Overheating 1hp Goulds Pumps

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Edrrt

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Any obstruction in the screen would actually decrease the amp draw. Can't see the model number of the pump? But being a Goulds it should reduce in amp draw when restricting the discharge. This can be done with a valve or by just running fewer sprinklers. Check the amps draw when using less water and see if you can't get it below service factor.

Those motors are made to run hot anyway. They don't put any more meat in them than necessary to keep them just below critical temperature. Any increase in ambient temp or amp draw makes them run at a critical temp, and the bearings don't last long. Once the bearings are bad the pump needs to be replaced. Pump manufacturers can build in just how long they want pumps to last this way. If restricting the flow causes the amps to increase, the bearings are already bad. That is how you test a trust bearing.

Over-sizing the motor is possible, running at lower amperage, increasing air flow and/or decreasing ambient temp will help air cooled motors last longer. But eliminating the cycling and all that heat from inrush currents is the number one way to make pump/motors last longer.


So it sounds like installing a CSV is going to make the most difference here. I'm still not sure why it's over amping the motor.
 

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After the bearings have gotten hot enough to trip the thermal overload a time or two, they are damaged and don't spin as freely as when new. Jet pumps are made to run close to the critical temperature anyway. So it doesn't take much extra heat to cause damage.
 

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Does anyone have a link an explanation of how to install a cycle stop valve? I presume that I can just plug it in anywhere on the pipe between the pressure tank and the pressure switch?
 

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Just look at the installation instruction for the particular Cycle Stop Valve you are using. Yes the CSV needs to go before the pressure tank and switch, but also before any water line tees or hydrants.
 

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.........There's no way that it should be that hot from that. Something has to be wrong.?


Is this the only pump for your system? The booster could be getting too hot because of too much back pressure. If this is used for drip irrigation, that may only be a gallon or two per minute. The motor plate above is for the motor only. Is thi sthe booster pump motor? Sorry, I'm having a hard time understanding your layout. You said for domestic use, is there a pressure tank?
 

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Is this the only pump for your system? The booster could be getting too hot because of too much back pressure. If this is used for drip irrigation, that may only be a gallon or two per minute. The motor plate above is for the motor only. Is thi sthe booster pump motor? Sorry, I'm having a hard time understanding your layout. You said for domestic use, is there a pressure tank?

Actually, back pressure makes the amps go down and the motor runs cooler. It is running wide open with no restriction that causes the most amps and the most heat in the motor.
 

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Actually, back pressure makes the amps go down and the motor runs cooler. It is running wide open with no restriction that causes the most amps and the most heat in the motor.
Ok

If I closed the inflow to the pump the amps drop from 9.5 to 6.5.

I can slowly crack open the inflow valve to the pump to titrate it until I'm generating enough pressure on my sprinklers... and the amp draw it's only 7.5A.

Running the booster pump with this in Flow Restriction supplies adequate pressure, stops the pump from cycling and draws less amps.

Should I be running the pump this way? With the in flow restricted?

If I completely open the inflow the draw goes up to 9.5 amps. The amperage slowly decreases as the pressure builds but it does not drop below 8.5 amps before shutting off.
 

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Is this the only pump for your system? The booster could be getting too hot because of too much back pressure. If this is used for drip irrigation, that may only be a gallon or two per minute. The motor plate above is for the motor only. Is thi sthe booster pump motor? Sorry, I'm having a hard time understanding your layout. You said for domestic use, is there a pressure tank?

The layout is 2 6,000gal cement tanks with outflows at the base plumbed into the booster pump. Prob 10ft head above the pump when full. Prob 10ft of 1.5" pipe to the pump intake.

Then 1" pipe out to pressure switch and large pressure tank.

It supplies a farm.

When cool... if run for 5 min it is to hot to touch.

Running continuously with restricted inflow so draw is only 7.5A, no cycling, good water pressure watering lawn... it is still to hot to touch. 30psi out the whole time.

The heat its making seems abnormal.

Maybe a booster isn't right for this application and i should try a jet pump?
 

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Do not restrict the "in flow" to the pump. Starving it for water will make the amps drop, but causes cavitation and damages the pump. Restrict the flow on the discharge side of the pump. You can use a ball valve or just reduce the number or size of the sprinklers. Pumps are made to work against a certain amount of restriction on the discharge side. Just opening up too much water can cause a pump to pull high amps. The booster pump is actually better than a jet pump because the amps will drop more when flow is restricted. Those motors are just made to run hot like that. You could cook an egg on them easily. No sense in making a motor with enough meat in it to run cool, as they would last too long. Making the motors as small as possible so they run hot is all part of manufacturers planned obsolescence. Restricting the "out flow" of the pump enough to keep it below the service factor amps, and not letting it cycle off and on is the only way to make the pump last longer.
 

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Do not restrict the "in flow" to the pump. Starving it for water will make the amps drop, but causes cavitation and damages the pump. Restrict the flow on the discharge side of the pump. You can use a ball valve or just reduce the number or size of the sprinklers. Pumps are made to work against a certain amount of restriction on the discharge side. Just opening up too much water can cause a pump to pull high amps. The booster pump is actually better than a jet pump because the amps will drop more when flow is restricted. Those motors are just made to run hot like that. You could cook an egg on them easily. No sense in making a motor with enough meat in it to run cool, as they would last too long. Making the motors as small as possible so they run hot is all part of manufacturers planned obsolescence. Restricting the "out flow" of the pump enough to keep it below the service factor amps, and not letting it cycle off and on is the only way to make the pump last longer.
Would a csv serve the purpose of a flow restrictor? Does a ball halve need to be before the pressure tankbabd or pressure switch?

I just didn't see the amps drop under the service factor when the line pressure was high just before shutoff so I'm not sure if it will help.

I still don't understand why this pump does this. Its designed for this. Its not being asked to do anything unusual. So why does it excede the SF? Is it just defective?
 

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Those type pumps should be non-overloading. Even running wide open with no restriction they will go into upthrust, but should not overload. So yes something is not right. But if that pump has been cycling every minute or so for a long time it is probably damaged. However, reducing the flow makes the amps drop, so you might just be running too much flow.

The CSV won't restrict the pump on its own. It is the number of sprinklers that determines the flow rate, the CSV will just keep the pressure the same for a small sprinkler as it does for multiple large sprinklers. Restricting the flow before the pressure switch like with a CSV means the pump is seeing much higher than 60 PSI so the amps drop. Without the CSV the 60 PSI from a 40/60 switch isn't enough to reduce the flow rate and drop the amps.
 

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Since the pump is over amping and likely shot as the most plausible explanation I'm going to replace it first. Should I:

A) Get a 1hp jetpump (hj100s). Idea being it is less efficient and will likely run continuously under high daw likely eliminating the need for a CSV. Prob goes down to 10-15gpm under pressure. This lasted me 15 years at similar installation.

B) Get an new 1hp 20gpm watergun style booster pump with a csv since it will exceed demand.

C) Get a 2hp so the motor works less.

D) Go 3 phase for less draw.

Called the installer today. Asked the questions raised by the the forum and the results of the diagnostics... no answers. He said said he'd have the owner call me as he is more knowledgeable. Never heard back but they sent a different guy today... who depressurised the water line then rocked the pressure tank and said it was waterlogged and needed replacement which is the problem.

I checked the pressure on the valve on top of the tank with the water line uncharged. 35psi. Which I think is factory. 5lbs under the pressure switch. I imagine there will be water in it as it's located at the lowest point. So draining the pressure from the system could leave that tank with residual. But it sounds empty to me tapping on it. And it pressurizes and depresurises at a rate I'd expect for it's size. Pump takes about 1min to go from 40-70. And 3-4min to bleed down with a hose on high.

Is there any sure way to check the tank?

I also don't see how replacing the tank will change the pump over amping... as it over amps the most under the least load. So I'm not sold they have the answer and am going to swap the pump next week for starters myself instead.
 
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Edrrt

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What is the model number of the pump you have?

I posted a photo of it in the thread. It doesn't come back to anything I can find online but since my dealer says it's a 20 gallon per minute model it should be the equivalent of the goulds 10GB I'm guessing. I contacted the manufacturer to ask if they had any information on the model number and received no reply.

My hj100s... while supposedly a much less efficient design for this application... lasted about 15 years flawlessly. So I'm thinking of just throwing another one in and seeing how that goes.
 

Edrrt

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The pic of the pump doesn't show the model number, and Goulds doesn't make a 20 GPM series. Those are good pumps. Just need to see where you are running on the curve?
20200614_195159.jpg

It was the only number on the pump. Any other place to look?

The salesman quoted 20gpm. I'd say it prob produces about that.
 

Valveman

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Goulds doesn't make a 20 GPM pump. They make and 18 and a 25. But either of those will pump the 20 GPM your salesman is saying. And neither of them should overload when using less than 25 GPM, which means less than 40 PSI. As long as the pressure is higher than 40 PSI, like with a 40/60 switch it should not be in overload. The amps are dropping when the flow is restricted, so I think the pump is good. But all that cycling could have damaged the ball bearings in the motor, which could be making it draw high amps. Either way something isn't right. Normally even wide open with zero pressure those type pumps will stay below the service factor amps which in this case is 8.1. If it is tripping the overload I would say your amp meter is accurate and the motor is drawing too many amps, so as long as the voltage is adequate something is wrong with the motor.
 

Reach4

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I suspect the pictured pump is one of these:
10GBC10
10GBC1014K0
10GBS10
10GBS1014K4

These would be 10 stage 10 gpm pumps. The 20 gpm statement would have been at near zero head.
 
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