Went away for a week and now one of my pumps won't work #@#%&!!!

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goosegunner

Minister of Fire
Oct 15, 2009
1,469
WI
Went away for a week, I shut every thing down before I left. Started the boiler today and brought it up to temp. Turned on the power to the pump in my primary manifold in the garage. Groans and won't stop.

It is the high point in my system so I thought maybe it was just air.

Purged from a valve, no go.
Opened pump mounting bolts, no go.
Shut valves purged manifold with garden hose, no go.
Took pump motor off, no go.

I have tried bleeding air many times, it still just groans.

Tomorrow I will swap motors and see what happens.

What a pain in the butt!!!

gg
 
goosegunner said:
Went away for a week, I shut every thing down before I left. Started the boiler today and brought it up to temp. Turned on the power to the pump in my primary manifold in the garage. Groans and won't stop.

It is the high point in my system so I thought maybe it was just air.

Purged from a valve, no go.
Opened pump mounting bolts, no go.
Shut valves purged manifold with garden hose, no go.
Took pump motor off, no go.

I have tried bleeding air many times, it still just groans.

Tomorrow I will swap motors and see what happens.

What a pain in the butt!!!

gg
Click to expand...
It seems that pumps in warm basements last a very long time. Hope you have better luck with your system GG, Randy
 
my guess it ran with a little air. If it will spin at all let it run you aren't out any thing at this point. Had one a few years ago that screamed like a little girl and then got quite after some time and is quite today.
 
assuming this is a wet rotor circ, lubricated by water. In the past this has worked for me, make sure the impeller will turn by hand with little resistance, usally there is a small hole in the center of the plastic impeller that circulates water for lubrication, try blowing compressed air into the hole, flushing the existing water out and maybe some lodged rust or debris particles, point the circ away or you will get wet.
 
thanks for the tips,

Its a Grunfos 15-58 bought new December 2009.

I will look at the impeller today. When I looked at it last night it turned freely. But man does it shake and vibrate the whole pipe when I flip the switch.

I have tried all three speeds, same results just less noise on the lower speeds.


gg
 
Took the pump apart today and ran it outside the housing. Same noise, pump is shot. It turns fine but makes quite a racket. Swapped it out with the one for the pool.

Its too warm here today to run boiler. I will run it at night and let fire go out during day. Its Sun and LP for heat during the day.

I also rewired my connection for the pump. I took out the armor coated wire and used a tool Cord to a switched outlet. It will make changing the pumps a lot easier. I will get another one set up with a cord so I can just undo bolts and plug in a new one.

Four bolts and a plug will make the swap just a few minutes.

gg
 
If I'm understanding your OP correctly, the pump in your garage was working fine when you went away a week ago, and then was kaput when you first restarted it? If so, that would be quite a coincidence. Is there a possibility that the fluid in and around the pump froze, causing the pump to go bad?
 
I highly doubt it. I had the garage heated to 45 degrees. We were to get a cold snap so I had my daughter turn the heat up to 50 in the garage.

I am wondering if everything was fine when up to temp but contracted when cooled to 50 degrees.

gg
 
goosegunner said:
Went away for a week, I shut every thing down before I left. Started the boiler today and brought it up to temp. Turned on the power to the pump in my primary manifold in the garage. Groans and won't stop.

It is the high point in my system so I thought maybe it was just air.

Purged from a valve, no go.
Opened pump mounting bolts, no go.
Shut valves purged manifold with garden hose, no go.
Took pump motor off, no go.

I have tried bleeding air many times, it still just groans.

Tomorrow I will swap motors and see what happens.

What a pain in the butt!!!

gg
Click to expand...

It probably got jealous with you taking off and going to some warm island, soaking up the sun and not feeding the stove. I did that once and came back to a relay that desided to quit. My son had to keep the pipes from freezing with 3 kerosine heaters. Coldest days that year. Those heating parts do seem to get jealous if you try and get warm with out them.
leaddog
 
Should still be under warranty, check with a rep or where you bought it.

Pat
 
leaddog said:
goosegunner said:
Went away for a week, I shut every thing down before I left. Started the boiler today and brought it up to temp. Turned on the power to the pump in my primary manifold in the garage. Groans and won't stop.

It is the high point in my system so I thought maybe it was just air.

Purged from a valve, no go.
Opened pump mounting bolts, no go.
Shut valves purged manifold with garden hose, no go.
Took pump motor off, no go.

I have tried bleeding air many times, it still just groans.

Tomorrow I will swap motors and see what happens.

What a pain in the butt!!!

gg
Click to expand...

It probably got jealous with you taking off and going to some warm island, soaking up the sun and not feeding the stove. I did that once and came back to a relay that desided to quit. My son had to keep the pipes from freezing with 3 kerosine heaters. Coldest days that year. Those heating parts do seem to get jealous if you try and get warm with out them.
leaddog
Click to expand...


I think that was probably it. It was nice to be in 80-85 degrees instead of the -15 that was at home.

We watched the Superbowl on a 15' screen on the beach. It was warm enough to wear shorts and t shirt. The resort had all the party stuff on the beach. To top it off the Home team won, Go Pack!!!!


gg
 
Pat53 said:
Should still be under warranty, check with a rep or where you bought it.

Pat
Click to expand...

Talked to them today and they said bring it in for a new one.

gg
 
goosegunner said:
...Its too warm here today to run boiler. ....

gg
Click to expand...

Warm weather sure brought the geese back to WI. While I was stacking wood in back they were flying real low over us. 'can't wait for early season...... %-P
 
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