Telltale Signs That Your Pump Needs Repair and Servicing

July 29, 2015

A number of symptoms present themselves when a pump is ailing. The signs alert building maintenance staff and a qualified technician can either repair or replace the unit before it stops functioning. The self-evident indicator in this circumstance occurs when the pump turns on and nothing is happening. The device is either totally non-functional or there's a worrying buzz emanating from the enclosure. The silent device likely indicates there's a break in the electrical supply somewhere. Meanwhile, that angry buzzing could be tracked down to a break within the motor. For example, a three phase electrical motor can lose one of its three power lines and hang impotently, unable to generate the rotating magnetic field that turns the impeller within the pump. Here's a short list of signs that are trying to tell you to fix the errant pump:

• Pump leakage
• Extreme noise pollution
• Total system failure
• Keeps tripping the circuit breaker

On returning to basic principle for a moment, it's best to remember that a pump is a two-stage device. The second stage is the impeller, a mechanical component that rotates within the impeller case. An inlet port and an outlet discharge tube enable fluid to flow. Meanwhile, a driving mechanism, usually an electric motor, rotates the shaft holding the impeller. Faults can occur in either the mechanical assembly or the electrical section. For example, a leak could be filtering between the seal connecting the motor shaft to the mechanical case. This leak will likely compromise the insulation of the motor over time and cause the electrics to burn out. It really helps if the observer can describe where the leak is taking place. A leak on a flange, one that drips onto the floor, will cause a mess but there's less chance of this discharge damaging the sensitive electric coils within the motor.

Noise is another mechanical issue, although a noise component can be caused by a failing magnetic field. In the case of electrics, this fault causes a noisy buzzing. As for the mechanical noise, well this can be dramatically loud. Shaft bearings, for example, fail due to corrosion or poor lubrication and cause a loud squealing sound. The squeal is due to friction, and the friction is placing a load on the motor, a load that will eventually burn out the device, thus tripping protective circuit breakers or an old-fashioned fuse.

Of course, just because the pump appears dead, this doesn't mean it's bound for the great pump heaven in the sky. Another device on the same circuit could be tripping the circuit breaker, in which case the technician can trace the originating fault and restore the pump to normal operation.

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