Improper Use And Maintenance Methods Of Water Pumps

Common causes of water pump damage are usually related to incorrect use or improper maintenance. Based on years of customer feedback and practical experience, we have summarized some reasons and corresponding solutions, hoping to help water pump users better maintain their water pumps and extend their service life:

When the water pump runs without water, the pump body and shaft seal will overheat due to lack of lubrication. Some variable frequency pumps use water cooling technology. If there is no water flow inside the pump body to cool it, it is easy to cause the seal to burn out and the internal parts of the pump to be damaged. It will also damage the motor and cause the water pump to be scrapped.

Solution:
Before starting the water pump, make sure there is enough water in the pump cavity and regularly check whether the water supply system is normal. You can also confirm with the supplier whether the water pump has a waterless protection function before purchasing the water pump, which can largely avoid dry running.

Working for a long time beyond the rated flow and head of the pump can easily cause motor overload and even burn the motor coil. Whether it is flow, pressure or speed, long-term excessive deviation from the rated design point may cause the pump load to increase. For example, the centrifugal pump will shorten its life or even "die suddenly" when it is fully opened at maximum power.

Solution:
When selecting the pump, ensure that the pump's operating point is in its high-efficiency range, avoid operating under load exceeding the design, and regularly monitor the operation of the pump. The model can be selected based on the actual use requirements with 10% more parameters, which can not only meet the use requirements, but also avoid pump overload and extend the service life of the pump.

• When the water inlet is blocked by debris, the water pump will not operate normally due to lack of water, causing the pump to run idle and internal damage. At the same time, if the filter is not installed, large particles of impurities will enter the pump cavity and damage the impeller and pump body.
• The inlet liquid level is too low, which is easy to generate vortexes and suck in air, resulting in cavitation and reduced flow head;
• The water inlet pipe or water inlet is blocked by foreign objects, resulting in reduced flow head;
• The water inlet pipe or water inlet is blocked by foreign objects, resulting in reduced flow head;
• The water inlet pipeline is unreasonable (such as: too many elbows in the water inlet pipe, the pipe diameter is smaller than the pump inlet), the pipeline loss increases, the cavitation margin decreases, and cavitation is easy to cause cavitation. When installing the water pump, try to use the pipeline direct connection method, which can maximize the full efficiency of the water pump;
• The higher the altitude of the pump installation, the lower the atmospheric pressure, the lower the cavitation margin, and the lower the suction head.

Solution:

• Clean the water inlet of the water pump regularly and install a suitable filter device to prevent debris from entering the pump cavity.
• The pool pump series water pumps are usually equipped with filter baskets, and because they use plastic impellers, they can also be used in a variety of corrosion-resistant water treatment scenarios, such as aquarium water filtration, seafood market seafood pools and seawater aquaculture.
• The submersible pump series has a filter screen at the bottom, which is suitable for household rainwater collection, filtration, landscape fish ponds, waterfalls, planting, forestry and fisheries.
• For more product options, please contact us according to actual use needs.

If the water pump is used to transport media that does not match its design (such as acidic or high-temperature liquids), it may cause corrosion or overheating of the pump body. The transported medium corrodes the flow-through components, mechanical seals, etc. For example, hydrochloric acid corrodes stainless steel, and hydrofluoric acid corrodes silicon carbide.
Note: The corroded surface will have dense pinholes of varying sizes, like the surface of the moon.

Solution:
When selecting, make sure that the pump material matches the chemical properties of the medium and follow the scope of use of the pump.
CDL series vertical multistage centrifugal pumps are suitable for most water boosting applications. The CDL series is made of cast iron and has a higher cost-effectiveness; the CDLF series is made of stainless steel and can be customized to 304 or 316 stainless steel according to demand. It is more corrosion-resistant and can be used in pure water filtration systems or food processing systems.
If it is used for corrosive media, you can choose industrial chemical pump series made of corrosion-resistant materials such as brass, bronze, and 316 stainless steel. If it is used for salt water, you can choose a swimming pool pump series with a plastic impeller.

Submersible electric pump motors are exposed to the water and run dehydrated, or sink into the mud, which makes the motor dissipate heat slowly and easily cause burning, especially the poor heat dissipation of oil-filled motors, which have the probability of explosion.

Land pumps are installed in corners or in closed boxes, and the fan cannot circulate the surrounding air, resulting in poor heat dissipation of the motor.

Solution:

• Install the water pump in a well-ventilated place, keep it free of obstacles around, and ensure that the air can circulate smoothly. If the equipment installation space is limited, consider adding ventilation facilities, such as installing fans or ventilation equipment. Regularly check the fan blades, bearings and power lines to ensure that the fan is not damaged or loose. If the fan is damaged, it should be replaced in time. Poor heat dissipation of the water pump can be avoided.
• At the same time, household booster pumps can choose Smart series intelligent permanent magnet variable frequency pumps. This water pump innovatively adopts water cooling technology. When the water pump is running, the water flow wraps the motor housing. Compared with the rear motor of the traditional water pump, the water pump is not only more compact and easier to install, but also can effectively avoid damage to the water pump due to overheating in summer.
• The winter climate is cold, and the submersible sewage pump is not used for a long time. It is not suitable to be immersed in water. It should be placed in clean water and powered on for several minutes to clean the condensation inside and outside the pump, then wipe it dry and place it in a dry and ventilated place. Do not let the pump freeze.

The pump is installed on a rigid foundation, lacks vibration reduction measures, or the foundation is too weak to provide sufficient strength. The inlet and outlet water pipes lack support, which eventually causes uneven force on the unit and constrains the running vibration of the pump.

If the foundation on which the pump is installed is not firm or the base is not level, the pump will cause irregular vibrations during operation. Loose foundation, untightened anchor bolts, or vibrations in the installation environment will cause displacement and vibration of the pump body.

If the bearings of the pump are poorly lubricated, worn, or damaged, abnormal friction will be generated when the bearings rotate, which will cause vibration. Long-term overload or improper use of the bearings can also accelerate damage.

Solution:
Ensure that the pump is installed on a solid and stable foundation. If necessary, re-cast the concrete foundation and use anti-vibration pads or shock absorbers to reduce vibration transmission. Check the anchor bolts of the pump regularly to ensure that they are firmly fixed. If looseness is found, tighten or replace the bolts in time. Fasteners can also be used to fix the pump in the use position.
Check the bearings regularly. If the bearings are obviously worn, noisy, or rotate poorly, they should be replaced immediately to avoid further vibration.
The most important thing is to ensure that the operator is familiar with the operating specifications and daily maintenance requirements of the equipment during installation to avoid equipment vibration caused by improper operation.

The water pump never gets enough "care". It is not inspected and maintained regularly according to the instructions. The machine seal is not replaced regularly. The iron pump and aluminum pump are not repainted. The vibration is not checked. The filter device is not cleaned regularly, which makes the pump go from "minor illnesses are not cured" to "major illnesses that cannot be cured".

Solution:

• Regularly check the pump body, impeller and water inlet of the water pump. Especially in the working conditions of sewage or impurities, the impeller may be entangled or blocked by foreign objects, which reduces the efficiency. If the water pump is equipped with a filter basket or filter decoration, the water inlet filter should be cleaned or replaced regularly to ensure smooth water inlet and avoid damage to the pump due to insufficient water inlet.
• Regularly check the bearings of the pump and add lubricating oil or grease according to the requirements of the equipment to prevent the bearings from burning due to insufficient lubrication. Lubricating oil used for a long time may deteriorate and should be replaced regularly to ensure the lubrication effect.
• If the standby pump is not used for a long time, the key components may age due to idleness. The standby pump should be enabled regularly to ensure that it is in good working condition.

Through these detailed maintenance measures, users can choose suitable water pumps, effectively prevent common water pump failures, extend the service life of water pumps, and improve the reliability and operating efficiency of equipment.