We are having a perplexing problem with our Flexible Impeller pump, and hoping that someone with more experience might be able to point us in the right direction.
Last week the VFD on our pump failed, with it's LED display reading short circuit even when disconnected from the motor . Our supplier sent us a new VFD unit, talked me through installing it, and verifying that it worked. The thing is, I had taken the pump unit off the motor, so when we verified that it worked there was no pump installed.
When I reinstalled the pump onto the motor I could not get the unit to turn over at all. I took the pump off and lubricated the impeller, to the point that I can now turn the impeller in the pump housing by hand. Now with the pump on the motor but the faceplace not attached I can get the pump to turn using the motor, though it does struggle to maintain operation at low speed. However, when I install the face plate on the pump and try to pump liquid, the motor seems unable to start the impeller turning. Sometimes it can start at very high speed but gives up when I try to slow it down.
There are several possible issues here:
One, during the week spent waiting to get the new VFD hooked up, the impeller dried out enough to become unusable. Considering that I can rotate the impeller in the pump housing by hand this seems unlikely.
Two, I have not reassembled the pump correctly, though I have done this many times before and never had an issue.
Three, the replacement VFD is not putting out proper current and needs to be either reprogrammed or replaced.
Any suggestions as to how to diagnose this?
Thank you!
Jason MacArthur
Whetstone Cider Works
Last week the VFD on our pump failed, with it's LED display reading short circuit even when disconnected from the motor . Our supplier sent us a new VFD unit, talked me through installing it, and verifying that it worked. The thing is, I had taken the pump unit off the motor, so when we verified that it worked there was no pump installed.
When I reinstalled the pump onto the motor I could not get the unit to turn over at all. I took the pump off and lubricated the impeller, to the point that I can now turn the impeller in the pump housing by hand. Now with the pump on the motor but the faceplace not attached I can get the pump to turn using the motor, though it does struggle to maintain operation at low speed. However, when I install the face plate on the pump and try to pump liquid, the motor seems unable to start the impeller turning. Sometimes it can start at very high speed but gives up when I try to slow it down.
There are several possible issues here:
One, during the week spent waiting to get the new VFD hooked up, the impeller dried out enough to become unusable. Considering that I can rotate the impeller in the pump housing by hand this seems unlikely.
Two, I have not reassembled the pump correctly, though I have done this many times before and never had an issue.
Three, the replacement VFD is not putting out proper current and needs to be either reprogrammed or replaced.
Any suggestions as to how to diagnose this?
Thank you!
Jason MacArthur
Whetstone Cider Works
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