Seeking Alternatives to the Discontinued Braun Irypump

My wife has been using the Braun Irypump for 6+ years now. It has been life-changing for her.

Now that Braun is discontinuing this pump, does anyone have info on an alternative?

Many thanks

Keith

Hello

If you irrigate using the Braun IryPump, you will know that the appliance has been discontinued by Braun. There are no replacements due to faults, and they will no longer undertake any repairs. This leaves current users in a very difficult place. The pump has a very poor track record of reliability, usually due to battery/charging issues. I've had four replacements over the years, all due to power issues. If you are currently using an IryPump, you will know that it is only a matter of time before the pump fails, leaving you high and dry.

Braun will not help you. I was placed in that situation a couple of weeks ago when my pump failed to recharge. I was forced to resort to a gravity water bag with limited success. It crossed my mind that, although the pump won't work using its battery, perhaps it might be possible to convert it to run on mains electricity stepped down to 12V DC as most small pumps use.

With very little difficulty, I was able to convert the pump to run perfectly normally on a 12V supply. Converting it was not at all difficult. If you are able to wire a three-pin plug, then you'd have little problem in converting your pump. I have produced detailed instructions on how to resurrect your pump when it fails, which it surely will.

Hi Keith and Douglas, as far as I know, Douglas is right. There is no alternative for the Irypump. Douglas, would you please share (in very simple steps!! Luddite here) how you made your Irypump work off the mains? What kind of pump replaces it? Do you have a link? I'm amazed and heartened that you've achieved that, as it gives hope to the rest of us that we can continue with the Irypump, which is so much better than a gravity water bag.

Thanks

Y.L.

Keith, I hope that this helps.

John

Braun IryPump 12v conversion 

If your IryPump has failed due to power/charging problems, don't throw it away. With little difficulty, no more than wiring a three-pin plug, you can convert it to run on mains electricity. 

This conversion will only work if it is a battery/recharge/power supply failure.

To convert your failed IryPump to work successfully on 12v (240v), you will need the following items: (All from Amazon UK)

RUNCCI-YON 2pc DC 12v PWM motor speed controller (£4.99)

SVNONVE 12v 6A Power Supply Transformer Adaptor.

If this is no longer available, an equivalent 12v 5A adaptor will do.

YETOR way car waterproof 2 pin plug auto connections. (£7.92) 

You get a pack of 5, but as you only need one, the other four can be gift-wrapped and sent as Christmas presents to unpopular relations. 

One Knightsbridge 6A inline cord switch.

In addition, you will need to rob an old-fashioned 3 pin plug for a cable clip (bar with two screws) and a 1” pad of Blutac.

Here's what you do:

Carefully drill a 1/8th hole in the body of the pump 1” to the right of the control switch. This is to allow the pump wires to be passed through.

Release the base of the pump.

It is secured by 4 Allen-headed screws. Two screws are obvious; the other two are hidden under labels. Use a small Allen key (trial and error, but there is one to fit). The base plate of the pump is inset, so use a sharp blade to release it. BE CAREFUL as you don't want to disturb the water pipes inside. It is also possible to remove the screws using a small-headed electrical screwdriver, again trial and error. Once inside, you will see delicate water pipes, a circuit board, a white rechargeable battery (failed), and a pump with a black body. 

Notice two red and black wires passing from the pump to a small plug on the circuit board. Cut the two wires close to the plug and pass them through the hole that you first made in the side of the pump. Don't touch anything else; replace the pump base plate with the four screws.

Look at the motor speed controller.

It has a knob to control the speed and on the back 4 wire ports. 

Two ports read Power + (Positive) and Power - (Negative). 

The other two ports read Motor + (Positive) and Motor (Negative) -.

Bare the ends of the wire from the pump and put the RED to Motor + (Positive) and Black to Motor - (Negative).

It is wise at this stage to check that the pump will operate after the full conversion. Cut the jack plug (or equivalent) off the power supply adaptor, bare the wires and (temporarily) connect RED to Power + and Black to Power - on the motor speed controller. GENTLY turn the speed controller and a red light indicates that the controller is working and the pump operates. NOT FOR LONG. You will now know that very soon you will have a fully restored Stoma irrigation pump.

Now to finish the conversion.

It is wise to be able to switch off the pump and disconnect it from the wire supply for ease of storage and to avoid danger to the pump controller.

Remove the power wires and replace them with the RED (Positive) and BLACK (Negative) from the male half of the plug connector. 

The best place to position the motor speed controller is on the face of the old pump controller. Use the Blutac to fix the new controller securely. You will notice that the back of the new controller has solder spikes making it difficult to fix to a flat surface, hence the Blutac.

Wire (about 3”) the female side of the plug connector to the Knightsbridge inline cord switch. (Wire is supplied in the controller pack). Finish the power connection by wiring the +ive and -ive to the other end of the cord switch.

CHECK. RED TO RED - BLACK TO BLACK.

Do a final check, this time with water in the tank and get the feel of the sensitivity of the pump controller. Low and slow as if you were irrigating.

Lastly, to protect the wires from undue stress, we need to fix a cable clip. This requires two more small holes to be carefully drilled into the pump case. Use the 3 pin plug cable clip with its screws to secure the four wires from the pump controller.

Now you have a fully functioning electric Stoma Irrigation pump not relying on a dubious, ill-made, rechargeable battery. It's not pretty and it won't win any designer awards, but it will function just as it did using the rechargeable battery.

Keith, I hope you see my reply in the other thread. If not, eBay has someone who offers an Irypump repair service for £49 on the UK site. Good luck.

My Ostomy Journey: April | Hollister

Hi all

If anyone uses a Braun Irypump and needs it fixed, I have found a guy in Cornwall who does it. He has fixed mine three times! Quick turnaround too. The company name is ELECFIX, and Mark's number is 07779654251. If anyone has an old pump system lying around, he will buy it from you as he uses parts to rebuild for other users.