PUMP LONGEVITY AND
TROUBLESHOOTING
PUMP LONGEVITY
¾
6 – 8 Years for
centrifugal
z
z
z
z
z
HIGHER Flow,
LOWER Head
More expensive
Plenty of storage
volume
Short life span
Disposable
PUMP LONGEVITY
¾
20 – 25 Years for multistage high head
z
z
z
z
z
LOWER Flow, HIGHER
Head
Lower cost
Storage volume may be
concern
Long life span
Easy to rebuild or repair
Types of Pumps
¾ Centrifugal
¾ Multi-Stage High Head
Discharge
Suction
Volute
Impeller
Eye
Vanes
WHAT AFFECTS LONGEVITY
¾
Proper Design
z
Right Pump for the
Application
• TDH vs GPM
WHAT AFFECTS LONGEVITY
¾
Proper Installation
z
z
Debris in Tank (rocks, dirt,
wire clippings, sludge, etc.)
Discharge Assembly
(check valve direction,
weep hole, HOA switch in
Auto)
WHAT AFFECTS LONGEVITY
¾
Electrical Issues
z
z
z
Spikes
Shorts
Surges
PUMP TROUBLESHOOTING
Equipment Dictates the Approach
¾
¾
¾
Piggyback / Plugger
Direct Wire Panel
Control Panel
z
z
z
z
Contactors
Circuit Breakers
Relays
Processors, etc.
SYMPTOM / TEST / DIAGNOSIS /
CORRECTION
¾
SSPMA Troubleshooting Guidelines
z
z
www.sspma.org
www.swpa.org
FREQUENT SYMPTOMS
¾
No Flow
z
z
¾
Low Flow
z
z
¾
Electrical
Obstructions
Electrical
Obstructions
High Flow
z
Someone else’s
problem, not my talk
PUMP DOES NOT RUN
“NO FLOW”
Electrical
z
Have you lost your POWER?
• Into Panel or Junction at pump?
z
Go to circuit breaker at the house feed
• Going to the pump?
z
Check components within Panel
• Control fuse
• Circuit breaker
• Loose connections
• Contactor
• relay
Electrical Needs
¾
Meter types and proper use
Multi-meter…Volts (AC &
z
DC), Amps, Continuity
•
z
Clamp-on type is best.
Easy to measure pump
Amps
Megohmmeter…Detects
insulation deterioration
•
Best way to detect bad
floats or pump windings
NO FLOW
NO POWER
¾
Electrical – cont.
z
z
z
Check HOA Switch
Sensor Failure
Proper Voltage?
• 115 volts or 230 volts
• Check with Multi-Meter
z
If 115 volts are present with 230
volt design
• Dropped one line voltage leg
• Reset circuit breaker
• Call electrician
NO FLOW
NO POWER
¾
Electrical – cont.
z
Proper Voltage?
• 115 volts or 230 volts
• Check with Multi-Meter
z
If NO volts are present with 115 volt design
• Dropped all line voltage
• Reset circuit breaker
• Check points of power back to service
• Replace defective component if necessary
• Call electrician
Simplex Panels
Timer control panels
Electrical safety
Precautions
¾
z
z
z
z
z
Always use insulated tools
Turn off power when working in panel
Only have power on when you are using a multimeter to check volts or amps
Learn and understand the pathways of electricity
within the control panel (schematics)
Use common since precautions….Do no stand in
water or work in the rain!
Electrical safety
When to call an electrical professional
¾
z
z
z
z
¾
If you refuse to follow safety precautions
If you don’t want to learn the basics of electricity
If you don’t treat it with respect
If the problem is beyond your knowledge base
Don’t clown around, electricity can hurt !
NO FLOW
WITH PROPER POWER
¾
¾
Wrong pump – Check specs
Electrical – cont.
z
Where are your SHORTS ?
• Circuit breaker continues to “trip”
• Use Megohmeter or Megger to
check continuity or bleed over.
• If megger shows “bad”
z
z
z
Replace motor capacitor if
possible
Replace motor if possible
Replace complete pump (notify
your Health Dept.)
CHECK MOTOR
INERDS OF A PUMP
Capacitor
Water in the oil
PUMP RUNS - “NO FLOW”
¾ Obstructions
z
Check discharge assembly
•
•
•
Is ball valve properly set to “ON”
Is check valve operating correctly?
Is anti-siphon or weep hole present or clogged?
z
Can cause air lock and not push effluent
• Is there gravel or debris in the vertical section of
the pipe?
Pump Discharge
Assembly
¾
¾
¾
¾
¾
¾
¾
Raised above tank bottom
Pull rope, cable or chain
(non-corrodible)
Check Valve (flapper or
swing type)
Threaded union or quick
disconnect
Isolation valve (ball, gate, or
slide type)
Anti-siphon / vent hole
Accessible from riser
PUMP RUNS - “NO FLOW”
¾
Obstructions – cont.
z
Pull pump out of tank
• Check intake, do you see anything?
• Using the proper tool, try to turn the
impeller
z
z
Free-wheeling but doesn’t move water?
• May be a broken shaft
Stuck and will not turn
• Remove base of pump
VARIOUS OBSTRUCTIONS
VARIOUS OBSTRUCTIONS
PUMP RUNS
“LOW FLOW”
¾
Electrical
z
Check for Low amp draw for pump design
• Wrong gauge wire, excessive run, wrong pump
z
230 volt pump but is only running on 115 volts
•
•
•
z
Reset circuit breaker
Check for loose terminal connections
One underground lead may be cut or nicked
115 or 230 volt pump with proper voltage
• Fatiqued pump / breakdown in motor windings
z Check with megger – good, bad, or the ugly
PUMP RUNS
“LOW FLOW”
¾ Obstructions
z
Check discharge assembly
•
•
•
Is ball valve Partially Closed?
Is check valve operating correctly?
Is anti-siphon or weep hole present or clogged?
z
Can cause air lock and not push effluent
Pump Discharge
Assembly
¾
¾
¾
¾
¾
¾
¾
Raised above tank bottom
Pull rope, cable or chain
(non-corrodible)
Check Valve (flapper or
swing type)
Threaded union or quick
disconnect
Isolation valve (ball, gate, or
slide type)
Anti-siphon / vent hole
Accessible from riser
PUMP RUNS
“LOW FLOW”
¾ Obstructions - cont.
z
Check discharge assembly
• Is there gravel or debris in the vertical section of
the pipe?
• Is sludge in the pump tank?
z
Is pump setting directly on the tank floor?
• Drag on the impeller
z
z
Could be a bent shaft
Fine grit in the impeller chamber
• Remove pump base and examine
THE END
YEA
YEA !!!!
!!!!