Pumping from a stream for irrigation and am having trouble with pump output. It's been in use several summers and worked well until recently. Checked the input screen, filter, etc. Finally decided to see what the volume of output was. At about 40 PSI the output is only about 10 gal/min and normally I have about 15 gal/min at 60 psi. At cutoff I get about 80 PSI which seems about normal. Don't have any leaks that I can find. The water does have a small amount of sand in it. I have a fine screen on the pickup but some makes it through and gets filtered after the pump. I don't see any leaks from the seal although there might be a very slight one. Impeller and jet are plastic. Has the sand eaten away the plastic so I need to replace them? What other checks should I be making before I take it apart?
Low output from pump
- Thread starter JimLS
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Fitter30
Well-Known Member
I'd replaced the seal, gaskets or o ring and the impeller. Use liquid dish soap when putting back in and on o ring for lube.
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Banjo Bud
Active Member
I agree. Get a Rebuild kit.
Took it apart to see what I could see. Didn't see any excessive wear on anything - Just a slight amount. Was very perplexed and left it over night. This morning I did some more inspection and noticed some small ants crawling around the impeller. On closer inspection I found a bunch of ant eggs in the vanes of the impeller but not easily visible from the intake or exit. Some of the sections looked completely plugged. I take it in for the winter and had only had it in about 10 days. Guessing the ants may have been somewhere in vented motor or some other spot and returned to the eggs when I opened things up. Weird. But relieved I found something. Will clean things up and reassemble and see how things work before replacing parts.
Banjo Bud
Active Member
Ha! Easy fix.
Didn't see anything about ant nests in the troubleshooting guide.
Seems like the water flow would have flushed them out but apparently not.
I got a spare gasket the last time I got parts so was able to clean it and get it back together. Works much better now!
Seems like the water flow would have flushed them out but apparently not.
I got a spare gasket the last time I got parts so was able to clean it and get it back together. Works much better now!
Banjo Bud
Active Member
Is it an ANTique? Baaaaahaaaaa
LLigetfa
DIYer, not in the trades
When I take down and drain the garden hoses for the Winter, I learned to connect the two ends so that ants don't move in. One time I didn't do it and ants plugged up my sprinkler.
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