Hasa Liquidator Issues

[dariushd]

When my pump runs, 2700rpm, liquidator works great during run. When the pump stops, though, the LQ slowly drains out into the system (as if suction is still going) till the LQ water level is down to the out float valve hole.
It didn't used to do this, I've run the LQ for well over over a year. I have always had the 3/8 tubing and push fittings. Quite a while ago, I saw that my flow meter was cracked so I've taken that off already, and the outlet side check valve I removed as well as it stopped working properly. Usually this wouldn't be an issue, but my out float valve winds up not closing all the way (I've replaced it twice already) and the system winds up sucking in air all night long.
If I shut the flow regulator off, it stops sucking in water/air. So where could the air be getting in? I don't see leaks anywhere. I have an old offline puck feeder still on the system, since I already drilled holes into the pipes (this was from my pre-forum days!), so I just turned off the flow regulator on the feeder itself and the system and LQ all worked fine till now. But in case the feeder is the issue all of a sudden, I ran the feeder tubing from the inlet hole on my pipe straight to the outlet hole on the pipe like a bypass. No change, still the LQ is draining after pump turns off.
How can I check for air leaks? Fittings all seem secure and the system doesn't show any water leaking when it runs.
So instead of needing to replace the out float valve every few weeks to at least keep it from sucking in air when the water drains out, I need to get to the root of the issue! Thanks.

 

[Bama Rambler]

You say that you removed the outlet check valve. Did you have the problem of it draining before you removed it?

 

[dariushd]

Yes. I've put a new barbed check valve on the outgoing side, too, still drains. Shouldn't matter since the water is draining in the direction of the out check valve, as if the pump is still running.

 

[Philo]

I had sooooo many problems with my Liquidator. It eventually pushed me into SWG's. They are the gold standard.

 

[Bama Rambler]

When I had one it always drained down to the out float when the pump was stopped. I'm not sure what to tell you if you're having problems with the out float valve leaking regularly.

 

[laprjns]

I found push fittings on the suction (Liquidator outflow) side to be problematic, especially with soft tubing. I not sure if the push fitting are design to have a negative delta pressure across the sealing surface. I'm now using some stiff tubing that is better but still not perfect. Because it is stiff, if tube is not in line with the fitting it puts some torque on fitting seal interface an opens the seal resulting in a sucking leak. My plan is to eventually change the suction side to all barbed fittings.

Mine does drain down after the pump shuts off but the float valve seals without any air leaks.

 

[waterl0gged]

I had so many issues with getting my Liquidator to be "reliable" , that I finally threw in the towel .........

I now use my Liquidator container as a 10% Sodium Hypochlorite "holding vat" for my Stenner EconT dosing pump .

BEST decision I ever made to fix that unreliable Liquidator !

 

[H-12 1/2 Mike]

I removed my liquidator last week because it was the source of air leaks on the suction side of my pump. I found problems in the check valve and the flow meter. I too am having a SWG installed. I went over a year with no problems but I think the cold weather during the winter had an adverse effect on the plastic tube and fittings. In my view, the <$200 liquidator was not worth putting $1700 pump at risk.

 

[Philo]

It was a good idea. Unfortunately , it never worked worth a .......

 

[dariushd]

I had so many issues with getting my Liquidator to be "reliable" , that I finally threw in the towel .........

I now use my Liquidator container as a 10% Sodium Hypochlorite "holding vat" for my Stenner EconT dosing pump .

BEST decision I ever made to fix that unreliable Liquidator !

I'd be curious to know the setup of the stenner pump and the LQ as a holder. Luckily, hasa has sent me free out float valves for free, and said that they are working on an upgrade redesign for that part. Otherwise the lq has been pretty great for me.

 

[laprjns]

I just reread your opening post and realized I missed something. You say that it drain down to the output float hold? Mine does not drain this low. I when out to my setup and turn the system on and off a few times to see what causes it to drain down. After the system has been running awhile, the Liquidator is filled to its highest level and the inflow float is closed and the outflow float is open. This is the state that the system is in when the pump shuts down, so the output float is wide open. On my system from that point it slowly drain down (I confirmed that it drains down the output} until the float is low enough to close the valve. This ends up with the water line being above (around an inch high or so) the outflow hole. This appears to me as normal operation with the drain down to a point where the outflow valve is close and no more water can flow out. Yours appears to drain down further, indicating that the valve is not closing and once the the water level in the Liquidator get to the outflow hole level, it starts sucking air. So your problem appears to be the outflow valve not closing. I don't thing there are any other leak points. Fix this and it will drain down until the valve closes, which should level the water level above the outflow hole.

Once it shut off, the pump system is always looking to lose its prime and will start sucking in air once it finds the weak link. In your case it appears to be the outflow valve not closing all the way. When you close the shut off valve (flow regulator) you in affect have isolated the the leak and there is no longer a weak point to lose prime.

I've been running my Liquidator for five years and never had an issue with the float valves. I did break one while using it as a handle to pick up the Liquidator, but functional they always seem to work for me. I also chucked the flow indicator because it cracked and switch to a pinch valve to regulate flow. The 3/8 upgrade introduced the push fitting which have problems with sucking air on the outflow side, especially using soft tubing. Outside of these problem, I'm very happy with my Liquidator. Someday I may change to Stenner type system, but that would be because I want to cut down on pump run time.