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Having a well on your property is quite profitable, but to draw water from it you will need any pump. Submersible and surface pumps are best suited for these purposes. To simplify the process of water intake, the water supply system uses an automatic well pump, which almost every owner can install independently.
Operating principle and existing types of automation
There is no point in buying automation for surface pumps used only for watering the garden. You can turn it on yourself for a certain time and then turn it off. But connecting a well pump to the water supply system of the entire house cannot be done without a smart device. When giving preference to one or another automation model, you must first find out what protection system is already installed in the pump by the manufacturer. Typically, modern units are already equipped with protection against overheating and dry running.Sometimes a float is included in the package. Based on these data, we begin to select automation for the pump, which is presented to the consumer in 3 options.
The simplest automation of the 1st generation
This protection is most often used for automated water supply. Automation consists of 3 devices:
- The dry run blocker will turn off operating unit without water, protecting it from overheating. Sometimes you can additionally install a float switch. It plays the same role, turning off the pump when the water level drops, preventing it from overheating during dry running. At first glance, the devices are primitive, but they protect the engine effectively.
- Hydraulic accumulator is an integral part of 1st generation automation. Sometimes this is inconvenient, but without it you won’t be able to automate the water supply. The automatic hydraulic accumulator of a submersible pump works as a water storage tank. Inside there is a working mechanism - a membrane.
- Relay monitors the water pressure in the accumulator. A pressure gauge must be installed on it, allowing you to configure the parameters for the operation of the relay contacts.
It is easiest to install any pump with 1st generation automation, since there is no complex electrical circuit. The system works simply. When water flow begins, the pressure in the accumulator decreases. Having reached the lower limit, the relay turns on the pump to pump a new portion of water into the tank. When the pressure in the accumulator reaches the upper limit, the relay turns off the unit.During operation, the cycle repeats. The minimum and maximum pressure in the accumulator is regulated using a relay. The device sets the lower and upper response limits, and a pressure gauge helps with this.
Electronic automation 2nd generation
The 2nd generation automatic control device is an electronic unit with a set of sensors. The latter are located on the pump itself, as well as inside the pipeline, and allow the system to operate without a hydraulic accumulator. The signal from the sensors is received by the electronic unit, where the operation of the system is controlled.
How an installed sensor can replace a hydraulic accumulator can be understood by the operation of the system. Water accumulation occurs only in the pipeline where one of the sensors is installed. When the pressure decreases, the sensor sends a signal to the control unit, which, in turn, turns on the pump. After the water pressure in the pipeline is restored, a signal to turn off the unit is sent according to the same scheme.
To install such automation you will need basic knowledge of electrical engineering. The operating principle of 1st and 2nd generation protection is almost the same - based on water pressure. However, an electronic unit with sensors is much more expensive, which does not make it popular among users. Automation also allows you to refuse to use a hydraulic accumulator, although it often helps out during a power outage. There is always a supply of water left in the container.
Advanced electronic automation 3rd generation
The most reliable and efficient is the 3rd generation automation. Its cost is quite high, but it saves significant energy thanks to precise tuning of the engine operation. It is better to entrust the connection of such an automatic unit to a specialist.The 3rd generation automation 100% protects the engine from all kinds of breakdowns: overheating from dry running, combustion of windings due to voltage drop, etc.
As in the 2nd generation analogue, the automation operates from sensors without a hydraulic accumulator. But the essence of its effective work lies in fine settings. The fact is that any pump electric motor, when turned on, pumps water at full power, which is not always required when its flow rate is low. The 3rd generation automation switches on the engine at the power required for a certain amount of water intake and flow. This saves energy and extends the service life of the unit.
Purpose of the pump control cabinet
Connecting the pump to the automation is not complete without installing an electrical cabinet. It is especially important in a water supply system powered by a submersible unit. All control, monitoring and fuses are located inside the cabinet.
The automatic machines installed in the cabinet perform a smooth start of the engine. Easy access to the equipment allows you to adjust the frequency converter, measure current characteristics at the terminals, and adjust the rotation speed of the pump shaft. If several wells with pumps are used, all control devices can be placed in one cabinet. The photo shows a typical diagram of equipment that may be located in a cabinet.
The video talks about pump control:
“Aquarius” is the best solution for home water supply
The market offers consumers a huge selection of pumping equipment.For a home water supply system, the best option is a submersible pump for wells and wells “Aquarius” from domestic manufacturers. The units have long proven themselves to be high-performance, long service life and high-quality workmanship. In addition to these advantages, the price of the product is several times lower than that of imported analogues with similar characteristics.
The submersible pump operates underwater. It is often undesirable to remove the unit from there. “Aquarius”, like all submersible analogues, is made in the form of an elongated capsule. The body is made of stainless steel. There are 2 loops on the top for securing the safety rope. In the center there is a pipe for fixing the supply pipe. The power cable enters the housing through a sealed connection. Inside the housing there is an electric motor, on the shaft of which impellers are mounted in a separate working chamber. In terms of design and method of water intake, Aquarius is classified as a centrifugal unit.
The surface-mounted unit is superior to a submersible well pump in its ease of start-up. It is enough to apply power, and the blades will immediately begin to capture water, supplying it to the system. To start a surface pump, you will have to pump water into the intake pipe and working chamber with an impeller through the filler hole. Aquarius pumps are produced in various capacities and sizes. In everyday life, models with a diameter of 110–150 mm are used, depending on the cross-section of the well casing pipe.
The video tells how to choose a pump and what models there are:
Installing a submersible pump and connecting it to automation
The connection diagram for the submersible unit depends on what kind of automation is used for the pump, and it is usually reflected in the operating manual.As an example, let's look at the option of assembling a circuit with class 1 automation powered by a hydraulic accumulator.
These videos show you step by step how to install a submersible pump:
Work begins with tying the hydraulic accumulator. According to the diagram, equipment is connected to it one by one. All threaded connections are sealed with fume tape. In the photo you can see the order of assembly.
The first to screw onto the threads of the hydraulic accumulator is the “American” one. This detachable connection will be useful in the future for servicing the water storage tank, often associated with replacing the rubber membrane. A bronze adapter with threaded elbows is screwed onto the American free thread. A pressure gauge and pressure switch are screwed into them. Next, attach one end of the PVC supply pipe using an adapter fitting to the end of the bronze adapter on the hydraulic accumulator. The other end of the pipe is fixed with a fitting to the pump nozzle.
The supply pipe with the pump is laid on a flat area. A safety cable with a reserve length of about 3 m is attached to the loops on the body of the unit. The cable and cable are fixed to the pipe in increments of 1.5–2 m with plastic clamps. The free end of the cable is secured near the well casing. Now all that remains is to lower the pump inside the well and tighten the safety rope. The casing is covered with a protective cap to prevent clogging of the well.
When everything is ready, the cable is connected to the relay and led to the electrical control cabinet. After turning on for the first time, the pump will immediately begin pumping water into the hydraulic tank. At this stage, you must immediately open the water tap to bleed out the air.
When the water begins to flow evenly without air impurities, close the tap and look at the pressure gauge.Usually the relay is already adjusted to the upper water pressure parameter - 2.8 atm, and the lower limit - 1.5 atm. If the pressure gauge shows different data, the relay must be adjusted with the screws located inside the housing.
Installation diagram of a surface pump with automation
The assembly diagram of a system with a surface pump has several distinctive nuances. The entire chain of automation is assembled using the same method as for a deep-well pump. But since the unit is installed near a well, a PVC water intake pipe with a diameter of 25–35 mm is connected to its input. A check valve is attached to its other end using a fitting, and then lowered into the well. The length of the pipe is selected so that the check valve is immersed in water to a depth of about 1 m, otherwise the pump will capture air.
Before starting the engine for the first time, it is necessary to pour water through the filler hole to fill the intake pipe and the working chamber of the pump. If all connections are made tightly, after switching on the pump will immediately begin pumping water.
A well equipped with an automatic water supply system will create comfortable living in a private home and ensure timely watering of the garden plot.
Thank you very informative article, diagram, step-by-step connection, installation video. In general!!!