Is my check valve bad?
If a check valve starts to fail, you will notice a slight leak in your air system. Generally your air tank will start to lose a little pressure over time and in some cases, you might even notice a drop in pressure in one of your bags if you let your vehicle aired up over the course of a few days without touching it.
How does a lift check valve work?
Lift check valves require that flow enters below the seal. The fluid flows below the seat, the piston or ball is raised with in the guides of the valve, by the pressure of fluid. When the flow stops or reverses, the piston or ball is forced back into position by backflow or gravity.
Why do check valves fail?
Check valve failure modes associated with wear or poor maintenance can include problems related to noise and vibration from water hammer, reverse flow, leakage or damage. Sticking valves can occur when material like scale or debris is trapped between the valve body and the moving parts such as the disc or ball.
How often do check valves fail?
While typical component lifespans are application specific, manufacturers suggest metal and plastic check valves should be replace every 5-7 years whereas check valves manufactured from rubber may remain fully serviceable for up to 35-50 years.
Why do you need a check valve on a lift station?
Check valves are an important component of any lift station design. Without check valves, the pumps and wet well of a lift station can be subject to damage from backflow. Backflow occurs when the lift station pumps stop operating and the water in the force main and discharge piping flows back into the wet well.
How does a shut off valve work in a lift station?
A shut-off valve allows for the isolation of each pump and pumps usually sit on disconnects mounted to the floor which have guide rails extending the full depth of the station which allows for individual pumps to be removed and serviced by using a cable or chain without having to enter the station.
How does the float work on a lift station?
The floats run off a low voltage system and use either the pump controller or a printed circuit that activates the pumps. Each pump also has a hand-off-automatic (HOA) switch. The hand position (H) runs the pump (in manual mode) and the automatic position (A) runs the pump off the level sensors.
How often do lift stations need to be repaired?
Lift Station Maintenance Tips The pumps, electronic controls, and electrical works are under constant physical stress, and the corrosive environment requires constant maintenance repair. There is, however, a point where they need to be rebuilt with wholesale equipment replacement. On average that is about every 15 to 25 years.