Imagine you just bought a new sump pump. You feel at ease because you no longer have to worry about the water in your basement sump pit flooding your house. You did all the preliminary research , you talked to experts and you’re confident that you picked a dependable product. All that's left is the actual pump installation and troubleshooting the most common issues.
Of course, even if you picked the right pump for you, with installation comes a unique set of complications and obstacles. When customers have problems with their pumps - loud noises, wear and tear, inefficient water flow - many times the problem has its roots in how the pump was installed.
A pump installationPump Products experts have identified several common problems that typically result from improper installation and how to troubleshoot these problems. We strongly recommend that you have a licensed professional handle all installations of pumps, motors and attendant electrical equipment. This guide is intended for educational purposes.
Pump Installation Issues
Troubleshooting electrical problems
--Incorrect wiring can sometimes cause the motor to rotate in reverse - the fluid may still move but it could damage the pump in the long term. Bad wiring can also short out the pump. Most manufacturers provide an installation schematic or manual to help guide a contractor through the installation process. The schematic should break down the components of your equipment’s wiring. Here’s a typical example from Goulds Pumps.
--The pump is not properly grounded. Grounding means having a conducting connection from the equipment to the earth. A ground wire is connected to a panel which in turn leads to a grounding rod or spike. The grounding wire is used to prevent user contact with dangerous voltage and to protect against electrical surges. To illustrate the danger of improper grounding, imagine that the grounding wire is frayed. When electricity travels, the majority of the voltage will take the path of least impedance. Because the exposed wires are not properly insulated, the electricity will “arc out” or discharge from the wiring. This can be incredibly dangerous to anyone near the equipment and can cause significant equipment damage.
--Low power. To avoid a lack of power disrupting service make sure the pump is directly plugged into a wall socket, as opposed to a power strip or other connective source. Also make sure that the pump is on a dedicated circuit and not sharing a circuit with other appliances or equipment (basement lights, washing machine and dryer, etc.).
Troubleshooting plumbing problems
--Improperly installed check valve. The check valve is simply a valve with a flap or disc that can only open in one direction, preventing water from flowing back into the pump. If the check valve is improperly installed or not correctly sized for your application, reverse flow can result, damaging the pump. Or you may get no flow at all. Check valves should have an arrow on the body that indicates the correct direction to install.
--Pump not primed. To prime the pump simply means to fill it with water to enable the pumping process to begin. Some pumps can self-prime after the initial priming while others must be periodically primed.
Troubleshooting general installation problems
--Improper pump and motor alignment. In frame-mounted pumps, the drive shaft must be directly aligned to the pump shaft both horizontally and vertically. If one of the shafts is slightly higher than the other or if the shafts are attached at a slight angle, the pump will not rotate in a smooth manner. Instead, the components will grind against each and produce friction, causing overheating, wear and excessive vibration. PumpProducts.com experts recommend that pumps and drives be laser-aligned for the most accurate possible alignment. Many contractors carry laser-alignment tools. (Close-coupled pump models have the drive directly mounted to the volute).
--Not enough room for the float switch. Float switches are devices used to detect and control how much liquid is in a tank. For instance, in a sump pump, when the water pushes the switch up to a certain preset level, the pump will turn on. When enough water is evacuated and the switch falls below a certain preset level, the pump will turn back off. A common mistake with sump pump installation is not leaving enough room in the sump pump basin for the switch to do its job. For instance, if the float switch is impeded by the basin wall, it will not regulate the water level properly.
Other good guiding tips to keep in mind at the installation stage include: making sure the system is accessible for ease of maintenance, keeping the motor well ventilated and perhaps most importantly testing the system. A general rule of thumb is to have redundancies on hand, whether that means another pump, extra accessories and repair parts or a backup power source. Installing a pump and all the necessary equipment can be a tricky process but be if you watch out for these problems before they occur, you can rest easy.
