Top Tips On How To Maintain The Different Types Of Pumps

Table of Contents

1. Maintain The Different Types Of Pumps
2. Voltage
3. Seals
4. Balance
5. Heat

Water and water pumps are crucial in various industries, especially in domestic, commercial, and agricultural applications. These sectors heavily depend on water, and safety systems often require well-maintained water pumps to function correctly. Although water pumps and the electric motors driving them can last for many years, even decades, a minor issue can disrupt the entire system.

Pumps require precise calibration, and even a minor change in settings can significantly affect their performance. Users should regularly test and inspect their pumps to ensure everything operates as intended.

Maintain The Different Types Of Pumps

Pump maintenance is challenging because there are so many little things that could go wrong. Common pump problems often stem from unnoticed small errors that persist for months or years, eventually causing system failure. Technicians may lack the necessary tools to inspect pumps or may overlook minor signs.

However, for the asset owner, this can mean thousands of dollars in repairs or even a complete pump replacement. If you want to keep your pumps in great shape, here are a few things to watch out for.

Voltage

An electric motor drives the water pump in 90% of pumping applications. In some specific situations, a diesel engine might drive it. Some of the most common problems with water pumps actually result from a voltage problem in the motor, while the pump itself is usually fine. If your water pump is not creating the right amount of pressure, if the motor is getting too hot when it runs, if you can smell burned enamel, or if your electricity meters are showing abnormal voltages and amps, you might have voltage problems with the motor.

When the voltage is too high or too low it changes the standard RPM that the pump is receiving from the motor and results in changes in pump behavior. This is why it is very important to have meters installed on the pump socket to make sure you can keep an eye on voltage and amps. This could be due to poor wiring, socket problems, winding issues, or a problem in the electricity supply from the grid.

Seals

Another common issue that people face with pumps is that the joints and seals around the pump start to leak. Again, this can result in pressure drops, increased power consumption, increased time to fill up the same tank, or a range of other problems. This is a major part of industrial pump maintenance, especially in situations where water pumps are running at very high pressures continuously. Eventually, the seals and gaskets give way and water starts to leak out. While it might look like only a minor leak on the surface, it is causing a major change in internal pump pressure and disturbing the water flow in the pump body.

This problem should be addressed as soon as possible before the water gets into the motor winding. In the case of submersible pumps, this can be hard to identify since the pump itself is out of reach. However, with submersible pumps make sure you also check all the connected piping as there are many joints in the pipe going down the bore.

Balance

A pump set consists of the electric motor and the water pump assembly. Even in the case of monoblock pumps which look like a single device, these two components are actually coupled together. In some cases, it is a single shaft running through the motor and through the pump, but in other cases, there is a flange in between the two different shafts that connect both components.

One of the first things to fail in all kinds of water pumps is the bearing that holds the shaft in place. Even though these generally have a service life of thousands of hours, local conditions can make them deteriorate faster. When this happens, the shafts start to get out of alignment. Since the bearing can no longer provide the smooth rotation that is needed, it creates more vibration than the pump can bear, and eventually, you can get shafts that are completely misaligned.

Naturally, with the pump spinning at such high speeds, even a slight change in alignment will seriously damage the pump internals and the motor. If you detect your pump vibrating a bit more than it usually does or it is louder than usual, make sure you don’t have a balance issue with the device. Shut the device off completely and don’t run it at all until it is resolved.

Heat

Pumps and motors generate heat, especially in poorly ventilated areas without cooling mechanisms. Overheating is a common issue that can damage both the motor and pump. Regularly monitor the temperature when running pumps for extended periods, and install them away from direct sunlight and heat sources.

Thank you for reading!