Repair and Maintenance

Repair and Maintenance

All units are subjected to hard yakka, so it's not surprising they need regular maintenance. A broken pump costs time and money and we do everything to get you back in business ASAP. We offer a full range of repair and maintenance services.

To help you keep your unit it good working order or to trouble shoot a problem, here are some tips and suggestions:

Maintenance procedures

Interpump pumps are delivered ready to go with their first oil filling and a transport plug (red) to prevent oil leakage during shipping. The oil dip-stick with level gauge and breather hole (black/yellow) are supplied separately. Before starting the pump, replace the transport plug with the dip-stick.

The first oil change must be after the first 50 hours of pump operation, while successive changes are required every 500 hours. We recommend the use of an SAE 30 oil. Between oil changes, periodically check the oil level in the clear gauge or using the dip-stick, and top-up if necessary.

During scheduled checks, also check that water has not seeped into the oil (if it has, the oil will be whitish in colour). Seepage may be caused by excessive seal leaks (poor maintenance) or condensation build-up in surroundings that are very humid or subject to wide temperature swings.

Water seals and inlet/outlet valves are components subject to wear that need periodical checking and replacement. Seal wear can be noticed by a drop in pump pressure or formation of drops under the pump where the head is connected to the crankcase. If this happens, the entire seal set must be replaced as soon as possible to avoid water seeping into the crankcase and damaging mechanical parts.

Wear can be noticed by a drop or variation in pressure and often machine vibrations of the inlet/outlet valve. If the pump is to remain inactive for an extended period of time, it is a good idea to drain it completely. To do this, disconnect the inlet and outlet pipes and run the pump empty for a few seconds (10 sec. max.). This precaution is absolutely indispensable if the pump is to remain at a temperature below 0°C, even for a short period of time.

Trouble Shooting

The table below provides a summary of the most common problems and malfunctions that could arise. For any other specific problems not covered by this list, please contact us by phone, email or just drop in.

Problem	Cause	Solution
Pump is running but does not reach the pre-set pressure	Pump is sucking in air	Check inlet ducts and make sure they are air-tight
	Valves are worn	Check and replace
	Regulating valve seats worn	Check and replace
	Nozzle inadequate or worn	Check and replace
	Seals worn	Check and replace
Pump not sucking	Pump is sucking in air	Check inlet ducts and make sure they are air-tight
	Suction level too low	Check inlet water level
	Inlet valves dirty	Disassemble and clean the inlet valves or connect the pump inlet to the water mains and pump for a few minutes
Irregular pressure oscillation	Inlet and/or outlet valves worn	Check and replace
	Foreign matter present in the valves jeopardizing their functioning	Check and clean valves
	Pump is sucking in air	Check inlet ducts and make sure they are air-tight
	Water seals worn	Check and/or replace seals
Drop in pressure	Nozzle worn	Change nozzle
	Inlet and/or outlet valves worn	Check and/or replace valvesCheck and clean valves
	Foreign matter present in the valves jeopardizing their functioning	Check and/or replace the regulating valve seat
	Regulating valve seat worn	Replace
	Water seals worn	Replace seals
	In case of belt drive, belts are slack or worn	Replace belts or adjust tension
Excessive noise	Pump not being fed correctly	Check that the suction level is not too low or that the suction pipes are not blocked (e.g., filter clogged)
	Pump is sucking in air	Check inlet ducts and make sure they are air-tight
	Inlet and/or outlet valve springs damaged or broken	Replace valve springs
	Foreign matter in inlet/outlet valves	Check and clean the inlet/outlet valves
	Bearings worn	Bearings worn Replace bearings
	Fluid temperature too high	Reduce the temperature of the pumped fluid
Water traces in oil	Excessive leaks caused by totally worn water seals	Replace seals
Water traces in oil	High humidity rate in air	Change oil twice as often as recommended
Water seeping from drains between head and crankcase	Water seals worn	Replace seals
	Piston damaged	Replace piston
	O-ring on piston bolt worn	Replace O-ring
Oil seeping from drains between head and crankcase	Oil seals worn	Replace oil seals
Frequent or premature wear of water seals	Pistons damaged or scratched	Replace pistons
	Abrasive matter in water	Install the proper filter on the inlet side
	Water temperature too high	Check temperature of inlet water
	Pump running dry	Avoid running pump without water
	Operates for long periods in by-pass	Limit by-pass mode running to no more than 5 min
Excessive vibrations at outlet hose/pipe	Pulsation dampener drained (where present)	Check pressure in pulsation dampener
	Valves worn or dirty	Check and replace
	Pump is sucking in air	Check inlet ducts and make sure they are air-tight
	Water seals worn	Replace water seals