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Checking your Pump & Timer (Part 1 of 5)

Part 1 of 5: How to confirm the pump and timer are running before you touch anything else

Follow the instructions in this article to confirm your pump and timer are working before you begin the rest of your weekly maintenance. We recommend running both audits at the start of the visit, on the same day each week. Nothing else in the weekly circuit 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, as letting the water fall below the top of your Primary Pump voids your warranty.
  2. Plug in the Primary Pump.
  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 the weekly circuit, and it opens by unplugging the pump again, so take both readings now while the pump is running.

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 lights and your pump activate 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.

The winding sound tells you the timer is turning. The activation at the set interval is the second half of the check, so wait the interval out rather than calling the audit finished at the sound.

NOTE: YOUR FLEX ACRE RUNS ON 2 DOUBLE SIDED TIMERS, ONE FOR THE LEFT SIDE AND ONE FOR THE RIGHT. RUN THIS AUDIT ON BOTH.

Step 3: Log the Result

  1. Record a Pass or Fail for both the Pump Performance Audit and the Timer System Audit on one line.
  2. Add the date and the name of the person who ran the checks.
  3. Update your farm management software with the current state of your Flex Acre.

One line covers both audits, 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! Continue to Cleaning your Disc Filter (Part 2 of 5) for next steps.