SQWD's

A

Animal Mother

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Just got a new setup set up... has 2 SQWD's. Been running with water for about 10 minutes and I have yet to see the SQWD's use the right side, constant flow out of the left side. Pump they're running off of is a Mag 24.

Can anyone tell me maybe why they aren't shifting from side to side? This is my first SQWD experience.
 
A Mag 24 might be too much power. The 1" SCWD says:

This unit has been tested and is approved for use with pump applications not to exceed 1400 GPH

If you have the 3/4" then I would assume it would be less.

There are gears inside that push a gate around in a circle closing one side at a time. If that gear is jammed up or stripped out it will not be able to spin the gate and it will not switch. It would stand to reason that too much flow would prohibit the gate from closing off that side which would stop the gear from turning. At some point it will probably strip the gear and ruin the unit.
 
Okay, well they are used, so I assume maybe the mechanical insides are possibly jammed due to saltwater residue or something like that. They are 1".

I'll play with some of the ball valves and see what happens... :shock:
 
the 1400 gph is for the 3/4 inch scwd and with that mag 24 i definately think you are putting to much pressure on it. they work by using the flow of the water to turn gearing and if you push too much through it then there will be no movement. if you want to run that mag 24 you need the 1" scwd which can handle 3500 gph
 
The 1" should have a cap on top that you can remove to look inside. You might try cleaning it out with some vinegar and see if it helps.

Here's a schematic:
 
Don't abandon hope yet. I assume the mag 24 tees off to the two scwd's so you would only have 1200 gph (less with head loss) to each one. This is within their working range although pushing their max capacity. Try removing them and soaking them in vinegar for a few hours. They tend to get coraline buildup in them which stops them from switching.
 
Okay that makes sense. Yes, the pump T's off to each unit. I'm getting a little flow out the right side on the top one, but the bottom is still only coming out the left side.

I think I'm going to try cleaning them and see how that works out.
 
do you have a pic of how its set up? might help to make more sense of it, i guess i missed the 2 scwds part cause k-po would be correct in that it should work as long as its not getting more pressure to one side vs the other. cleaning will help as these do need regular maintanance, one of the reasons the 1" scwd has a removable top so you can open it and clean the gearing.
 
IMG_2889-1.jpg
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Best I can do. return line comes to T, goes left to the SQWD on the bottom tier, and the other line keeps going straight up until it 90's left to the other SQWD. Both have ball valves before the SQWD.
 
ok, thats what i thought it would look like, your problem is more than likely pressure then because that bottom scwd will get more than the 1400 its allowed, eventhough it is split, it is lower and closer to the pump so i would put money on it that it is getting too much pressure. that would explain why your top one is working a little bit, because it simply is not getting much pressue. really the best way would be for 2 seperate pumps. using 1 with that type of setup the bottom one will always have more flow than the top. you could potentially replumb it to have equal plumb runs to each but you will still have more head loss going to the top simply because it is higher which will impact the lower one.
 
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