Spring have been producing pump controllers since 2005. We are an electronics company and have a deep understanding of how a WFP system works and then strive to provide easy to use controllers that offer a range of enhanced features and value to the user.

As an electronics company, there is sound engineering reason for what we do and why. Our controls have a number of functions designed to make working with them easily.  They have a number of built-in safety functions designed to protect the control pump and system.

Which control you use is a very individual choice. In this article I will look briefly at the Spring manufactured V11 digital and V11 Analogue. I should start with the features that are the same all our controllers feature

  • Accurate flow control
  • Calibrate to a wide range of pumps
  • Flow stopped detection (Dead end)
  • Voltmeter
  • Low battery detection
  • Monitors the pump pressure switch
  •  Works with any size hose or Microbore
  • 12-month manufacturers warranty
  • Fully supported
  • Manages water and battery resources
  • Extends the life of pumps, RO Membranes and DI cartridges
  • User friendly
  • Smart battery management
  • PWM control of the pump

The Controller is very flexible and will operate with any 12V, 9 amp pump on the market. The controller can manage pumps up to 150PSI and 10 LPM flow rates.

The following youtube link shows some of the common messages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bWxy-nErG0&index=23&list=PLUpfSwT7wIhfyiM-jbIDJPoH0UlNQZL9y

The Digital and Analogue controls do the same job but offer the user an option of an interface. One has push buttons with an LED display in which we can display 3 digit codes and messages. The other has two dials.

Digital

By far the biggest selling control on the market are digital ones featuring an LED (light emitting diode) display that allows manufacturers the option to present useful information, for example, battery voltage.

The digital allows for a built in Voltmeter displaying accurate battery voltage. This can be a useful diagnostic tool. For example, it is very easy to see if the battery is nearing the end of its life. A badly worn battery will not hold a charge for as long. Also, spotting cable breaks or worn connectors can show up through what we refer to as volt drop.

The digital also features a low battery override selectable within the user menu. This gives the user the ability to complete a days work then charge the battery overnight.

Note: Repeated draining of the battery below 10.5V increases the risk of damaging the cells. This will mean the battery does not hold a charge as well.

Auto Calibration is available in the digital range.  Making calibration to the pump and system easy and highly accurate.

How to auto cal your controller. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kKoskb7l7c&list=PLUpfSwT7wIhfyiM-jbIDJPoH0UlNQZL9y&index=24

Analogue

There was also a demand for a control which was function rich and had the usual features and management capability. Some, however, wanted to have a dial as opposed to a button interface.

The analogue will still provide a wide range of information and diagnostic messages. Using lights as opposed to LED messages

Instead of an LED display we use lights to show the control is On, Dead detection and pump pressure switch are all still monitored and shown.

The Analogue monitors the battery state in the same way and still features a low battery warning Light and low battery shut down.

The analogue is not able to display voltage neither are you able to override the low battery shut down.

Calibration on the analogue is achieved using the calibration dial on the face of the controller. Analogue calibration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_6dPgfBjSI&list=PLUpfSwT7wIhfyiM-jbIDJPoH0UlNQZL9y&index=22

Calibration on the analogue is achieved using the calibration dial on the face of the controller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_6dPgfBjSI&list=PLUpfSwT7wIhfyiM-jbIDJPoH0UlNQZL9y&index=22

Correctly calibrated  both the Digital or Analogue controller will always stop the pump well before the pressure switch is activated. Meaning that

  • Current draw is kept to a minimum helping to extend battery life
  • Reduced strain on the pump motor
  • Reduced pressure on the hose and connectors
  • Reduced load across the pressure switch so reducing the risk of pressure switch burn out

In summary, my personal preference would always be for a digital purely due to the additional information that can be provided. Rest assured whichever of the Spring manufactured controllers you choose each one is the result of many years R&D sound engineering and comes with a warranty and ongoing support.