looked reasonably clear to me
click to enlarge
Not very helpful when you’re in the middle of washing your hair.
Where oh where?
Drawing on my long forgotten schoolboy ‘A level’ Physics, I assembled the facts.
The water tanks were full; the Headhunter X-Caliber pump was set to its maximum power (500 watts); the cut-in pressure was at its highest setting; all isolation valves were open; and the water strainer was clear.
Watching the accumulator pressure gauge, it would rise when the pump ran, only to fall slowly when the pump stopped. Hmmm.
Analysis
Being quick and feeling proud of myself I came to the conclusion there had to be a leak. Yet finding no evidence I went back to the drawing board.
Then it dawned on me. There had to be a non-return valve to prevent pressurised water being forced back to the water tanks. This valve had to be faulty.
I found it. It was called a ‘check-valve’ and mounted on the inlet to the Headhunter. I felt so proud of myself – again.
I changed it with my spare and fired up the pump, full of excitement.
Un-manly
click to enlarge
Being un-manly, I started to read the instruction book. The troubleshooting guide advised to change the check-valve. Really helpful.
I emailed the manufacturer.
Pressure tune-up
By return I received a ‘Pressure Tune-up’ guide. Stage 1 was to check any in-line filter. Apparently a blocked filter would exhibit the exact symptoms we were experiencing.
Now why didn’t I think of that? I’d checked the strainer but not the filter. Although it looked reasonably clean to me, I changed it.
Success.
Back to the man-cave
So how much time had I wasted? How much easier would it have been if I’d contacted the manufacturer in the first place? Don’t ask. Don’t even think it.
Back to my man-cave to hide and consider my future as ship’s engineer.
Piers
from the man-cave of
play d’eau
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