Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Irrigation and Bearings
Irrigation and Bearings
By Mike Morris and This publication explains how to maintain irrigation pumps, motors, and engines for peak efficiency.
Vicki Lynne The publication includes descriptions and diagrams of recommended installations, checklists for main-
NCAT Energy tenance tasks, and a troubleshooting guide. Each system component is treated separately and main-
Specialists tenance tasks are broken down by how frequently they need to be done. References and resource list-
© 2006 NCAT ings follow the narrative.
Contents Introduction
Introduction ..................... 1
Efficient irrigation begins with properly
Recommended installed and maintained pumps, motors,
Installations ...................... 1
Centrifugal Pump ....... 1
and engines.
Turbine Pump .............. 2 Equipment problems and management
Control Panel ............... 2
problems tend to go hand in hand. Equip-
Pumping Plant ment that is badly designed or poorly
Maintenance .................... 3
Electric Motors ............ 3 maintained reduces the irrigator’s degree
Control Panel ............... 5 of control over the way water is applied.
Engines .......................... 6 Problems like patchy water distribution
Centrifugal Pumps ..... 8 and inadequate pressure make it impos-
Turbine Pumps .......... 12
sible to maintain correct soil moisture lev-
Troubleshooting ........... 13 els, leading to crop stress, reduced yields,
References ...................... 15 wasted water, runoff, soil erosion, and
many other problems.
NCAT photo
Recommended Installations
the pumping plant might look like Fig. 1,
Centrifugal Pumping Plant Poor, on the discharge side. The next time
Installation with Electric Motor you rebuild the pump, replace the fittings so
The term “pumping plant” refers to the irri- that your system will look like Fig. 1, Ideal.
gation pump and motor or engine, consid-
An ideal installation should also have:
ered together. If you have an older system,
9 A discharge concentric expansion
Figure 1. Ideal and Poor Installations instead of an abrupt change in pipe
IDEAL Discharge pressure
diameter, to minimize head loss,
Concentric
expansion Shut-off valve
gauge with ball valve
Discharge pipe
turbulence, and air pockets.
larger than pump
discharge size
9 A discharge valve the same diam-
ATTRA—National Sustainable eter as the mainline.
Agriculture Information Service
is managed by the National Cen- Check
Flexible joint permits some
misalignment and axial
Pipe
support Fig. 2 shows what your pumping plant
ter for Appropriate Technology
valve movement; resolves most
thermal expansion problems should look like when pumping from a
(NCAT) and is funded under a
grant from the United States POOR
Valve too
small surface source such as a river or canal.
Department of Agriculture’s The pumping plant should also have:
Rural Business-Cooperative Ser-
vice. Visit the NCAT Web site
(www.ncat.org/agri. Sudden
On the Suction Side of Pump:
expansion
html) for more informa-
tion on our sustainable (Adapted from Saving Energy on Montana Farms and Ranches, 9 A well designed and screened sump
agriculture projects. /$"5 Montana Department of Environmental Quality.) that keeps trash away.
9 Suction line joints that are airtight On the Discharge Side of Pump:
under a vacuum.
9 A valve size that is the same diam-
9 No high spots where air can collect. eter as the mainline.
Related ATTRA
Publications 9 A suction line water velocity of five 9 A non-slam check valve to pre-
feet per second (fps) or less; two to vent back spin when shutting off
Energy Saving Tips for
Irrigators
three fps is best. the pump.
The Montana 9 A suction entrance at least two pipe 9 An air relief device when a buried
bell diameters from sump inlet.
Irrigator’s Pocket mainline is used.
Guide 9 A suction lift (vertical distance from
9 A discharge line water velocity of
Drought Resistant Soil water surface to pump impeller) less
than 15 to 20 feet. less than seven fps. Five fps is best.
Drought Resource
Guide 9 An eccentric reducer to keep air 9 An energy efficient 1800 rpm motor
Soil Moisture from becoming trapped in the with a 15 percent safety factor.
Monitoring: Low-Cost reducer fitting. 9 A simple shade over the motor.
Tools and Methods
9 A vacuum gauge to indicate whether
Measuring and the primer is pulling a vacuum or Turbine Pump Installation
Conserving Irrigation
Water
just moving air through the pump. Refer to the left half of Fig. 3 for a prop-
erly installed turbine pump in a well; many
of these same principles apply to turbine
Figure 2. Recommended Pump Installations, Top and Side Views pumps in sumps. The properly constructed
well should also:
Top View
9 Be at least six inches in diameter
Solid Gradually increasing larger than the outside diameter of
tapered section
foundation
the well casing when a gravel pack
Sump volume at least
twice maximum gpm is required.
Inlet
All joints
9 Have horizontal well screen slots
Cone increaser
water tight Uniformly distributed flow
that continue below the pumping
placed at pump Pressure
outlet if required gauge o
45 maximum
water level. The openings should
Supports as hold back at least 85 percent of the
Straight run of at least
10 pipe diameters “D”
or straightening vanes
required
surrounding material.
for testing flow
The poorly constructed well in the lower
Check
valve right half of Fig. 3 shows a well casing that
Shut-off
valve
is not centered in the well. Vertical slotted
pipe perforations are above the minimum
Primer Straightening vanes or
Side View water level, creating cascading water.
straight run as short as
possible but not less than
Globe 6 pipe diameters “D”
isolation
valve Vacuum
gauge
1/4” per foot
minimum upward
Grating, bar racks
Control Panel for Electric Motors
slope to pump
and screens at
beginning of The importance of a properly installed
Smooth
long-radius
maximum width
section control panel cannot be overemphasized
elbows
for personal safety and for protecting your
investment in your pump and motor.
Minimum water
Your control panel should:
Anchor Pipe supports “D”
(as required) level
Drainage
bolts Eccentric 4 “D” Minimum
inlet
Inlet
away from reducer minimum
motor
Suction bell
turbulence
9 Have a shade over it to keep
As close as
Inlet below
minimum “D” = pipe
thermal breakers cool.
“D” minimum water level diameter
possible
9 Be mounted on secure poles
(Adapted from Energy Efficient Pumping Standards, Utah Power & Light Company.) or foundation.
Page 2 ATTRA Maintaining Irrigation Pumps, Motors, and Engines
Figure 3. Deep Well Turbine Pump
Pump motor
RECOMMENDED
Grout seal
Pumping
water
level
Static water
level
Horsepower Range
Type of Service 1-9 10-40 50-150
Normal Duty
8 mos. 6 mos. 4 mos. NCAT photo
(8-hour day)
Heavy Duty
4 mos. 3 mos. 2 mos. a small amount of grease from the
(24-hour day)
grease port to allow for grease expan-
sion during full load operation.
Maintenance Tasks 9 Replace grease plug.
Change the grease at recommended inter- Control Panel Maintenance
vals to remove any accumulated moisture:
Control Panel Safety Precautions
9 Remove the bottom relief plug and
clean hardened grease out of pas- Never use the main disconnect to start or
sageway. stop your motor. It is not intended for this
purpose. Using the main disconnect to start
9 Using a grease gun, fi ll the hous- and stop the motor will cause excessive
ing with approved high tempera- wear of the contacts and arcing can occur.
ture electric motor bearing grease Use the start and stop button.
(refer to the manufacturer’s manual
for API number of grease) until old If the overhead lines to your control panel’s
grease is expelled. service are obstructed by tree branches or
other items, have the utility company clear
Caution: If old grease is not expelled the lines.
as the new grease is pumped in, stop
adding grease and have your motor Have an electrician inspect your panel to
checked by a qualified repair person. ensure that:
Adding new grease without old grease 9 Control circuits are protected with
being removed could blow the seals the correct size and type of fuse.
and push grease into the motor wind-
9 Lightning arresters are properly
ings, causing the motor to overheat
installed on the meter and motor
and reducing its service life. Do not
side of the buss and breaker. They
over-grease your motor. should also be mounted in a secure
9 Run motor until all surplus grease box to protect you if they blow up.
is thrown out through the bottom 9 The service panel is properly
grease port (may require 5 to 10 grounded, independently of the
minutes). pumping plant.
9 Shut off the motor and use a screw- 9 Service head grommets are in place
driver or similar device to remove and in good condition.
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 5
General Maintenance 9 If easily accessible, check magnetic
starter switch contact points.
Have your electrician or pump maintenance
person do a Megger check on the control 9 Periodically clean out debris, rodent
panel, motor, conduits, and other electri- droppings, and nests and insects.
cal connections. The Megger device applies Make sure drain hole is open.
a small amount of voltage to an electrical At end of season shutdown:
component and measures the electrical
resistance. A Megger test can also detect 9 Ensure that switches are in the off
potentially harmful moisture in windings. or open position. Lock the panel
in the off position and remove the
Any time the main disconnect switch has
fuses to prevent accidental startup
been left open or off, operate it several times
and vandalism. Removing fuses will
before leaving it closed or on. Copper oxide
also prevent corrosion.
can form in a few hours and result in poor
contact and overheating. Any type of corro- 9 Protect exposed control boxes
sion can cause poor contact, poor ground- against moisture and dust with a
ing, and direct or high-resistance shorts. waterproof tarp.
E
ngine power
Caution: After opening the control
is affected by panel but before touching the con- Engine Maintenance — Diesel,
altitude and trols inside, use a voltmeter to be Gasoline, Liquid Propane Gas
air temperature. sure that the incoming power is dis- (LPG), and Natural Gas
connected or turned off. If neces-
Make a habit of checking that the engine
sary, have your utility disconnect the
is securely bolted to its platform; mount-
power. If you have any doubts about
ing bolts can vibrate loose. Regularly check
the safety of your control panel,
coolant, oil levels, fuel, and fan belts. If
WALK AWAY AND CALL A QUALI- coolant or oil is down, check lines for leak-
FIED ELECTRICIAN. Even a current age. On diesel engines, check injectors and
of 15 milliamps (one milliamp is one fuel lines for leaks.
one-thousandth of an amp) can cause
serious injury or death. Always play Engine power is affected by altitude and air
it safe! temperature. Derate engine power output by
3.5 percent for every 1,000-foot increase
Maintenance Tasks in altitude over 500 feet above sea level.
At season startup: Derate output by 1 percent for each 10-
degree increase in air temperature above
9 Replace fuses after checking to see
that they aren’t blown. Never use 85 degrees F.
oversized fuses.
Engine Startup
9 Operate disconnect switch slowly
to check for alignment of blades (Beginning of Season)
and clips. Maintenance Tasks
9 Open and close the disconnect 9 Remove tape on all engine open-
switch several times to clean oxide ings and the distributor cap, and
from contact points. tighten belts.
9 Clean contacts of all dust and dirt. 9 Charge batteries and connect them.
Clean copper contacts with very fine
9 Open fuel tank shutoff valve.
sandpaper or a fi ne fi le. Replace
badly pitted or burned contacts. 9 Before starting the engine, override
Never fi le silver or silver-plated con- safety switches that protect against
tacts. Leave contacts clean and dry low water pressure, loss of oil pres-
so dust won’t collect. sure, and overheating. After engine
Page 6 ATTRA Maintaining Irrigation Pumps, Motors, and Engines
has reached operating speed, 9 Inspect breaker points for wear and
activate the safety switches. replace if needed.
9 Run the engine for 10 minutes, 9 Set the gap or dwell angle and
then turn it off and check oil and lubricate the rotor.
coolant levels.
9 Check timing and adjust if necessary.
9 Check engine and pump for any
9 Clean all connecting terminals;
leaks caused by drying gaskets.
cover with protectors.
Engine Air System 9 Spray silicone on electrically oper-
Always replace disposable air fi lters with ated safety switches and ignition
new ones. Cleaning can distort the fi lter and system to prevent corrosion.
allow more dirt to enter. Twice a year:
Maintenance Tasks 9 In engines that have them, clean
9 At season startup, clean and refi ll and re-gap spark plugs or replace
the fi lter bath in oil-bath air clean- with plugs in the recommended heat
ers and reassemble the air cleaner. range.
9 Periodically brush blockage off the 9 Check all terminals and electrical
screen if the air induction system is
connections for tightness and corro-
equipped with a pre-screener.
sion, and spray with corrosion inhibi-
9 Change the air fi lter when the ser- tor (NOT grease).
vice indicator signals that it’s time
9 Remove the distributor cap and
to change it:
lubricate governor weights with sili-
• Turn off engine before changing cone (NOT oil).
air fi lter.
• Wipe the outside of the cover and Engine Oil and Lubrication
housing with a damp cloth and Have a sample of engine oil analyzed for
remove the cover. contaminants, which signal abnormal wear.
• If cover is dented or warped, Intervals between analyses will depend on
replace it. the engine, and analysis may be cost-effec-
tive only for larger engines. Equipment deal-
• Use extreme care when remov- ers should know where the oil can be ana-
ing the fi lter to prevent dirt from lyzed and how often this should be done.
falling into the intake duct. Use a
clean damp cloth to wipe inside
of fi lter housing.
• Install new air fi lter.
D
Maintenance Tasks
o not store with water, a rust inhibitor, and
9 Twice a year remove and clean or antifreeze.
batteries
replace the fuel fi lter.
directly 9 Remove tension from belts.
9 Periodically check that fuel tank cap
on concrete.
and oil fi lter cap are on tight and 9 Remove and store batteries in a cool
that gaskets aren’t cracked. but not freezing location. Do not
store batteries directly on concrete.
9 Periodically check that the fluid
level and degree of coolant protec- 9 If engine is outside, cover with a
tion are adequate. Check that the water-resistant tarp.
radiator cap is on tight and that gas-
kets aren’t cracked. Centrifugal Pump Maintenance
Centrifugal Pump Startup
Engine Shutdown (End of Season)
(Beginning of Season)
Maintenance Tasks
Maintenance Tasks
9 Drain all fuel from the tank and
lines and shut off the fuel valve. If 9 Using new gaskets and pipe-dope,
LP gas is used, drain vaporizer- reconnect to the pump any piping
regulator. (Drain both fuel and removed during shutdown.
water lines.) 9 Re-install the primer and priming
valve if they were removed during
shutdown.
Figure 4. Centrifugal Pump and Motor
9 Check that the pump shaft turns
freely and is free of foreign objects.
Applying power could break the
impeller if it’s rusted to the case.
9 Check the pump for leaks caused by
drying gaskets.
9 Check intake and discharge pip-
ing for proper support and make
sure the pump is securely bolted to
the platform.
9 Clean the drain hole on the under-
side of the pump.
Page 8 ATTRA Maintaining Irrigation Pumps, Motors, and Engines
General
To avoid water leaks, make sure that all gas-
kets are the correct ones for the coupling or
flange. Eliminate air leaks in your pump’s
suction line by coating threaded connections
with pipe cement or white lead and drawing
them tight. Also examine suction line welds
for cracks, which will allow air leaks.
Choosing Gaskets
Using a gasket in a coupling that it was not
made for is a common cause of leaky gaskets.
Get the right gasket and the right kind of gas-
ket for the fitting.
Flat gaskets: Most are made of neoprene and
are used on flanged, bolt-together fittings.
They are usually not expensive. They normally NCAT photo
fail by “creeping” out of their fitting. Look for
connections between pump and primer. On
new neoprene gaskets that contain a cotton
backing sandwiched in the gasket to reduce
a hand primer, if grass or other debris is
the creeping action. lodged in the check valve, air is pulled back
into the pump at every stroke and the pump
Shaped gaskets: The three most common won’t prime. After proper priming, fi ll the
materials are styrene-butadiene (SBR), eth-
system slowly.
ylene-propylene (EPDM), and polyethylene
(poly). SBR and EPDM have much better resis- Maintenance Tasks
tance to cracking, abrasion, ozone, and weath-
Twice a year:
ering resistance than poly gaskets. They are
more expensive than poly but will last longer. 9 Thoroughly clean suction and dis-
When buying shaped gaskets, look for gaskets charge piping and connections,
that are dull; this indicates that little or no plas-
removing moss and debris.
ticizer has been added to the gasket. Plasticiz-
ers significantly reduce gasket life. 9 Tighten all drain and fi ll plugs in
the pump volute case to avoid air
and water leaks. Use a pipe thread
If your pump isn’t delivering water, verify compound on all pipe threads. Figure 5. Impeller Eye
that the pump shaft is turning in the direction 9 Check for cracks or holes in the and Wear Ring
of the arrow on the pump casing. As viewed pump case.
from the motor end, the rotation is usually
clockwise, but check the startup instructions 9 Clean trash screening device and
that came with the pump. On three-phase screens on the suction pipe.
motors, swap any two power leads to change Impeller
rotation. It is recommended that a qualified Servicing Impeller and Wear Rings
electrician perform this task. If you suspect that your pump impeller is
clogged or damaged, or that the wear rings
If the pump doesn’t prime, check for air
are worn, you can dismantle the pump. This 1/32” clearance
leaks on discharge valves. Many all-metal
will take some work and is best done in the
gate-type valves won’t seal properly to cre-
shop. Or have a qualified pump repair shop
ate a vacuum. Sand or other debris lodged
undertake this procedure. Always follow
between the rubber flap and the valve seat
the directions in the manufacturer’s man-
will prevent check valves from sealing and
forming a tight joint. See if the rubber face ual, if available, instead of the following
is cracked or chipped and not seating. simplified directions.
Replace the gate valve or check valve. Check 9 Remove suction cover or volute case.
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 9
dirt, silt, or sand in the water can also score
Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) and Cavitation the sleeve.
Many people are surprised to learn that centrifugal pumps don’t pull Check for an improperly greased or worn
water through a suction pipe; they can only pump water that is delivered
rotary shaft seal by running the pump and
to them. When air is removed from the suction pipe by a primer pump,
the weight of the earth’s atmosphere forces water to rise into the pipe, squirting oil on the shaft just outside the seal.
delivering water to the pump. Oil drawn into the seal indicates a leak.
Even in the best of circumstances (including a near-perfect vacuum), If the pump has been out of service, the
the maximum water column that can be forced by atmospheric pressure packing may be dried and hardened. Air
never exceeds about 33 feet in height. As elevation, water temperature, can leak into the pump through the packing
and pipe friction increase, the height of the water column that can be box and the pump can lose prime.
forced drops. The maximum column of water that can be created in a
pipe under a given set of conditions is known as Net Positive Suction
Head or NPSH. Maintenance Tasks
Insufficient NPSH often occurs at startup. Since the pump is working Grease the packing box annually with a
against low pressure, it pumps a larger volume than in normal opera- proper pump packing grease. Less frequent
tion. This larger volume creates friction losses in the suction line, reduc- maintenance causes grease to harden, mak-
ing NPSH. Too little available NPSH can result in vaporization of water ing this task very difficult.
in the eye of the impeller, causing cavitation, a noisy condition where
vapor bubbles collapse violently in the pump. 9 If the packing box is equipped
with a grease cup or a grease zerk,
To stop cavitation, close the discharge valve. If cavitation is allowed
to continue, the impeller and pump casing can become pitted and
apply a couple pumps of pack-
damaged, reducing pump capacity. To eliminate cavitation as well ing grease to the packing box to
as water hammer, and to prevent high amperage draw on demand force out the remaining water and
meters, open the discharge valve slowly to fill the mainline whenever protect the packing.
you start up the pump. 9 For a packing box without a grease
Caution: Don’t let the pump run more than two minutes with the discharge cup or zerk, remove the last two
valve closed. packing rings (see below for replac-
ing packing) and discard. Pack
9 Remove debris from impeller and packing grease into the packing box
volute. Remove pebbles lodged until full. Add two new rings and
between vanes. gently tighten the packing gland
slightly to force the grease into the
9 Check wear at the impeller eye and subsequent packing rings. Then
vanes. If worn, repair or replace the loosen the gland.
impeller.
9 Re-machine or replace wear
ring if clearance is greater Figure 6. Pump Packing
than 1/32 inch per side.
9 Replace suction cover or
volute. Use a new gasket.
O
9 To remove packing, twist two pack- rings on boxes without a grease cup nce the
ing pullers 180 degrees apart into or zerk, pack grease into the pack- packing is
the exposed packing ring. Pull each ing box until full. Add the last two
ring out of the packing box cav- burned and
rings and tighten the packing gland
ity until all are removed. The lan- slightly to force the grease into the the shaft sleeve is
tern ring has two holes 180 degrees subsequent rings of packing. Then scored, no amount
apart and can be removed with the loosen the gland. of adjustment will
packing pullers. 9 Start the pump with the packing maintain proper
9 Replace the shaft sleeve if it is worn gland loose so there will be initial leakage for any
or grooved. This usually requires leakage. Tighten the packing gland length of time.
pump disassembly. Once the pack- only enough to draw the necessary
ing is burned and the shaft sleeve vacuum for priming.
is scored, no amount of adjustment
9 Tighten the gland nuts slightly and
will maintain proper leakage for any
evenly every 15 to 20 minutes, until
length of time.
leakage is reduced to about 8 to
9 Before replacing new packing, 10 drops per minute and the water
insert the packing gland to make leaking from the box is cool.
sure it enters freely to the gland’s
Caution: Don’t stop leakage entirely.
full depth. If it doesn’t, clean out the
fragments of old packing and other
debris that may be obstructing it. Centrifugal Pump Shutdown
9 Install new packing rings as far for-
(End of Season)
ward as can be reached. Install only In cold climates, it is critical that all
the type and size of packing recom- water be drained from pumps prior to
mended by the manufacturer. freezing weather.
9 Insert each ring separately. Push
Maintenance Tasks
it securely into the box and seat it
fi rmly. A small amount of packing 9 Remove suction and discharge piping
grease applied to the packing will in areas where ice is a problem. Make
make this job a little easier. Don’t sure drain valves are not plugged,
use sharp points to push the pack- and drain water from the pump.
ing into the box. (Use the packing 9 Cover any exposed metal, such as
gland, a wooden dowel, pliers han- the shaft, with protective lubricant
dle, fi ngers, or other blunt object.) to prevent corrosion.
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 11
9 Cover all oil- or grease- Maintenance Tasks
lubricated bearings At season startup:
with lubricant so mois-
ture won’t rust and 9 Change the oil in the oil bath or
pit them. reservoir for the pump upper bear-
ings. Fill with approved turbine oil
9 Remove tension from almost to the top of the sight glass
any belts.
so bearings are covered, taking
9 Open petcock and care that excess oil doesn’t get on
drain diaphragm-type or in the motor.
NCAT photo
hand primer.
Periodically:
9 If the discharge primer valve is
equipped with a rubber seat, coat it 9 Grease lower bearings. Refer to
with rubber preservative. electric motor bearing greasing
9 Any rubber parts in a flexible cou- instructions above, on page 5.
pling connecting the pump to the 9 Maintain the pump packing on water-
driver should also receive a coating lubricated turbine pumps as directed
of preservative. above on pages 10 to 11 for centrifu-
9 Make sure the ball valve on the gal pump packing.
pressure gauge riser is closed.
Annually:
Remove the pressure gauge and
store inside. 9 Change the bearing oil in vertical
hollow shaft motors. When replacing
9 Seal all openings, including suc-
tion, discharge, and primer, with the oil, follow motor manufacturer’s
duct tape, to keep out rodents and recommendations or use ISO-VG32
foreign material. turbine oil, such as:
9 Cover the pump with a water- Mobil DTE 797
proof tarp. Lubriplate HO-0
Symptoms Symptoms
Bearings worn
Pump loses prime after starting
mounting is loose
Packing box has short life
Pump vibrates or is noisy
Bearings have short life
Page 16 ATTRA