Pump operation & Maintenance

To drain pump for freeze protection or service

First be sure the breaker to the pump is turned off. Take your time and remove all drain plugs on the pump body. As you can see in the picture above, there is a drain at the bottom of the pump. Most people will not even know it is there. We recommend removing all plugs possible and placing them in a zip lock baggy next to the pump. For freeze protection, add foam insulation to pipe that may still have water in it. There is no substitute to added heat. If possible, leave a lamp or heater plugged in close to the pump during freezing conditions. 

To prime pump

First be sure all the drain plugs are installed in the pump. Locate the priming port or the large threaded PVC plug on the suction line. Slowly add water in either of these plugs. As the pipe and pump fill, air will need to escape. You may need to wait a minute to see if the water level has held once the ports are full. If they are not continue adding water. Once the pump and pipes are full, tighten the filling ports. Turn the breaker to the pump on. If the pump hasnt pressurized after 30 seconds, more water is needed to prime. Repeat the adding water steps.

Cracked Pump due to freeze

Above is a pump we repaired. If you do not get the pump ready for hard freezes, this can be a reality. 

Burned and Cracked Impeller 

Above is an impeller that was replaced on a pump. Notice the separation in the brass casting and the heat marks on the side. This pump froze and continued to run for an unknown amount of time. This is why we strive to teach our customers about upkeep and maintenance.