Make pumps smart and flexible with Lowara Hydrovar variable pump controllers, a Xylem brand

Xylem Africa continues our mission to provide our customers with greater control, efficiency, and performance over their pumping system - through the fifth generation of Lowara Hydrovar Variable Speed Pump Controllers.

Traditional pumps either run full-throttle or not at all. But this creates staggering inefficiencies, adds significantly to costs, and contributes to environmental damage. Whether you have old yet reliable AC-motor pumps or newer equipment, Hydrovar enhances nearly any pump with smart technology to run better, react to conditions, and avoid damage. The Hydrovar family of smart variable speed pump controllers have evolved to provide intelligent features to AC-motor pumps, combined with easy installation and commissioning, as well as many other features. Hydrovar can reduce pump energy usage by as much as 70%. No wonder it’s being used in the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, by the Thames Water Authority, and in the Gotthard road tunnel - at 16.9 kilometres, the fourth-longest in the world. “Hydrovar was developed over the decades with two specific goals - to give you more control and insight over your pumps and to make them more intelligent,” said Chetan Mistry, Strategy and Marketing Manager for Xylem Africa. “At Xylem, we have refined and improved this ground-breaking controller family yet again with Hydrovar’s 5th generation.” These units are compatible with nearly every AC-motor pump and come with a slew of features that makes clear financial sense to our customers.

Hydrovar isn’t a new kid on the block, and every advance it makes ends up being a significant improvement over what the market can offer.”

Easy to install and retrofit

Hydrovar system consists of a variable speed drive (VSD), a control card, sensors, EMC filters and motor/system protection. There’s no need for an external control panel when using Hydrovar, and each unit can support up to eight pumps. Hydrovar can be installed on top of the pump or be wall-mounted in tighter spaces. The system works with most pumps and can be connected to any AC motor. It supports the RS485 interface, BACnet, Modbus, analogue and digital I/O, direct motor control function, and offers an optional Wi-Fi card. Such compatibility ensures that Hydrovar can be retrofitted to older pumps. It is one of the fastest and easiest pump controllers to install and commission. Quick startup guides and logic menu systems make the Hydrovar straightforward to set up and operate. It’s also flexible: advanced programming features can optimise Hydrovar for almost any duty condition.

Enable active maintenance and damage prevention

Maintenance and longevity is another reason why a Hydrovar investment makes sense.

The system can safely and quickly stop pumps at zero demand. Hydrovar offers thermal protection of the motor via its software, dry run protection, and specific motor protections such as overtemperature, overcurrent and under-voltage monitoring. It generates timestamped error logs and can extend the lifetime of your pumps. One unit can manage up to 8 pumps - since every Hydrovar acts as a master unit, the system offers extensive