Dave, When my El Sids started failing years ago, I spoke with Dan and he recommended a voltage regulator to prevent the fluctuations and spikes. I installed one which seemed to help, but did not stop the failures. My memory is that he didn't have much else to say at the time other than there must have been a problem in the system. My impression was they were susceptible to voltage excursions more than the average. None-the-less, I need to find a different efficient pump that doesn't cost $300 a pop. I've seen some imported DC pumps that are very inexpensive - even if they don't last a long time, perhaps that may work for now. Howie
*Howie Michaelson**Sun Catcher* *NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™* *Solar Electric Systems Sales & Service802-272-0004* On Wed, Sep 16, 2020 at 12:13 PM Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar < [email protected]> wrote: > I have not seen electronics fail in an El Cid from Ivan labs fail. > Probably only 4 installed. The one here is 15 years old on my domestic hot > water. The others are still working, I think. > > Talk to Dan at Ivan and see what he says. There was not a website really > (last time I looked) but here is the number > > ivan labs 561-747-5354 Talk with Dan > > > > *Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar > "we go where powerlines don't" > http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ <http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/> > e-mail [email protected] <[email protected]> > text 209 813 0060* > > On Wed, 16 Sep 2020 09:55:31 -0600, Ray <[email protected]> wrote: > > I've always suspected that one of the issues was the variable voltage of > DC systems. Batteries get low, and the current increases quite a bit, cold > weather or EQing and the voltage can get really high and cause problems. > The total variation just seems to take out a fair bit of both brushes and > controls. This is just my long standing theory however, and I don't have > Lab results. > > I actually had similar problems on 120 vac, when I lived on the edge of > the grid. Voltage varied from 90 to 145 vac, and cooked quite a few things > like washing machine controls (every 3 months or so) Once I put in a > backup power system to protect those circuits, the controls lasted for a > decade. > > Ray Walters > Remote Solar > 303 505-8760 > > On 9/15/20 10:29 PM, Sindelar Solar wrote: > > This has been my experience as well, although I can't give such specific > rationale as to why the El Sids failed - the electronics just usually and > eventually fail in my battery-based hydronic system. The Marches just > eventually wear out. > > Allan > On 9/15/2020 9:57 PM, Howie Michaelson wrote: > > Dave, > I used to use El Sids a lot in SHW systems with direct PV drive for the > glycol circulation. I've long stopped installing SHW, but have used them > in off grid hydronic heat systems as well. The electronics have failed on > many of these pumps over the years. They seem particularly intolerant of > higher voltages, even small ones, which if they are being driven off > battery voltage, is hard to avoid. None-the-less while I really liked the > El Sids, they were too expensive to have as many failures as they did. I'm > familiar with March pumps as well, but they always seem to fail prematurely > as well, for even more money. I was hoping there might be a suitable > replacement for a somewhat less expensive alternative. > Howie > > *Howie Michaelson **Sun Catcher* > > *NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™ * > > *Solar Electric Systems Sales & Service 802-272-0004* > > On Tue, Sep 15, 2020 at 10:29 AM Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Why did the El Sid fail? The one way I have seen them fail, and any pump >> for that matter is rain water that has (for some reason) lower than a >> normal PH. Below from wiki. >> >> Normal, clean rain has a *pH* value of between 5.0 and 5.5, which is >> slightly acidic. However, when rain combines with sulfur dioxide or >> nitrogen oxides—produced from power plants and automobiles—the rain becomes >> much more acidic. Typical acid rain has a *pH* value of 4.0. >> >> >> >> *Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar >> "we go where powerlines don't" >> http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ <http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/> >> e-mail [email protected] <[email protected]> >> text 209 813 0060* >> >> On Mon, 14 Sep 2020 23:49:35 -0400, Howie Michaelson < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> Hi All, >> I need to replace 3-5 El Sid pumps I'm using in a low volume hydronic >> heating system. Other than laing pumps, are there any recommendations for >> 12, 24, or 48 vDC pumps? Having magnetic drives that mate with the >> impeller body of the El Sids, would be a bonus. >> Thanks, >> Howie >> >> *Howie Michaelson **Sun Catcher* >> >> *NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™ * >> >> *Solar Electric Systems Sales & Service 802-272-0004* >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >> >> List Address: [email protected] >> >> Change listserver email address & 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 or update participant bios: >> www.members.re-wrenches.org >> > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & > 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 or update participant bios:www.members.re-wrenches.org > > -- > > *Allan Sindelar* > [email protected] > NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional > New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician > Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc. > *505 780-2738 cell* > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & > 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 or update participant bios:www.members.re-wrenches.org > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & 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 or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > >
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