Checking your Pump & Timer (Part 1 of 4)

Updated

Follow the instructions in this article to confirm your pump and timer are working before you begin the rest of your visit. We recommend running both checks at the start of every visit, twice a week. Nothing else in the visit is worth doing if water is not moving.

Step 1: Check the Pump

  1. Confirm your water level sits between the MIN and MAX lines on the Water Level Tool, so your pump always has water to draw from.
  2. Confirm the Primary Pump is plugged in.
  3. Listen for a constant low-volume hum.
  4. Feel pipe "A" above the pump for vibration.
  5. Look into your Tank for water splashing back down from the Root Chambers.
  6. Flag the pump for replacement if it does not vibrate or produce a steady hum.

Pipe "A" is the 5.5 inch section that runs up out of the pump, and the letter is labeled on the part. The hum and the vibration there tell you the pump is drawing power and moving water. The splash inside your Tank tells you water is coming back down out of your Root Chambers. The Disc Filter rinse is next in your visit, and it opens by unplugging the pump again, so take both readings now while the pump is running. Your Primary Pump runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so it should already be humming when you arrive. Only your Light Bars run on a timer.

NOTE: A Backup Pump ships with every Flex Acre. Deploy it if the Primary Pump fails, and contact our support team for a replacement.

Step 2: Check the Timer

  1. Unplug the timer.
  2. Reset all pins to the OFF position.
  3. Set the timer to trigger ON at the next available interval.
  4. Plug the timer back in.
  5. Listen for the winding mechanism.
  6. Verify your Light Bars come on at the set time.
  7. Check the GFCI Adapters first if your lights do not come on, as a tripped adapter cuts power to your Light Bars.
  8. Flag the timer for replacement if the mechanical wind or the activation fails.
  9. Reset the pins to 18 continuous hours per day before you leave.

The winding sound tells you the timer is turning. The Light Bars coming on at the set interval is the second half of the check, so wait the interval out rather than stopping at the sound. The pins you cleared for the test are the ones running your lights, so put them back on 18 continuous hours per day, 16 hours at minimum, before you move on to your Disc Filter.

NOTE: Your 2 double sided timers run your Light Bars only, one for the left side and one for the right. Run this check on both. Your Primary Pump runs 24 hours a day and is not on a timer.

Step 3: Log the Result

  1. Record a Pass or Fail for both your pump check and your timer check on one line.
  2. Add the date and the name of the person who ran the checks.
  3. Record the current state of your Flex Acre in your Data Log.

One line covers both checks, so a partner reading back through the log can see the week a pump started to fade. Follow the steps in Logging your Flex Acre Tasks & Readings for where each entry goes.

Your pump and timer are confirmed for the week. Well done!

Next: Cleaning your Disc Filter (Part 2 of 4)