Programmable drain pump

Abstract

Evaporative cooler apparatus includes two pumps, a primary pump which pumps water to an evaporative medium and a secondary pump for pumping water from the bottom of the cooler to drain the water reservoir of the cooler. The secondary, or drain pump includes a programmable timer that is operable by a user to select a run time duration for the pump motor from a plurality of possible run times. The programmable drain pump also includes a user control for selection of an off-state time from a plurality of available off-state times or intervals between run times of the drain pump motor. The programmable drain pump also includes a constant on control and a test control.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An evaporative cooler pump apparatus, comprising:
 a shaft;   a motor connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft;   an impeller secured to the shaft remote from the motor for pumping water;   a housing for enclosing the motor and the impeller;   a programmable processor in operable communication with the motor, the processor including programming configured to selectively control the operation of the motor between,
 a constant-on mode, whereby the motor is turned on and runs indefinitely, and 
 an intermittent run mode, whereby the motor continuously alternates between an on-state in which the motor is turned on for a first period of time, and an off-state in which the motor is turned off for a second period of time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user control operable by a user for selection of an off-state period of time from a plurality of mutually different off-state periods of time available for selection.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user control operable by the user for selection of an on-state period of time from a plurality of mutually different on-state periods of time available for selection.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the user control for on-state periods of time is a first user control, and further comprising:
 a second user control operable by a user for selection of an off-state period of time from a plurality of mutually different off-state periods of time available for selection.   
     
     
         5 . An evaporative cooler apparatus, comprising:
 an evaporative cooler housing, including
 a bottom wall, 
 a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, 
 a top wall secured to the side wall, 
 a water reservoir, and 
 an evaporative medium secured to the side wall; 
   a water supply connected for providing water to the evaporative cooler housing;   a drain pipe connected for draining water from the evaporative cooler housing;   a first pump operative for pumping water from the water reservoir to the evaporative medium;   a second pump operative for pumping water from the water reservoir to the drain pipe, the second pump including a programmable processor in operable communication with a motor of the second pump, the processor including programming configured to selectively control the operation of the motor between
 a constant-on mode, whereby the motor is turned on and runs indefinitely, and 
 a drain mode, whereby the motor continuously alternates between an on-state, in which the motor is turned on for a first period of time, and an off-state in which the motor is turned off for a second period of time. 
   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a user control operable by a user for selection of an off-state period of time from a plurality of mutually different off-state periods of time available for selection.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a user control operable by the user for selection of an on-state period of time from a plurality of mutually different on-state periods of time available for selection.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the user control for on-state periods of time is a first user control, and further comprising:
 a second user control operable by a user for selection of an off-state period of time from a plurality of mutually different off-state periods of time available for selection.   
     
     
         9 . An evaporative cooler pump apparatus, comprising in combination:
 a shaft;   a motor connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft;   an impeller secured to the shaft remote from the motor for pumping water;   a housing for enclosing the motor and the impeller;   a programmable processor in operable communication with the motor, the processor including programming configured to selectively control the operation of the motor in an intermittent run mode, whereby the motor alternates between an on-state in which the motor is turned on for a first period of time, and an off-state in which the motor is turned off for a second period of time;   a first user control operable by a user for selection of an off-state period of time from a plurality of mutually different off-state periods of time available for selection; and   a second user control operable by a user for selection of an off-state period of time from a plurality of mutually different off-state periods of time available for selection.