As you begin to get your systems in place for a successful spring planting season, some of the most common questions the SurePoint Ag team receives are about electric pumps. In order to save you time and frustration, this blog will serve to answer some of the common questions.
Whether you are using a SurePoint Ag PumpRight or a Tower Electric Pump, frequently asked questions and concerns about pumps include:
EPD Flashing Light Error Codes EPD stands for electric pump driver. It serves as the control system and operating system for your pump. If your system is operating properly, there should be a steady blinking light in the middle of the display when pumps are off. If the LED light is flashing four times, then pausing, the EPD has tripped due to a low voltage condition. Unplug the Power Supply to the EPD to reset. If the condition persists, check Power Supply cables from battery to EPD to ensure a solid connection and viable electrical path. It is best to check the voltage under load. Voltage may appear normal when the pumps are off, but if there are connection or harness issues there may not be sufficient voltage under load conditions. There should be 11-12 volts at the point where the EPD connects to the battery power harness; lower voltage could result in a flashing light error. If the voltage drops too much under a load, check all the pins and connectors for something that might be loose, corroded, or not making good contact. Be sure the power harness goes directly to the battery, as power strips may not be able to provide the current needed to run the electric pumps. Be sure the harnesses have wires of sufficient size. 6 AWG or 8 AWG will be needed, especially for longer runs. Also, when testing the system, be sure the tractor is running. The pumps will draw a battery down quickly and encounter low voltage problems.
No Lights on EPD As you set up your system, when it is operating properly, there should be a steady blinking light in the middle of the display when pumps are off. If no light is ON, check the 40-amp fuse in the EPD harness near the battery. Check all the connections from the battery to the EPD. Use a voltmeter to verify there is 12-13 volts at the Power Supply connector that plugs into the EPD. If you have sufficient voltage and still have no light, the EPD is bad.
Testing PWM Signal The electric pump needs a PWM signal from the controller in order to run. This signal will vary from 0% to 100% (PWM Duty Cycle) depending on how fast the pump needs to run at any given time. Most controllers have a screen where this value can be seen. You need to know where to find the PWM Duty Cycle on your display. The new JDRC 2000 lets you put the PWM DC% directly on the Run page, so you can monitor it at all times.
On a SurePoint Tower Electric system the PWM connector plugs into the EPD module. When the EPD receives a PWM signal the center light should stop blinking and go to a steady red light. Also, there should be a red light in the top corner of the EPD. This light gets brighter as the PWM Duty Cycle increases (the brightness may be difficult to detect in the sunlight). You can check this PWM signal with a voltmeter. When running the pump in Manual mode, the voltage at the PWM connector should be from 4-13 volts, depending on the PWM Duty Cycle. While testing this voltage, have someone observe the PWM Duty Cycle shown on the display. If the display indicates that the controller is sending out a PWM signal, but there is no PWM signal at the PWM connector on the harness, there is probably a harness problem. Use the wiring harness diagrams to check for the PWM signal at each harness connection back towards the controller.
If the PWM signal is present but the pumps still don’t run, plug the pumps directly into the power connector from the battery. The pumps should run full speed. If the pumps run when plugged into the power line from the battery, and the test shows a PWM signal is present, but the pumps won’t run when everything is plugged in, the EPD is bad.
All SurePoint product manuals and troubleshooting guides are designed to help you set-up and utilize SurePoint Ag products as easily and painlessly as possible. If you’re using the PumpRight System for a John Deere Rate Controller 2000, please refer to Section G of this manual for troubleshooting. If you’re using a Tower Electric Pump for the John Deere Rate Controller 2000, please refer to Section G of this manual for troubleshooting help.
For complete product information and set-up, please refer to the product manual for your system. Manuals for each SurePoint Ag system can be found on the Support Site. If further issues persist, please do not hesitate to contact us, we’re here to help and happy to do so!
Stay tuned! We’ll have more helpful pre-season prep tips and ideas from the SurePoint Ag team on the blog and the SurePoint Ag Facebook page.