The “Rucheek” submersible pump has long become popular among gardeners and owners of private houses. Its first model was developed and released in Belarus more than 40 years ago. Later it began to be produced in other republics of the former USSR and in Western European countries. Due to its miniature size and weight it is called “Baby”.
Typically this pump is used for irrigation summer cottages, pumping water from basements, inspection holes, filling heating systems, supplying houses with drinking water.
Device characteristics
The “Rucheek” submersible pump can pump out water from any reservoir, well, well, or watering barrel. However, it must be below the water level. The water should be clean, fresh, without any suspended sand and silt. If sand is present, an additional filter must be used.
The pump is available with two types of water intake: “Rucheek 1” with an upper intake and “Rucheek 1M” with a lower intake.
The pump is lowered into the water on a nylon cord, which is included in the kit, or on any other suspension. During operation, the housing vibrates strongly, so it should not touch the walls and bottom of the container. Otherwise, its tightness will be broken or the housing will collapse.
Specifications:
- supply voltage - 220 V;
- power consumption - 225-300 W;
- weight - 4 kg;
- maximum lowering depth - 7 m;
- maximum height of water rise - 60 m;
- productivity - 450 l/hour;
- continuous operation time - 12 hours;
- cable length 5-15 m.
The given characteristics are average and may vary slightly for different models.
The last numbers in the model specification indicate the length of the power cord. Its length can be 5, 10 and 15 m. It is not known in advance at what depth the pump will operate, so it is better not to save money and purchase it with the maximum cord length.
Many people misunderstand what “the maximum height of water rise is 60 m” means. This is the maximum pressure that the pump can create. It corresponds to 60 m of water column or 6 atmospheres. Please note that the pressure at the outlet of the hose will always be less than at the inlet. Even if you use a fairly thick hose with a diameter of 1 inch (2.54 cm), then due to internal friction every 10 m horizontal section hose pressure drops by 1 atmosphere.
Design and principle of operation of the pump
The design of the vibration pump is quite simple. IN aluminum housing, consisting of two parts, is filled epoxy resin electromagnet. Next to it is a steel rod that can move along the longitudinal axis of the body. The rod is attached to the body with a rubber shock absorber. The rod sets the diaphragm into oscillatory motion, which creates compression and vacuum in the housing cavity. At the top of the body there is a hole for water suction and a pipe for connecting a hose. The hole for suction of water when the rod moves upward is closed with a rubber valve.
The operating principle of the vibration pump eliminates the presence of rotating parts and bearings. This ensures the high reliability of the Rucheek water pump.
The tightness of the connection between the housing parts and the supply cable input is so reliable that the pump can remain in water for years.
Since the suction hole in the “Rucheek 1” pump is located in the upper part of the housing, the ingress of sand, small stones, and debris from the bottom of the tank is excluded.
Maintenance and repair
“Rucheek” does not require maintenance.
You can repair the pump yourself or take it to a specialized workshop.
The main difficulty is to unscrew the 4 mounting bolts that hold the body parts together. Usually they cannot be unscrewed, so you need to carefully cut them off with a grinder. To facilitate disassembly in case of repeated repairs, you need to install new galvanized or non-ferrous metal bolts. You should use self-clamping nuts with plastic inserts: they do not unwind under strong vibrations.
Typically, pump repair comes down to replacing the valve, which wears out over time. A spare valve is sold complete with the pump. If there is no such valve, you can make it yourself from a cork from plastic bottle. Sign of valve wear: the sediment hums, but does not pump water.
Sometimes the rod fails. It can be turned, but a homemade rod will not last long. You need to find and install the original one.
The most a big problem occurs in case of breakdown of the electromagnet coil. It will be problematic to remove, rewind the coil, install it in place and seal it with your own hands.
Disadvantages of the Rucheek vibration pump
One of the disadvantages of the Rucheek vibration pump is its loud sound during operation. If you use it only for watering, you can live with it. But if you use a pump to operate a fountain, overflow, or circulate water in a pool, then the pump’s hum will interfere and irritate. For these purposes, it is better to use pumps of a different type.
Using “Stream 1” you can download only part of the water above the suction hole. It will not be possible to completely pump water out of the container.
Adapters and quick-release fasteners are not provided for connecting the hose. The hose connection pipe has a round cross-section (some models have notches), so the hose often becomes disconnected due to vibrations. You have to crimp it with a knitting wire or a clamp. Disconnecting the hose is then problematic.
The pump design does not provide automatic shutdown. The user himself has to monitor the water level. The “stream” is cooled by the water in which it is located. If the pump runs idle, it quickly heats up and fails.
A float device for automatic shut-off can be purchased separately. Many owners do it themselves.
High reliability, proven over decades, low cost compared to foreign analogues, ease of maintenance and repair have made the Rucheyok pump an indispensable assistant.
Of course, it will not be possible to solve all problems with its help. To pump water and other liquids in large volumes, you will need a more powerful pump.
Setting up the vibration pump (“Druzhok”, 1985, 50 m-600 l/h, 1 m –1500 l/h)
If the pump stops working for no apparent reason, before disassembling
1) Hang the pump without a hose in a bucket of water, plug it in and check the voltage during operation. It should be between 200-240 volts.
2) If the voltage is normal, turn off the pump, drain the water from it and blow with your mouth into the outlet. A correctly configured pump is blown, but if you blow harder, it locks up with the feeling of the piston moving inside. On the contrary, when sucking through the mouth, the air must pass through the pump. Sometimes, if the settings are incorrect, when air is not blown through the pump, but passes through during suction, you can make the pump work by reducing the supply voltage, for example, using a LATR (laboratory autotransformer) to 160 - 200 volts.
3) Before disassembling, make marks on the parts to be joined.
Disassembly
You can make disassembly easier using a vice, squeezing the ledges on the body near the next screw with the corners of the jaws. Loosen the screws little by little, one at a time. For disassembly, instead of a slotted screwdriver, I used pliers with straight handles, the ends of which were ground off for a screwdriver. Similarly, using a vice, but in the reverse order, the final tightening during assembly is carried out. If possible, replace the slotted coupling screws (M8x50) with similar coupling screws with an internal hexagon head. This will make disassembly and reassembly much easier (some new pumps are equipped with such screws). At least after disassembly, make an additional slotted cut for the screws for a screwdriver, perpendicular to the existing one.
To understand the essence of the setup, I will first describe the operation of the vibration pump, as far as I understand it (I have not read any special manuals). The pump consists of an inlet valve, an inlet cup and a disc-shaped piston driven into vibrating motion by a rod connected to the moving part of the electromagnet core. The stiffness of the spring (rubber) and the mass of the moving system are selected so that the natural resonant frequency of oscillations is equal to twice the network frequency (100 Hz). During operation, the peripheral (thin) part of the piston acts as a valve, and the central thick (near the rod) acts as the piston itself. When the piston moves towards the electric magnet, the peripheral (thin) part of the piston, due to an increase in outlet pressure, is pressed against the outlet (conical) seat of the glass and blocks the path of water into the inlet glass, and the central part of the piston simultaneously sucks water into the inlet glass and pushes water out of the outlet cavity. When the piston moves in reverse side the inlet valve closes, and water from the inlet glass is forced out by the piston into the outlet cavity. Thus, during operation, the piston makes ring-shaped wave movements, and replacing it with a product of a different shape (I have seen such attempts) is unlikely to work.
From the described principle of operation follows the setting (control) of three assembly parameters in the specified sequence.
I. There must be parallelism between the piston disk and its seat (parallelism between the piston axis and the seat axis). To do this, a caliper is used to control the uniformity of the distance from the gasket to the thin edge of the piston along the entire perimeter.
Options: 1) non-parallelism can occur due to a large gap between the metal sleeve of the piston and the rod (when tightening the piston with a nut with a bushing, the bushing initially distorts the tightened connection). The solution is to wrap the rod with foil, for example from a chocolate bar, and put the piston bushing on tightly: 2) the rod itself is bent. It is unlikely that it will be possible to fix it, but if the pump was working before and was not dropped, perhaps parallelism can be achieved by turning the gasket relative to the rod by 180°.
II. In addition to parallelism, there must also be coincidence of the axes of the piston and the seat. And since the input glass, with some reserve, “crawls” against the gasket, this is not easy to achieve during assembly. You can remove the inlet valve and, using the hole from the screw as a “peephole”, pre-assemble the pump and check the position of the center of the piston (rod). A clear misalignment indicates incorrect assembly. It is possible that alignment will be achieved by rotating the inlet glass by 180. To eliminate fidgeting of the glass on the gasket when final assembly, you can insert pieces of electrical tape into the gasket eyes or put bushings on the coupling screws in this place (you can insert curved metal strips).
III. In addition to the coincidence of the axes, the piston must be at a certain distance from the seat. From my experience this distance should be greater than zero, but less than 0.5 mm. Adjustment is made by the number of adjusting washers (the thinnest of which are 0.5 mm) on the rod. At correct distance air passes when pressurized with the mouth into the water outlet, however, if you blow much harder, the piston closes the air passage (it is the piston valve that is triggered, and not the inlet valve, since the inlet valve closes from much higher pressure). If you increase the number of adjusting washers by one (moving the piston to the seat by 0.5 mm), air does not pass through when blowing into the mouth. When sucking through the mouth, air must pass in both cases.
I had a case when, 2-3 minutes after setting it up, the pump stopped working. Blowing with the mouth showed that the pump was not venting. When the supply voltage dropped to 160-200 volts, the pump started working again, albeit with less productivity (at voltages above 200 volts, the operation failed due to incorrect position of the piston).
A properly assembled pump without a hose, when immersed in a bucket, produces a jet with a height of 25-30 cm and operates without disruption at a voltage of 180-240 volts (as the voltage decreases, a transition from an oscillation frequency of 100 Hz to 50 Hz may occur or modulation may occur, which is clearly audible in the sound work, but this does not significantly reduce productivity).
PS. I was prompted to describe setting up a vibration pump by the lack of such information on the Internet (July 2006) and by the regret that my two-week experience, alternating with the desire to give up and buy a new pump, would be lost for others.
Currently, the Malysh submersible pump has become very popular among many summer residents. It is low cost and has greater productivity. Moreover, this pump produces high pressure, which causes a strong supply of liquid. But having good specifications, the Malysh pump is very unreliable in operation. Moreover, the type of these breakdowns can be very diverse.
Installation diagram of “Malysh” pumps in a well.
Types of faults
Malfunctions of this pump occur during operation. Their character can be very different and arise for the following reasons:
- valve failure;
- breakage of traction;
- failure of the power magnet;
- winding overheating.
The device of the “Baby” pump with an upper water intake.
The operating principle of this pump is quite simple. When connecting it to electrical network, which has a frequency of 50 Hz, the pump armature is attracted by a magnet. After the magnetization reversal of the pole occurs, every 1/2 period the armature is thrown in the opposite direction.
This is done using a shock absorber. That is, during the passage of one current discharge, the armature is attracted 2 times. Accordingly, in 1 s at a current frequency of 50 Hz, the attraction of the armature occurs 100 times.
There is a piston on the rod with the armature, therefore, the frequency of its operation will be equal to the number of attraction of the armature. The volume of fluid that enters the pump body is limited by this piston and valve, creating a fluid chamber.
The device of the “Baby” pump with lower water intake.
The pumped water is saturated with air, as a result of which it has elasticity. Subjected to mechanical influences from the piston, it creates a springing effect in the hydraulic chamber.
The liquid in the pump is subjected to repeated compression and expansion, and its excess flows into the outlet pipe.
The valve of the device admits water through the suction part of the pipe and does not allow it to enter in the opposite direction. In this way, liquid is pumped using the Malysh pump.
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Carrying out repairs
Many owners of summer cottages very often replace a broken pump with the same model. Accordingly, the old mechanism can be used as a “donor” when the 2nd unit breaks down.
For example, there are 2 broken pumps at your disposal. 1 of them had a traction break, and the 2nd had a burnt out winding. Any person can repair such pumps (assemble 2 devices into 1). To do this, you need to have little skill in working with tools and have minimal technical knowledge.
The most difficult stage in eliminating a breakdown of the pumping device will be the process of disassembling it. This must be done carefully so as not to damage anything, since the device consists of 2 halves, which are tightened together using 4 bolts. While the pump is in water, the metal fasteners are subject to “acidification.” To unwind these connections, you need to wet them with kerosene and leave for 30-40 minutes. Kerosene will help eliminate the “nitrous” that appears.
To repair the pump, you need to unscrew its bolts with a screwdriver. To make it more convenient to disassemble it, you can prepare a special holder that will fix the device in a vertical position. It may also happen that the above measures do not help, then you need to cut off the bolted connections. This can be done with a grinder. After this, the same procedure must be repeated with the 2nd unit.
In the modern world, Russian equipment is created at the same level of quality as most foreign products. For example, the well-known Malysh submersible pump has higher technical characteristics than a third of foreign pump models. Among other things, domestic pumping equipment not only demonstrates high performance indicators, but also has unique features.
Pump Baby of domestic production
Each pumping equipment has certain unique features. These features primarily include:
- principle of operation;
- internal organization.
Of course, to purchase or use a device it is not necessary to study all the nuances. However, when self-installation pumping equipment study unique features is an integral part of all product installation work.
Pumping unit design
The Baby pump is a standard device with the corresponding elements in the design. In total, there are three main components of the device:
- electromagnet;
- frame;
- vibrator.
Each component element in the design is necessary to ensure full operation of the pumping mechanism.
Vibrator
This detail, as a rule, is based on three components:
- shock absorber;
- stock;
- anchor.
Between themselves, the anchor and the rod form a single connection in which the elements are fastened due to the influence of strong pressure. The shock absorber, regardless of the type of pump, is mounted directly on the rod and performs its corresponding role.
Attention! The rod is a small rubber membrane. In case of poor quality performance, the operational characteristics of the pumping device are completely reset. Thus, it is the quality of the rod used that determines the technical characteristics of the product.
Electromagnet
This component of the device is a more complex mechanism than other parts of the pump. At the base of the part there is a small core with two copper coils. In addition, the housing at the location of the core is pre-treated with a compound to ensure complete safety.
Helpful information! In addition to additional safety, the compound helps minimize heat inside the device. Thus, the service life of the equipment increases significantly.
Frame
The shell of each pumping device is usually made of durable materials. To ensure the durability of the equipment, as well as its stable performance, a rubber valve is mounted in the housing.
Helpful information! The valve is the main part of the body. If necessary, the component blocks the pump outlets. In addition, if water does not enter the device, the valve prevents it from leaving.
Operating principle of the Baby pump
The Malysh series device works in the same way as other types of pumping equipment. The main function is performed due to the device’s ability to convert all power alternating current into mechanical vibrations, which are subsequently transmitted directly to the piston and armature.
As a result of this effect, the piston begins intense vibration, which starts the process of fluid circulation. Water begins to actively flow outward from the hydraulic chamber, entering the pressure compartments.
Uses and areas of application
Regardless of the type and scope of application, each Malysh pump has similar technical characteristics, design and operating principles. However, in some cases the differences can be extremely radical. Thus, the internal structure and principle of operation may directly depend on the scope of application of the device.
As a rule, pumping equipment can be used in many household applications. For example, a compact device model is often used in various facilities with low water consumption. Such objects include the irrigation system for summer cottages and.
Thanks to the use of such equipment in agriculture possible to resolve whole line significant problems, which include:
- pumping out liquid at the time of flooding basements And ground floors;
- home water supply with drinking water;
- transfer of liquid for a variety of irrigation systems, which equally include irrigation and spraying.
Helpful advice! Before using the baby pump, you should take into account that its technical characteristics do not predispose it to work with excessively contaminated liquids. Thus, the device is most suitable for pumping clean water.
Device models and design differences
Depending on the internal structure, scope of application and similar differences, the type of device may be unique. As a standard, there are only two types of submersible pump Malysh, the main difference of which is the location of the main holes intended for collecting liquid:
- upper;
- lower.
The remaining differences between these two types of equipment are extremely insignificant.
Lower water intake
Pumping equipment with bottom water intake is usually the basic model. Such a device can be used in systems with low liquid consumption. The device is usually installed in wells with a diameter of at least 10 cm. Among other things, the basic model of the device can work with open sources of liquid.
Helpful advice! To ensure proper operation of the device from the lower liquid intake, it is recommended to use various filters for the Malysh pump. Thanks to this approach, it is possible to significantly increase the service life of the device, as well as expand the scope of application.
Upper water intake
Malysh pumps with upper water intake are used much more often. In total, there are several types of equipment of this type:
- Malysh-M;
- Baby-3;
- vibration pump Baby.
The Malysh-M model is a type of pump for the Malysh well. This device is closest in design to the basic model, but has a specific cooling system due to surface suction of flows.
Malysh-3 is a basic model of a pumping device with an upper liquid intake. The device is designed to work in small wells up to 8 cm. It has high productivity rates considering its size.
The vibration device is generally used only in automated systems water supply Of course, it is possible to install the device both in wells and boreholes.
For your information! In addition to the above models, it is worth paying attention to the Rucheek pump. This model is completely similar to Malysh-M, but has many additional features, due to which it is able to function significantly longer than other devices.
Do-it-yourself pump repair Baby
To repair the device on our own you need to disassemble it correctly. It is worth considering that dismantling is the most difficult part of the repair work. In general, the device consists of two halves, held together by four bolts.
Attention! When disassembling the device, it is recommended to treat the process with extreme caution. In case of any careless actions, there is a high chance of equipment failure.
Trouble-shooting
First of all, you need to carefully examine the valve of the device. If a part is susceptible to any malfunctions, it should simply be replaced. Do-it-yourself repair work on the Baby pump can be directly related to problems with the internal wiring of the device. As a rule, to solve problems with damaged wires, they need to be replaced.
Helpful information! Most problems can be solved by replacing one or another component. It is important to consider that in order for the Malysh pump to maintain its technical characteristics, it is necessary to use replacement parts identical to the original ones.
Conclusion
Before purchasing a device for a particular application, you should weigh the positive and negative qualities of the approach using such devices.
As a rule, the price of a Malysh water pump varies greatly depending on the internal device. This, in turn, is related to the scope of use. On average, the cost of the unit is 1500-2500 rubles. for the Malysh-M model, 2000-2200 rubles. for Baby-3, 1800-2000 rubles. for Baby-P.
Any renovation work require an extremely responsible approach. However, if you have any problems, it is recommended to contact a specialist. You can purchase the device at any relevant store and get advice there.
Pump repair MALISH (video)
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Pumping station for a private home: water supply, types and installation features
Water supply country house and ensuring high-quality watering of the adjacent area is a topic of concern to any person who spends part of his life outside the city. For this purpose, various devices and devices are used, including the Rucheek submersible pump, known since Soviet times, the technical characteristics of which are quite consistent with many modern and “advanced” analogues.
With its low power, averaging 225-300 W, and minimal price (1300-2100 rubles depending on the model), the Rucheyok water pump is quite capable of providing water to a small family of 2-3 people, as well as irrigation summer cottage area of 6-12 acres.
The vibration pump can also be used for purposes such as:
- Pumping water from swimming pools, basements and various containers.
Most often, the problem of flooding of premises located on the lower tiers of residential buildings and utility structures arises during the spring flood, when underground groundwater rise especially high. Since they contain practically no solid impurities, they can be pumped out using a submersible vibration pump Rucheek.
Important: To pump out contaminated water, you must use a filter together with the Rucheek pump, which will prevent it from possible large mechanical contamination.
The filter for the pump “Rucheek” is a special device in the shape of a cap that fits onto the receiving part of the pump. It is better to perform this procedure after the pump has warmed up.
- Filling heating system before its launch.
This manipulation is performed when there is no possibility of connecting to centralized system heating on at this stage construction. The process itself looks like this:
— Water is delivered to the house in a barrel into which a hose from the pump is inserted.
— The second hose connects to the radiator drain valve.
— The tap opens simultaneously with the pump starting.
— The system is filled using a pressure gauge until the pressure in it reaches the desired level.
We have material on our website that describes the main malfunctions and
Pump Brook reviews
If you are planning to buy a Malysh or Ruchek pump, reviews from those who have already done so may be useful to you. Here are some of them:
“For me, living in the village, the Brook pump is simply a necessary thing in the household from early spring to autumn. Every spring, the cellar is flooded with groundwater—Rucheek helps out. It's time to water the plantings - and again you can't go without a pump. I also use it to fill bath containers. The pump is not heavy, and it is easy to immerse it on a regular rope both in the cellar and in the well casing. Works from a regular outlet. For 3 years of active operation of the pump - not a single repair.”
Anatoly, Volgograd
“My parents used the Rucheyok pump in Soviet times. And, despite the modern variety of pumps, I give preference to this proven brand.
I use the “stream” mainly for watering my summer cottage and for pumping water from the well.
The advantage of the pump is its reliability and unpretentiousness. And “Rucheyok” is inexpensive compared to other pumps. I note that this model has good performance, but, alas, is slightly inferior in power to many modern pumps.”
Dmitry, Samara
“The Rucheek pump is made in Belarus. And it's not expensive, and it works very well. I have a pump like this at my dacha. The only problem with this pump is that if it is used for a long time, the rubber valve on the water intake itself dries out, which, in principle, is not difficult to replace yourself.”
Alexander Petrovich, Simferopol
