The Econocycle/ Raincycle system consists of one or more underground tanks and a control box that is generally located on the exterior wall of the home. It is an efficient system as the lights on the control box tell you whether you are using rainwater or town (mains) water.
Our experience with this system has highlighted the importance of regular maintenance. We recommend annual servicing or every 2 years at most.
There are 2 types of filters used in the Econocycle/ Raincycle underground tanks. Older systems will likely have a fabric filter bag that covers the manhole and sits under the inlet pipework.
These filter bags are fantastic for filtering everything that makes its way from your roof and they trap dust and fine particles BUT they are very high maintenance so need to be regularly checked and replaced when required.
We recommend that you open the lid and check the filter every few months depending on how much rainfall you have had.
We have seen first-hand what happens when these filter bags are not replaced. Underground tanks are a haven for invading tree roots that can make their way into the tank through gaps where the risers and lids attach to the tank manhole.
Tree roots and poor maintenance make these bags very heavy and clogged. This can put immense pressure on the pump pipework. We have seen instances of plumbing pipework snapping under the weight of these bags.
This scenario also gives the homeowner a false reading at the Econocycle/ Raincycle control box. Your pump is working but because the pipework is broken, the pump is just cycling in the tank. You will see a lovely green Rainwater LED light but the rainwater is not going to your toilet or garden. It is just circulating inside the tank.
More recently, the Econocycle/ Raincycle concrete underground tanks come with a stainless-steel flow-through filter. The cylindrical filter is connected to the inlet pipework at one end and the overflow pipe at the other end. When it rains, the force of the water pushes debris (leaves etc) through to the overflow pipework. Rainwater makes its way into the tank through the perforations.
As this new style filter does not filter dust and dirt to the extent of the filter bag, it is important to regularly check the stainless-steel flow through the filter to ensure that its perforation holes are not blocked. Depending on the location of the inlet and overflow pipework, you could use both a filter bag and the stainless steel flow-through filter for additional filtering.
The Econocycle/ Raincycle control box is the brains of the entire system and it is the components inside here that determine whether you are using rainwater or town water.
There are also brass strainers on the rainwater and mains water feed line that need to be cleaned. These strainers are located inside the shroud that sits underneath the control box.
Contact us here to book a service. Wayne and Ann will carry out a complete service on the system and diagnose and report any issues that arise.
After booking an initial service, you may wish to carry out future maintenance yourself. We can go through everything with you so that you are fully equipped to manage it yourself.
