That solar pump problem...

[Hogarth]

This evening my solar pump packed up while pumping hot wort and refused to start working again -- seems to be a rite of passage. I let it cool off, but even after a couple of hours it wouldn't spin: it just whimpered quietly. So I took the head off and began rotating the impellor by hand -- after a few seconds, amazingly, it came alive again. Hallelujah!

No idea what's going on here -- a bit of grain I didn't see? Or something to do with the electronics? Not a clue, but I thought I'd mention it -- maybe someone else can get theirs going again.

[Fil]

there is a deep clean procedure thought i had a linky.. sorry not on this puter..
the chap at the solarprojects shop has probably got a stock email for brewers, and has posted instructions here a while back too... thats what i was looking for the link to..
http://shop.solarproject.co.uk/Solar-Pr ... s-c-2.html

it might be on the site?? but if not send an email.. if no one else can find it..

[jmc]

This evening my solar pump packed up while pumping hot wort and refused to start working again -- seems to be a rite of passage. I let it cool off, but even after a couple of hours it wouldn't spin: it just whimpered quietly. So I took the head off and began rotating the impellor by hand -- after a few seconds, amazingly, it came alive again. Hallelujah!

No idea what's going on here -- a bit of grain I didn't see? Or something to do with the electronics? Not a clue, but I thought I'd mention it -- maybe someone else can get theirs going again.

Thanks for post. Same thing happened to me on Saturday i.e. solar pump stopped after about 20 mins recirculation.
I checked power supply OK with a meter, so I'll take apart and see if there's anything trapped in there.

Has anyone stripped these down more than just taking off the head and cleaning the impeller?

[barneey]

Kev888 stripped one down over a year ago BUTTTTTTTTT I don't think it was a very wise thing to do and you certainly can remake it afterwards, I`ll have a look for the thread as there were also photos of the inside.

EDIT found the thread (or one of them)

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=56671&p=595478&hilit=+solar#p595478

EDIT EDIT

The original post

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=52581

[jmc]

Kev888 stripped one down over a year ago BUTTTTTTTTT I don't think it was a very wise thing to do and you certainly can remake it afterwards, I`ll have a look for the thread as there were also photos of the inside.

EDIT found the thread (or one of them)

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=56671&p=595478&hilit=+solar#p595478

EDIT EDIT

The original post

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=52581

Thanks Barneey. Another very useful post from Kev.
Shame he doesn't post so much now.

I've got the SP20/20 14w 5m version. Maybe they're more susceptible to failure?

I checked there was power going to pump, but I didn't note voltage.
Maybe I over did the power from the hornby controller.
I thought max was 12V but will check max voltage it puts out.

[Steve1262]

Where I work we have had an ongoing problem with seals leaking on our main wort pump to the kettle and following numerous seal changes we have been advised to use the top of the grade viton seals and the problem has been identified as the abrasive nature of the wort wearing out the seals.
Having said that, I would think that some of these smaller pumps have minimal or no seals between the rotor and the motor and rely on a "close fit" and could therefore allow small amounts of wort to foul up the spindles.