Biopowered - vegetable oil and biodiesel forum
Biodiesel => Biodiesel equipment => Topic started by: julianf on August 15, 2013, 10:13:04 PM
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Ive just had my pump fail mid-batch.
It still pumps, but more like a pour, rather than a gush.
Its too late now to investigate (i swapped in an identical spare) but what should i be looking for?
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Pump has been getting slightly more noisy for some time.
Motor is certainly still spinning fine
Looking in the input port, i could see some blackened stuff, like bits of straw, or sawdust, around the first visible plate (this leads me to suspect more further inside)
The pump is a Grunfoss multistage. I forget the model, but ill look it up.
Is there anything to watch out for before i start taking it apart?
Thank you,
julian
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They don't like pumping fibrous debris - it sticks in the impeller eyes and on the diffuser edges. I bet it's clogged with gunk - nothing a quick clean shouldn't sort. I use a length of copper wire from an electrical cable to poke clean the impellers and diffusers.
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Do i just take the front off it, and all will be on display, or will i need to look at diagrams etc?
You have to clean yours often?
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I'm not sure on the Grundfos ones as I've not got one, but the Calpeda ones the case comes off, then a locking nut on the motor shaft, and then all the impellers and diffusers easily slide off the shaft (which is splined). Have to pay attention to the order for re-assembly purposes.
No I don't have to clean mine often at all, but I do course filter and settle my WVO before it goes in the processor, so usually very little in the way of contaminants.
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pretty straightforward just remove the 4 screws. easy access to impeller.
tried to buy a new impeller for a 80 grufos pump that i found but was told that they don't sell parts for them as they never go wrong
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I have spare impellers for my multistagers (from a three phase pump of the same type) but they never fail in any way. The only problem I've seen is worn bearings on the pump motors and expanded sealing o-ring between the pump housing and body (now replaced with Viton) - very little else to go wrong really!
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Yes, I've had this problem too. Thankfully no more since I fitted a 100 micron filter to the processor inlet.
As above. Take it apart and be methodical - lay everything out in the order in which it came off. Take photos if you need to.
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Take photos if you need to.
Definitely take photos. For the wiki :)