Need a cheap motor exerciser

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kwired said:
Contact rating of the timer and the size of motor involved aren't important in determining what to use here?
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No it is not important when you know you are responding to a forum member you know is bright enough not to use a 5 amp rated control for a 10 amp load directly.

Seriously.
 
kwired said:
Most timers I can think of that will only operate their output for a few seconds and then have a recycle time in the "days" range will not have a very high contact rating. Most of them also will cost as much or more then the pump being used
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Exactly which is why I came here and asked for some help. Maybe someone knows a cheap version of one. Neither of us have seen it all.

As far as the cost of relays and contactors, stop worrying about it, the OP is not.
 
iwire said:
Exactly which is why I came here and asked for some help. Maybe someone knows a cheap version of one. Neither of us have seen it all.
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I did suggest one that goes from a one second range to a 10 day range and a link to a company based in the US of A.
 
Besoeker said:
I did suggest one that goes from a one second range to a 10 day range and a link to a company based in the US of A.
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OK you win, you provided the best suggestion.:roll: :D Do you feel better now?



The one George suggested is in a supply house I am at frequently but lets forget that and go with yours. :D
 
GoldDigger said:
What I am thinking is that if the pump fails after sitting idle for some time during the dry season and it is not practical to lubricate the bushing in some way maybe all it would take is washing it down with clean, soft, water once after the last rain. Possibly using the bucket inside the sump technique suggested earlier for making the pump run periodically, but just doing it once.
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OMG you folks are figging nuts. :lol:

It sounds like your primary goal is something that will not require you to keep lifting the pump out of the sump to work on it, correct?
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:slaphead::slaphead::slaphead::slaphead:

If the problem is that the unknown material bushing is expanding or warping or that rust is forming on the shaft, that is a different problem than contamination, but really suggests a design or manufacturing defect.
JFG, have you tried contacting the manufacturer?
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Dab nab it people! :lol:

This for myself all I frigging asked for is for a cheap way to exercise the pump.

I don't want to call the manufacturer, I was just looking for some simple inexpensive suggestions

Clearly I came to the wrong place for that. :eek:

For four or five years things have been fine as long as I spin the pump up once in a while during the dry season, all I want to do is automate that.
 
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iwire said:
Exactly which is why I came here and asked for some help. Maybe someone knows a cheap version of one. Neither of us have seen it all.

As far as the cost of relays and contactors, stop worrying about it, the OP is not.
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Was there anything wrong with alternate suggestions that might be relatively inexpensive or are you stuck on the fact a timer is the only way to solve your problem?

Seems to me anything that would make the motor run solves the issue you are having.
 
I have to agree with what Peter D said about 50 posts ago. 'This thread makes me angry'

To me it is a perfect example of an issue this forum has and that is ignoring the OPs questions and responses and at times belittling the OP for not providing adequate details. If someone does not think there are enough detail than they should move on, forget the post let others help.

The most help full posts in this thread have been those of few words and a link and no surprise to me most of those came from blue collar guys like myself.

The white collar members cannot seem to stay on target and insist on bringing other issues the OP has no interest in. It drives me nuts. :rant:
 
iwire said:
So in my own basement I have a sump pump that must work during certain times of the year, other times the sump is dry for months at a time.

This is the kind of pump I am using.

p_SCP_245_08.jpg



The problem that has now happened three times is that during the dry time the shaft gets tight in the bottom bushing. I have to pull the pump out, open the impeller housing and turn it by hand a bit then I can get the motor running.

The only reason I have not burned up the motor yet is because I do check the pump pretty often and had gotten in the habit of manually running it dry for short periods of time. I will let too much time go and when I try it out it will not turn.

So what I am thinking (I am open to any suggestions / mickey mouse ideas as long as they are cheap. :) ) is setting up a timer that will run the pump maybe 15 seconds every few days or a week not really sure how often. I don't want to kill the pump over doing it either.

Anyway this being in my own home codes and listings are down low on the priority list, function over form is fine.

TIA, Bob
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iwire said:
I have to agree with what Peter D said about 50 posts ago. 'This thread makes me angry'

To me it is a perfect example of an issue this forum has and that is ignoring the OPs questions and responses and at times belittling the OP for not providing adequate details. If someone does not think there are enough detail than they should move on, forget the post let others help.

The most help full posts in this thread have been those of few words and a link and no surprise to me most of those came from blue collar guys like myself.

The white collar members cannot seem to stay on target and insist on bringing other issues the OP has no interest in. It drives me nuts. :rant:
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read the post again, quoted it for convenience so we can all read it again if we wish.

Let's say someone knew of a product specifically designed to remedy the issue you are having, but is not a timer of any sort. Because you are interested in some sort of timer, are you saying that suggestion is completely out of bounds for this discussion? Many would say thanks, I didn't know it existed and might look into that product.

I must say it is amazing they let you remain a moderator the way you sometimes bully other members, some of us were only trying to make suggestions that may work, you don't have to consider them if you don't like them.
 
mjf said:
Just curious as to the basic plan with a timer (if you find a cheap one that falls within your parameters).

Are you planning to bypass the float switch and power the load side with your timer while keeping the float switch operable?
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Yes, exactly that. :)

Which is pretty much what I have been doing for four years when I walk by and remember to lift the float up manually. That method has been working fine as long as I did not forget ... which of course I have and when I do get back to it the pump has seized up.
 
iwire said:
...
This for myself all I frigging asked for is for a cheap way to exercise the pump.
...
For four or five years things have been fine as long as I spin the pump up once in a while during the dry season, all I want to do is automate that.
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I must admit, I have not been contributing because of all the static. :blink:

How do you feel about a 7-day digital timer, such as the ST01 I mentioned earlier, and a delay-on relay. The latter is to just reduce the on cycle of the digital timer to seconds rather than the minimum one minute of the timer. Only other cheap... and easy ...method I know of is using a microPLC.. and that would only serve as the pilot duty portion of the circuit. You'd still require a load-rated contactor. So back to the digital timer with TDR...???
 
iwire said:
Yes, exactly that. :)

Which is pretty much what I have been doing for four years when I walk by and remember to lift the float up manually. That method has been working fine as long as I did not forget ... which of course I have and when I do get back to it the pump has seized up.
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And somehow setting the pump assembly in a basin that can be automatically filled with water to operate the float is also bypassing the "normal" operation of the float.
 
kwired said:
read the post again, quoted it for convenience so we can all read it again if we wish.

Let's say someone knew of a product specifically designed to remedy the issue you are having, but is not a timer of any sort. Because you are interested in some sort of timer, are you saying that suggestion is completely out of bounds for this discussion? Many would say thanks, I didn't know it existed and might look into that product.
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Read the thread, none of the other suggestions other than the one I gave thanks to in post five were helpful.



I must say it is amazing they let you remain a moderator the way you sometimes bully other members, some of us were only trying to make suggestions that may work, you don't have to consider them if you don't like them.
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So asking folks to stay on the OPs topic regardless of it being me or another member is too much to ask?

Sorry I do not see it that way. Suggestions of new pump, adding water etc are not what the OP asked about is it?
 
iwire said:
Read the thread, none of the other suggestions other than the one I gave thanks to in post five were helpful.





So asking folks to stay on the OPs topic regardless of it being me or another member is too much to ask?

Sorry I do not see it that way. Suggestions of new pump, adding water etc are not what the OP asked about is it?
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The problem is if we don't think like you think we are wrong. Surprised the thread wasn't closed after post 5.
 
Smart $ said:
I must admit, I have not been contributing because of all the static. :blink:
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Seriously, I have a member telling me that I need to define cheap. :slaphead:

How do you feel about a 7-day digital timer, such as the ST01 I mentioned earlier, and a delay-on relay. The latter is to just reduce the on cycle of the digital timer to seconds rather than the minimum one minute of the timer. Only other cheap... and easy ...method I know of is using a microPLC.. and that would only serve as the pilot duty portion of the circuit. You'd still require a load-rated contactor. So back to the digital timer with TDR...???
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I do not really have a problem with that at all other than I do not own either of those devices. I have plenty of contactors etc to deal with that part of it.

This thread was really a shot in the dark, someone might have said 'Yes, use a Acme SG56 that is used in HVAC'. I have noticed OEMs of HVAC equipment seem to have a range of specific function relays for cheap money.

Here is an example https://www.grainger.com/product/4E...5877!&ef_id=VpEiRwAAANp6aQNK:20170109145204:s with a list of $12.00 I can likely get it for less than $10


I was hoping someone would know of something similar to that I could use. :)

Sorry if I have hurt some feelings along the way but it is frustrating as heck to have people taking the time to post but not really trying to answer the question asked.
 
mgookin, Dave really summed it up well but I will address this

mgookin said:
Yeah I read that. And when I asked him for specs on what he wants he beats me up.
He wants a timer but when I ask what the load is I'm an idiot.
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You know I am a capable electrician right?

So if you suggested a switching device that was rated under what the load requires wouldn't you assume I would add a contactor or relay as needed?

So my question is, who was really treating who 'like an idiot'? See where I am coming from?
 
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