Positive Energy, Inc. 3201 Calle Marie Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 505 424-1112 www.positiveenergysolar.com     _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine   List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org   Options & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org   List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org   List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm   Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org   _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org

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