8 inch slurry pump4 inch slurry pump design

Importance of Checking Rotation

Importance of Checking Rotation

During your initial pump set up there are numerous steps to go through to ensure your pump is properly installed before you run your pump.

One of the most important steps with a pump is to quickly bump power to your pump to check for proper rotation. Many of the motors used on AMT’s pumps are reversible, meaning depending on your wiring the motor can run forward or backwards. Even though running backwards you will still see flow coming out of the pump, this type of misuse could lead to a catastrophic failure of your pump or motor. All pumps or motors are labeled with rotation stickers to show the proper direction of rotation.

Each motor label will have a wiring diagram, if motors are reversible the instructions on how to change direction are provided on the motor label. Even though changing direction of the motor could be as simple as switching a few leads, it’s always important to contact a certified electrician when dealing with any electrical wiring.

A few signs that your pump is wired improperly are decreased flow/low performance or a loosened or completely unthreaded and jammed impeller or acorn nut. Due to impeller design decreased flow/low performance is caused by the impeller vanes not being able to properly and efficiently throw the liquid outward towards the volute. Unthreaded impellers and acorn nuts occur on motors with a threaded shaft. Correct rotation spins the impeller in a tightening motion, reversing the direction will allow the impeller to rotate in a loosening fashion. It is possible that the impeller and acorn nut can spin off in a matter of a few seconds if rotation is incorrect.

A quick and simple bump test can save you from a large headache down the road, it’s a vital step to your initial pump set up.