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7 comments
Participant

Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 2

Making a Pump, Remote Relay Controller and a Load Controller Work Together

10/19/2012 5:10 PM

I'm working on a rather large project for my company and it is very close to completion. However, I am running into one snag for both a lack of understanding on my part, and a lack of information from the parts manufacturers.

I have a Load Controls PMP-25 Load Controller, a Flowline LC42-1001 Remote Relay Controller with two Switch-Tek vertical buoyancy level switches in the tank, and a model MPH221-N25H-140TC Magnatex pump. The pump's motor is a WEG model 00236EP3ER145TC-W22, runs at 2hp. We're running that off of 240V 3 phase. The Flowline controller and PMP-25 both run off of 120VAC

My main sticking point is this. The wiring diagram for the PMP-25 shows it connecting to a control transformer and drawing its power from that, and page 4 of this manual shows it connecting to a starter. The pump motor, however, does not have either a control transformer or a starter. I'm kind of at a loss as where exactly to wire the controller in, or if I can't what parts to get to make it possible.

The other problem is that I have the Flowline controller figured out, except I'm not sure what wire I need to connect to the relay contacts so that the motor stops running once my tank is empty, and starts up once the tank is full again.

Sorry for the drawn out post, and thank you for your time.

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Pathfinder Tags: level switch load control pump Relay
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#1

Re: Making a pump, remote relay controller and a load controller work together

10/19/2012 5:34 PM

You need a motor starter.

Given that you did not know this, I STRONGL:Y suggest that you hire a licensed electrical contractor to install the legal required components in a legal required way. This is not the place to learn stuff like that.

By the way, those diagrams from Load Controls? Worst ever, other than those done on a napkin...

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Participant

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#5
In reply to #1

Re: Making a pump, remote relay controller and a load controller work together

10/20/2012 11:37 PM

Very good point you have there. I think I'll be bringing in someone to do that part of the wiring as that was the only part I couldn't seem to figure out.

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#2

Re: Making a pump, remote relay controller and a load controller work together

10/19/2012 5:40 PM

I'm with JRaef. Hire someone to show you how to do this the first time.

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Power-User

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#3

Re: Making a pump, remote relay controller and a load controller work together

10/19/2012 8:00 PM

The Load Controls PMP-25 measures the power the motor consumes. Why do you want to measure motor power? What does a motor power measurement have to do with filling or emptying the tank?

The link to the Flowline fails to open, so it isn't clear what that device does.

The level switches can be wired through a DPDT relay for pump-up or pump-down control, but it requires some electrical and controls understanding.

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#4
In reply to #3

Re: Making a pump, remote relay controller and a load controller work together

10/19/2012 8:35 PM

Load Controls does everything based on motor shaft power kW, it's a method of monotiring based on the loading of the pump motor itself to interpret what's happening. The level switches turn it on or off, but the PMP-25 makes sure there is sufficient load on the pump, i.e. enough head in the system to make it work and avoid cavitation or running dry, plus it makes sure it isn't working too hard, i.e. a broken pipe or a bad bearing. I'ts just a backup pump protection system as opposed to waiting for an Over Load Relay to trip, which for some submersible pumps is too late.

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#6
In reply to #3

Re: Making a pump, remote relay controller and a load controller work together

10/21/2012 11:58 AM

The Flowline link opens for me. It seems to be a sensor amp (ie the unit supplies power to a two wire prox. sensor and has a dry relay output based on the state of the sensor(s)) with a two sensor start/stop control and a spare sensor amp for alarm function.

The data-sheet also shows how to change the supply voltage to 240v so a separate transformer isn't needed.

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#7
In reply to #6

Re: Making a pump, remote relay controller and a load controller work together

10/21/2012 1:12 PM

I would also like to state that should you change the internal voltage jumpers you should clearly mark the outside of the case to that effect so that a replacement part is not installed unmodified at a later time.

An alternative would be to run the whole system off a 208v 4wire supply (the motor you specified is rated 208-230v) with the control connected between one line and Neutral. This voltage is very common in North American factories. I don't know where you are located.

It also occurred to me that if it were safe to run the pump dry for a few seconds then you could use the under-current contact on the pmp25 instead of a bottom switch. You would certainly want an electrical engineer to verify the safety of this in terms of the detailed specs of all devices involved.

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