ADVANTAGE done when the system is restarted and requires less than one minute. This is especially important if your reclaim system utilizes hydro cyclones (particle separators) as a means of removing debris from the water. If the pressure and flow are not correct with these systems, the cyclones will not work efficiently as they depend on flow and pressure to do their job. If the reclaim system has no safety features to shut the pumps off if low pressure is detected, checking the gauges is the only way to determine if the pumps have water to operate. Pumps that are run dry are a leading cause of failure.
MONTHLY OR SEMI-MONTHLY
Make sure that the reclaim reservoir is not filled with sediment. When the pits fill with debris, less water will be available for the system to operate. If neglected the tank plumbing can become filled with debris. This will leave the water no place to go but to back up in the wash. Underground tank maintenance is something that many new owners do not consider and will lead them to believe that their equipment is not working properly. If installed correctly, tanks are cleaned out two to three time per year depending on the site. Not plumbing the tanks to manufacturer specs in the beginning can lead to the tanks filling with debris quickly and very costly corrections in the future. Usually the inlet suction line will have a check valve in place to expedite priming of the pumps on the reclaim system. It is advisable to make sure they are in good working
order at least once a month. This can be done after cleaning the inlet strainer basket. Simply fill the inlet suction line with water and wait about 10 minutes. When you check the water level, it should be at the same spot as it was before. If it appears that the water level has gone down, it is a sign that the check valve has failed or there is an issue with the plumbing leading from the reclaim tanks. Checking the incoming power supply to ensure it is not sagging or spiking is also important. Equipment is made to operate at certain voltages and phases. If the incoming power is coming in above or below what is intended, it can damage pumps, PLCs, VFDs, and other parts of the system such as contactors and overloads, fuses, etc. Since most reclaim systems use smaller horsepower motors than the other wash equipment, they are more susceptible to electrical anomalies than the larger motors used in vehicle washing. Any electrical issues should be fixed by a qualified electrician. Reclaim pumps typically run off three-phase power and these voltages are lethal. Heed all electrical warnings from even low-voltage single-phase equipment. Anytime you see something out of the ordinary, question it and fix it. Many small repairs done in a timely manner can prevent a snowball effect on your system. All parts of the machine work together. If things are let go to the point that your machine is not functioning at all, it can be quite a task to troubleshoot the issue. Preventative main-
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