I ran the pump with the orange spring (experimental k value less than calculated minimum needed) and what would happen is if I let the water build up a little the plate would close and sometimes it would reopen and run for a few cycles but most of the time I would need to push it back open and then it would run for a few cycles. I noticed that after it would run, it wouldn't close again and it seemed like the flowrate of the water decreased as well. Other times I would push it open and it either wouldn't continue to run or would only run for 2 or 3 cycles and it seems like the head and/or velocity (?) decreases from the pump running to a point where it will no longer close and then the pump will no longer run. On the other hand, if there is too much head then even when I would push to open it the force on the plate was still too much where it would close and stay closed.
I ran the pump with the orange spring (experimental k value less than calculated minimum needed) and what would happen is if I let the water build up a little the plate would close and sometimes it would reopen and run for a few cycles but most of the time I would need to push it back open and then it would run for a few cycles. I noticed that after it would run, it wouldn't close again and it seemed like the flowrate of the water decreased as well. Other times I would push it open and it either wouldn't continue to run or would only run for 2 or 3 cycles and it seems like the head and/or velocity (?) decreases from the pump running to a point where it will no longer close and then the pump will no longer run. On the other hand, if there is too much head then even when I would push to open it the force on the plate was still too much where it would close and stay closed.