Trouble upgrading ballast pumps and valves

Hoping I am missing something obvious as I am not an electrical expert. I am simply swapping out the stock valves and empty pumps in my system(they are all either broken or leaky). I was thinking would be fairly plug n play, but maybe not?

I replaced all the empty pumps with these https://www.wakemakers.com/attwood-t...-pump-800.html
and i replaced the sprinkler valves with these: https://ussolid.com/motorized-ball-v...-polarity.html
I have the Deutsche connectors all wired up and I am trying to simply test them before mounting everything and I keep blowing the fuses. The empty pump works, then when i flip it to fill the fuse blows. Any help would be appreciated!!

What size fuse is blowing? Whats the current draw of that valve? What if you disconnect the valve and then try to fill?

i have blown 7.5, so then I tried 15 and that blew too. US Solid told me it was 1 amp. If i disconnect the valve and only hook up the empty pump, the pump works, and the fuse blows when i flip switch to fill.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by weldingza

i have blown 7.5, so then I tried 15 and that blew too. US Solid told me it was 1 amp. If i disconnect the valve and only hook up the empty pump, the pump works, and the fuse blows when i flip switch to fill.

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The pumps are probably drawing 1 amp under no load / while running. Once water gets in there and the pump spools up, the load increases. Typically anything over 10 amps you'll want to add a relay to that circuit. There is some good info here;

https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/relay-guide.html

This points to a short in the fill pump or the fill pump circuit between the pump and switch.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...5a599a0a15.jpg


Most of us that have used the motorized ball valves have used the 2 wire with auto return. These only draw power while they are open or in our application, while filling. When the fill switch is turned off, the valve automatically returns to the closed position which means there is no draw from the valve unless we are filling. With the valve you have, I believe the only way to close it would be to run the drain pump after filling in order to energize the valve to close. You would have to do after every filling or the valve will stay open and allow water to flow through the system continuously. I don’t know if this is the cause of blowing fuses but the application with the valves you currently have, IMO, will not be as smooth as if you change to these valves.


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Each motorized valve can use the existing fuses. You should have one existing fuse for each valve and the fill pump should have its own fuse or CB.

Which fuse are you blowing?


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Dangit, I was afraid of that. I read up on the differences after I already ordered and thought the same, you just confirmed it for me. I think I'll return these and get the auto return 2 wire. As far as the rest of it, I simply un wired the old and wired the new. And I only did the right switch, so I wouldn't think it would be shorting, I've missed a few obvious things before though, so who knows. I'll get the auto return valves and try again and see what happens. Luckily I have a few months to sort this out...friggen winter.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Turbinesurgeon

Each motorized valve can use the existing fuses. You should have one existing fuse for each valve and the fill pump should have its own fuse or CB.

Which fuse are you blowing?


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I had everything disconnected and I bumped a switch to fill. And it blew. All empty pumps and valves were disconnected at that point. After that I plugged in the right empty and the right valve. Pump ran then when I switched to fill it blew again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by weldingza

I had everything disconnected and I bumped a switch to fill. And it blew. All empty pumps and valves were disconnected at that point. After that I plugged in the right empty and the right valve. Pump ran then when I switched to fill it blew again.

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Something may have been bumped loose or went to ground on your switch. You need to figure which leg is hot out (switched) and in (constant) 12V off the back of your switch. Disconnect that one (switched) and then put a meter on it and flip it on. See if it trips or blows the circuit on the out. If it switches on fine and doesn't blow you have a short somewhere between your switch and valves. If the problems between that section, honestly it would probably be easier to run a new wire vs. trying to find it.... Hope that helps.

I got it all figured out. I got the auto return 2 wire version and then everything worked as expected. Now I just have rebuild the manifold because these valves are too tall to screw on when one is already on... Going to be cheap, just more labor that I want expecting.