Identifying pump faults

Pumps are built to last and normally fail due to inaccurate specification and installation. If you are experiencing issues regularly and needing to replace or repair a pump, we recommend a full pump troubleshooting and fault-finding investigation to ensure you get to the root cause of the failure. This will save you paying for regular costly repairs.

The chances are, the fault is something easy to correct, you just need to know where to look and what to look for… and that’s where our specialist pump consultants come in. By considering the combination of symptoms in each individual case, they can identify the underling cause.

Here are some common faults when a pump is poorly specified or incorrectly fitted:

1. Cavitation

Cavitation occurs when the pump is starved of sufficient inlet pressure, often due to incorrect pipe sizing, poor suction layout, or an undersized pump selection. It causes noise, vibration and damage to the impeller and casing, significantly reducing pump life.

2. Insufficient or Excessive Flow

A pump that is incorrectly sized for the system can deliver either too little or too much flow. Undersized pumps struggle to meet demand and may overheat, while oversized pumps can cause excessive velocity, erosion, noise, and increased energy consumption.

3. Premature Seal and Bearing Failure

Misalignment, poor base installation, or excessive vibration caused by incorrect specification can lead to early seal and bearing wear. These components are particularly sensitive to installation accuracy and operating conditions.

4. Air Entrainment and Loss of Prime

Poor pipework design, incorrect suction conditions, or inadequate venting can allow air into the system. This results in reduced performance, noise, erratic operation and in some cases complete loss of pump prime.

5. Excessive Noise and Vibration

Improper mounting, flexible connections installed incorrectly, or failure to isolate vibration can lead to excessive noise and mechanical stress. Over time, this can cause damage to the pump, pipework, and surrounding equipment.

6. Motor Overload and Electrical Trips

An inaccurately specified pump may operate outside its intended duty point, placing excessive load on the motor. This can lead to high current draw, overheating, and frequent electrical trips or motor failure.

7. Reduced Efficiency and High Energy Costs

Pumps selected without proper consideration of system demand, control strategy, or operating profile often run inefficiently. This results in unnecessary energy consumption and higher operating costs over the life of the system.

8. Shortened Equipment Lifespan

Ultimately, poor installation or incorrect specification accelerates wear across all components. Pumps may fail far earlier than expected, leading to unplanned downtime and increased maintenance spend.